Ch.239Chapter 239. Retreating to Border, Aftermath (4)

# # #

After taking extensive measures at Kelstein Castle, several days had passed.

There hadn’t been any news of an epidemic breaking out yet, and thanks to Ian and Jenna taking my side, there wasn’t any problem managing internal complaints about abandoning the territory.

To be precise, rather than taking my side, they simply followed Serpina’s orders without question… but well, the result was the same in the end.

And today, like any other day, I made my way to the Einhart royal castle.

“You’re here, Swen.”

Looking around, I noticed that Jenna, who usually kept her position beside Serpina, was nowhere to be seen.

“Where has the advisor gone?”

“I had some tasks for her regarding the unexplored northern continent, so she’s probably looking into that now.”

“Ah…”

If there was one problem, it was the territory residents who had been relocated.

It sounded nice to call it “pioneering unexplored land,” but in reality, we had moved the residents to barren land where hardly anything could grow.

Serpina claimed she was providing various benefits, and apparently those benefits were quite exceptional by this era’s standards, but from my perspective as a modern person, they didn’t seem particularly generous.

If no epidemic broke out and something else happened instead, we would end up having lost the people’s hearts—

‘Well, it should be fine.’

There was still plenty of time to observe the situation.

It was too early to say there were definitive results, as nothing had happened yet.

Just then.

I heard the voice of my current lord in my ears.

“Swen. I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Serpina, in her usual emotionless tone—

“Erinandorf Arisian is dead.”

“…!”

She delivered quite shocking news.

Erinandorf Arisian. A name I knew. No, I even knew his face.

Days spent in the Aeshus Army, now just old memories.

One of the five heroes who silently served as pillars of the Aeshus Army.

I still vividly remembered his impressive figure—solid muscles, an expressionless face, and empty eyes.

But he was dead?

“What happened?”

“It was Chel’s army.”

“Pardon?”

“Swen. As we expected, Hisfil Castle and Jelin Castle seem to have been taken by the Aeshus Army… but it appears Mirage Castle and Alcanwood Castle have been seized by Chel.”

Did Chel make a move while we were withdrawing our troops?

Come to think of it, the Aeshus Army wasn’t the only force in the central continent, and we weren’t only facing the Aeshus Army at our borders.

It seemed that territories that originally belonged to the Brans Army at the border had now become Chel’s territory.

“For some reason, the two forces engaged in battle, and in the process… it seems he was killed.”

“So Chel killed Erinandorf?”

“That would be the case.”

“Was he taken prisoner? Or on the battlefield…?”

“I heard Chel personally ordered his execution, so he was probably captured.”

“Is that really true…?”

I recalled the Chel I had seen during my time with the Brans Army.

He was certainly hot-blooded and knew nothing but battle, but if he had captured someone of Erinandorf’s caliber, there would have been better options than simply killing him.

Did he just act as he always had on the battlefield, rather than thinking carefully about what would benefit him most?

Serpina, as if understanding what I was thinking, brought up exactly what I wanted to hear.

“They cut off his head and displayed it on the castle walls.”

“If they deliberately displayed it on the walls…”

“This is clearly—”

“—a provocation, isn’t it?”

As our conversation flowed like a well-rehearsed duet, Serpina looked at me with an amused smile.

“Every time this happens, I feel like you’re an extension of myself. There’s no one else in our army who can see through my thoughts like you do.”

I almost said I felt the same way, but decided against it, thinking it would be unnecessary.

I felt somewhat awkward afterward and couldn’t respond, but Serpina didn’t mind and asked me the question she wanted to ask.

“So, what do you think will happen?”

“I think we can afford to observe the situation for now. The Chel Army and the Aeshus Army will now enter into full-scale war.”

“But at this point, with our attack route blocked, wouldn’t the most rational choice be to target the Hesna Army below? Unless they specifically want to create a favorable situation for her. I can hardly imagine Yurie having such special regard for her, even if she did hate her.”

“With Erinandorf being the one who died, everything has already been decided.”

“…”

Probably no one in the Aeshus Army could stop Yurie’s decision.

Far from stopping it, all the most influential figures in the Aeshus Army would be unanimously calling for a fight to the death against Chel.

A question I had pondered during my time with the Aeshus Army, when I realized the five founding heroes wielded influence beyond imagination, even surpassing the national advisor Ginor:

‘If something were to happen to one of the five, what choice would they make at that point?’

All five possessed exceptional abilities. If one of them were endangered or lost, it meant an extraordinary situation had occurred.

I had thought about offering advice, concerned that letting emotions take over could lead to greater harm—

But Yurie had never personally sought me out, and I was also busy spending time with Reika at Ginor’s residence, so I never brought it up.

Ginor probably wasn’t there anymore either… so Yurie would have only one path to choose.

“Perhaps the Aeshus Army will lose its driving force… in a most unexpected way.”

Serpina smiled with interest.

“Indeed. I seem to have momentarily forgotten how you came to be here, Swen.”

“…”

Right. Even in that moment, Yurie had remained consistent.

She had sold me out to save Anima, who was dearer to her than anything.

An unthinkable action that no ruler would casually consider.

Even if the one who brought me had their reasons, what crime had I committed to be sold? Considering that the general being sold was also her own general, it was certainly an irrational decision.

The reason I hold no grudge against Yurie isn’t because I’ve forgiven her… but simply because I never really considered her my lord in the first place.

As for any personal debts, I’ve already repaid them with Lady Irene.

Anyway—what would someone like her, who acts outside common sense even on prisoner exchange issues, do when she hears news of death?

Just then.

“I have a question, Swen.”

“Please go ahead.”

“You must have heard that Ian is currently controlling access to Kelstein Castle as its lord.”

“Ah…”

Ian, who had managed to prevent an outbreak of disease, seemed to have sensed something as soon as he received the order to “block the entrance.” He appeared to be making various preparations in his own way.

“Is your conclusion still the same?”

“…”

The last question I had interpreted—

‘Is concentrating troops at Kelstein Castle the most efficient?’ I input it once more.

[Yes.]

The answer remained unchanged.

I slowly nodded.

“Yes, it is.”

“…I see.”

Serpina nodded and didn’t ask me any further questions.

I also remained silent, slowly reviewing the situation.

‘There’s still plenty of time left.’

Rather than having reached a conclusion, we were in a situation where something was just about to begin.

What we needed to do now was to observe the movements of Chel’s army and the Aeshus Army while holding our “winning hand.”

What would happen next?

Even though I should be used to interpreting situations based on infallible predictions by now… even the most experienced shaman feels tension when walking on knives.

Still, time would bring a conclusion. We could decide what to do next when that time came.

‘I should inform Lady Irene and Reika as well…’

Since they were both in the Aeshus Army, it would be good to pass on the news.

With that thought, I spent the rest of my time assisting Serpina with her duties.

# # #

At the royal castle of Jelin Castle.

A blue-haired female knight was rushing with an urgent expression.

Seeing her clearly distressed face, several soldiers approached her.

“G-General Emma, please calm down…”

“Get out of my way!”

The female knight, Emma, roughly pushed the soldier aside and rushed toward the audience chamber where her ruler, Yurie, was.

‘It can’t be… it can’t be true.’

The devastating news she had heard upon arriving here.

Her head was spinning.

She felt her breathing becoming increasingly rough.

What she needed to do now was… to confirm with Yurie.

To ask if this was really true.

‘Please, please…!’

And so, holding onto a fragile hope that seemed about to shatter at any moment… Emma rushed to the audience chamber.