This young master truly has the ambition of a hero.

This young master truly has the ambition of a hero. (PaPaSang)

Summary:

Relying on the knowledge and technology plundered from Earthlings, the Black Forest Empire of the Sunrise Continent maintains a facade of prosperity, but it is increasingly difficult to conceal its inner decay and depravity.

As the Empire State Building crumbles, Dick Best, a transmigrator who feels no sense of belonging to the Empire, secretly decides to make good use of the various talented anime girls around him and become a renowned warlord in a chaotic world.

Volume One

Chapter 001: The Duke's Youngest Son

Sunrise Continent, Black Forest Empire.

Outside the towering city walls of the ancient capital, a convoy of vehicles, fully prepared for departure, stood by the roadside.

A dozen or so elegantly dressed nobles were escorting a slender, handsome young man onto a carriage, like a family seeing off their young son who was about to embark on a long journey. Each of them had a melancholy look in their eyes and were showing concern for the young man, creating a warm and affectionate family atmosphere.

The middle-aged man in the lead was named Rune Best. He was in his early fifties, tall and robust, with a handsome face but a melancholy expression.

He wore a brocade robe made of fine silk and satin, embroidered with a roaring lion in gold thread, which was the family crest of the prestigious Best family of the Black Forest Empire. He was the current head of the family, Duke Best, the Imperial War Marshal.

The boy in front of him appeared quite petite compared to his own size. Judging from his figure and appearance, he was only about twelve or thirteen years old, but he was very handsome. He had the same jet-black hair and pale golden eyes as the Duke. However, upon closer inspection, it was not difficult to notice that the boy's ears, hidden among his hair, were long and upturned, a characteristic clearly of elves.

Rune gently patted the boy's shoulder, his tone full of concern but also tinged with a hint of guilt.

"Dick, once you get to your fiefdom, remember to write home often to let them know you're safe."

"I know, Father, you and your mothers, brothers and sisters, please take good care of yourselves."

At this moment, a handsome young man with red hair approached the boy Dick, carrying a box. The young man's name was Reinhardt, the eldest son of the Duchess. Upon seeing his youngest brother, the usually arrogant and haughty young nobleman was unusually reserved and embarrassed.

He handed the heavy wooden box to Dick with both hands, hesitated for a long time, and then, under his father's stern gaze, spoke in the softest voice he could.

"Fifth brother, I'm so sorry for what happened. For the sake of the family's reputation, I had no choice but to do this. It's just that you've suffered..."

“Brother, it’s alright, you don’t need to blame yourself so much. Although my bloodline isn’t pure, I’m still a member of the Best family, and your brother. For the sake of the family, for the sake of you, a little bit of infamy and exile is nothing compared to preserving your reputation as the future duke!”

"Fifth brother..."

Hearing his brother's heartfelt words, even Reinhardt, who usually didn't think much of his half-brother born to the elven dancer, was moved to tears.

He couldn't help but regret not treating his simple and adorable little brother better before. Sometimes he would even join his other brothers in deliberately bullying him for fun.

Now that I've come to my senses, I wish I could slap myself twice right there and then yell, "I deserve to die!"

Compared to him, his three younger brothers were nothing short of wolves and tigers!

They were all eyeing the dukedom covetously, constantly plotting how to replace their eldest son.

In this case, although he had no evidence, these bastards were definitely involved, colluding with outsiders to ruin his reputation. They got him drunk, sent him to a brothel frequented only by the lowly, and then deliberately lured his fiancée to catch him in the act.

Such sordid dealings were not uncommon in the decadent and corrupt empire; many nobles engaged in far more despicable and filthy practices. The key was to avoid being caught, especially given Reinhardt's status as the eldest son of the Best family and the future heir to the title. If he were caught red-handed in a low-class brothel, even if the Duke knew he had been framed, he could only have his inheritance revoked.

Thanks to his fifth brother arriving first, he stuffed the unconscious man into a floorboard and took the blame for him, thus preserving the reputation of the eldest son and preventing him from being disgraced in the capital.

It is worth mentioning that Reinhard secretly sent someone to deliver "hush money" to the two succubus prostitutes afterward, but the two refused to accept a penny. They only said that the Fifth Young Master had a special talent, which convinced the two sisters. They had already sworn to the god of pleasure that they would keep the truth buried forever.

The god of pleasure is the chief deity worshipped by succubi. The oath of resurrection will leave a mark on the back of the hand, and it is a truly effective oath, the kind of oath that cannot be faked.

However, this incident further tarnished the reputation of the fifth brother, whose bloodline was already impure, making him a laughingstock in aristocratic circles and rendering him unable to stay in the bustling capital any longer.

Left with no other choice, his father had to send him to Laguge, a family enclave in the far north, to serve as an administrative governor.

The title of administrative governor sounds impressive, but it is an official position rather than a noble title. It is usually a local official appointed by a high-ranking noble to manage remote fiefdoms. They are usually confidants of the lord or children without inheritance rights.

If it were a lucrative place, it would be a good job, but the northern Laguge is a truly harsh and cold place. It is sparsely populated and has mineral deposits and abundant forestry resources, but the climate is extremely harsh. The real problem is how to survive, rather than how to make money.

Therefore, Lagug is the worst fiefdom under the Best family, without exception.

The fifth brother, being a half-elf, possessed exceptional magical talent, but his physique was rather thin and weak. Although he was already eighteen years old, he looked like a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, a far cry from the generally tall and robust members of the Best family.

In his father's words, the child only resembles him in three ways: hair, eyes, and... well.

Duke Rune was not someone who couldn't distinguish right from wrong. He knew very well that his eldest son, Reinhardt, had been framed, and that his younger son, Dick, was willing to take the blame to protect the family's reputation and his elder brother's honor.

However, the Duke did not conduct any investigation afterward, nor did he show any intention of clearing his youngest son's name.

Even the next day, when he went to court to meet the emperor, he tearfully blamed himself for failing to properly educate his youngest son, allowing him to do such an absurd thing that disgraced the nobility. He then personally drafted the appointment document and exiled his youngest son to Laguge.

And so the matter was quickly settled, leaving no room for either party to stir up trouble again.

Many people were surprised by the Duke's ruthlessness, because usually when noble children committed crimes, they were sent to the state monastery to fast and worship the gods for a few months. For such sordid things as visiting brothels, they didn't even need to be sent to the monastery; they could just stay at home and reflect on their mistakes.

But the old duke, in a fit of rage, sent his youngest son to Lagug, that godforsaken place. Since that place became imperial territory, of the twenty-odd governors who have served there, the number of tough men who have lived to retirement and returned can be counted on one hand.

Therefore, when the news spread that Dick Best was to be exiled to Lagog as regional governor, almost everyone assumed that the boy would never return.

Some people don't understand why the Duke would be so cruel to his youngest son.

Is it because this child was born to a half-elf dancer that they feel that the quarter-elf bloodline disgraces the noble bloodline of the Best family, and therefore want him to fend for himself?

However, some people think that this might be a grand scheme by the Duke. He will definitely take revenge on many people next. When it comes to punishment, with Dick's case of being sentenced to the maximum penalty as a precedent, Rune will have a reason to kill others as well!

Sacrificing an insignificant young son in exchange for a legitimate reason to kill him.

Returning to the farewell scene, apart from Reinhardt, the eldest brother who felt guilty towards his fifth brother, the other brothers and sisters, as well as the three wives, all came forward to say goodbye to Dick and present him with parting gifts.

But apart from his eldest brother's farewell gift, which was somewhat substantial, the others only gave him trivial trinkets. Dick accepted them all solemnly, his eyes filled with tears as he choked back his thanks.

Finally, Dick knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to the Duke before getting into the carriage. He leaned against the window and tearfully bid farewell to his family.

Only after the carriage had passed a hill and the imperial walls and his family's figures had all disappeared from his sight did Dick retreat back into the carriage. He quickly took out eye drops to wash away the irritant he had deliberately applied to his eyelids to induce tears; the smell of that stuff was indeed quite strong.

"Finally, the performance is over! I've finally escaped!"

Since he was alone in the carriage, Dick was able to temporarily shed the "pretense" he usually tried so hard to maintain.

No longer the adorable, innocent little girl with a slightly naive personality who always looked up at others with her big, watery golden eyes at a 45-degree angle, capable of stirring up maternal instincts in older women.

Loosening the tight collar of his suit to allow himself to breathe more easily, Dick casually picked up the gift boxes piled in front of him to see what farewell gifts his family had given him.

The slender noble ceremonial sword given to me by Duke Rune has a golden scabbard and hilt with a gilded lion crest. The blade is slender and bright as a mirror, and you can feel a slightly cool magical energy when you touch it with your fingertips. It is obviously a high-end product that has been enchanted.

It seems that his father still has some affection for him, though not much.

Dick then looked at his older brother's gift. Inside the wooden box were ten high-quality magic stones, each the size of a ping-pong ball, essential items for a magician's daily training and advancement.

For the sake of these high-grade magic stones, Dick secretly vowed that he would never call his older brother an idiot again!

Apart from these two gifts, which were of decent quality, the rest of the gifts were rather unremarkable, highlighting the lack of sentiment behind them.

Especially the third sister, Finney, who gave Dick a box of pastries as a gift, and very "thoughtfully" chose all flavors that Dick didn't like.

The third sister, Finney, was born to the second wife. She was of average appearance and figure, and among her many brothers and sisters, she disliked Dick the most.

Most of the men in the Best family are strong and handsome, while the women are generally tall and, although not particularly beautiful, are generally very spirited. For example, the eldest sister born to the third wife and the second sister born to the first wife are extremely popular tomboys in the circle of noble ladies!

It could be said that among the Best family children, only the fifth son, Dick, and the third daughter, Finney, were outliers.

However, because Dick has one-quarter elven blood (and actually one-quarter succubus blood), his small stature is simply due to slow development; he can continue to grow taller in the future. But his appearance is recognized as the best among the five, and he is exceptionally handsome, making him very popular with older women.

Moreover, he possessed exceptional magical talent, passing the tests to become a promising young low-level mage before the age of twelve. His mentor believed he had the potential to advance to a high-level mage before the age of thirty. This was the main reason why, despite being the son of a dancer, he was accepted by the Duke.

In comparison, Finney is utterly useless!

She inherited her mother's short stature and her father's "dignified" face. Among the handsome men and beautiful women of the Best family, she stood out like a chicken among cranes. She was often ridiculed by other socialites in private, who said that even the Best family's younger brother (referring to Dick) looked beautiful in women's clothing, making her feel ashamed of herself.

As a result, her appearance anxiety caused the third sister to become increasingly distorted. She couldn't afford to offend her other brothers and sisters, but she hated Dick so much that she couldn't stand it. She even did something despicable like trying to splash hot soup on Dick's face to disfigure him.

Like this case of being framed, all the other brothers and sisters, whether sincerely or not, at least pleaded for him. Only the third sister ignored the second wife's desperate attempts to persuade him, demanding that their father strip Dick of his surname, expel him from the family, and sell this "bastard" to slave traders.

The third sister only wanted to kill her younger brother, but she didn't see the Duke's completely dark expression when she uttered the word "bastard".

The brothers, who originally harbored their own ulterior motives, quickly formed a "brother-protecting alliance" without any communication. They acted as brothers and all changed their tune to protect their fifth brother to the death, fearing that their image in their father's eyes would be equated with that of their foolish third sister.

However, there was no turning back on the exile; Dick had to leave the capital and head to his fiefdom of Laguge, a thousand miles away.

On the surface, Dick appeared pitiful and sad, as if he couldn't bear to leave his family, but in his heart he was secretly laughing.

He was finally able to leave this hellish capital. As the youngest son of the Grand Duke, he appeared noble, but his life was not good. Moreover, the capital was the power center of this corrupt empire, and beneath the prosperous surface lay turbulent undercurrents.

Those political enemies who were at odds with Duke Best might not dare to do anything to the Duke himself, but it would be easy for them to target his youngest son, who was not of pure blood.

Moreover, Dick wanted to leave the capital for other reasons that he couldn't say.

The carriage had been traveling for more than half an hour when it stopped at a river crossing dock on the outskirts of the city.

Dick straightened his clothes and got off the carriage. He stopped in the noble passage, while on the other side of a canal, there were all sorts of commoners huddled together, a bustling scene that vaguely reminded Dick of some distant memories.

Just then, a boxy "bus" drove up on the road not far away. The well-ventilated carriage was packed with passengers, some of whom even sat on the roof. The bus was driven by a wood-fired boiler that billowed black smoke as it ran, filling the carriage and giving the passengers a taste of being smoked chickens.

Therefore, nobles and wealthy people generally do not ride in this kind of transportation. They prefer the new type of carriage with shock-absorbing springs installed on the bearings, which is both comfortable and respectable.

While the servants were carrying luggage, Dick stood by the railing of the VIP passage, gazing at the crowded and busy commoners. His gaze would occasionally linger on things that seemed out of step with the times, and he would mutter to himself.

"Humans on Earth are truly remarkable. I just hope that when the Blackshen people get their comeuppance, it won't affect these innocent ordinary people."

As Dick was reminiscing, a stunningly beautiful woman with dark hair and a voluptuous figure, wearing a black veil and exuding a sophisticated air, walked towards him. Just as she was about to pass by Dick, her high heels suddenly wobbled, causing her to stumble and fall to the side. Dick, being a gentleman, reached out and steadied her.

"Are you alright, miss?"

"It's nothing, I just twisted my ankle. Could you help me to sit on that bench over there for a while?"

"Of course, ma'am."

With Dick's help, the two slowly walked toward the bench. The seemingly frail black-haired beauty whispered to Dick in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Young Master, Hongye has learned that the First Madam has bribed assassins to sabotage you on your way to your fiefdom."

"The First Madam's people? I took the blame for her son, and this is how she repays me?"

Dick said with a smile, without a trace of anger in his tone, as if he had expected this to happen.

"So, who was she planning to frame after killing me?"

"It should be the Third Madam, but it can't be called a frame-up, because the Third Madam also hired an assassin."

"Ha, it's getting more and more lively."

Dick thought to himself, "They really are nobles. Even though I've made it clear that I won't participate in the competition for the title, they still won't let me go. They won't feel at ease until they've wiped me out completely."

However, this is also good, as I can use this as a pretext to turn the tables and let the two groups of assassins fight each other.

Dick helped the black-haired beauty to a bench and sat her down. Then he called over a servant and asked for the ointment she always carried.

Seeing that the Fifth Young Master was going to apply the medicine to the other party himself, the servant, upon seeing the figure and appearance of the black-haired beauty, immediately understood and stepped aside so as not to disturb the young master's "good thing".

Dick reached out and took off the girl's high heels, revealing her slender and beautiful feet. He put some ointment on his hand and gently stroked her ankle, which was not red or swollen at all. With his other hand, he pinched her small feet and gently tickled the girl's tender and sensitive soles with the tip of his ring finger.

"Madam, are you feeling better?"

"Young Master...you're so mean!"

Two thin blushes rose on the girl's bright and beautiful fair cheeks. Her slightly bitten red lips seemed to be trying her best to endure, but when she looked at Dick, there was a bit of shyness and a little reproach, but no anger or resentment.

"Such beautiful legs, wear black stockings next time."

"Young Master, is this an order?"

The girl asked with a half-smile, while the boy answered with a completely frank expression.

"No, I was just stating my own preferences."

"Humph!"

The girl tilted her head and gave a barely audible hum, but in reality, she was already planning what style of stockings she would wear next time.

Suddenly, the girl noticed an old man walking quickly toward her from a distance. She quickly pulled her bare feet away from Dick's hands, put on her high heels, and got up to leave.

Before leaving, he thanked Dick for his help and then whispered a reminder.

"Young master, your magic mentor has arrived."

After the black-haired girl finished speaking, she picked up her suitcase and turned to leave gracefully. Dick looked towards the entrance of the passage and sure enough, he saw an old man who looked very much like Master Roshi running towards him.

As soon as the old man got to Dick, he jumped up and slapped him on the head.

"You brat, have you gone mad from researching those magical tools? What were you thinking, taking the blame for your brain-dead, idiotic older brother? What did I tell you before I left? I told you to wait for me to come back, and I'd recommend you for the National Magic Academy. How could you... how could you..."

Listening to his mentor's exasperated scolding, Dick accepted it humbly, feeling not at all embarrassed, but rather warmed by it. In this vast capital city, his magic mentor, Grandor, was probably one of the few people who truly cared about him, and therefore Dick genuinely respected him.

But this time, Dick wanted to leave the capital city of his own volition, because he had reasons for having to leave as soon as possible.