Ch.401Chapter 401. The Final Question

“……What?”

What did Lady Serpina just say?

“My lord…?”

“Swen. I will take the position of State Advisor from you. And… I plan to banish you from the Serpina army.”

“No… wait, my lord. What exactly are you—”

“Of course, I am not so shameless. I will also immediately banish Irene Juliette and Reika Nighthart along with you. So, return to Lunarian’s side with peace of mind.”

“My lord. Please calm down and listen to me first. You see—”

“I’m sorry, Swen. I have no intention of continuing this conversation with you.”

Serpina spoke in an extremely resolute tone—

And once again, she put on the expression of an absolute ruler.

That arrogant gaze unique to one who reigns at the top, looking down on everyone below, was now fixed directly on me.

“This is my final order. You wouldn’t think of refusing my command, would you?”

“My lord….”

“No need to be stubborn. It’s a matter you cannot overcome with your power anyway. Don’t you think it’s truly foolish to cling to something that cannot be done?”

Serpina said that and… slowly turned her gaze away from me.

“From a sinking ship… isn’t it efficient for those who can disembark to do so?”

“!!!”

“Your ‘Mind’s Eye’ would give you the same answer.”

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything to Serpina.

I seemed to understand why she was talking about banishing me.

A sinking ship…

Although structurally we maintain a national power similar to Lunarian’s army, what must it feel like to continue fighting against an opponent you can never defeat no matter how many battles you repeat?

With her sharp intuition, she probably realized this fact and despaired before I even asked.

Having spent so much time with Lady Serpina, I could understand.

How great her despair must have been when she first realized she could do nothing, and… how much hesitation she must have felt before saying those words to me.

“Swen. I thank you for working by my side for me all this time. Return to your lord… pacify this chaotic world, and open the door to a peaceful world.”

Serpina said this and smiled at me again.

That smile I had seen so many times, one that looked like it might shatter at any moment.

“…What do you intend to do, Lady Serpina?”

“I must continue fighting, bearing the name of Einhart. …That is the path I must take. Fighting until my body falls on the battlefield is my destiny.”

“Even though you know it’s a battle you cannot win?”

“Isn’t it a fitting end for the one who bears the final burden of the Einhart name, which symbolizes the old era?”

“…”

I slowly looked into her golden eyes.

Though she tried to hide it, she couldn’t conceal the slight trembling of her pupils.

Right now, she was… trying to save at least me.

Since she knew everything, even about my private conversations with Lady Luna—she must have roughly figured out what I was trying to do.

And she probably realized that it wasn’t going well.

In other words—

She was convinced that Lady Lunarian would not forgive her personally.

I clenched my fist.

I was just… angry.

What exactly is an advisor with an intelligence of 100?

It is one who derives the absolutely correct answer—

Originally, in this world, an advisor was someone who would tell you what would happen when you clicked the “Ask for Advice” button.

Now that it had become reality, I couldn’t consider it completely equivalent, but at least I, who clearly recognized that this world was formed based on a game, could think of it that way.

Yes. That was all. Intelligence 100 just means saying the right things. It couldn’t twist the world or change a predetermined ending.

In such a situation, what meaning did things like the “Mind’s Eye” have?

Right now, with my vaunted intelligence of 100—I couldn’t even protect the woman I loved right in front of me.

“…Serpina.”

“…”

Lady Serpina—no, Serpina didn’t mind that I dropped the formalities.

Perhaps she too knew that our relationship couldn’t be summarized as simply that of lord and subject.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot leave your side.”

“…I think it’s meaningless.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Swen, if even you can’t do anything about it… how could I?”

“I was merely given a crown. All I have is stubbornness tied to the outdated name of Einhart and worthless authority.”

“How could I… how could I, a symbol of the old era, defeat Lunarian, a symbol of the new era?”

“…”

“Swen. If you love me… give me up. I don’t want to be the worst woman who drags down the person she loves like a water ghost. If because of me, you too…”

Serpina’s voice began to fade.

Tears began to stream down from her eyes, which were like fields of golden wheat.

“…If you and the people you care about are also endangered… I don’t think I could bear it then.”

“So, just… forget me. Help me not create a situation where I might sin against you.”

“Please, Swen… leave our army and return to Lunarian’s army…”

She removed the mask of the absolute ruler.

Serpina, just a woman, sobbed in front of me.

She begged that she didn’t want to see me ruined because of her.

So this was why she was desperately trying to push me away.

As my body trembled slightly… hot tears began to flow down my cheeks.

I roughly wiped them away with my sleeve.

‘Crying won’t help…’

The woman I loved was crying.

Crying with her would certainly be meaningful.

But.

I didn’t want this woman to cry.

I wanted to save her.

I wanted to somehow fulfill the impossible wish of spending my life with this woman while my lord conquered the world.

What I needed to do wasn’t to sit down and sob with her.

What I needed to do was—just to do once more what I had been doing all along.

To find a “possibility” that seemed absolutely impossible.

‘I can do it.’

I quietly closed my eyes.

If there is a conclusion, there must be a result.

‘I’ve done this many times before.’

It all started with Tifa discovering a treasure chest while on a trading mission.

Everything began from there.

I stopped the Brans army alone, called down a meteor, foresaw an ambush, and won a war without fighting.

I saved Lady Luna, saved Lady Irene, saved Reika, and saved Serpina many times.

So.

I can do it this time too.

I can definitely find a path for everyone.

‘The first thing I need to bring is that, isn’t it?’

I carefully recalled two propositions.

‘Serpina von Einhart cannot become the ruler of the Unified Empire.’

‘Lunarian Ineanne can become the ruler of the Unified Empire.’

Based on these “perfect propositions” that would never change, I just needed to eliminate the impossibilities one by one… or so I thought.

But there was nothing I could add to or subtract from these.

‘…Was I too hasty?’

Let’s think about something else first.

First, while staying at Kelstein Castle, find the only way to somehow establish a truce with Lunarian’s army.

Starting with that… even if it means risking my life, I’m sure I can persuade Lady Luna.

Even if she absolutely refuses to forgive Lady Serpina now—

That’s just the future from this point, and in the end, the result can change depending on what I do.

Wait?

‘The future from this point?’

Come to think of it… the advice from Intelligence 100 was both absolute and not absolute.

That’s why I was able to save Lady Serpina’s life.

The situation changed plenty depending on what I did.

The conclusion could be reversed depending on what I decided to do.

And.

Why am I by Lady Serpina’s side?

What is needed for Lady Lunarian’s “establishment of the Unified Empire”?

The moment I thought about that——

‘!!!!!!!!’

I staggered as if I’d been hit on the head.

Serpina, who had been sobbing continuously, noticed the strangeness in my behavior and carefully asked a question.

“Swen…?”

But I couldn’t even answer her.

Or rather, I didn’t answer.

I’m sorry to her, but I couldn’t even hear what she was saying to me.

Of course, what came to my mind was—the beginning of a life-changing reversal that could only come from reaching a “proposition that could never change.”

“Um… Serpina.”

“Yes…?”

“I’m sorry, but can you think as I ask from now on?”

Serpina had received similar questions from me a few times before.

Understanding what I meant, she carefully wiped her tears with her sleeve and nodded.

“…Alright. What do you want me to do?”

“Well…”

I spoke to her.

She heard my words and turned pale.

After maintaining silence for a moment… she eventually nodded.

“…Okay.”

“Did you really make up your mind?”

“Yes. I’ve made up my mind.”

“Hey. Then could you ask me a question now?”

I was about to…

Challenge an absolute truth that had never changed before.

“…What question should I ask?”

“It’s simple. It’s—”

—Can Lunarian Ineanne become the unified monarch?

“!!!!!!!”

She was shocked much more than before after hearing my words.

Of course, she couldn’t help but be surprised. Since she’s smart, she would understand why I asked for this question.

Serpina stared at me without saying anything…

Then carefully, looking at me, she asked the final question.

“…Do you think Lunarian Ineanne can become the unified monarch?”

Intelligence 100 brain.

Always telling me the right things.

My guide, my compass, the half-baked cheat ability that set the direction of my life—

Just as it had done until this moment.

Just as it had defeated the Brans army despite being outnumbered, dropped meteors from the sky, and destroyed enemy nations without lifting a finger.

It effortlessly spits out the “absolutely correct” answer.

That answer was——

* * *

Why am I by Lady Serpina’s side?

—To keep my promise to give Lady Lunarian the world.

What is needed for Lady Lunarian’s “establishment of the Unified Empire”?

—Lady Serpina must remain seated as the ruler of the Serpina army.

If that is not maintained——

* * *

I spoke to her.

“This might seem sudden, but please think about it seriously, Serpina. …Would you be willing to abdicate the throne to me?”

“What…?!”

She turned pale hearing my words.

“I’m not joking. Really, really think about it that way. Think about abdicating from the ruler’s position of the Serpina army and passing the throne to me.”

“Swen…”

After maintaining silence for a moment… she eventually nodded.

* * *

[It depends on heaven’s will.]

Upon hearing the immediate answer, I unconsciously tilted my head back.

The tears I had been holding back burst forth without my realizing it.

Without saying anything… as tears fell to the floor, I muttered over and over again.

——I’ve won.

In the face of this damned fate, I—— had finally found the only path to victory.