Ch.310Chapter 310. Aeshus, Vanished (2)

“……?”

What’s this?

I clearly just heard the news that our army had won a great victory, but Irene and Irian both… their expressions weren’t at all what victorious generals should look like.

Serpina seemed to notice this too and asked in a somewhat serious tone.

“You’ve achieved a great victory, yet why do your expressions look so grim?”

“Well……”

Irene clenched her fist in frustration, then looked straight into Serpina’s eyes and said.

“General Neian, General Amin, and General Miles have fallen in battle.”

“……!!”

While I only knew Neian by name, I had met Amin and Miles before.

Back then, when I first joined Serpina’s army, I met them at an “opinion exchange meeting.”

The fact that one woman who was there had attempted treason left such an impression that I still clearly remembered the faces of everyone I met that day.

“The cause?”

“All three are presumed to have fallen while facing a single opponent.”

At Irene’s words, Irian knelt down, placed a bundle-like object he had been holding in front of them, and bowed while saying.

“A severed head.”

“Whose head is it?”

“Epinel Rosenkroz.”

“!!!”

I couldn’t help but be surprised again.

Epinel Rosenkroz.

The most powerful figure among the Aeshus Three Ladies and effectively the second-in-command of the Aeshus army.

Irene and I were once in positions where we followed her orders.

Despite knowing that we might meet again in such circumstances, I honestly hadn’t been thinking about it.

Serpina also seemed to know Epinel’s name, as she showed slight surprise before slowly nodding.

“…I see. All three gave their all until the very end.”

“I apologize. If General Irene and I had acted sooner, our forces wouldn’t have suffered such heavy losses……”

“Irian. I would appreciate it if you refrained from making statements that might tarnish the dignity of the three who fought to the end for us.”

“……!! No, that’s not what I meant to say…!”

“I know. I understand what you’re trying to say. Still, I believe it was thanks to those three giving their all first that we were able to capture Epinel.”

Irian was momentarily flustered, but then composed himself and bowed his head saying.

“…My thinking was shallow, my lord.”

Without responding directly, Serpina turned her gaze to Commander-in-Chief Irene.

“Irene. What about securing prisoners?”

“We’ve almost completely secured those remaining in the Aeshus army, but……”

“Judging by your expression, something unpleasant has occurred.”

“I regret to inform you.”

Irene bowed her head deeply and said.

“We were unable to secure Baranga Yurie Aeshus and Anima Ingram.”

“You mean they weren’t at Valhalrat Castle?”

“Yes. We dispatched search parties… but there’s been no news yet.”

‘They fled leaving only Epinel behind?’

The bond between those five people went beyond normal, to the point of seeming almost fanatical… was it possible for them to flee using one person as bait?

Since it had been so long since I left the Aeshus army, and after the plague they had been reduced to a minor nation not worth paying attention to, I hadn’t checked their internal situation, so I felt somewhat puzzled—

‘Well, there must be circumstances I’m not aware of.’

Wait.

So in the end, letting Yurie escape is the “most efficient method” for our army?

Or, since the result I obtained was that “everything depends on heaven”… did I miss something?

‘No. It’s unlikely I missed anything. Let’s not make unnecessary speculations.’

Even if she had managed to save her life, she wasn’t in a position to directly do anything to us.

Still, I should be careful. Being unnecessarily sensitive was more helpful for survival than being careless.

“I see. You’ve worked hard, Irene. Once again, you’ve fought valiantly for me.”

“I only did what needed to be done, my lord.”

“Even so, I will never forget your dedication.”

Serpina’s eyes as she spoke were clear and benevolent. Even a third party could tell how much she cherished this subordinate.

And for good reason. To Serpina, Irene must feel like a blessing.

At least in the current situation, she was the most powerful person in Serpina’s army with an excellent foresight for the battlefield.

Both in the battle with Chel’s army and with the Aeshus army—although we were in an overwhelmingly advantageous position—she always delivered maximum results with minimum investment, except for this battle where I actively intervened.

Since they had saved each other’s lives before, it wouldn’t be strange if a bond beyond that of lord and vassal had blossomed between them.

It wasn’t just Irene. Without Reika, we couldn’t have succeeded with this plan either. From the beginning, Reika was an overwhelming presence whose very existence made the enemy tremble with anxiety. If there were people with the highest value in Serpina’s army, it would definitely be those two—

Having thought that far, I unconsciously contradicted myself.

‘…No.’

I could no longer deny it. At this point, the core of Serpina’s army was… me.

Both Irene and Reika were here because I was here. The moment I left this place, the two would follow me regardless of their feelings for Serpina. They had said so multiple times, and I had deeply felt their sincerity.

That wasn’t the only reason. I was the national strategist. Serpina trusted and relied on me more than anyone else. It felt almost as if I was directly controlling Serpina’s army.

And the more I became an indispensable existence in Serpina’s army… a corner of my heart was enveloped in an indescribable sense of déjà vu.

The original goal. And the new goal I had set. The inexplicable disconnect felt between the two goals.

‘Is this really okay for now?’

I quietly turned my head to look at the burning Valhalrat Castle.

And then I realized.

With the exit of the Aeshus army—the era of feudal lords vying for power across the continent had come to an end.

* * *

After occupying Valhalrat Castle, news soon arrived that Zeta Castle and Raclaine Castle had fallen.

Yes. The Aeshus army was destroyed and disappeared from the continent. The intense red flag created by five people mixing their blood could no longer be found anywhere on the continent.

The first thing Serpina did at Valhalrat Castle, where a new yellow flag was planted, was to distribute the supplies piled at the altar to the territory’s people for free.

The situation at Valhalrat Castle was much more serious than expected. It seemed they had been continuously requisitioning supplies from the people under the pretext that prayers needed to be offered at the altar.

Until now, they had somehow accepted it because miracles were said to have occurred… but it was an era where victory in war did not necessarily mean a better life for the people.

They say generosity comes from a full granary.

At first, the territory’s people trembled in fear that the infamous Serpina had finally planted her flag at Valhalrat Castle, but after receiving supplies, they were accepting our army quite well.

We didn’t bother tearing down the already built altar. It would cost money to dismantle it anyway. Instead, what Serpina established there was a tomb to honor the souls of our army’s soldiers.

Tombs for the three warriors who died fighting Epinel, and in front of them, one tomb to represent the soldiers who fell on the battlefield whose identities could not be determined.

It wasn’t as grand as the story might suggest, but considering that this territory, though currently under our control, could fall into another army’s hands at any time, this was the best we could realistically do.

And so, in front of everyone—

Serpina, accompanied by her knight guards, spoke to each tomb.

“Neian. I hope you can rest peacefully beside your family.”

“Amin. We were able to win this battle thanks to your resourcefulness.”

“Miles. I will not forget the loyalty you have consistently shown.”

I hadn’t mentioned it before, but Serpina was still consistently meeting with almost all of her generals.

And she never hesitated to ask what kind of people they were, what they were working for, and what they were thinking.

That’s the kind of woman she was. Serpina, the wicked witch and unforgivable tyrant, was that kind of ruler.

Finally, standing before the tomb representing the soldiers, she said:

“If I am able to reunify the continent once more, it will be entirely thanks to all of you. I will never forget those who fought for me.”

Then, closing her eyes and slightly bowing her head, she offered a prayer.

Due to the solemn atmosphere, no one around dared to speak.

Yet what could be felt was—reverence, trust, and respect for Ruler Serpina.

While it might be expected for generals, her sincere dedication even to the soldiers who died in her place was certainly enough to move people’s hearts.

I felt similarly. No matter how many times I thought about it, neither Lynn nor Yurie were rulers who could even approach Serpina’s level.

And yet she cannot achieve unification——

* * *

——And the “cause” of her inability to unify was, even at this moment…

“Is that really true?”

“Yes, it is. I’ve confirmed it multiple times……”

What was conveyed to us as we were looking after the former Aeshus territories.

It was news about the last remaining piece of the continent—the southern continent.