Ch.214Chapter 214. Going to the End

With a bold flourish, I raised my sword and made my declaration—it was a meaningful gesture in its own way—

But in the end, it was just words.

To start a rebellion, I needed to put everything into action.

“Lady Luna— No, my lord.”

I was slightly surprised to hear Metz addressing me not as the castle lord or Lady Luna, but as “my lord.”

But knowing this was a title I would need to get used to, I nodded slowly and replied.

“Go ahead.”

“What shall we do with those who refuse to cooperate?”

Of course, everyone here was already inclined toward Luna.

But the situation was different for the other generals—those diligently working in their positions who weren’t present.

These were people who had joined the Karelia army and worked for Karelia. It meant they wouldn’t simply join under Luna without hesitation just because the castle lord suddenly started a rebellion.

Certainly, due to Vanessa’s tyranny and Karelia’s negligence, the generals’ loyalty to Karelia wasn’t what it used to be, but regardless, without dealing with them, it would be nearly impossible to take over Tepello Castle cleanly.

Tifa, who had been listening quietly from the side, scratched her head and said:

“Isn’t it obvious? We just round them all up. If we let them go, they could ruin our entire plan.”

Tifa’s words were logical.

The later the news of the rebellion and castle takeover spread, the better it would be for Luna’s side. It would give them more time to prepare and organize.

Besides, in the current situation, the Karelia army wasn’t the only concern.

After being lost in thought for a moment, Luna slowly parted her lips.

“…Violet.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Despite her youthful voice, I could feel the emphasis she placed on the words “my lord.”

For a moment, I wondered if the Violet who used to blankly read books had always been such a spirited girl—but now wasn’t the time for such reflections.

“Would you mind taking care of the right flank?”

Hearing Luna’s words, Violet quickly grasped her intention and bowed her head.

“I will personally send a letter to the Ohana army.”

“Thank you.”

As Violet mentioned, we also needed to be mindful of the Ohana army to our right.

I wasn’t sure how the Ohana army would judge the situation, but we needed to win them over before they could ally with the Karelia army against us.

Luna then turned toward Metz and Tifa.

“Everyone. Would you please gather all the military officers under your command?”

“Should we restrain them all?”

At Metz’s question, Luna slowly shook her head.

“That’s not necessary. Don’t threaten them in any way, just bring them here.”

“Wait a minute. What are you planning to do?”

“Leave this part to me, Tifa.”

After answering Tifa, Luna looked at everyone’s faces once more.

And then… the ruler once again bowed before her subjects.

“Please leave this to me. I’m asking for your trust.”

If Swen knew about this, he would be angry. He would say I shouldn’t do this. Luna understood that much.

But when it came to sincerely asking comrades for help, she didn’t know any other way than to put her whole heart into it.

I’ll surely be scolded for this… but that’s fine.

I’ll actually be relieved to hear that scolding.

“…I will bring them immediately.”

Metz nodded, then left the castle with Francis and Tifa.

It was time for another negotiation.

* * *

Some time later.

After hearing that “the castle lord has urgently summoned them,” all the generals serving in Tepello Castle gathered in the audience hall.

And not long after… they all spoke with astonished expressions.

“Are you saying the castle lord is establishing a new nation?”

“Yes. As of today, I am declaring the Lunarian army to open an era of peace for this continent that has fallen into misery.”

“No matter how you put it, aren’t you simply saying you’re betraying us?”

“…”

At the question, Luna closed her eyes and couldn’t say anything.

Metz flared up at those words and shouted.

This time, Luna didn’t stop him.

“I’ve already explained everything! Vanessa ordered the elimination of the castle lord who was trying to keep her oath! Why should we remain loyal to someone who won’t trust us in the first place?”

“If it was Vanessa’s will and not our lord’s, couldn’t you have openly discussed this with our lord?”

“Even if we talked about it, considering what kind of person Vanessa is—”

“Besides, we can’t rule out the possibility that this is just your one-sided claim, Lord Metz.”

“What…? Have you finished speaking? You know very well what kind of person Vanessa is, so how can you doubt my words—”

“Metz. It’s alright.”

At Luna’s words, Metz finally calmed his excitement and fell silent.

The man who had asked the question earlier sighed deeply and looked around as he spoke.

“So, why did you call us here? Did you summon us to imprison us? If you truly believe things will go well after betraying trust like this—”

“That’s not it.”

Luna interrupted the officer’s words, wearing an extremely apologetic expression as she bowed.

“I apologize for interrupting you. However, I want to persuade you all. I simply want to preserve your right to choose freely.”

“An opportunity?”

“Please tell me freely whether you will choose me, or return to your original lord, Karelia.”

At those words, everyone gathered here began murmuring simultaneously.

Not just the officers who had just been brought here, but even among those following Lunarian, puzzled expressions appeared.

But that was as far as it went.

No one challenged Luna’s words or questioned her.

Because Luna had spoken. She asked them to trust her. Therefore, they trusted Luna. They believed in and supported her actions.

At that moment:

“I’d like to ask Lord Luna one question.”

An elderly male officer cautiously raised his hand and spoke.

It was Shein, an officer who had served in Tepello Castle for over 40 years, counting from the imperial era.

He was arguably the person who had helped Luna the most since she first took office as castle lord.

“Please speak.”

“If the only reason we should follow Lord Luna is Vanessa’s tyranny, isn’t that insufficient?”

And this old officer—

Began to pressure Luna on very practical matters.

“Even if you’ve expanded your forces, there’s a clear difference in the number of territories, no measures have been taken regarding the neighboring Ohana army, and even if you have a justification worthy of rebellion, betrayal is still betrayal. Well, setting aside such moral concerns, the fact remains that we are at an overwhelming disadvantage, doesn’t it?”

“…”

“I don’t think Lord Metz is lying. It’s probably true. After all, Lord Luna isn’t someone who would fabricate things.”

Shein cleared his throat briefly and continued.

“Moreover, I can’t say the castle lord has no strengths. If Karelia is the setting sun, then you are the rising sun. If the two of you had similar temperaments, one could argue that someone who makes decisions like you would be advantageous in overcoming these troubled times, as you say. But if we’re to entrust our new dreams somewhere, this old man thinks there should be a few more strengths.”

“When you say strengths… what exactly do you mean?”

“There could be many things. But right now, those strengths are severely lacking. What I’m saying is that the option of cooperating with Lord Luna isn’t attractive enough to betray Lord Karelia.”

To summarize Shein’s words:

Show us something more compelling to make us switch sides. We’re not without complaints about the current Karelia regime. But with just this, we can’t risk our lives to cooperate—

Luna sensed that if this entire conversation was a moment of great persuasion, then this was the most critical turning point, and she fell into thought.

“That’s…”

Until now.

She had come this far thinking, ‘What would Lord Swen do?’

But now, when trying to emphasize her strengths, she couldn’t find the words to answer.

From the beginning, this persuasion was a plea.

It was a situation of begging them to trust her.

Despite being disadvantaged in every aspect, how many ways could she claim “we surpass the Karelia army in these aspects” while asking for their help to somehow overcome?

The only difference was that there was no one like Vanessa here, but that was it.

At that moment, what Luna recalled was, quite foolishly—

Only those words that Swen had told her then.

“Don’t worry too much, my lord. No matter how precarious and difficult the current situation is, in the end, we will win.”

‘Lord Swen…!’

She might be ridiculed for saying “in the end, we will win,” but.

Even so, if it was something Lord Swen had said… as she was having such slightly amusing thoughts,

“Legitimacy.”

“…?”

“What if I told you we have a legitimacy that the Karelia army doesn’t have?”

The one who answered Shein’s words wasn’t Luna.

It was Cain, the elderly man who always stood by Luna’s side as one of the three companions.

“Did you say legitimacy?”

“Yes, legitimacy. Our army possesses an overwhelming legitimacy that Karelia doesn’t have. At least when it comes to having a justification to unify this continent.”

“Um… Lord Cain…?”

At Luna’s question, Cain glanced at her slightly.

His eyes were shining more clearly than ever before.

It was the same look he had during his final conversation with Swen.

“Shein, do you know why the tyrant Serpina can remain in power despite her tyranny?”

“I don’t understand why this is being brought up now.”

“What if Serpina wasn’t the only living member of the Einhart family?”

“…!!!”

“What if that Einhart person declared support for Lord Luna?”

Everyone was surprised by those words.

The only ones not surprised were the three children Cain had brought—Francis, Charlotte, and Violet.

The most surprised was Luna, who had always been by his side.

—In the end, we will win.

The seemingly ordinary old man, Cain Nerkis, as if proving what Swen had told Luna then:

“I will now reveal the truth. My name is not Cain Nerkis.”

After saying that, Cain looked at Luna’s face instead of Shein’s.

This moment.

For her who had turned her back on the fallen imperial family and lived under a false name to preserve her life—

“My name is Kail von Einhart. The former king, Serpina’s father, was my brother. And I have physical evidence to prove it!”

—It was the moment of deciding her as the person to replace Serpina.

Legitimacy.

The overwhelming legitimacy that only Serpina possessed on the continent was now rolling toward Luna who had done nothing—

Luna thought once more of the white-haired man’s face.

His words… were right this time too.