Ch.340Chapter 340. Al-Kaski’s Rebellion (5)

“Have you arrived, my lord.”

“Yes. There doesn’t seem to be any particular problem.”

Starting with the lord of Kelstein Castle, Serpina and I were visiting each territory located in the northern continent one by one.

Since it was difficult to visit all of them alone, I ordered Irian, who had accompanied us, to tour the left side of the northern continent instead.

Since it was the Al Kaski family that had initiated this betrayal, I assigned Kransis, the former commander of the occupation forces who had somewhat recovered from his injuries, to accompany Irian. In such a situation, there probably wouldn’t be anyone bold enough to shoot arrows at Irian.

Among them, in a place not far from Einhart Castle, as expected—

“You say you received a letter encouraging you to support the rebellion?”

“Yes. Here…”

Serpina read the letter handed over by the lord, and without changing her expression, returned it to him and said:

“It seems a lenient disposition will be difficult.”

“M-my lord. I never even thought about betrayal. This point, I must—”

“I know. I’m not saying I’m going to do something to you. She is not such a foolish woman.”

After assessing the situation, it seemed that all the lords around Einhart Castle, including him, had received proposals to ‘join the rebellion’—

Fortunately, it appeared that no one had accepted the proposal.

“At this moment, I will never forget that you made the right decision. As soon as the rebellion is suppressed, I will reward you for your correct decision.”

“M-my lord…! I only did what I was supposed to do!”

In this way, as we continued to appease the lords of the castles that had suddenly become the front line and headed further up, one day.

That news came when we arrived at Rose Castle, located not far from Einhart Castle.

“You say Utiner Castle has fallen?”

“Yes…!”

Utiner Castle.

It was the virtual satellite city of Einhart, located close enough to be identifiable from the outskirts of Einhart’s walls, and the very region that Serpina had once said she would bestow upon me.

It seemed to have fallen due to its proximity to Einhart Castle.

I turned my head and asked Serpina a question.

“How many soldiers are there in Utiner Castle?”

“It should be no different from Einhart Castle. I had arranged things before departure to prevent any incidents.”

In other words, there was no overwhelming difference in military strength.

If so, there was something I had to confirm.

“Where did our defeated forces go?”

“Some headed to Redinald Castle, and the remaining forces are here at Rose Castle.”

Fortunately, it seemed there was no need to move elsewhere.

Serpina, having heard my question just once from the side, clearly understood what I was thinking.

“It seems you intend to interrogate them?”

“Yes. If they fought, they would likely have seen it. The presence of the mages.”

The mages who reportedly appeared, three of them.

To determine the truth of this, I had to speak with them.

“My lord, please inspect Rose Castle. I will conduct the interrogation.”

“That’s right. From a soldier’s perspective, it would obviously be very burdensome if I approached them directly. Then I’ll leave it to you, Swen.”

“Yes.”

As I was about to move, saying that—

With a soft sound, Serpina grabbed my wrist.

“My lord?”

Serpina, in a voice barely audible to only me standing before her… looked at me with trembling eyes and whispered:

“…Come back quickly. Understand?”

Perhaps she’s anxious about being separated from me.

After Jenna’s death, Serpina had been showing extremely anxious symptoms. Whether it was due to the accumulation of past betrayals and misfortunes, or the shock of losing Jenna, whom she had greatly trusted in her own way—what mattered was that she was in a more unstable state than ever before.

This feeling would probably continue until the rebellion was suppressed.

It was an unavoidable issue. Being a monarch didn’t mean one couldn’t be hurt.

Moreover, in her current world, the person she could completely trust—perhaps, I might be the only one left.

What I needed to do at times like this was clear.

I firmly held Serpina’s hand.

“I’ll be back soon. The name of Einhart isn’t something you bear alone.”

“…!!!”

As soon as she heard my words, her pupils began to tremble violently.

I quickly smiled as triumphantly as possible to reassure her.

“You know that, don’t you?”

No matter how heavy the burden tied to that name might be, I would share it with her—

I only hoped this feeling would be conveyed well.

“I’ll be back.”

I slowly moved away from her.

This time, she didn’t hold me back.

* * *

Serpina, as if time had stopped.

She remained standing in place, endlessly gazing in the direction where Swen had left and disappeared.

And—she kept turning over the words he had just spoken.

“The name of Einhart isn’t something you bear alone.”

What… does that mean?

Is he saying he’ll bear this name with me?

Is he saying… he’ll become Swen von Einhart…?

Thump, thump.

Even as her heart beat incessantly, her reason was giving a clear answer.

It was nonsensical to interpret that sentence as a marriage proposal.

Serpina was an extremely intelligent woman. This wasn’t just an expression of confidence, but an objective assessment verified by many since her childhood.

Therefore, if it had been her usual self, she wouldn’t have done something as foolish as having her heart flutter over such a matter, imagining different meanings.

But.

Serpina was now gradually crumbling.

Swen’s insight, which always spoke the truth, had been whispering until recently. I, Serpina von Einhart—cannot become the unifying monarch.

Then is it truly right for everyone that I continue to aim for the reconstruction of the empire?

Is it really the right answer to fulfill Algot’s will, even if I have to cover my body in blood?

In the midst of such anguish, her only pillar of support, the capable advisor Jenna, had died. Because of her.

It felt like she had died in her place because she had been absent.

Even though she knew intellectually that wasn’t the case, her heart couldn’t help but acknowledge it. That the more she struggled, the more people would be unhappy, and the world would become more chaotic.

Now the name Einhart felt like shackles beyond being overwhelming.

She didn’t have confidence to bear this name. She felt like she would ruin what Algot and Sidmid had so desperately yearned for with her own hands.

Therefore—Serpina had no choice but to nurture a vain hope based on subjective interpretation.

Swen becoming Swen von Einhart.

The last advice Jenna had given before dying. To marry him.

‘Swen…’

I’ll protect you, Serpina—when I close my eyes, I can hear your voice from that time.

You are the only light I have left.

So no matter what—I must marry him.

Even if I have to give up something I’ve protected until now.

Because with that… I can be truly ‘complete’.

Having thought that far, Serpina slowly closed and opened her eyes.

The trembling of her body had disappeared. The inexplicable fear seemed to have flown away.

Was this fate?

In the end, she wasn’t the only one ‘targeting’ Swen.

Two monarchs were trying to get one advisor into their hands by any means.

One very obvious fact.

There was only one Swen.

What that meant—neither Swen, nor Serpina, nor Lunarian knew.

* * *

I moved to the ward where the wounded were, accompanied by Reika who had been resting.

‘Seeing the wounded reminds me of Lady Irene.’

Despite being in a commanding position, the image of her treating the wounds of each and every low-ranking soldier was still vivid in my mind.

Lady Irene, I wonder if you’re doing well.

‘What’s there to being a corps commander? She’s probably doing fine.’

So, instead of thinking about this, I should focus on my own duties properly.

I immediately approached one of the soldiers.

“How are you feeling?”

“Huh? Ah… A-are you the Advisor?”

I stopped the soldier who was trying to get up hurriedly.

“No need for formalities. Please prioritize your physical condition. Besides, do you recognize me?”

“Well, I’ve seen you from a distance before.”

I suppose it’s not strange for a soldier near the capital to recognize my face, since I’ve held public events as the State Advisor.

It suddenly struck me that I had indeed risen to a high position, but that wasn’t important right now.

“It might be difficult, but I’d like to hear your testimony about the battlefield.”

“Testimony, you say…?”

“Anything will do. As long as it’s related to the ‘mages’.”

“Ah…”

The soldier nodded as if he understood what I meant.

“Do mages really exist?”

“…Yes.”

“How many were there?”

The soldier answered with a dark expression.

“Three.”

‘So it’s true that three of them appeared?’

“Did you happen to see them using magic with your own eyes?”

“Yes, I did.”

In that moment of speechlessness at the unbelievable fact—

“Um, excuse me…”

Reika, who had been quietly listening to our conversation from the side, cautiously raised her hand and spoke.

“I, I’d like to ask… just one question…”

“Please ask anything.”

Reika seemed quite nervous about talking to someone she was meeting for the first time, hesitated for a while, but finally, very cautiously, opened her lips.

“P-perhaps… those three people, were they holding hands… or something like that…?”