episode_0232

*

After a while.

At Hispil Castle, a widespread mobilization order was issued to migrate to the unexplored areas of the northern continent.

“Does it make sense to suddenly move?”

“What can I do? What power do we have… … .”

“I can’t go away even if a knife is held to my throat. My family has been living here for several generations!”

As expected, public opinion was not very positive, but-

Surprisingly, it seemed that there were quite a few people who decided that it would be better to go to the northern continent, where only one country was located, rather than the central continent, which had a high possibility of becoming a battlefield in these chaotic times.

“The only thing left is the same. I should just go.”

“Even old people can go, right?”

To conclude – approximately 50%, slightly more than that, slowly began to migrate under the pretext of safely pioneering the unexplored lands of the northern continent.

It was Swen’s opinion that in this way, ‘I think it would be good to mainly send people who want it up.’

No matter how much it was a forced mobilization order, if all of them had really been taken away, the repercussions Serpina would have had to bear would have been enormous, so she also accepted his opinion.

Just like that, the troops guarding Hispil Castle and the 50% of the villagers all began moving towards the northern continent.

This was a mass migration of a scale unprecedented even in the history of the continent.

* * *

While people were being taken out near the border, she finally reappeared in the royal castle.

“Master. Xena, I have completed the mission to patrol the northern continent at the command of my lord and have just returned to Eingart Castle.”

National strategist Xena, the second-in-command of Serpina’s army in name and reality, has finally returned to the Eingart royal castle.

Even when there was an assassination attempt on Serpina, he was away from the castle, so he had not been by her side for a really long period of time.

“You had a hard time, Jenna. Thanks to this, I was able to focus on carrying out my official duties without much worry. Don’t ever forget your hard work.”

“No. Do you have any special instructions or anything I should hear?”

“There is nothing right now, so please rest well for a while and let the fatigue melt away.”

“I will accept your favor. Thank you.”

After Jenna said that, she came closer to me, who was standing next to me with my head down.

Although I was a little nervous… … Surprisingly, what I sensed from this brown-haired female tactician was not wariness.

“Lord Swen also had a hard time.”

‘… … ?’

You said you had a lot of trouble?

Jenna probably didn’t know that I acted as a de facto agent in her absence. The rumor that Serpina was very close to me had already spread for a long time.

To say that… … Are you telling me that you have no particular complaints about my behavior?

Anyway, there was no need to do something stupid like say something unpleasant in front of a teacher.

“I just did what I had to do.”

“See you again soon. Then.”

I became even more confident when I saw Jenna’s back turning around.

At least she didn’t seem wary of me anymore.

At that moment when there was a national meeting, I felt like they were keeping me, an outsider, in check… …

I don’t know what the wind was blowing, but it seemed like even the most clueless person would be able to tell that what she was feeling was not caution.

Anyway.

Serpina accepted my opinion straight away and continued to ask me for advice afterwards.

“Do you think it would be efficient to withdraw troops from Zelin Castle?”

Zelin Castle was a small fiefdom located in the northern part of Hispil Castle.

[Yes.]

“I guess… … I think so.”

“I see. i get it. I’ll do as you say.”

In this way, they continued to give up all the territories in the central continent that they had barely managed to recapture from the Brans army.

There was a possibility that there would be a backlash, but as the most important and key territory, Hispil Castle, had already been passed, the remaining territories either had less need to be protected or were places where the difficulty of protecting the castle was high, so surprisingly, the work was carried out quickly and without any problems. was becoming

What’s surprising is… … During this process, Jenna, the national officer who had officially returned to work, did not say anything and was simply following the opinions of her lord, Serpina.

As if that wasn’t enough, he seemed to have used his power to persuade senior figures who were dissatisfied with this opinion.

In fact, if it weren’t for her, it was clear that I wouldn’t have been able to push things forward so smoothly.

Even though Serpina is an extremely charismatic monarch of an autocratic country, there is bound to be a big difference between pushing her own opinions as is and pushing them forward with a respected national strategist who has continued to struggle with her.

In particular, it is not an action that anyone would see as normal, but a strange action – for example, when it is an action that seems to suddenly give up the territory that was hard-won.

I don’t know if Jenna had a change of heart or if she had a plan, but in any case, from my perspective, I had no reason to be dissatisfied as she was helping me without saying much.

One day, the mobilization order was issued again and again, and troops were withdrawn from the border line by bringing in as many territorial residents as possible.

“Swen. What do you think about pulling back the troops at Kelstein Castle?”

That day, as usual, I was being asked the same questions.

‘Is it most efficient to withdraw the forces of Kelstein Castle towards the northern continent?’

And, the answer comes back again.

The answer itself was the same, but-

[Not like that.]

‘… … !’

The answer I received was a little different.

I looked up at Serpina and said.

“Master.”

“… … Ho.”

Serpina nodded as if she understood something even though she only heard me say ‘master’, and then asked another question.

“Swen. Do you think it would be most efficient to station troops at Kelstein Castle?”

As expected from Serpina, she clearly asks the questions I want.

Would it be a bit over-the-top to say that at times like this, we feel like indispensable partners?

‘Is it most efficient to station troops at Kelstein Castle?’

[Yes.]

‘It’s here.’

We were finally able to find a reference point from which to attack our troops.

Kehlstein Castle. It is the territory of the Brans army that was first recaptured by the Serpina army, and a fortress-like castle at the entrance to the central continent – and at the same time, on the way to the northern continent.

At least in this vicinity, it was a very important place to the extent that no estate with a higher locational value than Kelstein Castle could be found.

If the right answer was to withdraw troops even here, I was a little worried because I didn’t know how Jenna, who had been quietly adjusting the rhythm until now, would react.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he was receiving so much hate from heaven this time.

It is the hatred of heaven.

While being around Serpina, I felt like I began to have such superstitious thoughts little by little.

“Yes.”

“I understand. then… … It looks like the plague is starting to spread in the central continent. Many people will die again.”

“It depends on how you deal with it… … .”

“… … .”

Serpina was lost in thought for a moment and then asked me a light question.

“What is the size of the territory migrating to the northern continent?”

“In Hispil Castle, it will be more than 50%, and in the remaining territories, it will be around 30 to 40%.”

“I see… … .”

I thought that her golden eyes seemed to have calmed down.

Her reputation among the people of the territory must have fallen again. The very act of issuing a mobilization order would have been nothing but a surprise from their perspective.

No matter how much they didn’t force it, the people of the territory had no choice but to look at the opinions of the monarchs who were above their castle lords.

However, Serpina did not care at all about adding to the yoke and wanted to save as many people as possible.

Because I believed my prediction that there would be a plague… … He must have been able to do something like that.

Even though, if he didn’t get sick, he would really just become a tyrant who threw his people into an unexplored land.

“… … Serpina.”

“Tell me.”

“You can’t save everyone. I think Serpina did her best.”

Serpina did not answer for a long time, but then slowly nodded.

“You really are a kind person, Swen.”

“… … .”

“Do you have any special plans today?”

“No. Do you have any commands?”

“Well, it would be an extremely personal request rather than an order.”

Serpina looked at me and raised the corners of her mouth.

“Would you mind helping her drink tonight?”

Going through all of this, she must have had a lot of thoughts of her own.

If you can support her like that, drinking together with her won’t be difficult.

“I will be happy to do so.”

“Okay. Thank you, Swen.”

Little by little, slowly, but very surely.

Just as a human being like me is important to her-

A human named Serpina… … To me, I was becoming something that no one could replace.