Ch.101Chapter 101. Things Unknown Until You Face Someone

After hearing my words, Yurie tilted her head in confusion.

“Swen, you want to go?”

“Yes.”

“Why? I mean, I don’t mind you going… but do you have some reason?”

A reason.

I couldn’t exactly say that something in my head was strongly demanding my involvement and I was curious about what was happening.

As I was contemplating what to answer—

An unexpected person came to my aid.

“Let’s follow Swen’s wishes, my lord.”

“Ginor?”

“He is skilled in eloquence, specialized in making demands of others. I hear he has a record of successfully completing several major negotiations in the past. Given that the cunning Serpina is our opponent, sending him would not be disadvantageous.”

“Really? That’s news to me.”

I maintained a composed expression while keeping my head bowed as much as possible.

To be perfectly honest, what Ginor was saying was something he had made up on the spot.

I had conducted negotiations a few times before. The achievements I made while serving in Luna’s army could be considered fairly decent.

But—I had never told him what I had done.

So his words could be seen as him helping me by attaching appropriate words to make a convincing case.

Even though it was just an improvised story, his current position as “National Strategist” and his background as the “Imperial Chancellor” made his words sound extremely plausible.

“Hmm… if Ginor says so. Lutz, I’ll have Swen handle this instead, so you can continue with your previous mission. Is that okay?”

“…How could I object? I will follow your orders.”

Lutz answered with a slightly disappointed look, then glanced briefly in my direction.

Perhaps he felt he had missed an opportunity to earn merit.

I could feel his gaze wasn’t particularly friendly, but I let it slide.

It’s not like you would have achieved the best outcome anyway.

You should actually be thanking me.

The opponent was none other than Serpina. She might just decide to cut off an envoy’s head without hesitation, that kind of woman.

“Then, Swen. I’d like you to act as our envoy and make contact with Serpina’s army.”

I bowed at the waist to show respect.

“I will certainly bring back results that will satisfy my lord.”

“Good.”

Yurie closed her eyes briefly, then rose from the throne and looked down at our faces.

“…Everyone, thank you for gathering despite this sudden summons. Our Aeshus army never abandons family. Just as we’re doing our best to rescue Anima now, all of you are precious family to me. Don’t forget that fact, and I’d like you to focus on your duties until you’re called upon. Understood?”

“Yes! We will keep that in mind!”

The short meeting concluded with the soldiers’ response.

“Swen. You can rest for a while until I call for you later.”

“Yes.”

As many people left the royal palace and I exited the audience chamber, Irene Juliette approached me.

“Swen. Do you have some kind of plan?”

“A plan?”

“Whenever you volunteer like this, it’s always because you have a plan already in place.”

A plan.

I only had predictions, not really a plan.

There was no need to hide that fact from Irene.

“I’m just going to face it head-on. Sometimes you have to collide with something for a path to open.”

“Is that so?”

Irene smiled faintly after hearing my words.

It was that very smile that had always supported me.

Her red side-locks swayed slightly, beautifully framing her fair face.

“Yes. I believe in you, Swen. Though I’m worried because Serpina’s reputation is quite bad… I think you’ll be able to handle it well.”

“…”

Instead of answering, I gently took her hand.

“…!”

Perhaps because I suddenly took her hand.

She looked at me with a startled expression, then slowly—

Eventually… accepted my touch.

“You’re going to the barracks, right? I’ll take you there.”

“Ah? Um… yes.”

After saying that, she lowered her head with a flushed face.

At times like this, she’s truly, truly adorable.

I wonder what Lynn Brans found so disagreeable about such a woman.

At that moment.

“I apologize for interrupting.”

Turning my head at the sound of a man’s voice, I found Ginor had somehow appeared behind me.

Irene released my hand and immediately showed her respect.

“Hello, Strategist.”

“Hmm. General Irene. I’d like to have a word with Swen, if you could spare us some time?”

Irene glanced at me briefly.

I silently nodded slowly, and she easily understood what my gesture meant.

“I understand. Then I’ll excuse myself first. Swen, I’ll see you later.”

It’s a bit disappointing that we can’t go together, but it can’t be helped.

“Yes. See you later.”

After Irene left first.

Instead of her, I walked slowly toward the outside of the palace, matching Ginor’s pace.

“Thank you for helping me earlier. I honestly wasn’t sure how to persuade them.”

“I helped because it seemed like what you wanted… but do you have something in mind?”

When I didn’t respond, Ginor slowly nodded.

“It seems you saw a future where you had to go yourself.”

“Are you starting with that again?”

“Whether it’s just talk or not, the negotiation results will tell us. Since you’re going yourself. Isn’t that right?”

Ginor said this with a raised corner of his mouth.

I chose to keep quiet rather than respond further.

It would be troublesome if my actual abilities were discovered because of unnecessary words.

It was actually helpful to me that he misunderstood to this extent.

Ginor, too, perhaps not wanting to upset me, didn’t bring up the topic again.

Instead—he raised a slightly different subject.

“She’s a good general.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about General Irene.”

Ginor spoke while looking in the direction Irene had gone.

“Among the soldiers, there are many praises for her character. When you’re the National Strategist, you can’t help but know how commanders are evaluated in the field, even if you don’t want to. Even Emma, who is highly respected in the Aeshus army, doesn’t receive such praise. She seems to have truly succeeded in winning the hearts of her soldiers.”

“Well, she’s always diligent. She treats soldiers with sincerity, doesn’t spare her life on the battlefield, and is loyal to her lord.”

“Is that why?”

“What?”

I turned to look at him, wondering what he was suddenly talking about.

“Why she was chosen by you.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Swen, the woman who will become your first wife.”

“…”

I momentarily lost my words as I looked at him.

But he maintained his seriousness throughout, as if he didn’t understand why I was reacting this way.

“Am I wrong? That’s how it appears to me. You two are already living in the same place, aren’t you?”

“…That’s true.”

“Then it’s practically the same as deciding to marry. Surely you don’t mean to say you have no such thoughts?”

No such thoughts…

No.

His words were correct.

Irene wasn’t here anyway… there was no need to hide it.

“As you say, I hold Irene in my heart.”

“I see. The person who will become your wife will also be the sword and shield that protects you.”

“That may be so… but it’s just me holding her in my heart unilaterally.”

“Swen.”

Hearing my words, Ginor looked straight into my eyes.

“A woman doesn’t make such expressions toward someone she doesn’t have feelings for.”

“What?”

“I saw it from behind. The way General Irene smiled at you. That was the look of someone in love.”

“…”

Hearing that, I recalled her smile from just moments ago.

It was indeed a very lovely face.

If that face truly contained love… does that mean Irene also has feelings for me?

“No, more importantly, why are you suddenly talking about this?”

“Well, it’s an old man’s whim. The older you get, the fewer interesting things there are in life. And.”

Ginor looked at me with a light smile.

“While a sword and shield are good, wouldn’t it be better to have someone who can use magic like yourself by your side as well?”

“You’re being quite direct now.”

“What’s there to hide at this point? If you become family with me, General Irene would also become my in-law. Though she may be less accomplished than General Irene, my daughter can certainly be of help to you. Of course, she also has a good nature that would support you well. What do you think, would you consider it positively?”

“Ginor.”

“What is it?”

“Were you always like this?”

“Ha!”

Ginor laughed heartily at my words, then patted my back a few times before walking ahead.

“Whatever you thought of me, I’m just a weak old man who doesn’t want to be on bad terms with you. Well then, excuse me.”

I stood in place, watching Ginor disappear, then—

I let out a quiet sigh.

Truly, you can’t know a person until you meet and talk with them directly.

Lunarian, Lynn, Yurie.

Irene, Reika, and even Ginor.

Information about them. Their age. Their abilities and such… even if I knew all these things by heart… until I met them, it was as good as knowing nothing about them.

If that’s the case, perhaps I…

‘Maybe I don’t know anything about Serpina either.’

With that thought, I continued out of the palace.

* * *

The royal palace of Hispil Castle.

“The wall repairs have been completed, my lord.”

Serpina, seated in the lord’s position, showed a satisfied expression as she listened to Lord Yuan’s report.

“Well done. Please inform all the commanders who were assigned to the work that they can return to their original duties.”

“Yes, understood!”

Just as Yuan was about to leave—

“Wait.”

“What is it, my lord?”

“What is the current situation with the captured prisoner?”

“You mean Anima Ingram. Well, the situation remains the same. He keeps his mouth shut and says nothing.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I heard they tried to persuade him several times, asking if he would consider serving you… but he refuses to eat and remains completely silent.”

“…”

Is he staging some kind of silent protest?

Well, they must hate me.

It’s because they hate me that they stepped into the trap I laid.

It would be problematic if he died from refusing to eat.

Not because his life was precious, but because letting a captured prisoner simply die wasn’t a particularly efficient approach.

“Yuan.”

“Yes.”

“Guide me to the underground prison.”

“Are you planning to interrogate him yourself?”

“Yes.”

Yuan bowed deeply and answered loudly.

“Yes, understood! This way, please.”

“…”

Serpina rose from her seat—

And followed Yuan to the prison where Anima was being held.