Ch.224Chapter 224. Nothing Special

* * *

After carrying out Serpina’s orders, during the time I was heading to the royal palace, I was slowly organizing my complicated thoughts.

The Lunarian army had mobilized.

Luna, whom I had been waiting for so long, had once again revealed herself on the continent.

As I had promised her, I should naturally return to her side, but… I couldn’t bring myself to take that step.

…I simply couldn’t tell Lady Serpina that it was time for me to leave.

Lady Serpina had been relying on me tremendously lately. If I suddenly told her, “I’m just going to leave”… it would likely cause severe damage to her mental state.

If I were to leave her side in this situation.

If I were to coldly abandon the person who saved Lady Irene, whom I cherish above all else… the shock she would receive might be beyond what I could imagine.

Perhaps she might recklessly hand over her throne to someone else… or in the worst case, there was a high possibility she might make an extreme choice.

If Serpina were to step down from the throne, the fate of the unified empire would rest entirely with whoever succeeded her. Having been verified twice, this could be considered an indisputable fact.

After the assassination attempt, I could easily sense that she had become increasingly dependent on me.

Not only had the frequency of her summons increased, but she also seemed to maintain quite a close relationship with Lady Irene, who was a temporary knight guard.

Right. There was one more thing I couldn’t overlook.

My departure would also mean the departure of Irene and Reika, who had been steadily rising in status within the country.

What I learned while staying with Serpina’s forces was—

There weren’t as many people on her side here as I had thought.

It wasn’t long ago that she was nearly assassinated by the knight guard she had trusted so much.

Although it was for Lady Luna’s sake, I felt that perhaps… I might be the only outsider who genuinely wanted to protect Lady Serpina’s life.

For me, her survival was also the way to keep my promise to Lady Luna.

Of course, there was a way to leave without saying anything to her.

If I told her that stationing myself, Lady Irene, and Miss Reika at the lower border to prepare for war would be the most effective strategy, Lady Serpina would probably listen to me without any suspicion.

Then I could cross the border without any risk and return to Lady Luna’s side.

But.

Above all else, as a human being, I simply couldn’t choose that method.

Apart from how well Lady Serpina had treated me, she was the savior of Lady Irene’s life. How could I be so heartless when I hadn’t even properly repaid that debt?

I didn’t want to act cowardly in front of her. If I had to leave, the least I could do as a human was to tell her I was leaving.

When I abandoned Lynn, there were sufficient reasons. She had repeatedly attempted to take Lady Irene’s life, and Lady Irene was far more important to me than Lynn.

As for Yurie, there’s nothing to say. I didn’t abandon her; she unilaterally abandoned me. It was she, not I, who made the unprecedented decision to sell out the Death God. Well, I had planned to abandon her eventually anyway, so I didn’t particularly feel any regret toward her.

And Lady Serpina… was different from Lynn. Different from Yurie as well. She was the most excellent and wise ruler among the women I had met since Lady Luna. She was a fragile and warm-hearted person who bore too many burdens alone while wearing the armor of a tyrant.

One might say what use is morality in chaotic times, but I was too much of a modern person with contemporary sensibilities to casually betray someone who trusted and relied on me so much.

Even apart from the moral aspect, considering the shock Lady Serpina would receive if I left and the repercussions that shock would bring—

Perhaps for Lady Luna’s sake as well, I shouldn’t leave this place?

No. Could this actually be the path for Lady Luna to conquer the world?

Besides, if there were no problems, Ginor would approach Lady Luna. Perhaps he might be more helpful to her than me, who could only know the correct outcomes.

So without me… couldn’t she manage well for the time being?

It would be efficient if I could use my Intelligence 100 brain—

Setting aside the need to receive questions, what questions should I receive?

And even if I received those questions, it was unclear whether answers would emerge.

‘…Right. For now, let’s stay here and observe the situation. At the very least, I should achieve some military merit before leaving. That would be my duty to Lady Serpina.’

At least for now, that’s what I thought.

* * *

“Thank you for your hard work today, Swen.”

I bowed my head as usual in response to Serpina’s words after I finished my report.

The order I had received from her today was to compile reports on the activities of the occupation forces spread throughout the northern continent, including Irian.

“I merely did what needed to be done, my lord.”

“…”

Serpina maintained silence for a moment, then asked me in a cautious tone.

“You look like you have a lot on your mind.”

“…”

“Well, it’s not for me to say to you.”

That was indeed the case.

Since that day, after Cain von Einhart widely announced that he was alive… the national situation had become somewhat unsettled.

Of course, he was clearly from a collateral line, and Serpina still possessed the most noble bloodline, but… going from “the one and only noble existence” to “the most noble among them” was inevitably a minus for her.

“What do you think?”

“…Are you referring to Lord Cain’s country?”

“Yes. The Lunarian army.”

“…”

I close my eyes.

Yes. The Lunarian army. The nation founded by Lady Luna, where I once belonged—the nation destined to unify the continent.

From what I heard, it seemed she had betrayed the Karelia forces where she had been serving.

Due to her experience as a feudal lord, she wasn’t completely without justification… but in any case, making the decision to betray must have been quite difficult for someone with such an upright and straightforward character.

I answered as if it were nothing.

“They only possess one territory so far. Even with Cain von Einhart on their side, it’s at the southern end of the continent… perhaps it would be best to just observe for now.”

“Indeed, there’s nothing I can do right now.”

Dealing with her wasn’t our role.

It was the job of the surrounding Karelia forces, Ohana forces, Rolland forces, or Hesna forces.

The problem was… since she was born with the destiny to unify the continent, she probably wouldn’t be destroyed by such countries.

She would likely continue to triumph. For me at least, it wasn’t difficult to imagine her nation overcoming seemingly impossible situations.

“Swen.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Can you tell me your story now?”

“My story?”

“Didn’t I mention earlier? That you look like you have a lot on your mind.”

“Ah…”

“Tell me. If it’s a concern I can resolve, I’ll take responsibility and solve it for you.”

Finding strange comfort in those words, I smiled and joked.

“What if it’s something you cannot solve, my lord?”

“You say such things with a smile before me. Hehe… put such worries aside. There’s nothing I cannot achieve.”

Even after hearing me say “my lord cannot become the unifying monarch” several times from my mouth—which she herself believed “always speaks the truth”—she still spoke with such a confident face.

She was a strong person. Serpina was. Though I’m not sure how she herself thought about it.

“However, there is something I’d like to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

Serpina opens her mouth in an incredibly gentle tone, her golden eyes sparkling as she looks at me.

“Become my husband, Swen.”

“…Pardon?”

Surprised by the unexpected words in such a serious situation, I saw her blush as if finding it amusing.

The thought that she seemed less like a monarch and more like a childhood friend who enjoyed playing pranks seeped in with the scent of citron.

“Give yourself to me, Swen. If you do that, I will do everything for you. Your worries, anything at all… everything.”

“…My lord. That’s—”

“I won’t hear your answer. I already know I’ll be rejected. I’m not the type of person who continues to fight battles I know I’ll lose.”

Saying that, she once again stole a smile at the corner of her mouth as if amused.

“Yet I can’t help but continue to speak. It’s too frustrating not to express these feelings. Please think of it as the whim of a woman who is sincere toward you.”

She’s such a lovable person even when saying such brazen things.

However, I couldn’t give in to her story just because she was lovable.

After all, I was someone who would eventually leave.

“It would be better not to give too much affection to someone as lowly as myself.”

“Is that advice as a strategist?”

“I suppose it could be seen that way.”

Serpina stared at me for a while, then slowly nodded.

“You are truly a kind person, Swen.”

I tilted my head slightly at the unexpected words.

“Pardon…?”

“Because I can feel how many times you try not to hurt me.”

I don’t answer, just bow my head.

My heart aches.

Hearing such words… strangely stirs my heart.

“It’s alright.”

“…?”

“In whatever form, if you can stay by my side… that’s enough.”

“So.”

“You don’t have to marry me.”

“If you can just stay by my side…”

The moment I heard her ask me to stay by her side.

Her sincerity approaches me.

Various images of her flash before my eyes.

The moment she took me to her siblings’ graves to pay respects together, the emotions when she first opened her heart to me, and even the fragile expression as she sobbed toward me while lying in bed…

This feeling.

I think I now understand the feeling I’m experiencing.

I… Lady Serpina.

That woman who seems like she might collapse at any moment, who bears everything alone, who continues to struggle forward with hope despite knowing her predetermined failure.

…I didn’t want to leave Serpina von Einhart here alone, to leave her side.

I wanted to keep my promise to Lady Luna and simultaneously save that woman.

It was the first thought I’d had since wanting to save Lady Irene, who had lived a lonely life without recognition from anyone.

In any case, I—

I couldn’t betray either Lady Luna or Lady Serpina.

And only then did I accurately realize the current situation.

I had been planning to return to Lady Luna’s side immediately if nothing unusual happened, but—

—something unusual had happened.