Ch.338Chapter 338. Al-Kaski’s Rebellion (4)

“This is it!”

The moment Ginor heard that Irene had been appointed as the new legion commander, what he felt was close to a shudder.

‘Has Lord Swen finally begun to make his move?’

Even Ginor couldn’t help but be surprised by the news of a rebellion in Einhart Castle. No matter how much the monarch had left his position for conquest, it was impossible to predict a rebellion occurring in the capital of all places without being privy to internal affairs.

But even more shocking was the news that Irene had become a legion commander.

Moreover, her jurisdiction was the entire territory of Serpina’s army in the central region. A goldmine that included all the territories of Chel’s army and Aeshus’s army!

‘Lord Swen was aiming for this from the beginning!’

At least in Ginor’s judgment, Irene was practically one with Swen. Though she served Serpina, she would naturally prioritize Swen’s instructions, and the monarch that Swen truly served was not Serpina but Lunarian who was right here.

What if Irene were to betray them while Serpina was away?

Serpina’s army would be split in two in an instant, and if Lunarian’s army absorbed that territory—the nearly impossible unification of the continent under Lunarian’s army would be right before their eyes!

Irene listening to Serpina instead of Swen? Unless there had been some extremely shocking incident in their relationship, that possibility was exceedingly low.

So? Now all they had to do was wait.

As time passed, if rebellion occurred, Swen would contact them through some channel.

“For now, keep an eye on developments. And, the former Rolland army… who is the current monarch?”

“I believe Arcandor succeeded Miel as monarch.”

“A name I’ve never heard before. Anyway, can you relay to the generals at the front that we need to deal with those remnants as quickly as possible and establish borders with the central continent?”

“Yes! I will carry out the strategist’s orders!”

After sending the soldier away, Ginor immediately began preparing to see Monarch Lunarian.

‘First, I’ll explain the entire plan to the monarch, and discuss what should be done next… but…’

It was at that moment.

Suddenly, with all thought processes halted, he found himself unable to take another step.

—Wait a minute.

What if… this is just a hypothetical.

What if no rebellion like Irene’s takes place… what then?

‘Why am I thinking this?’

Ginor couldn’t find the reason for this thought that had occurred to him.

However, what momentarily paralyzed his thinking was intuition.

For some reason, an overwhelming anxiety that Swen might not do anything!

‘If he does nothing… does that mean he still needs to remain under Serpina?’

He pondered briefly, but didn’t delve too deeply.

The reason he didn’t need to think further was quite simple. If Swen did nothing, he surely had his own reasons.

That much didn’t matter anyway. At least Ginor himself had no intention of questioning it or doubting him because of his actions. What could be more foolish than needlessly doubting a path that was ‘definitely right’?

The problem was Luna.

What if Luna realized that Swen had decided he needed to stay with Serpina’s army, and for even longer?

The most important fact Ginor had learned here was that his lord Luna’s only sore point was Swen, and she showed excessive reactions to anything related to him.

Naturally, he would have to withdraw the plan he had just made.

‘I’d better not explain to my lord yet.’

If he needed to talk about it, it wouldn’t be too late to do so after the rebellion actually occurred.

There was no need to unnecessarily create problems by stimulating Luna with the idea that Swen would soon return.

A slightly delayed response… would be the wise choice to accept.

‘Then what I should do now is…’

Though it might not be a substitute, this much should be fine to look into…

Ginor quickly moved his feet.

* * *

Not long after the rebellion at Einhart Castle, an official announcement came from the Brans army.

It was news that the Brans army and Hesna army had formed an alliance.

Although I already knew this would happen because I had sent intelligence, hearing the news directly still gave me a different feeling.

‘If my thinking is correct, we should be getting a bite soon…’

And sure enough, an envoy from the Brans army visited our army as we were preparing to depart for the northern continent in earnest.

“Today I have come to convey the words of our lord, Lynn.”

The reason for the visit was concise. An extension of the armistice period.

It was a bit annoying that they hadn’t proposed it earlier and only sent an envoy after our army had experienced a rebellion, but now was the time to focus on the internal situation rather than external matters, so extending the armistice was the right move.

Even a brain with an intelligence of 100 would make a similar prediction, so there was no need to doubt further.

“A wise choice. I hope the friendship between our two nations will last forever.”

Watching the envoy leave after exchanging formal greetings, Serpina asked me a question.

“What do you think?”

“About the armistice?”

“No. I’m talking about the alliance between the Brans army and the Hesna army.”

“It feels like what was bound to happen. From the perspective of both countries, it’s a win-win relationship.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Then did your ‘divine eye’ predict that the mutual benefit between Hesna and Brans would ultimately be beneficial to us?”

I wondered what she was getting at, but that was it.

Serpina had reason to be suspicious. After all, I had made decisions for her as an individual monarch, not for this country.

In times like this, it was important to brazenly stick to my position.

“Yes. Let’s watch until the end. I am never wrong, no matter what happens.”

“I see.”

Serpina smiled as if amused, tapping her finger on the armrest of her chair.

“To observe that, Swen, I must keep you even closer to me.”

Though she was smiling seductively as she said this… I could no longer look at her as I used to.

When she sat on the throne, she maintained the appearance of the Serpina I had always known.

If I had to say, when there were eyes watching, she still had the dignified appearance of an absolute ruler like in the old days.

But when the watching eyes disappeared, and only the two of us remained…

* * *

“When do you plan to retire for the night today?”

This was her temporary residence.

Since we were scheduled to leave Valhart Castle tomorrow, we needed to go to bed early today, but—

“Let me stay a little longer. Swen, stay with me a bit longer too.”

“I told you. You need to sleep.”

“I know. But I can’t fall asleep…”

From the moment she completely dropped her mask in front of me, I had a new duty.

That was to soothe her mental state.

I spent most of my time with her, staying in her quarters until she fell asleep.

If she was breaking down to the point of sending an SOS to me like this, Serpina must have cared for and trusted Jenna, who had been her closest aide, quite a lot.

It wasn’t strange considering that Jenna was probably the person she interacted with most before I came here. I had heard that she single-handedly sorted out the chaotic atmosphere when Serpina had just taken office.

—And.

Every time I thought about it, one ‘unsettling’ thought in my mind continued to stimulate me.

The very thought I had deliberately ignored recently.

What if I hadn’t taken Serpina with me?

If she had remained at Einhart Castle… what would have happened?

My question considered harm to Serpina as a ‘benefit’ to the nation.

If her reputation was damaged, it would be good in the long run. Her maintaining her position was the only reason unification couldn’t be achieved.

The nation’s ultimate goal was unification. Lady Serpina was essentially an obstacle to that, which is why I deliberately brought her to the battlefield, knowing it was ‘inefficient’.

That’s not all.

I already knew who would establish the unified empire.

Lunarian Ineanne—my monarch, Lady Luna. As long as Serpina remained on the throne, it was now an indisputable fact that Lunarian’s army, not Serpina’s, would unify this continent.

Yet I continued to assist Serpina.

I kept her with me to save her life, twisting her fate of death over and over.

In such a situation, the appearance of three magicians and the death of Jenna, the castle lord of the capital, in the form of rebellion—

Perhaps it was the ‘price’ for saving Lady Serpina.

In other words…

‘The more I try to save Lady Serpina—’

—someone else might die.

This thought, which could bring tears just from hearing it, was floating around me like a ghost.