Ch.294Chapter 294. The Test as a Sovereign

* * *

Naturally, rumors spread faster than people.

The news of Lord Chel’s demise spread throughout the entire continent in no time, before anything could be done about it.

“Chel is… dead?”

“Yes. He died heroically in the final battle against Serpina…”

“How could this be… Does this mean Serpina’s side had someone capable of defeating my brother?!”

“I-I don’t know that much…”

Kalintz dismissed the soldier who had delivered the grave news, then leaned back on the throne of Anel Castle, deep in thought.

‘With Chel’s forces destroyed, Serpina will surely turn her blade toward us…’

Even though the plague had swept through once, Kalintz’s forces hadn’t suffered as devastating a blow as Chel’s or Aeshus’s armies.

Moreover, they currently controlled most of the prime territories that could be considered the core domains of House Brans.

If they only had to prepare for war against Serpina’s forces, they might have been able to somehow drag out the conflict, but—

“Damn it!”

What reached Kalintz’s ears was the desperate news that they were suffering consecutive defeats in battles against the Brans forces.

Objectively speaking, both the Brans and Kalintz forces were similarly lacking in outstanding generals. All the capable talents had followed Chel.

In terms of resources and territorial power, Kalintz clearly had the advantage. Moreover, according to rumors, Lynn was in a state close to mental incapacitation.

So naturally, they should have been able to easily crush the now-hollow Brans forces…

‘Why… why is this happening?’

Far from crushing them, they were instead losing every strategic point to the Brans forces—

Somehow, Lynn’s soldiers had now established positions right in front of Anel Castle, their capital.

Nothing was going according to plan. It wasn’t that he was being stubborn or blindly following his ministers’ advice, but it felt like he was consistently avoiding the right answers.

He could never match his brother in martial prowess.

Compared to ordinary people, he would certainly be considered a powerful general, but even so, it was no longer even disappointing that he could never surpass the one who shared the same hair and blue eyes, who was born into this world before him.

Nor did he possess a more brilliant mind than his younger sister in terms of strategy.

His sister was not only intelligent but also possessed the charm to win people to her side. That was undoubtedly the greatest virtue a ruler should have.

When their father, Orlando Brans, designated his youngest daughter Lynn as his successor instead of his eldest son or himself, Kalintz could understand without much difficulty.

The more he lost despite having favorable conditions, the more Kalintz felt as if the world was injecting something into his mind.

The fact that ‘all this is happening because someone mediocre and half-baked dared to covet the throne.’

Is that really true…? Am I… am I someone who can’t do anything?

‘…Damn it!’

At this rate, they would end up handing over two-thirds of what used to be Brans territory to Serpina.

When he committed treason, he thought he was prepared to bear all consequences, but now that reality was staring him in the face, the weight he had to shoulder suddenly felt much heavier.

If things continued like this, they might not be able to defend Anel Castle, and before that—

‘If my wrong decisions push the Brans forces into a situation where they can never defeat Serpina’s forces…!!’

Having neither martial prowess nor strategic brilliance, Kalintz could only obsess over the honor of House Brans itself, and that was the situation he absolutely wanted to avoid.

The downfall of House Brans because of him.

And at the hands of the cruel Serpina, no less!

At that moment.

Kalintz recalled that just before the war began in earnest, an envoy from the Brans forces had delivered a “recommendation to surrender.”

He had scoffed at the idea of surrender and continued the battle, resulting in the current situation.

‘Lynn… isn’t a stupid woman. She’ll choose practical benefits over personal grudges.’

Kalintz wasn’t particularly ambitious.

Even his rebellion, when he thought about it, was something he had been pushed into.

He had simply accepted the consensus that ‘rumors say Lynn is mentally unstable and not in her right mind, and at this rate, the Brans forces will be destroyed. The one who can lead House Brans instead of Lynn, who has lost public support, is not the simple-minded Chel but Lord Kalintz.’

That’s why he could change his mind easily.

He could effortlessly consider possibilities that Chel would never have entertained.

‘Perhaps… surrendering now would be the wisest choice.’

At least if he surrendered now, it would end before they crossed swords with Serpina’s forces.

If they became territories of “Brans” rather than “Kalintz”—it was clear that the humiliating peace treaty they had signed earlier would reversely serve as a shield for the Brans forces.

Even if they lost everything else, what if Anel Castle fell into Serpina’s hands?

In this situation where even the Aeshus forces were in disarray, there would be no one left who could stop Serpina’s unification of the continent—that was Kalintz’s judgment.

If he had a bit more strategic insight, he would have detected the ominous movements occurring in the southern continent—

Unfortunately, for someone who had merely accepted the role, it was nearly impossible to consider that far.

And decisively—he didn’t want to die.

He didn’t want to die yet. If he couldn’t leave some significant mark on this world, he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even after death.

Having committed treason, if caught, he would definitely be executed.

Regardless of family ties, no ruler had ever spared a traitor who had held a knife to their throat.

Thinking about it that way, surrender suddenly seemed like the only remaining opportunity and, from his perspective, extremely rational.

‘…Yes. Let’s surrender. Lynn will surely… see my “usefulness” and forgive me.’

Once he made up his mind, it didn’t take long to put it into action.

“Is anyone there!”

Kalintz urgently called for a soldier.

And…

* * *

Word spread that Kalintz’s forces had conveyed their intention to surrender to the Brans forces—

Lynn, who was at a fortress on the front lines, heard the news and fell into contemplation with a complicated expression.

‘He wants to surrender now…?’

Even though they could still fight if they wanted to, he’s now proposing surrender after rejecting it once before?

“What do you think? It doesn’t seem like a trap.”

“The possibility of it being a trap is likely low. He’s not that clever, and besides, the condition isn’t for you to go there alone, my lord.”

Lynn nodded slowly at Farfalle’s words.

“What do you think, Cecile?”

“I think we need to consider why he’s reversing his position on the surrender offer he previously rejected, rather than whether it’s a trap or not…”

“That’s a fair point.”

In fact, thinking about it that way, there were some things that made sense.

After the war with Kalintz’s forces began, anyone could see that the goddess of victory was smiling upon her.

With Farfalle’s efforts and Cecile’s contributions, their forces began to overwhelm Kalintz’s plague-stricken army in terms of numbers—and it was a fact she had known since childhood that Kalintz, without a single outstanding strategist, couldn’t defeat her when she was determined.

And there was another crucial fact that couldn’t be overlooked—the death of Chel Brans.

Anyone who had served House Brans would have been shocked by the death of someone who seemed invincible on the battlefield.

He could have easily reversed his thinking like flipping his palm.

“After Chel’s death, with Serpina’s invasion becoming a reality, he probably judged it unreasonable for us to fight amongst ourselves.”

Lynn nodded in agreement with Farfalle’s words, which seemed to read her thoughts.

“So, what are you trying to say, Farfalle?”

Farfalle bowed his head and calmly advised.

“My lord. You must think carefully. About what Kalintz wants. And whether what he wants is something you ‘can give him’ or something you ‘should not give him.'”

“…I see.”

What Kalintz wants.

As his sister who had spent a long time with him, she could easily guess.

“This is probably a test for you as a ruler. Whatever decision you make, I will follow your will.”

A test as a ruler.

Lynn had already made several wrong decisions on that stage.

She couldn’t afford to make even one mistake now. So, if she had to make only the right judgment for the Brans forces…

* * *

“Ah, you came! Lynn!”

“It’s been a while, little brother.”

This was the meeting room of a fortress near the border.

Kalintz and Lynn were facing each other’s blue eyes for the first time in a very long time.

“You said there was a condition for accepting my surrender, right? You can tell me anything! I came alone as you instructed! I have no intention of harming you!”

True to his word, Lynn was accompanied by several soldiers protecting her, but Kalintz was alone.

It’s fine. The wise Lynn wouldn’t waste a general in a situation where every commander is valuable… That was Kalintz’s kind of “belief.”

“…Brother. I’ll say this only once. Listen carefully. We have only one condition for accepting your surrender. If you don’t agree to this condition, we will fight to the end. Even if a few territories fall to Serpina’s forces in the process, I think that can’t be helped.”

“I understand, so hurry and tell me the condition! Neither of us wants Serpina to run wild as she pleases, right!”

“…”

Lynn silently—

Drew the sword from her waist and tossed it to Kalintz with a swish.

“…Lynn?”

Kalintz looked at the longsword that flew to the floor with a puzzled expression.

Why are you giving this to me?

“What, do you want to have a duel? All of a sudden—”

“Brother Kalintz. As your sister, and as the leader of House Brans, this is my final request to you.”

Lynn slowly closed her eyes, then fixed her blazing blue eyes on Kalintz and spoke in an extremely cold tone.

“…Take your own life here and now.”