Ch.24Chapter 24. Lunarien Disappears from the World

* * *

In front of the gates of Zeilant Castle.

Gustav, the leader of the Raven Mercenary Group, and Aron, the leader of the Chilean Mercenary Group, were saying their final farewells to Luna.

“Then, I entrust my soldiers to your care.”

Gustav bowed his head at Luna’s words.

“You don’t need to use honorifics.”

“For now, I’m no longer a lord.”

Hearing this, Gustav made a bitter expression before speaking in a serious tone.

“When Lunarian appears on the stage of history again, I will surely come to help.”

“Please stay healthy until that moment.”

Aron also bowed his head in respect.

“Well then.”

“We’ll meet again, Lady Lunarian.”

With that, the two leaders departed with their respective forces.

The mercenary groups had each been supplemented with about 70% of the original Lunarian army’s soldiers, split evenly between them. Those soldiers who wished to retire were allowed to remain as territory residents, while the rest were those who wanted to continue their livelihood as soldiers, so they would likely adapt well to being part of the mercenary groups.

The remaining soldiers numbered around 3,000.

This was the number that would accompany Luna to the southern continent until the end.

Considering food supplies and travel speed, taking any more would have exponentially slowed them down.

Luna thought as she saw the leaders off.

Having been trained under Tifa, they should be able to perform their roles as soldiers well—

For some reason, she recalled Swen’s voice, gently speaking to her as they watched the soldiers training in the barracks.

‘Lord Swen…’

If you trust me, in return, I will place the world in your hands.

Can I really establish a nation again?

Can I survive… and settle in a new territory?

She closed her eyes slightly and resolved not to harbor such doubts anymore.

I can do it.

I will believe in Swen’s words unconditionally.

Because Lord Swen said so, I can do it.

“My lord. Preparations for departure are complete.”

“Ah…”

Cain’s urging voice reached Luna as she organized her thoughts.

Two generals and 3,000 troops.

Was it coincidence that this was exactly the same size as their forces before meeting Swen?

At that moment.

Tifa scratched her head and said:

“Man, it’s bothering me.”

“What is it?”

At Luna’s question, Tifa bowed her head slightly, then clicked her tongue and said:

“…Really, is this the best option? Is leaving only a scrawny kid like Swen in the castle really the right thing to do? Aren’t we just abandoning him? I really hate that kind of thing.”

It seemed Tifa thought this action was a cowardly act to preserve their lives.

Luna shook her head and said:

“No, Tifa. Lord Swen told us. This path is the answer. I believe in Lord Swen. No matter what.”

Tifa looked at Luna’s expression.

Her ruby eyes were sparkling, filled with faith and trust.

“I guess so. I’m just an uneducated fool, so honestly I don’t really understand what he’s talking about, but everything he’s said has been right, hasn’t it? Like you said, we should believe him. If we don’t believe someone who insists we trust him, who will?”

“That’s right, Miss Tifa. Lord Swen has extraordinary talent. If he says there’s an opportunity, an opportunity will surely come.”

Hearing Cain’s words, Tifa nodded.

Their overwhelming trust.

In Luna’s mind, that was the only way to repay Swen.

Yes.

Then we must escape from here as quickly as possible.

That was the way to repay his belief that she would hold the world in her hands.

Luna mounted her saddle and spoke while standing straight before the 3,000 soldiers.

“Everyone, listen!”

At this moment.

All the soldiers were looking only at Lunarian’s lips.

“From now on, we will go south. We may end up serving under another lord. You may quit and leave along the way if you wish. Or you may remain in the new territory we settle. But.”

There was appeal in her voice.

A spirit that naturally led people.

Despite her small frame and somewhat fragile personality… she definitely had the appearance of a “leader.”

“If you follow me until the end… I will take responsibility for the lives of those who follow me. As much as you believe in me, I will never abandon you along the way. I will not use you as chess pieces to be consumed and discarded. I promise you that!”

UOOOOOH!!!

The soldiers’ shouts pierced the sky in response to Luna’s words.

It was no exaggeration to say this was the best way to boost morale before embarking on a long journey.

“Everyone, mount your horses! We will depart immediately!”

And so—

Luna left Zeilant Castle, her first foundation, behind with Tifa, Cain, and 3,000 soldiers.

It would be a farewell to her first advisor for the time being.

Nevertheless— she believed without doubt that he would return to her side.

‘Lord Swen. I will… I will definitely rise again. Let’s meet again for sure.’

Lunarian, the ruler of the Lunarian army, thus temporarily disappeared from history.

* * *

Near an old seat in the royal castle prepared for the monarch, by a pillar.

I was sitting there, leaning against it.

More precisely— I was tied to the pillar next to the seat, with both hands bound.

On the surface, I needed to appear as if I had been abandoned by Lunarian.

Since I would be joining the Brans army anyway, having this as an excuse would make it easier to explain the situation of the castle being in this state with no troops or gold.

And the soldier who had tied me up and stayed to hear my final words—

He was now kneeling on one knee before me, reporting to me.

I couldn’t help but smile slightly, thinking how bizarre this scene must look to a third party.

“Lord Swen. As you ordered, I’ve raised the white flag on the castle.”

The white flag on the castle signified surrender.

I had it placed where it would be most visible, so they wouldn’t launch an unnecessary attack.

Doing so would surely lose them the hearts of the territory’s residents.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“And here…”

The soldier handed me a well-folded flag.

When I unfolded it to check… it was the bright lime-green flag that had symbolized the Lunarian army.

It seemed he had brought the one that had been hanging before the white flag was raised.

“What should I do with this?”

“…”

For a moment I considered keeping it, but…

A surrendering general personally keeping the defeated nation’s flag?

That would certainly not give a good impression to the new ruler.

“Please dispose of it appropriately.”

It wouldn’t hold much significance for the time being anyway.

“Yes! But, throwing it away seems wrong… if it’s alright, I’ll keep it myself.”

The soldier said this while carefully gathering up the old flag.

“Is there anything else you’d like to order?”

“No, there isn’t. You’re free now, so please go wherever you wish. Thank you for your service to our army all this time.”

“It’s nothing. It was my duty.”

I examined the soldier’s face as I heard those words.

Looking at him now, I suddenly realized.

This soldier was our army’s messenger who would rush to the monarch whenever war broke out.

Seeing him like this made me realize that the messenger wasn’t just a system but an actual living person.

I asked him a question.

“By the way, you’re not following the mercenary group or Lady Luna?”

“No. This is my hometown. My parents’ and grandparents’ graves are all here, and my family is here too. It would be burdensome to wander around with my family.”

“So you’ll stay here?”

“Yes. Though I’ll take off this armor.”

The former messenger smiled and said:

“If I keep wearing this, I’d have to work for the Brans, wouldn’t I? So I’m quitting soldier life and going back to farming. If they try to conscript me again, I might just cut off a finger or something.”

“I’d prefer you didn’t do something like that.”

“I’m joking. Haha.”

The soldier said as he removed his helmet:

“I’m… just an uneducated person who never received even basic education, let alone attended an academy, just a farmer, so I don’t know much. But I believe without doubt that rulers like Lady Lunarian should unify this world. She used large sums without hesitation to aid the territory’s residents, and didn’t even force conscription which other leaders consider natural.”

“…”

“So… I believe in the choices made by Lady Luna, Lord Swen, and the other generals. I’m certain Lady Lunarian will raise an army again. Until then, I’ll live doing what I need to do.”

I looked at the soldier’s face.

His eyes were remarkably clear.

He is an extra. Not a leader-class talent, not even a C-class general. He was just a numerical value 1 soldier that would be filled when pressing the conscription button.

Such a being was now strongly stirring my heart.

The soldier slowly rose from his place, then bowed 90 degrees toward me, who was still tied up.

“So, please stay healthy until then, Lord Swen. I’ll wait for the day when we can serve Lady Luna together again. Well then.”

“Excuse me.”

I stopped the soldier as he was about to leave.

“May I know your name?”

“Me? My name is James. Being a commoner, I have no surname.”

A name so common it could break the sense of the world setting.

Still, this soldier’s—James’s—universe was shining brilliantly even now.

“Please survive, James.”

James heard my words, smiled, and then left the royal castle.

Now I was the only one left in the castle. Without even a single guard, I was completely alone here.

Lunarian Ineanne.

Just one of the many insignificant rulers of a minor central nation.

She supposedly had a royal return concept, but it would take a long time,

And among users, she was the kind of ruler they wouldn’t bother with unless they were planning a concept play.

Not even a ruler played as a hardcore concept that became a meme among users, just one of the forgettable ABC leaders with no presence.

Yet there was someone here who wanted her to rule the world.

And my prediction still maintained that “she will become the unifying ruler.”

I recalled her face.

Those ruby-colored eyes that shone when we danced together…

‘We’ll definitely meet again.’

The important thing for me now was to survive this chaotic era without making too many enemies.

After all, to return to my original world, I needed to be under Lunarian, the unifying ruler.

Until that day, whatever might happen—I would avoid getting caught in the currents of history and dying. Definitely.

My intelligence 100 brain would serve as my compass.

Now it was time to wait.

Like it or not, I had to move forward.

To welcome the person who would become my new master.

* * *

The one leading the massive force of 81,000 was the ruler herself, Lynn Brans.

It was extremely rare for her to personally lead troops. After all, it wasn’t a particularly wise decision for a leader to roam the battlefield unless they were a combat-oriented ruler.

But she couldn’t wait even a little.

She was about to devour a “deliciously tempting” prey… she was too restless to sit on her behind in Anel Castle.

At the vanguard of this army were Chel and Irene.

Originally, she had planned to appoint only Chel to the vanguard, but Farfalle, who had resumed his duties as an advisor, had sent messages to Lynn multiple times.

“Please make good use of General Irene. She will surely be of great help. At the very least, place her at the vanguard with Lord Chel. She is definitely not someone who should just be guarding the safe walls of Anel Castle.”

In fact, Farfalle had advised using Irene in this way several times before—

‘How can I help it if I just don’t like her?’

She was just a general who was good at siege warfare; it wasn’t as if the Brans army couldn’t function without her, was it?

Besides, despite her reputation, she had failed to capture Zeilant Castle once before.

Still… it wouldn’t be right as a leader to not use someone just because they failed once.

With that thought, she had called for Irene again.

Whether that thought was right or wrong— it was as good as absolute will for the Brans army.

After all, she was the ruler of the Brans army.

At that moment.

“My lord!”

A soldier on horseback was galloping toward them from the distance.

“What is it?”

Had the Lunarian army prepared something again?

She asked with a somewhat excited feeling, wondering what they might have prepared for such a large force, given that man named Swen was there.

“On the outskirts of Zeilant Castle… a white flag has been raised.”

“What?”

Lynn certainly knew what a white flag meant.

It meant surrender.

And for the Lunarian army, which had only one territory, to raise this flag—

It signified the fall of the Lunarian army.