Ch.107Chapter 107. The Match (1)

“A match?”

“That’s right.”

Serpina rested her chin on her hand and stared at me intently, then snickered and said.

“How interesting. To bring up the word ‘match’ to me. Your lack of self-awareness is truly astonishing.”

“Self-awareness? This is troublesome. Was your statement about wanting me just something you said casually?”

I was facing Serpina with the most relaxed expression I could muster.

But she spoke in an extremely cold tone without showing any particular emotional fluctuation.

“Do you sincerely believe that I need to compete with you in order to take you?”

“Yes, I do.”

From the moment I brought up the word “match,” I had no intention of conceding a single word to her.

Whether due to my prediction or not, fortunately, my words and actions didn’t seem to have upset Serpina so far.

“If you insist, I’ll hear you out. What do you intend to compete with me in?”

“Well, it might be better to consider it a bet rather than a match.”

Just as I was about to start explaining.

Serpina looked into my eyes and curled up the corners of her lips again.

I barely managed to shake off the momentary enchantment of her smile.

Just the crescent shape of her lips—how remarkable that something could be so beautiful!

“But there’s a condition. Since I’m entertaining your unreasonable request, I must also be unreasonable.”

“What is the condition?”

“Nothing much. Just one thing.”

Serpina crossed her legs and spoke as if delivering a verdict.

“I have no intention of sending you away from here. Whether it’s a match or a bet, it must be settled right here and now.”

“……”

Tch.

I maintained a composed expression suggesting “that’s within my expectations,” but honestly, it was like being hit at a pinpoint.

I had planned to make an excuse and escape for now, but it seems she has no intention of allowing that.

But if there’s something that becomes somewhat certain from this—

Perhaps I might need to stay in Serpina’s army.

Basically, my “predictions” reflected the position of the nation I belonged to.

In other words, I was predicting the most efficient method from the perspective of my lord, Yurie.

That’s not to say my own position wasn’t reflected at all.

At least the fact that I wouldn’t be put in danger when acting according to my predictions was already proven on the day the meteor fell.

Let’s work backward from there.

From Yurie’s perspective, is it… efficient to send just one general instead of Raclain Castle to retrieve Anima?

Some might say “isn’t a general with intelligence of 100 more valuable than a territory?” but ultimately, a general shines when trusted by their sovereign.

The Aeshus army was a country where the influence of the founding members was stronger than any other nation, and at least from my experience of being part of the Aeshus army for quite some time—

‘She’s likely not to value me highly.’

Even the renowned Ginor couldn’t move freely.

When Epinel and my opinions diverged, would Yurie readily listen to mine? The answer was obvious.

Whether my intelligence was 100 or some other stat was high, if I wasn’t utilized, I was just an impressive decoration.

At least when looking at myself objectively, considering that I was a human less important to Yurie than Anima—

The result of my prediction made some sense.

Having formed a hypothesis, it was time to act.

If I was right—Serpina would accept my proposal.

I looked up at her beautiful face and spoke with more confidence than ever.

“Try negotiating with our lord.”

“Explain in detail.”

“Propose to release Anima Ingram in exchange for handing me over to you.”

Hearing my words, Serpina looked down at me with bored eyes.

“How does that constitute a match with me?”

“If our lord accepts that proposal, it’s your victory. Conversely, if the lord insists that condition is unacceptable, it’s my victory. This establishes our match. If I win, please release me. If I lose—”

I lowered my head briefly, then slowly raised it again, meeting her golden eyes directly.

“I will serve you, Serpina.”

After hearing my words, she pondered for a moment, then nodded.

“…Indeed, it’s closer to a bet than a match. Then my next question. What meaning does this have? Just hearing about it, I don’t feel inclined to engage in such a troublesome and meaningless match. Won’t you eventually become mine if I keep you imprisoned?”

“A meaningless match? Actually, you stand to gain more from this match than I do.”

Serpina’s eyebrow twitched at my words.

“I’ll hear you out.”

“First of all, didn’t you just say you wanted to have me? But you won’t gain anything by capturing me as a prisoner and confining me. Neither legitimacy nor my sincere loyalty. Certainly, imprisonment might eventually break my spirit, but even before that—”

“I dare say you likely won’t be able to simply put me in prison. You might ultimately succeed, but you’ll probably lose quite a lot in the process.”

“You’re quite confident for someone who’s essentially begging for their life under the guise of proposing a match. Recklessness is not courage.”

“It’s not bravado. My bodyguards are quite strong.”

“They’ve probably been subdued by my retainers by now, so you’d better abandon that hope.”

“I’ll return those words to you. They’re not the type to be subdued in a place like this.”

“Oh?”

Serpina grinned again.

I was facing her with absolute determination not to lose… and it seemed she felt the same way.

“I’ll commend you for being able to speak so boldly before me. Very well. Continue with what you were saying.”

“However, if you defeat me in this match, things change. You won’t have to waste unnecessary manpower and time subduing my bodyguards, you’ll avoid the reputation of being an inconsiderate ruler who takes an envoy prisoner, and crucially, you can win my heart without difficulty. Since I proposed the match and determined what kind of match it would be, it’s only logical that I should serve you, who accommodated me, if I lose, isn’t it?”

“……”

“It’s embarrassing to say directly, but you must have heard rumors about me. I don’t know exactly why you want me, but I must tell you that gaining my sincere loyalty is the only way you can utilize me in various ways.”

She would have easily noticed the hidden meaning: there’s nothing good in antagonizing someone who can call meteors in the north.

Serpina looked at my face and sat silently with her legs crossed for a long time.

Her appearance gave the impression of an extraordinarily beautiful statue.

It seems that when a person possesses beauty beyond a certain threshold, they inevitably affect those who see them.

Even I almost thought, ‘Is this truly the tyrant Serpina, someone so beautiful?’

If I hadn’t met her in my dreams, I would have definitely thought that 100%.

“If you’re done talking, may I ask a question?”

“Please ask anything.”

“According to your words, I understand what I gain if I win this match. Well, giving you the benefit of the doubt. But then I must ask. What do you gain from this match? Surely you won’t say it’s just fear of the dungeon.”

“What else could it be?”

I lowered my head, shook it slightly, then raised it again and spoke in a glib tone.

“Who would enjoy being imprisoned? Well, apart from that, if there’s anything I gain—”

Is this the decisive moment?

The dice had already been cast; I had to move forward.

“Wouldn’t it be finding out who my true lord should be?”

“…!”

“If I lose this match—that is, if Lord Yurie sells me out to the heart of an enemy country—the conclusion is that she’s not a lord worthy of my service. In such a situation, there would be no reason for me not to serve you, Serpina. However, if I win this match—Lord Yurie would be sparing me, her dispatched envoy. As you know, these are turbulent times. From my perspective, isn’t it sufficiently beneficial just to discover my lord’s true intentions?”

That’s right.

Anima Ingram is probably more important to Yurie than any general.

Despite her dislike for Serpina’s army, she was willing to negotiate by offering as much gold as possible.

If she gives up such a woman and chooses me, I’ll be able to leave this place safely.

What if she abandons me?

Then there’s no need for me to leave this place. Whether it’s Serpina’s army or Aeshus’s army, my ultimate destination is Lunarian’s army. If I’m just passing through a country, it doesn’t matter which one.

Of course, in the past I might have thought “but Serpina’s army is a bit…” but—

‘Considering that Serpina keeps appearing in my dreams and I have these inexplicable memories about her, there must be something there.’

It didn’t seem like a bad choice to stay by her side to discover the faint something in my mind that didn’t even feel like my own memory.

Perhaps that’s why my intelligence of 100 sent me here in the first place?

I faced Serpina’s gaze head-on without avoiding it even once.

After a long silence, she carefully parted her lips.

“Very well. I’ll compete with you as you wish. Indeed, that seems like the fastest way to make you kneel.”

“I appreciate your wise decision.”

At that moment.

Commotion began to be heard from outside the royal chamber.

It seemed my bodyguard had caused some disturbance.

“……”

“Please let me go. I’ll calm them down.”

Serpina gave no response to my words.

As I looked at her… I experienced something truly strange.

For some reason… I felt like I could somewhat understand what she was thinking.

Even though this was clearly the first time meeting her, it felt like we had been in sync for quite a long period, which was an illusion.

Anyway.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was agreeing with my words right now.

“…Then I’ll be going.”

Without receiving any particular answer, I stood up and headed outside, and Serpina didn’t stop me.

…What is this sense of déjà vu?

With such thoughts, I went to resolve the commotion outside—

And thus began the match between Serpina and me.