Ch.154Chapter 154. Inevitability (1)

Finally, we formed a six-month alliance with the Brans army.

I was extremely curious about what would happen within the Brans army during that time… but seeing Lynn, who seemed to have completely lost her bearings as a human being, it was clear that the Brans army would crumble without properly taking advantage of this opportunity.

Then, would the southern nations take their place instead?

If the continent were reorganized in such a way, it would certainly be advantageous to Luna from a balance perspective, but it seemed she was still spending her time somewhere without mobilizing her forces.

Since it was her, of all people, I wasn’t too worried… but honestly, I was curious about how she was doing.

Come to think of it, what happened to Ginor?

Was he still part of the Aeshus army?

During our time together, he was always difficult to read… but if he had made up his mind after receiving my letter, he might have gone to serve under Lady Luna.

Or perhaps he had temporarily become a wanderer—there were many possibilities.

‘I really can’t predict anything.’

If only I could freely input questions into my mind whenever I wanted, rather than having to receive questions from others.

And how wonderful would it be if the scope of those questions wasn’t limited?

Considering that in this game world I’ve been transported to, I need to receive questions from someone to seek advice—it might be historically accurate, but what use is historical accuracy in a situation that has become reality?

Of course, I’ve benefited greatly from that historical knowledge, so I couldn’t complain.

I couldn’t know how things would unfold from here on—

But there was one thing I knew for certain.

‘I must protect Lady Serpina’s life at all costs.’

The condition for Serpina’s army, or rather, for this country to become a unified nation was simple.

Serpina stepping down from the throne.

However, Serpina was a young and brilliant female ruler who commanded tremendous trust within the nation. She was too healthy to expect illness, and her support among territory residents and generals was extremely high, making revolution unlikely.

While intermittent rebellions continued to occur, they were all aftereffects of the past crown prince succession dispute and were conducted in utmost secrecy—

Which proved, conversely, that without hiding underground and invoking past justifications, there was no legitimate reason to defy her.

At that moment.

A fundamental question arose in my mind.

‘How exactly does she die?’

Had she gone directly to the Brans army, she would have died.

This was a conclusion based on my 100% accurate predictions, so it could be considered certain.

Would she be assassinated within the Brans army?

Since she wouldn’t be going alone, and we had the initiative, she wouldn’t have gone all the way to Anel Castle, so this scenario seemed unlikely.

But if there’s a result, there must be a process leading to that result.

‘Lady Serpina… why would she have died?’

It was something that would no longer happen, so there was no real need to think about it—

But I couldn’t help being curious about the reason.

* * *

It was Irene who saw off the Brans army delegation at the end.

Lynn, after losing consciousness and fainting… no longer spoke to her.

Or more precisely, she walked out weakly like a sick patient, with a pale complexion, without uttering a single word.

Her eyes, which had never acknowledged Irene, were now empty, devoid of any ambition.

“……”

After silently seeing off Farfalle, who was taking care of her lord while looking at her with mixed emotions—

Irene slowly returned to where Serpina was to report.

“My lord. The Brans army delegation has just departed from Einhart Castle.”

“I see. You’ve worked hard, Irene.”

“……”

Irene slowly studied Serpina’s expression.

Her expression was… cold.

But strangely, she felt a hint of human warmth in that cold expression.

Why had she—

deliberately shown herself and Swen to Lynn?

At that moment.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Huh? Ah… well, that…”

Irene bowed her head and looked apologetic, but.

Serpina closed her eyes slightly as if it didn’t matter and asked.

“You don’t understand my actions, do you?”

“How could I dare say I don’t understand my lord’s actions?”

“Isn’t one’s thoughts about their ruler a personal freedom? That level of scrutiny doesn’t bother me. You might think I’m being cruel, seeing how I tormented Lynn like this.”

“That’s not it—”

“However.”

Serpina slowly opened her eyes and looked at Irene.

“I admit there was some personal sentiment involved.”

“Personal sentiment, my lord?”

“Yes. I… simply cannot forgive Lynn’s choice.”

Forgiveness?

It seemed like there was a deep rift between the two, but they appeared to have no personal grudges despite being rulers of enemy states, so I wondered if there was something I didn’t know—

“When you say choice…”

As soon as I cautiously asked the question.

Serpina, as if she had been waiting for it, looked into Irene’s purple eyes and answered.

“The choice to abandon you.”

“…!”

“She drove you to the brink of death, and even tried to take your life. Shouldn’t she at least know what consequences her decisions brought about? Additionally, she lost a miraculous magician who once blocked our army’s great forces with magical power, so her distress must be great. But.”

Serpina slightly clenched her fist.

Her dry and cold voice filled the space where only Irene and Serpina existed.

“I simply could not forgive it. Irene, I couldn’t forgive how she lived so shamelessly, without even considering how you felt. That’s why I specially called you and Swen to this meeting. To impress upon her that her foolish decision had brought irreversible consequences.”

“My lord…”

Irene felt… purely grateful to her.

Serpina was angry at Lynn. Not the ceremonial anger toward an enemy in interstate warfare, but something more personal.

And the reason for her anger was… because of Irene herself.

“I… really, really despise those who betray people, those who betray people who have sworn loyalty to them.”

Serpina said this, then let out a short sigh and spoke briefly, with no emotion showing on her face.

“My digression was long. Anyway, I thank you for playing along. It must not have been pleasant for you to see your former lord.”

“Not at all, my lord. …Thank you for your consideration.”

Irene bowed her head in greeting.

If there was one thing that hadn’t changed since leaving Lynn, it was her absolute loyalty to Swen.

But… in a corner of her heart, gratitude toward Serpina was clearly blooming.

She thought that without Swen, she might not have served Serpina, but ironically, she knew well that without Swen, she would never have met Serpina.

Because she had been a cruel tyrant. A cunning witch who disrupted the peace of the continent.

“……”

Serpina was lost in her own thoughts.

Was helping Irene truly out of her own goodwill?

If asked whether it was purely for Irene’s sake… that would probably be a lie.

It wasn’t completely false. It was true that anger had welled up against Lynn Brans for treating Irene that way.

But—

If that was all there was to it, she wouldn’t have thought to crush Lynn like this.

She gave a bitter smile at her own hypocrisy, then thought of the being she truly wanted to possess.

Swen. The white-haired magician she had repeatedly encountered in her dreams. The man presumed to have the power of the “Mind’s Eye.”

A man who gave her an inexplicable attraction.

Since Swen seemed to regard Irene specially, Irene would inevitably become special to Serpina as well.

‘Swen. I am sincere. If I could have you in my hands, I could do anything.’

Although he now unconsciously called her “Lady Serpina” at times.

Someday, if she could push out the nameless person remaining in his heart and become his only “lord”…

For Serpina, who had lived thinking only of unifying the continent, another purpose had emerged.

* * *

On the way back after successfully forming the alliance.

Farfalle cautiously approached the soldier driving the carriage and asked.

“How is our lord’s condition?”

“The same. She’s not saying anything… and she’s not eating, only drinking the minimum amount of water.”

“I see…”

After fainting while calling out for Swen, and regaining consciousness—

Lynn had become like a broken person, saying nothing and quietly passing time.

No matter how much anyone spoke to her, there was no response, and when guidance was sought, no answer came.

Those once lively eyes had long since become dull.

Therefore, it fell to Farfalle, the national strategist, to coordinate the return journey and direct the delegation.

Fortunately, Farfalle’s reputation within the Brans army was not bad, so everyone accepted her instructions without much resistance.

‘She’s just in shock right now, heartbroken. She was so devastated about losing Swen. But… once we return and achieve proper results, she’ll surely return to being the Lynn we knew.’

All Farfalle could do was think positively and prepare for the future.

Thus, as they continued traveling day and night southward, thinking about how to counter the Hesna army, one day.

A soldier approached Farfalle and carefully said.

“Lady Farfalle. I think we need to change our return route.”

“Is there a reason?”

The soldier made a troubled expression and reported the facts unfolding before his eyes.

The “fact” that had already occurred.

“Well… the valley that would be our shortest path seems to have been blocked by boulders, perhaps from a landslide… Unfortunately, we’ll need to take a detour.”

“Is that so?”

Why now of all times?

The thought briefly crossed her mind that they needed to return to Anel Castle as soon as possible to reorganize the southern front… but there was nothing they could do about what had already happened.

“…I understand. Let’s change the route.”

“Yes.”

And so, Farfalle took a slightly longer path back than when she had brought Lynn, who had lost all motivation.

The path blocked by a landslide.

For the Brans army, this “fact” was merely an annoying time-consuming inconvenience.

*

However.

This “fact” began to take on a completely different meaning elsewhere, for someone else.