Ch.232Chapter 232. Anti-Aeshus Army, Retreating to Border (3)

After some time.

A large-scale mobilization order was proclaimed from Hisfil Castle, commanding people to migrate to the unexplored territories of the northern continent.

“Does it make any sense to suddenly order us to relocate?”

“What can we do about it? We don’t have any power…”

“I can’t go even if they put a knife to my throat. My family has been rooted here for generations!”

As expected, public opinion wasn’t particularly favorable, but—

Surprisingly, quite a few people seemed to think that in these chaotic times, it might be better to go to the northern continent where only one nation was located, rather than stay in the central continent which had a high possibility of becoming a battlefield.

“It’s all the same—having nothing left. Might as well go.”

“Can old folks like me go too?”

In conclusion—roughly 50%, or slightly more, gradually began migrating under the pretext of pioneering the unexplored territories of the northern continent.

This approach of “prioritizing those who want to go seems best” was Swen’s suggestion.

Even with a forced mobilization order, if they truly had to drag every single person along, the backlash Serpina would have to bear would have been tremendous, so she accepted his opinion.

Thus, the forces guarding Hisfil Castle and more than half of the territory’s residents all began moving toward the northern continent.

This was a mass migration unprecedented in the continent’s history.

* * *

While people were being evacuated from near the border, she finally reappeared at the royal castle.

“My lord. Jenna has completed the mission of patrolling the northern continent as ordered and has just returned to the Einhart royal castle.”

The national advisor Jenna, undisputedly the second-in-command of Serpina’s forces, had finally returned to the Einhart royal castle.

She had been away from the castle even during the assassination attempt on Lady Serpina, meaning she had been absent from her side for a truly long period.

“You’ve worked hard, Jenna. Thanks to you, I was able to focus on executing official duties without worry. I shall never forget your dedication.”

“Not at all. Do you have any special instructions or anything I should know about?”

“Nothing urgent, so please rest and recover from your journey for the time being.”

“I accept your kindness, my lord. Thank you.”

After saying this, Jenna approached me as I stood beside them with my head bowed.

I felt a bit tense… but surprisingly, what I sensed from this brown-haired female advisor wasn’t wariness.

“Lord Swen, you’ve worked hard as well.”

“…?”

I’ve worked hard?

Jenna must have known that I essentially served as advisor in her absence. Rumors about Serpina keeping me very close had been circulating for quite some time.

Her saying that… was she telling me she had no particular complaints about my actions?

In any case, there was no need to say anything that might antagonize the advisor.

“I only did what needed to be done.”

“I look forward to seeing you again soon. Well then.”

Watching Jenna’s back as she turned away, I became more certain.

At the very least, she no longer seemed to be wary of me.

During that national council meeting, I definitely felt she was cautious of me as an outsider…

I don’t know what changed, but the fact that what I sensed from her wasn’t wariness would be obvious even to someone with poor intuition.

In any case.

Serpina, who had accepted my opinions at face value, continued to seek my advice afterward.

“Do you judge it efficient to withdraw troops from Jellin Castle as well?”

Jellin Castle was a small territory located north of Hisfil Castle.

[Yes.]

“I believe… that’s the case.”

“I see. Very well. We’ll do as you say.”

In this manner, we continued to gradually abandon all the territories in the central continent that had been recaptured from the Brans forces.

There could have been resistance, but since we had already surrendered Hisfil Castle, the most crucial core territory, the remaining peripheral territories were either less necessary to defend or too difficult to protect. As a result, matters proceeded surprisingly smoothly without much trouble.

What was unexpected… was that National Advisor Jenna, who had officially returned to duty, said nothing and simply followed her lord Serpina’s opinions.

Moreover, she apparently helped persuade senior officials who were dissatisfied with these decisions.

Without her, it would have been impossible to push things through so smoothly.

Even though Serpina was an extremely charismatic monarch of an autocratic nation, there was bound to be a significant difference between pushing through an opinion alone versus doing so with the support of a respected national advisor who had shared in their struggles.

Especially when taking actions that seemed strange rather than reasonable—like now, when we were abandoning territories that had been so difficult to obtain.

I didn’t know what change of heart Jenna had experienced or if she had some ulterior motive, but from my perspective, I had no reason to complain about her helping me without saying much.

After repeatedly issuing mobilization orders and bringing as many territory residents as possible in this manner, withdrawing forces from the border, one day:

“Swen. What do you think about withdrawing forces from Kelstein Castle?”

That day too, I was receiving the same type of question as usual.

‘Is it most efficient to withdraw Kelstein Castle’s forces to the northern continent?’

And once again, an answer came.

The fact that an answer came was the same, but—

[No.]

“…!”

The answer that came was somewhat different.

I looked up at Serpina and said:

“My lord.”

“…Oh?”

Serpina seemed to understand something just from my saying “my lord,” nodded, and then asked a different question.

“Swen. Do you think stationing forces at Kelstein Castle is most efficient?”

As expected of Lady Serpina, she asked exactly the question I wanted.

If I said we felt like perfect partners at times like this, would that be an exaggeration?

‘Is stationing forces at Kelstein Castle most efficient?’

[Yes.]

‘This is it.’

We had finally found the benchmark for where to withdraw our forces.

Kelstein Castle. The first territory of the Brans forces that Serpina’s army recaptured, the entrance to the central continent—and simultaneously a fortress-like castle on the path to the northern continent.

It was such an important place that no territory in the vicinity could match its strategic value.

If withdrawing forces even from here had been the right answer, I was a bit worried about how Jenna, who had been going along with us until now, would react.

Fortunately, it seemed we hadn’t earned that much disfavor from heaven this time.

Disfavor from heaven.

Being by Serpina’s side seemed to be making me think more about such superstitious notions.

“That’s correct.”

“I understand. Then… it seems the plague is beginning to spread in the central continent. Many will die once again.”

“It depends on how we respond, but…”

“…”

Serpina fell into thought for a moment, then asked me a simple question.

“What’s the scale of territory residents migrating to the northern continent?”

“More than half from Hisfil Castle, and about 30-40% from the other territories.”

“I see…”

I thought her golden eyes seemed to sink.

Her reputation among the territory residents would have fallen again. The mobilization order itself must have been like a bolt from the blue from their perspective.

Even though it wasn’t forced, territory residents would inevitably feel pressure from the monarchs above their own lords.

But Serpina didn’t care about bearing such additional burdens—she wanted to save as many people as possible.

She believed my prediction about the plague… that’s why she could take such actions.

If no disease were to spread, she would simply become a tyrant who threw her people into unexplored territories.

“…Lady Serpina.”

“Speak.”

“We cannot save everyone. I believe you’ve done your best.”

Serpina didn’t answer for a long while, then slowly nodded.

“You truly are a kind person, Swen.”

“…”

“Do you have any special plans today?”

“No. Do you have something to command?”

“Well, rather than a command, it would be a purely personal request.”

Serpina looked at me with the corners of her lips turning up.

“Would you keep me company with drinks tonight?”

Going through this entire process, she must have had many thoughts of her own.

If I could be her support, sharing drinks with her wouldn’t be difficult at all.

“I would be delighted to.”

“Thank you, Swen.”

Slowly, gradually, but very surely.

Just as I was becoming an important person to her—

Serpina was becoming an irreplaceable presence in my life.