Ch.258Chapter 258. The Second Magician (4)

Ginor’s shocking claim surprised not only Luna, the monarch.

“…Wait a minute. Listen here, old man. Minimize the forces defending the castle? Are you saying we should send everyone out to intercept?”

“That’s right.”

Tifa shook her head in disbelief as she spoke.

“Sir, you do realize? It’s 90,000 against 200,000. For this battle to even be feasible, we absolutely need the condition of defending the castle. But since the enemy is bringing siege weapons, we can’t use all 90,000 troops just for defense, which is why we’re sending out 30,000 to target those siege weapons!”

“I understand what General Tifa is saying. But let me ask you this. Can you precisely target only the enemy’s siege weapons with those 30,000 troops?”

“With me and Luna there, what can’t we accomplish?”

“Old man isn’t talking about possibilities. This isn’t about whether you can or cannot—it’s about certainty!”

Ginor stared directly at Tifa with wide eyes and asked sharply.

“Can you capture them or not? Answer me with certainty!”

“…Well, that… bringing up certainty on a battlefield in the first place…”

“It’s probably impossible. This isn’t because of any lack of ability on your part or our lord’s. It’s simply a highly reasonable prediction that 30,000 soldiers typically cannot defeat 200,000.”

“Kuh…”

Though Tifa seemed dissatisfied, she ultimately didn’t argue with Ginor.

Even someone like her, who wasn’t particularly quick-witted, could understand.

She might be boldly claiming “I’ll definitely succeed” now… but as Ginor said, it was essentially a battle they couldn’t win without a miracle—practically a suicide mission.

Of course, she didn’t value her life that much. If she had, she wouldn’t have followed her reckless childhood friend who wanted to establish a country at Zeilant Castle.

Ginor slowly looked at Tifa’s face, then turned his head toward Luna.

“My lord. It may seem redundant, but let me ask you. Will our army be victorious in this battle?”

Though the room stirred at this question with unclear intentions—

Luna answered in an extremely calm tone without showing any confusion.

“Yes. We will triumph gloriously against the Karelia army.”

“I stake my life on that conviction of yours, which is why I say this. Form as large an interception force as possible. It’s fine to leave only the minimum number of soldiers to defend the castle.”

“…”

Luna thought for a moment, then asked Ginor in a serious tone.

“What is your reasoning?”

“Your claim that ‘we will be victorious in battle.'”

‘…!’

Luna looked at Ginor with slight surprise.

He… trusted her belief. More precisely, he trusted the reason she was certain of victory—her trust in Swen.

Realizing Ginor’s true meaning, Luna slowly nodded and said.

“I understand. I will do as you suggest, Ginor.”

“Hey, Luna! Are you in your right mind?”

Tifa asked in shock after hearing Luna’s declaration—

But Luna’s expression remained perfectly serene.

“Don’t worry, Tifa. …Our strategist can’t be wrong, can he?”

“No, but worry aside…?”

…What?

Tifa pondered the last word Luna had uttered.

The strategist can’t be wrong.

As the person closest to Luna, Tifa knew that Luna only referred to one person as her strategist.

Though she didn’t know the exact circumstances, if this decision was essentially ‘the strategist’s judgment’ for Luna—

“…Fine. Well, I was going to do whatever you told me anyway… sigh.”

Even as she said this, there was a sense of déjà vu that didn’t feel entirely unpleasant.

It had always been like this. Back in the old days, when implementing Swen’s strategies, they would be filled with an exhilarating sensation despite how absurd they seemed.

In any case—

The broad outline had now been decided.

Luna quietly looked at everyone gathered here.

These grateful comrades who had followed her all this way, looking only to her.

Half the hope that had once rested on Karelia now weighed on her shoulders—she couldn’t say it wasn’t difficult—

But Luna was certain that no matter how hard it was for her, it couldn’t be harder than what Swen was enduring under that vicious witch.

“…I’ll be counting on all of you.”

Luna bowed at a 90-degree angle to everyone.

‘If Swen had seen this, would he have scolded me for behaving in a manner unbefitting a monarch…?’

The moment she thought of him, she felt the tension in her heart ease slightly.

He had always been helpful to her. His figure, casually illuminating her path at every moment of decision, remained the only guiding light for Lunarian.

With each moment of her life, the longing in Luna’s heart naturally grew stronger as Swen’s image continued to appear in her mind.

In this battle, she would end up killing many people.

That was fine. She could have anyone’s blood on her hands. If it meant she could meet him again, she was confident she could do anything—

—I miss you, Swen. My one and only strategist, whom no one else can replace.

I’ll become the ruler of a powerful nation as quickly as possible… and I will surely rescue you from your suffering under Serpina’s command.

So please… wait for me just a little longer.

The existence known as Lunarian Ineanne was about to make her full appearance on the continent.

* * *

And

In the royal castle after everyone had left—

“Now can you explain it to me?”

Ginor slowly nodded at Luna’s words and said.

“…Let’s start with how our army can win, assuming your words are correct.”

* * *

This was atop the castle walls.

Looking down… an enormous number of soldiers were all looking up at her.

The monarch’s gaze. The monarch’s view that only one who is a ruler can look down upon!

This moment when the wishes and desires of countless people take form as gazes, all focused on a single absolute sovereign.

Monarch Lunarian slowly surveyed those countless gazes.

Taking a deep breath, she recalled the speech she had given when fleeing, leaving Swen behind at the castle.

It seemed like just yesterday that she had poured out her story before 3,000 soldiers… but now, there were so many more people she was responsible for.

But I won’t run away.

Luna closed her eyes very slightly.

Strangely enough, just by closing her eyes… she felt as if Swen was standing beside her.

He had always been there protecting me.

Even now, with Swen by my side… I can do anything.

Slowly opening her eyes, she called out.

“Everyone! The battle will begin in a few days. As you all know, our army is in a very disadvantageous situation. The Karelia army is rushing here with the momentum to crush us.”

So many people were listening to Luna’s words without making even the sound of breathing.

“However, we will definitely be victorious in this battle. I, Lunarian, will fight alongside you all on the front lines until the end, staking my life on it. It is not us who will disappear from history, but Makana Karelia, who has become a puppet of the vicious Vanessa! So, please help me until the end! And… please… survive until the end. In the new world I will create… there will be places prepared for you and your families!”

—Waaaaaah!!!!

An incredible roar that could shake Tepello Castle.

Watching Luna’s back as she alone received all of this, Ginor, standing far behind, felt for the first time that he could understand what his friend Kyle had said.

“You’ll probably understand soon too. That our lord is destined for greatness.”

With her strangely confident belief that they would definitely win—

Ginor thought that Lunarian Ineanne was indeed a remarkable person whose true nature couldn’t be discerned from outward appearances alone.

* * *

“I’m dying of boredom. Can’t we increase our marching speed?”

The one answering Sard’s question as he led on horseback was Vanessa, riding beside him.

“How many times must I tell you? When leading an army of 200,000, we must advance as slowly as possible. You should know that, shouldn’t you?”

“No, can’t you do something about it? You’re the strategist, aren’t you? Come up with some innovative plan or something.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Sard snorted at Vanessa’s words.

“Hah! You haven’t changed a bit—still not a single cute bone in your body. Despite that pretty face of yours. Tsk.”

“You continue to dirty your already filthy tongue with vulgar words, just as you always have.”

“My skills haven’t changed either. Including bedroom techniques. How about it, want to give it a try?”

“It seems your unchanged skills are why you gave one of your eyes to a dog.”

“Ha! You never back down from a fight, you damned woman.”

Sard laughed loudly as if amused, but Vanessa’s lips didn’t move even slightly.

Though his manner of speaking was terrible, Sard was currently the best card their army could play.

The condition for bringing him, a mercenary, was extremely simple.

The condition was ‘Karelia acknowledging that Sard’s decision back then was right, not the monarch Karelia’s.’

The reason Sard had been expelled was for plundering territory residents during a supply operation in battle.

That was certainly the optimal decision from the Karelia army’s perspective, but the Karelia of that time was someone who absolutely could not tolerate such actions.

Even now, it was probably something she didn’t want to acknowledge from her position… but Vanessa was grateful that she understood that clinging to principles and beliefs could cause them to miss the opportunity to remove Lunarian from the map.

In any case, what Vanessa was concerned about wasn’t the nonsense being spouted in front of her, but Cecile, who was completely dejected and saying nothing.

“…”

“Lady Cecile. The battle is imminent. It would be best to steel yourself.”

“Ah… Y-Yes, Strategist…”

In fact, Cecile had been like this for quite some time.

After Lunarian actually betrayed them at Tepello Castle, she had refused to eat or drink and could barely even converse with people.

As she was an extremely talented individual when it came to supplies, her continuing to spend time like a broken person was very troublesome for Vanessa—which is why she was taking care of Cecile’s mental state like this.

“Forget the past. What matters is our present situation. Believing in someone is not a sin. So there’s no need for you to act like a sinner.”

“I suppose so…”

Cecile let out a long sigh.

In her mind, Luna was someone who would never betray anyone… and the shock she received, having been very close to Luna, was naturally similar to or greater than what the monarch Karelia had experienced.

“…”

She thought about saying more, but now is not the right time.

Vanessa thought as she slowly moved away from her.

‘Lunarian Ineanne…!’

From her perspective, there was no one in this continent who could replace Karelia.

The same was true for Luna. She absolutely could not stand by and watch such a woman become a righteous ruler in place of Lady Karelia.

To take Luna’s life, Vanessa was willing to do anything. She didn’t even care about her own life. It was a life she had already thrown away, only kept by Karelia’s insistence.

I will definitely display that detestable woman’s head on the walls of the capital, Madelen Castle.

Vanessa suppressed her boiling fighting spirit as much as possible as she marched toward Tepello Castle.