Ch.324Chapter 324. Again, A Brief Peace (1)

* * *

Valhart Castle’s royal palace.

Serpina von Einhart, seated on the throne, tapped her fingers on the armrest with her eyes closed as she spoke.

“So you’re saying Seta Rolland is dead?”

“That’s correct.”

“And the one who killed him was the rebel lord Lunarian?”

“…Yes. That’s exactly right.”

Though I answered readily, I still felt dazed while delivering this news.

An unbelievable story that had come from the southern continent.

Lunarian Ineanne… or rather, Lady Luna had defeated Seta Rolland in a single exchange.

I was a veteran player of this game. Naturally, I had played as Seta Rolland before.

Rolland wasn’t exactly a great lord, but because his military power was always quite high, the standard strategy in Rolland’s army was to place him at the vanguard as the commander-in-chief despite being the lord—an unusual play style that proved advantageous.

This meant he was by no means a pushover.

No matter how powerful an opponent might be, I couldn’t easily imagine someone losing their head in just a single exchange.

Does this mean Luna is far more powerful than Rolland?

Considering Irene Juliette’s advice and various circumstantial evidence, it wasn’t completely implausible.

This game had a “Random Mode.”

Starting with this mode randomized the nations’ starting positions and characters’ stats, allowing experienced players to experience the game with a completely fresh feeling.

So theoretically, it wasn’t impossible for Lunarian’s military power to surpass Rolland’s, but even so, this level of strength…

“I see. To defeat someone of Rolland’s caliber in a single exchange… That’s an incredible display of strength for a young woman.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“The southern continent seems to have fallen into chaos. I assume you’re asking what our army should do?”

“That’s right.”

“In turn, I would like to ask you the same question.”

Serpina gave a faint smile and—

“There’s only one thing our army can do. Deal with the Hesna army, the only one we share a border with. I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use this timing to invade, but… I’m curious what you think.”

I immediately and honestly processed Serpina’s question in my mind.

Would invading the Hesna army now be the most efficient approach?

If my thinking was correct, the answer should be ‘no.’

The answer was quickly generated.

[No, it would not.]

‘Phew.’

A sigh of relief naturally escaped me.

If the result had differed from my thoughts again, I would have had to rack my brain to reverse-engineer the process.

I shook my head as I looked at Serpina.

“I believe it would be best to refrain from war for the time being.”

“Swen. Is that your will, or the direction revealed by your divine insight?”

“I can answer that it’s both.”

I explained my thoughts exactly as they were.

“First of all, our soldiers are fatigued after consecutively conquering the Chel and Aeshus armies. Though we’ve always achieved great victories in battle, considering the distance we’ve marched, achieving this much is already close to a miracle.”

From Einhart Castle in the north to Valhart Castle at the central-eastern edge.

Some soldiers, including Ian, had even advanced as far as Zeta Castle.

No matter how high morale might be, when continuing battle without rest for such a long period, even the most capable soldiers would eventually become exhausted.

“Moreover, given the many territories we’ve conquered, I believe it’s best to focus on stabilizing these territories now. We’ll need to station soldiers in each area until the territories stabilize.”

Serpina slowly nodded.

“I understand. Then I suppose we’ll spend some time at Valhart Castle for now.”

“Is it alright for you not to return to Einhart Castle?”

“Jenna is there, isn’t she? There’s no need to worry. It’s better for me to remain here for the time being.”

It wasn’t difficult to read the conviction in Serpina’s profile as she spoke confidently.

It wasn’t surprising that she never gave up on trusting her subordinates despite being betrayed repeatedly, but she seemed to trust Jenna particularly strongly.

Had something happened between them?

“Understood.”

“I’ll be counting on you during this time, Swen.”

“During this time, my lord? I will always be by your side to assist you.”

“For the rest of your life, you mean?”

“…”

As I remained speechless, Serpina’s laughter rang out.

“It’s alright, Swen. I don’t intend to tease you. Anyway, you should also take some rest for now.”

“Rest, my lord?”

“Yes. I’m thinking of giving you a week’s vacation. You must be tired from staying by my side all day. I won’t summon you during that time, so once you finish appointing the officials in charge, forget about work for a while and get some good rest.”

A vacation.

It certainly had been tiring following her around. I could say it was a time when I newly realized that my stamina wasn’t particularly good.

So there was no need to decline. Valhart Castle was a place with some memories for me, after all.

“Understood.”

I bowed my head deeply, and as I was about to turn around to leave the audience chamber without much thought—

Suddenly.

‘Huh…?’

I noticed her face was slightly disturbed.

This was clearly different from usual. An inexplicable emptiness in those golden eyes.

I found myself speaking to her without thinking.

“My lord.”

“…? Speak.”

“Do you perhaps have something troubling you?”

* * *

“…!”

Serpina couldn’t hide her surprise.

If she said she had no worries, that would be a lie.

“…Why do you ask that so suddenly?”

“Just that you seem a bit different from usual. If you asked me to explain it in words, I honestly wouldn’t know what to say.”

Swen said this while tilting his head slightly, then bowed deeply and answered.

“If it’s nothing, please don’t worry about it. However, if there’s anything you need to discuss, please rely on me anytime. As the national strategist, I would gladly do anything for Lady Serpina.”

“…”

“Then, excuse me.”

Only after Swen had disappeared from her sight—

Serpina could finally bow her head and let out a long sigh that she had been holding back.

‘…’

—Since childhood.

She had realized she possessed a kind of talent for understanding other people’s emotional states.

At the same time, she knew that few people could maintain a poker face like hers, able to hide their emotions in any situation.

This was a more powerful weapon than anything else for her as a ruler. Especially after inheriting the unwanted crown of Einhart.

In the midst of all this, she never expected that the inner turmoil she thought she had hidden well—

Would be noticed by the very man who had caused that turmoil.

‘…’

Thump, thump.

Serpina placed her hand on her chest.

Through her fingertips, she clearly sensed her racing heartbeat, indicating how deeply she was affected.

In her mind, she kept hearing Jenna’s voice urging her to make a decision.

‘Marriage, is it.’

Perhaps in the past, but now she couldn’t casually bring up that topic. He had a place to return to. The person he wanted to stay beside wasn’t her.

What he had done for her so far was more than enough. Without Swen, they wouldn’t have successfully advanced into the central continent. No, even before that, without him, there was a very high possibility she wouldn’t be alive now.

What should I do?

Despite being an absolute ruler who could have anything she wanted just by speaking, with nearly half the continent under her feet—

She couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the fact that in matters of love, she was so weak that she couldn’t do anything about the one man who occupied her thoughts.

‘…I’m envious.’

I envy the person in your heart.

I envy whoever the lord is that you wish to serve.

Even if they have a weaker foundation than our army, it’s fine.

If I could switch places with that person, I would gladly…

In this way, gradually, little by little—

The “priorities” in Serpina’s heart were steadily being reversed.

—How much time had passed since she had organized her thoughts?

“My lord.”

A soldier approached Serpina from the distance.

“What is it?”

The soldier bowed deeply and answered.

His response was something she never imagined hearing at this moment.

“A diplomatic envoy has arrived. Will you receive them?”

* * *

At first, Valhart Castle had been in a depressed state, having lost its vitality due to the fall of the Aeshus army that had long ruled them and the suffering caused by the excessive construction of altars in its final years—

But with Serpina directly governing, it was regaining its former vitality at an incredibly fast pace.

Before I received my vacation, she had appointed all city officials by consulting me about every position regarding internal affairs.

In other words—the internal affairs of Valhart Castle were bound to achieve “optimal efficiency” through the predictions of someone with 100 intelligence.

As a result, laughter from the territory’s residents began to be heard in the streets again.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it had regained the vibrancy from when I had visited with Irene before.

And I, having obtained a vacation period at last…

‘…Where are you?’

I was sure we were supposed to meet around here, and just as I was thinking that.

“Swen.”

I turned my head at the familiar voice, and there—

“…♪”

Irene Juliette, dressed in cute casual clothes, was waving at me with an unprecedentedly girlish smile.