Ch.279Chapter 279. The Second Proposal

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“I see. So Lunarian has…”

“Occupied Karelia, they say.”

On the way to the royal palace.

Today, except for Ms. Reika who was off duty, Lady Irene and I were discussing the continental situation.

“After their defeat in the great battle at Castle Tepel, well, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion.”

As I expected, Luna seemed to be managing things well even without me.

No, thinking about it again… my advice was just for alignment purposes, and honestly, I felt that things would work out well like this no matter what she did.

“What happened to Makana Karelia?”

“What special fate could there be for a lord who was defeated and occupied?”

“…Pardon? Are you saying she died?”

“That’s what I heard, at least.”

This was somewhat unexpected. Luna killed Karelia?

I don’t know exactly what circumstances led to her rebellion, but considering her character, I would have thought she’d subjugate rather than kill her.

If she had to kill her, perhaps the situation had become one where Karelia and she could absolutely not coexist.

Considering that the way she rose to prominence was through ‘rebellion,’ it shouldn’t be surprising, but…

‘Something… feels familiar about this.’

It might be an excellent choice as a monarch… but somehow, I felt this was slightly different from the Luna I knew.

I wondered if she couldn’t have found a better solution.

Of course, considering the incredibly short time I had spent with her, I was hesitant to make definitive statements.

Still, I kept thinking that someone of Karelia’s caliber could be useful in many ways rather than being killed—

But as a member of Lunarian’s forces who couldn’t directly question her, there were limits to what solutions I could imagine.

When I first heard the news, I thought everything was proceeding optimally, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

At that moment, Irene asked me a question in a cautious tone.

“Um… Swen.”

“Yes.”

“May I ask when you’re thinking of going back?”

It wasn’t difficult to understand what she meant by following the context of our conversation.

She was asking when I would return to Lunarian’s forces.

“Not right now, at least.”

“Is that so? Are you waiting until she unifies the southern continent?”

“No. Not that either.”

“…?”

Irene tilted her head and stared at me.

To me, her expression seemed to say, ‘Then when exactly are you going back?’

“Since the outcome is already determined, I think I can move after securing Lady Serpina’s safety.”

“Securing your lord’s safety?”

“Yes. As you know better than anyone, Lady Serpina doesn’t really have many people she can trust around her. There might be more assassination attempts… so I think it would be fine to transfer after our borders meet with Luna’s.”

After the plague, advancing into the central continent would be almost like robbing an empty house.

I was somewhat worried about Serpina’s streak of bad luck, but… with Lunarian’s forces advancing so successfully, I predicted that no major problems would arise.

Thinking about it now, I had a strange conviction that the constant obstacles to her actions might have been because Luna hadn’t appeared yet.

“Well, I don’t understand complicated matters. I’ll just follow the path you choose.”

“Thank you for trusting me, Lady Irene.”

“Hmm.”

After parting with Irene, I walked alone to the audience chamber, lost in thought.

Although she was still serving as a guard knight… when the occupation forces were organized, she would inevitably have to leave her post, which meant a new person would need to be appointed—

‘We need someone trustworthy…’

Considering that the guard knight who attempted to assassinate her was someone she trusted most, I was worried about who would be suitable for that position.

Thinking about discussing this today, I opened the door and coincidentally made eye contact with Jenna, who was just about to leave the audience chamber.

“I greet you, Strategist.”

“Lord Swen. You must have business with our lord?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jenna looked at me quietly for a moment, then placed her hand on my shoulder.

“I am on your side, Lord Swen. Please take good care of our lord.”

And with that, she quickly left.

‘…?’

Her meaningful words bothered me a bit, but since she wasn’t being hostile toward me, there was no need to create problems where none existed, so I immediately approached the throne.

Sitting on the throne was Serpina. The golden-haired witch, the tyrant, the most cruel woman on the continent.

“I greet you, my lord.”

“You’ve come, Swen. I’ve been waiting.”

There had been some rather delicate matters between us on the day of the welcoming ceremony not long ago—

But now, neither she nor I particularly dwelled on what happened then.

After all, as long as we had to continue working together like this, there was no point in bringing up such things, as it would only make things uncomfortable.

“Today I have many proposals I’d like to discuss—”

“Wait a moment. Before that, I have something to tell you.”

“?”

Serpina slowly rose from her throne and approached me.

The sound of her footsteps filled the quiet audience chamber.

“This is something I decided after a great deal of deliberation. I hope you will accept.”

“What are you referring to…?”

“…”

She closed her eyes once.

Then, as if having made up her mind, she looked at me with clearly shining eyes and said:

“Become the new State Strategist of our forces, Swen.”

“…Pardon?”

She’s offering me the State Strategist position that I had already refused once?

Before I could say anything, she cut me off sharply.

“I’ve already finished discussing this with Jenna, the current strategist. She has accepted it as well. Shamefully, there are almost no one left who wish to check your influence.”

“B-but my lord—”

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That many would criticize that decision. However, that’s not the case now. Ian, who has the soldiers’ trust, has also expressed his approval, and Kransis, the commander of the occupation forces, said he would follow Strategist Jenna’s decision. Needless to say, Irene and Reika, who have achieved great military merits, are in agreement. Yes, everyone, including myself, is waiting for you to become the State Strategist.”

“But still…”

“I’m not asking you to stay by my side forever. Just for a while… be my guiding light.”

“…”

Only then did I understand why Jenna had asked me to “take good care of our lord” earlier.

The announcement of a new strategist meant that she would be stepping down from her position as State Strategist.

Considering the example of Anima and Ginor in the former Aeshus forces, from the perspective of the current State Strategist, giving up what was essentially the second-highest position to someone else couldn’t have been a pleasant experience.

Yet she accepted me?

The Serpina forces… excluding the Lunarian forces which were more like a club, were the only nation I had served that acknowledged me, for better or worse.

“I remember what you said. That you would find a way to take responsibility for me while also achieving your own goals?”

“…!”

“No matter how many times I think about it, the power granted as State Strategist within our forces seems like it would help your goals, not hinder them. So, if you won’t accept… tell me your reason clearly.”

As she spoke, Serpina’s eyes no longer held that inexplicable fear I had sensed on the day of the welcoming ceremony.

They were the eyes of someone who had prepared for everything. Eyes that were sufficient to move a person’s heart.

“If you refuse with a reason, I won’t bother you again. I swear, this will be my last proposal to you, and I promise by my name that there will be no retaliation for your decision.”

—So, what should I do?

This was actually the second time Serpina had offered me the State Strategist position.

The first time was in the carriage. I refused then. I thought I needed to return to Lunarian’s forces, and I didn’t want to give her false hope when I would have to leave anyway.

But now things might be different. I wanted to give her hope. I had no intention of leaving her.

I… couldn’t give up on either Lady Lunarian or Lady Serpina.

That’s why I had decided to envision a future where both could coexist.

Moreover, she was someone who had earned the hatred of many.

Rather than working behind the scenes indefinitely, if I were given the authority to command the Serpina forces to some extent, I could protect her more easily even without Irene serving as a guard knight.

Yes.

There was no need to think further about this issue.

“I understand. I will accept the position of State Strategist.”

“…!!!”

Upon hearing my words, Serpina looked at me with greatly surprised, contracted pupils.

“…My lord?”

“Is it… true? Will you really become my State Strategist…?”

“Isn’t that what you just commanded, my lord?”

“No, well, that is… I mean…”

Serpina, who had seemed ready to take on the heavens just moments ago, suddenly became flustered, lowered her head, and blushed.

It seemed she had “taken a big leap but didn’t actually expect it to work.”

Finding her reaction strangely amusing, I couldn’t help but smile as I said:

“Was it just something you said casually? I wonder if I got unnecessarily excited…”

“No, no! It wasn’t just casual talk. I am sincere. But… are you excited?”

“Of course. Who wouldn’t be happy about being offered such a position?”

“But… no, never mind. Forget what I said. The past is the past, and what matters is the present.”

Come to think of it, I felt like I had grown accustomed to exchanging jokes with her like this.

Had the Einhart Imperial Family crest embroidered on my cloak somehow become engraved in my heart as well?

“Then, sudden as it may be, this will be my first proposal as your strategist.”

“…Come to think of it, you said you had many things to discuss?”

“I’ll listen to whatever you have to say. It’s my job to hear the State Strategist’s words.”

Serpina quickly regained her composure as a ruler, and to her, who looked at me with interest—

I voiced what I had been thinking about all day.

“Organize an occupation force immediately and subjugate the Chel forces.”