Ch.143Chapter 143. Questions (5)

Serpina looked at me with a chuckle, “Kuhuhu.”

Her eyes sparkled with an unusual gleam.

It was a bewitching face. That face. People would line up to throw everything away for that smile.

“I see. An alliance with the Brans army. So we’re forming an alliance with a nation we were at war with until just recently.”

Her breath…

Her breath was too close.

I felt my head growing hot.

The citrus scent invaded my mind.

It wasn’t a bad sensation… Rather, it was a feeling of my heart growing warm.

It wasn’t just the instinctive thrill of having such a beauty right in front of me, with our bodies so close…

What I felt was… nostalgia.

‘Why…?’

I wasn’t sure why I felt this nostalgia—

Anyway, since she had asked me a question, I had no choice but to answer.

“That’s right.”

“I understand.”

Serpina slowly moved away from me.

Then, looking into my eyes, she spoke softly as if reciting.

“I will do as you wish. I shall form an alliance with the Brans army.”

“Yes.”

“However, there’s one last thing I’d like to ask.”

Instead of answering, I bowed once.

She easily understood that I meant for her to ask whatever she wanted.

“Your reasoning… Can you tell me why you’re so certain this alliance will benefit our army?”

“…”

Despite all that talk about the Mind’s Eye, in the end, she just wants to hear my reasoning?

Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything convincing to tell her that could be labeled as proper reasoning.

Of course, if I kept thinking, I might come up with something. But I couldn’t force anything out right now.

Just because my intelligence stat was set at 100 didn’t mean I had actually become as smart as someone with 100 intelligence.

But still.

“An alliance with the Brans army… Don’t you think that forming such an alliance will be an opportunity for our army?”

‘I think I can counter this.’

Sorry to Serpina, but I’ll try to turn her words around here.

“My lord. I believe you can find the reasoning yourself.”

“I can find the reasoning? Me…?”

This was a first.

For the first time today, her pupils contracted after maintaining a relaxed attitude toward me all along.

“Yes. Didn’t you just say so yourself? That this would be an opportunity for our army. Surely you already know this?”

“I said that because I was reading the changes in your expression.”

“No. I believe you can figure it out perfectly well, Serpina. In your position, aren’t there things you inevitably feel?”

Though I couldn’t immediately guess what those things might be… anyway, since it would benefit our army, a ruler who knows their country’s situation better than I do could judge the situation with a broader perspective.

With that meaning in my words, she stared at me blankly, as if shocked.

“…!!!”

“Serpina. You’ll probably figure out a convincing reason soon. I trust you.”

From what I’d seen so far, she was probably willing to listen to me.

She didn’t agree after hearing my reasoning; rather, she agreed first and then asked for the reasoning.

Moreover, looking back at her previous actions, she seemed to deeply trust my words for some reason.

So there was no need for me to say anything strange here.

There’s a certain weight that comes with being trusted.

At that moment.

As if she had realized something, she looked at me and raised the corner of her mouth.

“…I see, Swen. I think I understand what you’re saying.”

And then, with an expression full of her own conviction—

She looked at me and whispered softly.

“You’re trying to test me, aren’t you?”

‘…Huh?’

“You once told me that truly winning your heart would be extremely difficult. But I didn’t expect you to directly put your lord to the test… Swen, you really do entertain me.”

‘??????’

No, what I said back then was just to avoid going to prison…

…No.

‘Should I just stay completely still?’

Thinking that things might resolve themselves easily if I just stayed quiet, I maintained an impressive expression that seemed to say ‘figure it out yourself’ while not avoiding her eyes.

“In my life, many have said they would take my test, but not a single man has said he would test me like you do.”

She said this and then traced her cheek with one hand.

…It was seductive.

If it was intentional, it was impressive; if unintentional…

I thought this woman had the destructive power to easily enslave a man.

“Really… really, Swen, I think I’m starting to like you more and more… huhu…”

And for several minutes, we exchanged glances without speaking—

“…I understand.”

With those words from her, the situation concluded.

“Swen.”

“Yes.”

“I want to have you. So, I will show you my sincerity in my own way. This matter is also part of that. Please watch. Surely, someday… you will make room for me in your heart.”

After saying that, she gave a slight smile with her eyes.

After the audience ended.

Walking through the corridor, I recalled the dream I had.

That moment of happy smiles, talking with the blonde woman… Serpina.

Scenes of holding hands and whispering sweet nothings while walking together in a place with blue-roofed buildings everywhere…

Nostalgia.

The citrus scent I smelled today was definitely one that made me nostalgic.

‘….’

I quietly entered the same question I had received from my roommate.

‘Can Serpina von Einhart become the unifying monarch?’

[No, she cannot.]

The result remained unchanged.

In fact, I didn’t expect it to change. It was a prediction that kept giving the same answer no matter how many times I asked.

‘I…’

Right.

Let’s not be swayed by useless thoughts.

I just need to follow my own path.

Thinking this, I quietly left the palace.

* * *

“No. I believe you can figure it out perfectly well, Serpina. In your position, aren’t there things you inevitably feel?”

After sending Swen away—

Serpina fell into deep thought.

‘Something I can inevitably know in my position…’

It was a difficult metaphor to understand—

But Serpina thought that Swen seemed to enjoy using such difficult metaphors.

Even when he was able to catch the rebels last time, he had said ‘you must see what cannot be seen.’

She firmly believed this was an attempt to test her abilities.

If so, there must be an answer in that sentence.

‘The last survivor of the Einhart family. The ruler of the Serpina army. And… a tyrant.’

Serpina organized the words that described her one by one.

Her position. Something a ruler would inevitably feel…

After thinking for a few more minutes, no clear outline emerged.

‘Right. Instead of obsessing over a small sentence, I should look at the bigger picture.’

The two subjects forming the alliance—the Serpina army and the Brans army.

The Brans army swallowed their pride and requested an alliance with us.

Why would they do that?

‘Surely… there must be those who don’t look kindly on this within their ranks.’

Her position and relationship with the Brans army, the events that occurred during the recent war…

Despite all that, the fact that they requested an alliance must be the will of their ruler, Lynn…

Gradually.

Very gradually, her mind began to work.

Serpina, you see—she desperately wanted to pass this test.

It was truly outrageous for a mere subordinate to test his lord, but she didn’t care.

She wanted to show him her sincerity somehow.

If the rumors surrounding him were true—she wanted to turn his heart toward her despite everything.

If his “Mind’s Eye”-like predictions were confirmed as fact, she would want it even more.

The one thing she had always lacked.

Something even her state advisor Jenna couldn’t provide—she was confident Swen could fill that void.

‘No matter what… I will make you mine, Swen.’

Regardless of who might be in his heart.

So that both his body and heart would sincerely look up to me, Serpina von Einhart—

Serpina immersed herself in thought to the point where her head ached, something she hadn’t done in a long time.

The sensation of using her mind. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. In the days when she had no burdens, she often engaged in such deep contemplation.

—I miss it.

The nostalgia that had been blooming in her heart since she met Swen was surely due to childhood memories.

Thinking this… she gradually decoded the puzzle-like sentence Swen had given her.

Since meeting Swen.

Serpina no longer dreamed.

At the same time—she embraced one clear dream.

Not a dream that dissipates vainly after waking, but a dream that supports and drives her forward.

* * *

“Aaaah!”

As soon as I returned to the room, Jenis was startled, so I asked:

“What’s wrong, senior?”

“Huh? No, it’s just… well.”

Hmm?

Something seems… strange.

“…? Why are you speaking so formally?”

“What? Oh, um… yeah! It’s, ah, nothing. I’m just a bit out of it…”

Jenis waved his hands dismissively with an awkward smile.

“Were you reading some erotic novel by yourself?”

“What…! No, no, no! No. Um. I’m just… tired today…”

He said with a completely flushed face, not knowing what to do.

What the…? Why is he suddenly acting like this? Between men.

“?”

He seemed quite strange, but…

Well, there’s no need to pry. Jenis must have his private life too.

“Ah, by the way… um, you know.”

“You used to call me by my name just fine before.”

“Huh? Yeah… so, yeah. Swen.”

‘…He somehow feels like a different person.’

“You received a letter. I accepted it for you.”

“Oh, really? Thanks.”

I took the letter from him.

The sender was…

‘…It’s from Lady Irene?’

Checking the contents, there were many flowery expressions.

Asking if I was doing well, mentioning how much time had passed since St. Valentine’s Day…

The writing style was strangely similar to chivalric literature, which was very like Lady Irene.

Anyway, to summarize the content—

‘She wants to meet because she has something to say.’

That’s good.

I was feeling drained after the audience with my lord, and I can relax when I’m with Lady Irene.

“I’m going out for a while, okay?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah. Take care.”

Though Jenis’s attitude was strangely concerning… meeting Irene was more important to me.

I immediately headed toward our meeting place.