episode_0297

“Yuuri… … You’re going to build an altar? What on earth… … are you talking about?”

Unlike Anima, who was trembling in shock, Yuuri’s voice was very calm.

“It’s true. Other than making a simple grave for them, we haven’t treated them with any respect. They are our eternal comrades who fought and died for our military.”

“No, that’s because the situation is what it is… … .”

“And also.”

Yuuri smiles and looks at his white hands.

Her pure white palms were reflected and rippled in her eyes, which were filled with two different colors.

“I met you in my dream. Emma and Erne… … .”

“What… … ?”

“The two men spoke. They said that their achievements up to now were recognized and that they had been given the opportunity to meet the god in heaven. They said that if they could build an altar that could connect them to the ground, they would be able to borrow the god’s power!”

Watching Yuuri speak with such a bright face, Anima felt like she wanted to just sit down and cry.

But I don’t do that. I try to remain as calm as possible and start to persuade my old friend with a smile on my face.

“Yuuri. Well… … I think I know what you’re talking about. But this is, you know… … .”

“Huh?”

“That’s right, there’s a priority in work. I understand your desire to honor Emma and Ern, but there’s a chance that Serpina’s army will invade our army right now-”

“Yeah. So that’s why I’m going to build an altar, right? Because we can’t do it on our own.”

“… … What’s the budget?”

“If it’s money, I have enough.”

“No, of course there’s money to do that. I mean, after the altar is built. Since we need to recruit more soldiers and train them, here-”

“No.”

Yuuri said, his expression hardening as he looked at Anima coldly.

“Is there any other good way?”

“… … Huh?”

“I’m asking if there’s any way to do this other than appeasing the souls of my colleagues.”

Thud, thud.

When I came to my senses, Yuuri was standing right in front of Anima’s nose.

The eyes were… … cold. It felt like I would freeze just by looking at them.

“The continent is in ruins due to the plague. Even if we conscript, we won’t be able to do much. Prepare for Mercury? No matter how we prepare, there is no way to defeat Serpina. No matter what we do, we won’t be able to accomplish anything.”

“In the meantime, Erne and Emma appeared in my dream. To save us from danger! The opportunity to communicate with the sky has arrived. What else should we do? Do you know of any good methods?”

“No, I… … .”

I was a little intimidated by Yuuri’s sudden, sharp remark-

I could tell from this. Yuuri was also thinking and speaking in his own way.

If he’s not completely out of his mind, then I can convince him – Anima thought as she faced Yuuri head-on without avoiding his gaze.

“… … Listen carefully. Yuuri. We need to make a ceasefire agreement with Serpina. I don’t even know how much it will cost, including money, but one thing is certain: we can’t waste our budget like that. ”

“Are you suggesting we make an armistice?”

Yuuri made an expression that looked like he might collapse at any moment-

“… … You’ve changed, no. You’re talking about joining hands with that evil witch.”

“I’m just talking realistically. It’s much more reasonable than unrealistic talk about communicating with the heavens and such.”

“Unrealistic?”

Yuuri raised his voice and spoke in a questioning tone.

“It’s not unrealistic to communicate with the sky! Didn’t Swen already show you? The concept of communicating with the sky actually exists!”

“That’s… … Now that I think about it, it’s reasonable to think that it was a pun to hide the fact that I use magic.

“… … !”

“The time the wizard appeared in Serpina’s army and the time Swen went over to him coincide? I think the mysterious appearance he showed was a type of magic, and he made that excuse to hide it. ”

“Swen!”

Before Anima could even finish speaking, Yuuri cut her off with a loud voice.

“… … I’m not a wizard.”

“I can’t be sure about that. It’s natural to think that Serpina also requested Swen because they knew of his abilities. It’s likely that the woman they officially put forward is a normal person-”

“No.”

“… … ?”

“I can be sure… … I can be sure… … .”

wizard.

Before falling into the hands of Serpina’s army, the pink-haired girl who handled magic definitely existed in her own hands.

Reika Nighthart. Genor’s adopted daughter.

Zinor had said several more times. He said that in the current situation, they could not deal with the Serpina army, but if they had a wizard, they could win. In the long run, they could gain hegemony over the continent.

I didn’t think about it that seriously at the time.

I just thought of it as one of several countermeasures.

Even when Zinor said he was leaving, I didn’t have any regrets. No, I didn’t even think that Zinor’s adopted daughter would follow Swen and go over to Serpina’s army. Because I wasn’t interested.

okay.

Because I wasn’t interested. Because I didn’t even know whether what I had in my hands had the power to shake the continent.

Swendo.

Irene too.

Genordo.

Leica too.

All of them were under the flag of the Aesir Army… …

“… … I missed it all. Everything.”

“Yuuri, is there anything you can guess?”

Yuuri closed his eyes and said nothing, but then regained his composure and spoke.

“Anyway, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything about making a pact with Serpina.”

“Yuuri… … !”

“Right now, I have to do Ern and Emma’s request. There must be a reason why you appeared in my dream in this situation. If I don’t do that… … .”

I don’t even want to say that because I feel like I’m going crazy right now-

Yuuri quickly left the audience room, leaving Anima behind.

Anima stood there blankly for a moment and then-

‘Now is not the time to be doing this!’

Yuuri is coming out so decisively. If that’s the case, then now is the time to talk to Epinel, not her.

Even if it’s Yuuri, if Epinel and I both try to stop him, he won’t insist.

Thinking that way, I went to find Epinel, but-

“Let him do whatever he wants.”

“What? Epinel… …What are you talking about!”

“I mean literally.”

Anima was momentarily speechless at Epinel’s words, but soon came to her senses.

“No, I understand. I won’t talk about making a pact with Serpina anymore. Even if it’s just conscription, you know that gathering more troops is the right way to go! As a master! Have you already forgotten how you said you were supposed to stop your disciple from going down the wrong path?!”

“Of course I remember.”

Epinel took a deep breath for a moment.

Compared to the excited Anima, he continued his explanation in a very calm tone.

“No. You know that. No matter what you prepare, you can’t win. This isn’t a battle that can be won just by adding a few more soldiers. Imagine if Commander Yuuri’s mentality collapsed in this situation. This is a battle where we have to risk our lives. Whether Yuuri is okay or not will have a much bigger impact than we think.”

“That’s true, but… … .”

“So, for the time being, let Yuuri do whatever he wants. Even if he builds an altar, I will make sure he doesn’t have to spend that much money. ”

“Or.”

“As a national strategist, do you have any great strategies to overcome this situation?”

“!”

“If that’s the case, I’ll risk my life to cooperate. I’ll even gladly help you persuade Yuuri. But that’s not the case, right?”

Epinel said so and placed a hand on Anima’s shoulder.

“Calm down, Anima. If you die fighting Serpina-kun, that wouldn’t be such a bad life, right?”

“… … .”

After Epinel left after saying those words, Anima was left alone with her thoughts.

If there is no other way, is it an opinion that we should take care of the mentality of the leader, Yuuri, rather than preparing for a meaningless war?

I see

Only then did Anima seem to understand Yuuri and Epinel’s true intentions.

The two people… …

‘Preparing for the last moment.’

It is not about drawing a future beyond that, but preparing for the end that they will face.

That’s why I can’t join hands with Serpina. That’s the pride of Asius.

‘… … .’

If two people are only thinking about the end, I… …

* * *

Knock knock.

When I heard a knock on the door, I instinctively raised my voice.

“Come in.”

After a while the door opened-

The one who appeared in the conference room where she was spending time alone was Irene, wearing ordinary clothes instead of her usual armor.

As for the clothes, they were simple outfits with light patterns added to a pure white top.

But just by wearing what Irene had on, the modesty disappeared and what remained was a crazy sexiness and allure.

It already seemed like a material that clung well, but when she wore it with her ridiculously large chest… … it couldn’t help but feel more provocative than any other clothing.

Even more so because I usually wear armor.

“Swen… … ?”

“… … Ah.”

this.

I must have unconsciously been looking at her chest too much.

I quickly turned my head and said

“I’m sorry. I accidentally did it.”

“… … .”

Irene blushed for a moment, as if she noticed where my gaze was directed.

“… … It’s okay.”

“Huh?

“If it’s Swen, it’s okay. I… … .”

“… … .”

ah.

These days, things have been really… … strange.

If I were just doing something and passing the time, I would unconsciously think of the taste of Irene’s lips.

Every time a situation like this arises, I feel a sense of frustration as a man.

No, no, no.

Even though I had feelings for her, Irene and I were still colleagues.

As much as she was precious to me, I didn’t want to perceive her only as a sexual image.

I changed the subject to avoid an awkward situation.

“What did you bring?”

“Oh, that’s what it is. I was given some nice tea leaves as a gift. Swen, you were the first one that came to mind.”

“Is this a gift?”

“Yes. The lord himself gave it to me as a gift.”

Serpina?

Come to think of it, Irene and Serpina have been getting closer since becoming escort knights.

“Please wait a moment.”

Irene brewed the tea leaves with deft gestures.

Perhaps because each and every movement was so elegant, at times like this she seemed more like a maid who specialized in this kind of work than a warrior on the battlefield.

Not long after, a cup of tea was placed in front of me –

I took a sip of it.

“… … hot.”

I laugh without realizing it.

Yeah, this was definitely a laugh-out-loud meal.

“Swen? What’s going on?”

“No. You said you received a gift from your lord, right? I just thought it was too much like Serpina-sama gave you.”

The yuzu flavor that enveloped my mouth as soon as I took a sip tasted like the taste of Serpina.

No, it sounds a bit perverted to say it like that. I feel like I’ve been having a lot of strange thoughts lately…

“It’s sweet and good. It’s exactly like the taste that reminds me of my master, just like you said.”

Irene, who is drinking tea while saying that, is so cute that I can’t help but laugh again.

I’m happy. As always, I feel the greatest sense of stability when I’m with Irene.

“You seem to be worried. Is something wrong?”

“Do you have a lot of tea?”

“Well, you’ve been cooped up in the conference room since morning.”

“That’s true too.”

As Irene said, I’ve been thinking about ‘that’ all day.

The conversation I had with Serpina this morning.

About the result.