episode_0102

*

Inside the dungeon of Hispil Castle.

Anima, who had been imprisoned here not long ago, was consuming only the minimum amount of water and refusing all food served by Serpina.

“Hey.”

“… … .”

“Hey! Answer me!”

“… … .”

“… … I won.”

Occasionally the guard continued to speak to her, but Anima remained completely unresponsive.

The guard didn’t say anything more since he wasn’t given any special instructions, but-

‘If things continue like this, that guy’s life will be in danger.’

It wasn’t a very pleasant thing for the guard to take home the meal he had brought with him.

He was thinking that it would be a good idea to ask his superiors for their policy once more.

I heard footsteps approaching this place.

If you turn your head to see someone… … There, standing at the very top of his life, was a blonde absolute figure.

A person who is more noble than anyone else and more elegant than anyone else.

If the Crown of Absoluteness truly exists on the continent, she is the only woman qualified to receive it.

“Hello, my lord.”

Serpina spoke to the guard who bowed in respect.

“Report the situation.”

“As I said, he continues to refuse meals. It seems that they consume only the minimum amount of water necessary for survival.”

“I see.”

Serpina turned her head slightly to the side.

The guard quickly realized that this meant asking them to leave this place, bowed once more and quickly left the place.

Serpina, who was alone, headed to the prison where Anima was being held with a calm expression on her face.

When we arrived there, there was a one-armed woman sitting with her head down and not saying anything.

“Anima Ingram.”

“… … .”

There was no answer from her, but Serpina didn’t really care.

“Are you going to keep showing off this foolishness? Your master wouldn’t want you to go wrong either.”

“… … .”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but this isn’t resistance or anything. It’s just a childish, self-harming behavior. An action that has no meaning and cannot change anything. I heard you’re a smart person, but it doesn’t seem like that at all?”

Eventually, Serpina asked calmly, without any emotion in the sentence.

“Anima Ingram. Let me ask you directly. Do you have any intention of working under me in the future?”

“… … What?”

At Serpina’s words, Anima finally broke the silence and opened her lips.

“It’s literally like that. I’ve heard about your talents. I wonder if you plan to use that talent for me in the future. Well, I don’t think I’ll agree, but if I change my mind, there’s nothing I can’t embrace.”

Anima, who heard those words, slowly raised her head and glared at Serpina.

In her eyes… … There was anger that seemed like it would explode at any moment.

The murderous intent was so great that an ordinary person would have been eaten, but Serpina was not eaten and instead looked straight into her eyes.

“… … Don’t be funny.”

“… … .”

“Even if it means getting my head cut off, I have no intention of falling under you, Serpina.”

It couldn’t have been a sentence with a very provocative tone, but-

Without even shaking an eyebrow, Serpina simply answered in a tone similar to the one she had resolutely proposed just now.

“I see. It’s a shame.”

After giving an answer that didn’t seem to be regrettable at all, it was just what it said.

Anima spoke with even more hostility.

“I cannot forgive you, Serpina von Eyngart. certainly… … I will definitely kill your bitch with my own hands.”

“I hear that kind of story a lot. Even if it’s not you.”

“Ha! I like to think carefully. If you don’t hit my head now, I’ll hit your bitch’s head with my own hands.”

Anima spoke again as if provoking.

No matter what she said, she couldn’t shake the blonde absolute before her eyes even a little.

” I don’t have a habit of damaging products that are stuck in my hands because they can’t control the grass. ”

“What… … ?!”

“Isn’t this a good story? Because you were captured, it is as if the weakness of Yuuri Aceous, the baranga you serve, has been discovered by me.”

Crack!

Upon hearing those words, the anger inside Anima finally began to burst out.

“This… … You damn bitch!”

“Go wild once. What will be the result? You may not be able to run wild because you can’t eat properly, but you know very well that even if you try to run wild with all the strength you don’t have, nothing will be solved. Because you are smart. Isn’t it?”

“Ugh… … eww… … Ugh… … !!”

bang!

Anima knocked on the iron bars a few times and then glared intensely at Serpina, but-

Of course, Serpina was not at all intimidated and simply opened her mouth calmly while maintaining her gaze from above.

“Let me give you some advice. It would be a good idea to prepare a meal.”

“What… … ?”

“Didn’t you boast that you would kill me with your own hands? First of all, you have to keep that command line before you can kill me. If you are a person who has served as a ruler of a country, take responsibility for the words you say.”

“… … !!!”

Anima turned into her four hundred eyes and looked at Serpina.

She had the same expression on her face ever since the moment she walked here and spoke to me.

A subtle expression that makes you look bored when you say it’s boring, and when you say it’s intimidating, it looks like it really is.

The eyes are lifeless, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a fighting spirit burning inside – such a cold, distant expression that feels like it can’t be reached.

“… … .”

Anima slowly lowered her head and then-

Only then did he pick up the rye bread left in his room and start munching on it.

The meal of an animal that doesn’t care about face or anything else.

After hearing the last crunching sound, Serpina turned around and took steps to leave the place.

And that moment.

“… … Piviola Academy.”

“!!!”

When I heard that name from the mouth of the Anima-

For the first time, Serpina was shaken, even if only for a split second.

Anima probably didn’t notice because her back was turned, but Serpina’s heart was definitely shaken.

“It won’t be the first time you’ve heard this word. Because it was a place that you arbitrarily erased just because it was sponsored by a competitor.”

“… … .”

“It’s not just Piviola Academy. Serpina, there are more people on the continent who are after your years. Someday… … You will be caught by your ankles.”

With those words, the sound of people eating hurriedly was heard again.

Serpina left the prison without looking back or answering.

After coming out to the royal castle.

Serpina sat on the castle lord’s chair and was lost in thought.

This is a story from the past that now feels like a long time ago.

“Brother. why… … Why did you do that?! What did the people there do wrong-”

“Noisy! This is the only way! In order to prevent that stupid brother from inheriting the throne, we have to organize our forces somehow!”

“But… … !”

slap!

“… … Don’t say anything off topic. Do you understand?”

“… … .”

Serpina briefly remembered something that happened a long time ago, then slowly closed her eyes and erased the past memories again.

It’s just a story that’s useless to think about now.

From the moment I decided to take upon myself the revival of the empire and the name of Eyngart, the gigantic vessel that contained it – I had to become the emperor who would unify the empire.

When she recalled a memory from the past, an image that naturally cluttered her mind appeared in her mind.

A recurring dream.

I don’t know why, but in a place I miss so much, I meet someone I miss so much… … The sight of yourself looking happy.

I?

With someone… … You can be happy?

‘It’s a terrible joke.’

Serpina stopped thinking, closed her eyes, and leaned back in her chair.

A ritual that is repeated whenever the mind becomes complicated.

If you let out a short sigh several times… … Everyone was able to return to who they wanted to be.

After organizing my thoughts, I slowly open my eyes-

She could once again become absolute and the tyrant of the North.

A being that can resolutely overcome countless murderous intentions.

I’m not sure if this is the most efficient way –

Nonetheless, I believe this is for the best.

All we could do was move forward, as we had done so far.

* * *

“Here, a total of 6900 gold. Your travel expenses are included in the pocket at the top of the box. There is an additional 1000 gold included, so it will be plenty.”

I accepted the wooden box.

There were a lot of gold coins inside, which made people feel rich just by looking at them.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you… … ?”

“You brought it all the way here. It must have been heavy.”

“No. Of course it’s something I have to do. Still, thank you for your concern, Swen.”

The soldier who prepared the carriage said that and saluted me.

If I had the strength to act like a human, I would have moved my body myself… …

Unfortunately, my body was unable to respond to emergency situations unless I moved in a way that conserved as much stamina as possible, so it was wise to remain calm here.

“Can we leave now?”

The soldier who heard me answered as if he finally remembered.

“Oh, that’s right. Mr. Swen. I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“The lord said he would assign a guard general. He’ll be coming here soon.”

Guard general.

I was just going there to negotiate, but I felt like it was necessary, but when I thought about it, the other person wasn’t Serpina.

If I succeed in returning Anima, it would be easier for me to have someone take care of her.

“Okay.”

“Yes. Then, please excuse me first.”

That time after sending off the soldiers, I wasted time looking at the clouds flowing in the sky.

“Swen.”

A very familiar female voice now reached my ears.

I turned my head and headed towards where the voice was coming from.

“Irene?”

She was looking at me, dressed in comfortable clothes for a long journey.

It seems that Irene was assigned as an escort.

Considering that a general of her level had nothing to fear no matter where she went, it was a very appropriate appointment.

From my perspective, I was able to trust him and have his back more than anyone else.

okay.

Up to this point, well, it was something that was within the predictable category.

but-

“… … Ah, ah, hello… … please… … !”

The problem was that the pink-haired woman standing next to her had a familiar face.

“Mr. Reika… … ?”

Iren and Reika.

At the strange two-shot, I just looked at them, speechless.