Ch.104Chapter 104. Encounter (2)

* * *

“I’ve finished this meal cleanly as well. It seems unlikely that she will refuse food any longer.”

“Is that so.”

Serpina von Einhart, sitting cross-legged in the lord’s seat while receiving the guard’s report about Anima, extended her hand that had been supporting her chin toward the guard.

“Good. You don’t need to report on the prisoner anymore. If anything happens that requires attention, report it then.”

“Yes, understood!”

She fell into thought as she watched the guard who had saluted before disappearing.

‘If Anima is from Fiviola Academy… that must be the reason for her killing intent toward me. Perhaps there are many from that place gathered in the Aeshus army.’

When she went to recommend surrender, she thought their response was quite sharp for such a small nation—

As the puzzle pieces in her mind began to fit together one by one, Serpina closed her eyes.

‘…Equanimity.’

The word she quietly recited to herself whenever her heart wavered.

Now was not the time to dwell on the past.

What mattered to her was not the past, but the present and the future.

Just as she was reorganizing her mindset—

“My lord!”

A messenger approached her.

“What is it?”

“The troops dispatched to Zelstrom Castle have just returned.”

If the troops had returned… did that mean they were ultimately defeated?

She knew the chances of victory weren’t high, which is why she had prepared Plan B and succeeded in dealing a blow to the Aeshus army, but—

Actually accepting the result of defeat didn’t feel particularly pleasant.

“I see. How many troops remain?”

“Including the wounded, about 23,000 men, it seems.”

So we’ve lost more than half.

As Serpina slightly furrowed her brow, the messenger cautiously added:

“However, they did succeed in inflicting massive damage on Zelstrom Castle as well. Perhaps they won’t be able to launch a counterattack against us…”

Serpina nodded slightly.

“What happened to Bilans and Nemia?”

“General Bilans safely returned with the retreating forces, but… General Nemia, well…”

“…?”

Sensing an ominous feeling, Serpina rose from her seat, causing the messenger to wave his hands in panic.

“Ah, no! She returned alive. However… she sustained serious injuries.”

“Injuries?”

“Yes. She’s currently under absolute bed rest.”

So she didn’t die.

Serpina found herself deeply relieved by that fact alone.

However, as the absolute ruler who must repeatedly send her generals to the battlefield, showing excessive emotion might undermine her dignity.

But she had no intention of simply letting it pass.

“Would you be so kind as to take me to where Nemia is?”

Hearing her words, the messenger responded with a loud voice:

“Yes! Of course. It’s an honor to escort you. Please come this way.”

*

Following the messenger’s guidance, they arrived at the military hospital of Hispil Castle.

Amidst doctors dispatched from the capital Einhart Castle bustling about, Nemia greeted Serpina from a corner bed where she lay.

“Ah… my lord. You’ve come…?”

“You don’t need to waste words, Nemia. Rest and recover.”

Female General Nemia.

She wasn’t particularly gifted with exceptional abilities, nor did she possess outstanding strength or skills—

But in Serpina’s mind, she was always a militant general with passionate eyes burning with fighting spirit, responding with a loud voice.

Now she lay there so pitifully, letting out small groans of pain.

“I’m ashamed, my lord… I swore I would deliver Zelstrom Castle to you, but…”

“That doesn’t matter now.”

Serpina turned her head to look at the doctor standing nearby.

Noticing her silent question, the doctor carefully spoke.

“She suffered tremendous blood loss in the middle of the battlefield. I believe she was only able to survive because of the quick decision to retreat.”

“Blood loss…”

Serpina turned her head again to examine Nemia’s body.

She couldn’t see any wound that would cause life-threatening blood loss.

Although her head was bandaged… instinctively, she felt that wasn’t the only problem.

Wasn’t she supposed to have sustained serious injuries?

Then.

Serpina’s eyes fell on the white blanket covering Nemia’s lower body.

…No way.

She slowly removed the blanket.

And only then did the decisive wound that forced their retreat enter her view.

Her right leg… was gone from the knee down.

Looking at Serpina’s pale face, Nemia let out an awkward laugh.

“Haha… I’m sorry. I’ve ended up like this. If I had fought to the end, we could have captured Zelstrom Castle…”

“Nemia.”

“Epinel Rosenkroz was as formidable as they say. As a woman, I felt respect for how strong she was. I could tell just by crossing swords with her… I could never defeat her. I did my best, but…”

“…”

“With this body now… I’m finished as a general. After achieving peace, my small goal was to return to my hometown and spend quiet time with my family, but now that feels like water under the bridge. My lord, I…”

“Nemia.”

Serpina took Nemia’s hand in both of hers.

Though she was still alive with blood flowing, her hands were nevertheless extremely cold.

“My lord…”

“You did your best. It’s enough that you returned alive.”

“But because of my inadequacy, we had to retreat. If we’d had enough time, we surely could have conquered the castle…”

“If you truly feel inadequate, then use your remaining life for me.”

At Serpina’s words, Nemia gave a bitter smile.

“I… have become someone who can no longer go to the battlefield. I fear that offering my worthless life would only hinder you rather than help.”

“Fighting on the battlefield isn’t everything in war. Besides, Nemia, don’t you still have a reason to work?”

“My lord…?”

“You have five younger siblings, correct?”

At Serpina’s words, Nemia was genuinely surprised.

“…You remembered?”

The story about her family that she had mentioned in passing when she first joined Serpina’s army.

She was even more surprised because she never thought Serpina, who commanded countless generals, would remember such a thing.

Objectively speaking, she wasn’t even a particularly outstanding general in her eyes.

Honestly, she had never achieved any remarkable accomplishments.

“To support them, you still need to work. Though it will be difficult right now. Take some time to rest for now. I’ll ensure your salary continues without interruption.”

“B-but…”

“When your body stabilizes, I’d like you to help train the next generation. Practical training is important, but so is teaching theory. Becoming a specialized instructor in the barracks to teach tactics based on your battlefield experience would be a great help. A general who has returned from the brink of death has much to teach.”

Despite all the talk about battlefield experience and having much to teach…

Nemia easily recognized this as Serpina’s consideration.

Even as a barracks instructor, it would be more efficient to have someone with intact limbs to demonstrate and train.

And she wasn’t really the type who excelled in theory either.

But if she retired from the army now, she would have no way to feed her siblings. With this body, she couldn’t even do manual labor.

Serpina had considered this.

She was saying that she would maintain her employment, so she could rest assured.

“My lord…”

“Do you remember the moment you entered my service? I told all of you to pledge your loyalty with your lives. If you intend to keep that pledge, I will never abandon any of you, no matter what happens.”

“…”

“Nemia. Entrust to me the dream of continental unification for which you risked your life. I will stand on my two legs and see through your eyes. I will never forget the dream you entrusted to me.”

“…Sob.”

Nemia’s body trembled slightly at those words.

And then… tears streamed down from her eyes.

Though known to the world as a ruthless tyrant without blood or tears, and indeed extremely cold and sharp in her judgments, Lord Serpina was…

To Nemia, the only monarch in the continent worth serving.

Only she was the sole person suitable to be the absolute ruler of the continent.

And so, as she sobbed for a long time…

Serpina silently stood by her side.

Until she regained her composure.

It was a moment when another unfulfilled dream was added to the absolute ruler’s two legs.

*

Several hours later.

After finishing her visit to the hospital, Serpina returned to the royal castle to focus on her duties when a soldier came to her.

“A messenger from the Aeshus army is here?”

“Yes.”

If it’s a messenger from Aeshus, they must be coming to negotiate about Anima.

I was actually planning to contact the Aeshus army first.

‘If they’ve come this quickly… Anima must be extremely important to them.’

In that case, I can’t just return her.

Her way of surviving in these chaotic times.

Show maximum mercy to her own people, and strictly calculate profit and loss with those who aren’t.

If Anima was important to the Aeshus army, there was no reason not to thoroughly exploit that.

“Where is the messenger?”

“Waiting in the audience chamber.”

“I understand. I’ll go there right away.”

Serpina quickly made her way to the audience chamber.

Thinking about what to demand…

Not gold or treasures… perhaps she could even get Raclaine Castle.

After entering the audience chamber and taking her seat, she spoke softly.

“You may raise your head.”

Only then did the Aeshus army’s messenger enter her view.

At that moment—

‘…Huh?’

The messenger’s features became clear to her eyes.

A young man with short white hair.

And finally, when the messenger raised his head—

‘!!!’

Her world momentarily froze.

Her beautiful golden eyes widened in shock and began to tremble.

White hair, gray eyes.

A face she had seen before.

This man… looks exactly like the man in her dreams.

No, that’s not all. If that were all, she wouldn’t be this shocked.

I might know this man.

That thought powerfully stimulated something deep in her unconscious.

And.

Finally facing him, her heart began to race as if it would burst—

Then, a name she had never once uttered flowed naturally from her lips.

“…Swen…???”