Ch.130Chapter 130. Perhaps I…

The beginning of everything was that prediction.

‘Is it right to keep troops stationed where they are currently most easily conscripted?’

[Yes.]

My intelligence was 100. However, I didn’t suddenly become incredibly smart or show distinct talent in strategy/tactics.

What I could do was know the outcome.

And it was always the correct outcome.

This time too, I simply knew the absolute conclusion that it was the most efficient approach for Serpina’s army.

I couldn’t understand why stationing troops at Amir Castle was efficient.

That’s when I chose to work backward.

If there’s a conclusion, I calculate the situation that would inevitably lead to this conclusion.

So far, I think that has worked out fairly well.

So I formed my own hypothesis.

That hypothesis was ‘the Aeshus army will come up the river from Zeta Castle and attack.’

I formed this hypothesis because, at least in my thinking, there was no other possibility.

Coming up against the river? I knew it was reckless.

The Aeshus army wouldn’t gain anything from going to such lengths? Naturally, I thought so too.

Yet I insisted on it because I had my own reasoning.

Before coming here, I was part of the Aeshus army.

The Aeshus army I observed up close wasn’t always a group that moved rationally.

For instance, I was certain Ginor would never propose ‘attacking upstream.’ But Anima was different.

Anima and the core members of the Aeshus army viewed Serpina as an enemy, so for internal solidarity, they might attempt such an invasion even if it seemed reckless.

They were the people who abandoned me in the first place. Wouldn’t it make sense for them to make such a decision?

A strong intuition based on my direct experience of eventually being abandoned by Yurie.

With that intuition, plus the infallible prediction of [Yes], I could be certain.

But—

No matter how much time passed, the area around Amir Castle remained quiet.

Even with scouts regularly scattered around the river, peaceful time passed without any boats being detected.

‘…What’s going on?’

By this point, I couldn’t help feeling anxious.

Was this the first time my guesswork had missed the mark?

No, thinking about it, this wasn’t the first miss.

Long ago, there was a time when I was certain lightning would strike, but a meteorite fell instead.

Of course, being human, I thought I might be completely wrong someday.

Until now, I’d somehow managed with knowledge gained from playing the game—

But as I vividly remember, like when Tifa discovered a treasure chest full of gold coins at Zeilant Castle, there were outcomes that couldn’t be predicted until after they happened.

“Thinking about it now, it seems I was just stringing together plausible sentences to gloss over the situation.”

And now, summoned by Serpina and facing such questions.

I had to admit my hypothesis was completely wrong.

‘So the Aeshus army wasn’t going to attack.’

Enough time had passed. If they were going to attack, they would have done so already.

If more time was needed, it would be far from the ‘most efficient method.’

However, if that’s the case.

‘Why exactly is stationing troops there the most efficient method?’

Whether the Aeshus army attacks or not is a secondary issue.

Since my brain predicted ‘Yes,’ it must be absolutely correct.

Whatever the case, the decision to station troops itself was right.

In that case, it would be best to improvise here.

As with my negotiation with Lynn, it would eventually become clear that I was right.

I carefully organized the most plausible words in my head.

My opponent was Serpina von Einhart. This would probably be the toughest battle yet… but behind me was the infallible conclusion.

I slowly raised my tongue-brush.

“My lord. First, I would like to say—”

No.

More precisely, I was about to raise it.

“My lord, General Jeffer has arrived. He says he has an urgent matter to report immediately.”

I heard a soldier’s footsteps behind me—and suddenly some general appeared.

His name was Jeffer. I might have seen him before, but I wasn’t sure, which meant he was probably just an ordinary general.

The real issue—

From that moment, the situation began to take a strange turn.

“Th-this was found…!”

I glanced at what he held in his hand.

It was some kind of brooch with an emblem engraved on it.

It looked similar to that of Serpina’s army, but there were subtle differences.

And.

Seeing it, an expression of shock gradually bloomed on Serpina’s face.

This was the first time since our first private meeting that I’d seen her so agitated.

A few days later—

I learned that the emblem belonged to a man named Sidmid, Serpina’s deceased second older brother.

I had to learn this. Suddenly, several of Serpina’s generals were being arrested one after another.

The most frustrating part was how the emblem was found.

Apparently, it was an item accidentally taken by a soldier who happened to enter a certain place.

Therefore, at the moment I heard it was a stroke of luck that it was found.

—I subtly realized it wasn’t luck at all.

If troops hadn’t been stationed at Amir Castle, there wouldn’t have been patrols to utilize surplus forces.

I didn’t know the details, but rumors suggested that among the captured officers were some influential figures, and if the rebellion had succeeded, it would have been extremely troublesome for Serpina.

After examining the context—I finally understood why my intelligence of 100 had predicted that stationing troops at Amir Castle was the most efficient method.

‘So… after stationing the soldiers and organizing defense forces, they were sent on patrol around the territory because they had nothing else to do… and during that process, one soldier, by an incredible probability, found the hideout of those plotting rebellion? So that’s why recruiting and stationing troops was the most efficient method?’

After finishing this thought, I let out a chuckle.

It wasn’t a laugh I consciously decided to make, but literally, very naturally.

“Let out” is precisely the right expression for such a laugh.

‘…How on earth was I supposed to know that?!’

There are limits to working backward.

How could anyone possibly work backward to figure this out?

To summarize:

[Increased troops at Amir Castle -> Used as defense forces but no battles occur -> Since idle troops are wasteful, focus on strengthening security with territory patrols -> Coincidentally, one soldier accidentally discovers rebels’ hideout -> Soldier mistakenly takes an item from the house -> That item was an emblem -> Based on material evidence, search results in early arrest of rebels -> Serpina’s army captures rebels, making it the most efficient method]

But all I could know was:

[Increased troops at Amir Castle -> ??? -> Somehow most efficient]

Just two propositions!

Using only these to draw the conclusion above?

I guarantee, it would be impossible for anyone other than me.

Even guesswork has its limits—how could anyone possibly guess this?

‘Ha.’

Yes, couldn’t you tell me a bit more detail instead of just yes or no?

Sometimes it does give more details… but the answer to “why” has never once appeared, so it was a vain hope.

Anyway, after all the traitors were executed—

Some time later, I was summoned by Serpina again.

My first concern when called by her was how to frame this situation.

Since I was right, her gaze toward me must have changed somewhat.

I prepared how to respond, but fortunately or unfortunately, she began listing all the things I might have said before I could.

“…Swen.”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“Did you… know all of this would happen?”

“…”

No. I’m not a god—how could I possibly know this?

“You must know, Swen. Among the traitors captured this time, that woman… Shika was there.”

Really???

I barely managed to hide my shock.

This was the first I’d heard of it.

Wait a moment. Does this mean… she thinks I deliberately spoke indirectly?

“That’s why you gave a reason that seemed incomprehensible. Your opinion was that ‘we must prepare for the Aeshus army coming up the river.’ Thinking about it now, that was the only option that could lead to this conclusion…? Because there would be no reason to station troops there if there were possibilities of civilian riots in surrounding villages or rebellion in nearby castles…!”

Serpina was so excited about something that she spoke to me with a tension I’d never seen before.

She really has a variety of expressions—that was the only thought in my mind at that moment.

“But Swen, you couldn’t say everything! One of the traitors was mixed among that group, and I wouldn’t listen unless you gave proper evidence! So… you used your experience in the Aeshus army to create such a hypothesis. A very plausible hypothesis that could convince me as much as possible!”

‘As expected…’

While I was doing nothing, a situation incredibly favorable to me had developed.

Is this… the true power of 100 intelligence…?

“That was… what couldn’t be seen.”

Ah, right.

I did say something like that.

I was confident that if I spoke plausibly enough, it would be gilded later. After all, I would be proven right.

But the current situation… is beyond gilding.

Right now, don’t I appear like a diamond to her?

Otherwise…

Serpina’s golden eyes wouldn’t be burning as if they were about to devour me.

“You knew… everything…! And to somehow let me know, you gave desperate advice… isn’t that right, Swen…?”

What should I say?

For now, it would be best to affirm it?

Basically, I needed to be trusted by the ruler to be able to do anything.

Hadn’t I felt that keenly in the Brans army, and then in the Aeshus army?

If this was a kind of opportunity given to me…

I slowly bowed my head with the most elegant gesture I could manage.

After mentally controlling myself to be “a loyal subject serving Serpina,” I answered in the most pitiful voice possible.

“It was dangerous in many ways, but it was your decision to listen to me, my lord. I am merely grateful that I could be of help to you.”

Good.

This should be enough for her to trust me?

To safely return to the Lunarian army later, I needed to gain trust first.

Honestly, I don’t really think so, but her epithet is “the Tyrant.”

Even in the game, Serpina often showed incredibly cruel behavior. Wasn’t she the one who sentenced me to death in the first place?

So, I can’t appear too incompetent. I need to gain an appropriate amount of trust so that when the time comes, I can safely leave this place—that was my judgment.

Her response wasn’t difficult to predict.

She would be somewhat surprised, then conclude with something like, ‘Excellent, Swen. I am greatly impressed by your insight. I hope you will use that ability for me in the future.’

Making a fuss would be far from the Serpina I had observed so far.

…or so I thought.

“Aah…!!”

Until I saw Serpina’s expression, immersed in ecstasy.

‘Uh…?’

“Swen, truly… truly, you are truly an interesting man… I am now, for the first time in my life, feeling a thrill. Can you feel it? To you as well… this heart of mine…!”

She was like, as if she couldn’t control herself.

She looked at me as if she had discovered something so lovely that she felt a thrill throughout her body, like an obsessed fan.

No…

I’m not that impressive??

Of course, my unreachable cry doesn’t reach her.

Shouldn’t a ruler maintain composure and move on with something like “Hmm, I see” in this situation?

Seeing her so amazed by just one correct prediction… perhaps she’s in a less comfortable situation than I thought.

Serpina then rose from her throne and began approaching me.

She matched her eye level with mine and lifted my chin.

…It’s the scent of yuzu.

A smell I’ve caught several times before… but this time, there’s an additional, excessively thick, very personal fragrance.

Not just yuzu… this is Serpina’s body scent.

Something deep and intimate about Serpina as a person, which only those who have shared body scents would know—

I sense it targeting me directly.

“Become mine, Swen.”

Shiver!

A chill quickly ran up my spine to the crown of my head.

The nerve cells in my brain fiercely warned me.

I’m going to be… devoured by this woman…!

“Your body, your heart… serve me. If you will not…!”

After saying that.

She brings her beautiful face close to mine.

…She’s beautiful.

Stupidly, that thought comes first, unavoidably, because of her exceedingly elegant beauty.

Her golden eyes, her snow-white skin, her rough breathing, her large breasts inevitably brushing against me as she comes close, the sweet yuzu fragrance that ties it all together…

———I will break you.

At that moment, as Serpina approached close enough that I could touch her nose if I fell forward, unilaterally pronouncing my sentence, I realized one crystal-clear fact that required no prediction:

I may have… stepped into something far worse than I could have imagined.