episode_0268

* * *

The royal palace of Madlan Castle.

Monarch Karelia and her scribe Vanessa were enjoying a very leisurely tea time, almost as if ignoring the fact that the current situation was an emergency.

Only the sound of clinking pottery fills the quiet audience room.

Vanessa was getting the car out with some pretty deft sleight of hand.

――Actually, I knew both Vanessa and Karelia well.

The battle is about to begin.

And. no matter what we did – our army could not defeat the Lunarian army.

Our military forces totaled 33,000 soldiers, fighting against an enemy force of over 100,000 soldiers.

Even though it was a battle of Mercury, our army’s morale was at rock bottom. It was natural, since we heard news of defeat every day.

From that moment on, when he was defeated despite leading an army of 200,000 men… … it became absolutely impossible to avoid this situation.

“Vanessa, it’s been a while since I’ve had this much free time with you.”

“… … .”

“Since it’s a car given to me by Vanessa Trinity herself, I guess it’s not a bad thing to be a monarch once in a lifetime.”

Karelia made a face and joked, but Vanessa simply placed the car in front of her without saying anything.

“Please eat.”

After that, the two drank tea in silence.

After some time had passed… … Karelia opened her lips in a serious tone as if she had made up her mind.

“I know what you’re going to say, but… …I’m sorry. I will never run away.”

He speaks with a determined voice.

“Run away, my lord. If you try to hold out here, you will only end up dead.”

“That doesn’t matter. Then doesn’t that mean that Heaven chose Luna Gong over me?”

“My lord, this is my last request. Do not be so stubborn. It is too late even at this moment. Do you not know that from the moment your lord’s life is cut off, the cause will also be meaningless!”

“No matter how many times I say it, it’s no use!”

Karelia spoke to Vanessa.

No, rather than saying… … it was almost like shouting.

Karelia’s voice, as she spoke her opinion while looking at Vanessa, whose eyes momentarily wavered at Karelia’s scream, was… trembling.

“I… … will never run away. Leaving you, the soldiers, the subjects who believed in me until the end… … even if I were to save my life alone, what would that mean?”

Now, looking at the sobbing Karelia… … Vanessa sighs softly and lowers her head.

“My lord. You are a symbol in and of yourself. We all gathered here to see the great symbol of Makana Karelia and dream of great success. Unlike other lords, you valued righteousness and always walked the right path. Karelia’s footsteps were our hope and future.”

“I want to live under the sky of Karelia. If it’s Karelia, I can defeat the incompetent Eingart royal family and the tyrant Serpina who spilled the royal family’s blood with my own hands. I am still convinced that this thought is not wrong.”

“There will come a day when you are wrong, Vanessa. I am just one of the countless lords. I was not able to destroy the balance of the Southern Continent with my own hands… …I am just someone who was able to settle down in the right era.”

“But, Princess Luna is different. Didn’t she break the balance with her own hands and finally come to Madlan Castle? If the continent can be at peace, then who is looking down from the sky shouldn’t be that important. I think Princess Luna… …will be able to govern with sufficient benevolence.”

“Lunarien Inian has betrayed her lord’s trust and committed treason. At that point, I don’t think she would be able to conduct politics in accordance with benevolence.”

“Isn’t that because my body is ultimately immoral? It’s not anyone’s fault. Of course, Vanessa – it’s not your fault either. It’s just that I was lacking. ”

“My lord… … .”

I would have felt better if you had just gotten angry and said, “It’s your fault.”

Karelia was trying to shoulder everything on her own.

It was my fault that I was betrayed. It was my fault that Sade died.

The country is destroyed… … It’s all my fault.

“Vanessa. You are a talented person. I heard you had some issues with Luna-kun, but… … I am sure that someone like Luna-kun would pay attention to your shining talent rather than your personal grudges. So, it is not too late. I hope you surrender and continue the order.”

“… … .”

“From now on, think of me as Lord Luna. The name Karelia… …I think that’s it. I’ll shoulder everything, so please, by Lord Luna’s side, defeat Serpina, and bring peace to the continent. Thank you.”

Vanessa didn’t answer, just lowered her head and looked at the empty teacup.

Yeah. A teacup.

Karelia’s teacup was empty. So… …now, the effects were starting to show.

“My lord. As a national strategist, I would like to offer you my final advice. ”

“Vanessa… … ?”

“When you come to your senses, immediately go into hiding and build up your strength. There are many rugged mountain ranges near the western continent of Branth County, so I think it would be a perfect place to save your life. And when you have the chance, go back to the western continent. Branth County, currently located on the western continent, is a paper tiger compared to its former fame, so it is clear that it will soon lose its dominance over the western continent.”

“What are you talking about now… … ?”

Karelia’s eyes became as wide as four hundred and stared at Vanessa, but-

Vanessa simply said what she wanted to say in a calm tone.

“Please cherish the name of Karelia. Your beliefs and footsteps are in themselves valuable assets that no other lord possesses. As a lord, you will surely be able to gather people to help you without difficulty. Just as you did in the southern continent.”

“Listen, Vanessa. What are you talking about… …asking… …?”

That moment.

Karelia collapsed into her chair, unable to continue speaking.

“What… … What… … What.”

Suddenly my body feels heavy as if it is filled with water.

Even though my body was clearly touching the floor, I began to feel like I was falling into a hole – a sensation of being pulled by something began to engulf my body.

–wait for a sec.

‘If you come to your senses’… … you say?

“Okay, you… … … don’t… … … .”

Only then does Karelia realize what Vanessa has done to her.

… … You put sleeping pills… … in the car?

“And finally, let me say one last thing.”

Only then did Vanessa raise her head.

She… …laughed.

He smiled.

Vanessa smiled one last time at the one and only master she would serve in this life.

“In this one life, it was an honor to be born and serve someone like Karelia as my lord. I will never forget it.”

“Bane… … Sa… … .”

――Thud.

Not long after Karelia lost consciousness, a woman walked into the area.

“Is Cecil here?”

“… … .”

The woman, Cecil, looked at Vanessa’s face without saying a word.

“As I said, you will escort your lord to the western continent. Take advantage of the chaos that has begun and go out through the north gate. I will send a special force of about 100 men. I would like to send more, but there is a possibility of being caught, so I would be happy if you could understand this part, Cecil.”

“Book sage. Is this really all there is to it? I think that my lord needs you more than anyone else. Without you, our Karelia Army… … .”

Cecil spoke pleadingly, but Vanessa’s attitude was firm.

“My purpose as a human ends here, Cecil. This rebellion started because of me. In order to become a monarch who surpasses Lunalien again… … I must end here.”

If his presence remains, it is unlikely that popular sentiment will gather in Karelia.

Vanessa was more aware of this fact than anyone else.

“That’s… ….”

“Don’t worry about it. After all, your life was only extended a little by your lord.”

Vanessa said, rising from her seat.

“You said you had relatives in the Western Continent?”

“Yes. The territory is currently located under the Bran’s Army, but if it’s there… …you should be able to stay there safely for the time being.”

“I see. Okay, I understand.”

Vanessa stood facing Cecil.

Cecil was not a person who liked himself that much. Even then, he took Lunalien’s side instead of his own.

But it didn’t matter. As long as she had the surname Lohengrin, the fact that she was the most reliable person to whom Karelia could be entrusted remained unchanged.

Vanessa said, bending at a 90-degree angle.

“Please take care of your lord, Cecil.”

“… … .”

Cecil nodded silently and left the castle with a few soldiers, carrying the unconscious Karelia.

Thinking back now, the battle at that time – the Siege of Tepel Castle – was literally a battle that showed just how much Lunalien was loved by the world.

The sudden appearance of two mercenary groups, and the sudden awakening of a magician.

It was a battle where she was unilaterally caught up in her momentum, to the point where it felt like everything in the world was moving just for her.

But – when she first came here, she was just one of the failed lords.

She enlisted in our army and took every opportunity to show her ambition.

If she can do it, why can’t she be Karelia?

‘Miss Karelia. Please… I just hope you get out safely.’

Lastly, I hope that you will grant Karelia-sama the same permission that you granted Lunalien…

With such foolish thoughts, I prepared for the final battle.

* * *

――And then, a few hours later.

The army, led by the green flag, began to charge fiercely toward the Madlan Castle.