Ch.412Chapter 412. Can’t Win… But Can Win

At the conference room table in the border base camp.

Francis sat in his chair with an extremely serious expression, continuously biting his nails anxiously.

‘Why on earth did this happen…!’

The situation: six territories had been forcibly taken.

In fact, what was more surprising than that was that not a single defeat had been caused by a misjudgment from Francis himself, the commander-in-chief of the border region.

It was somewhat amusing to make such a self-assessment, but it was no exaggeration to say that the Lunarian army had done everything in their power to come up with the best possible moves.

It wasn’t just that he was overconfident in his own judgment. Hadn’t he thoroughly followed the advice of Violet, the second-best strategist in the Lunarian army after Ginor, without being stubborn!

However-

Who could have predicted that a commander would suddenly fall from his horse and die?

Who could have anticipated that an unexplained fire would suddenly break out along the march route, engulfing them in flames while Swen’s army lay in ambush?

How could anyone have foreseen that a supply line established in a completely unexpected location would be discovered?

With every strategy being exposed as soon as it was formed, he initially suspected there might be a spy planted by Swen’s army.

But after multiple cross-verifications, they couldn’t find any concrete evidence of a spy.

If there really was a spy, they deserved a certain level of respect for being able to hide so well!

In the moment of failure, a single thought crossed Francis’s mind-

‘A miracle…!’

It was the various pieces of advice about Swen from the old Lunarian army days—about how he used to create miracles.

The image of Tifa proudly talking about defeating the Brans army in impossible situations.

The voice of his uncle Kyle, who emphasized several times before his death that Swen was “someone who should never be turned into an enemy.”

The stories from National Strategist Ginor about how Swen continued to excel even when he was with the Aeshus army—all these kept ringing in Francis’s ears.

If.

If the biggest reason Swen’s army—Swen—kept winning was some kind of “miracle” he created.

If he was someone who could see through whatever countermeasures we prepared, whatever preparations we made-

‘How are we supposed to defeat someone who can completely anticipate how our army will act…!’

While he was clutching his head in frustration—

Knock knock, there was a sound of someone knocking on the door.

And from beyond the door came the voice of his younger sister, Violet.

“Brother.”

“…!”

There was only one thing her calling for him could mean—

It meant that Sovereign Lunarian had arrived.

No matter how many defeats they had suffered, he couldn’t face her looking so disheveled.

Especially considering the last words Uncle Kyle had left before his death.

Francis quickly tidied his messy hair and answered loudly.

“Tell her she may come in.”

Creak—

No sooner had he answered than the door opened—

“Hello, Francis.”

His sovereign, Lunarian Ineanne, walked in slowly with an extremely benevolent smile.

“M-My lord… welcome.”

Luna asked in a very calm tone, with a beautiful arc drawn across her face.

“Yes. I heard about it on my way here… could you briefly brief me on the border situation?”

“Ah, certainly…!”

Francis reported the current situation in detail.

How they had been defeated, how many territories had been taken.

Although it was embarrassing to speak of nothing but failures, if he as the field commander didn’t report it, who else could?

“…That concludes my report. I deeply apologize once again for failing to bring good news and instead ending up in this state. I will gladly accept any criticism, including my dismissal. All responsibility lies with me, Francis, not with my subordinates.”

Francis knelt down and bowed his head to his master.

Luna listened quietly to his story for a long time.

Throughout her listening—far from showing concern about the current situation, she maintained her smile and displayed a relaxed demeanor.

“Raise your head, Francis.”

“My lord…”

“Regarding everything that has happened so far, it’s fine. Francis, I have no intention of blaming you at all.”

“M-My lord… while I am grateful for your forgiveness, someone must take responsibility—”

At that moment.

“No.”

Luna slowly opened her eyes that had been smiling.

Her ruby-colored eyes were… empty.

“I never had any expectations for you, Francis.”

“…Pardon…?”

“Francis. There’s no way you could defeat Swen when he’s serious.”

“My… lord…?”

It was too.

It was too cold a statement.

It wasn’t encouragement. It wasn’t criticism either.

Both encouragement and criticism could only come from someone who had some degree of interest in the other person.

In other words—Lunarian had never had any expectations of him from the beginning.

It would have been better if she had gotten angry and dismissed him.

Anger would have been evidence that she had expectations.

But that expression was too cold and detached to be made by someone who had expectations.

“My goodness, Francis. You can relax your expression. I’m not blaming you.”

“My… lord?”

“It doesn’t make sense to ask anyone to defeat someone who cannot be defeated, does it? Neither you nor any general… can defeat Swen.”

Luna said this, and then extended her hand to Francis—

“So, you’ve done well to hold out this far. I know that was your best. So, you don’t need to blame yourself too much. Hehe…”

—With a frighteningly lovely smile.

She was uttering the words “I don’t care about you” with terrible kindness.

“Now, Francis. From today, I will exercise command as the sovereign, so I recommend you step back and take some rest. Understood?”

“Ah… I, um…”

“?”

Luna tilted her head with a bright smile again, as if she didn’t understand anything.

Like a young child—completely innocent, without any malice.

“…Under…stood.”

After Francis withdrew—

Luna carefully examined the map.

Of course, what entered her eyes was not the current situation.

The only thing in her heart was—

—Swen cannot be defeated.

She never wanted to defeat him in the first place.

She didn’t even think about winning.

Although Swen had promised to give her the world, she wouldn’t mind even if he broke that promise.

If it was a world in his hands, not Serpina’s, Luna could accept it without resistance.

Yes.

If he wanted a unified empire, she could give it to him.

But.

Swen von Einhart… should not exist in this world.

Any version of Swen would be fine.

But Swen by that woman’s side…!

—Crumple

Luna crumpled the map on the table with her hand.

Then she pushed it aside.

There was no light in her eyes. Coldness had already swallowed everything in place of light.

The future of the unified empire was no longer reflected in her eyes.

What was contained in those eyes was an emotion deeper than ruby—jealousy, jealousy, jealousy, and the desire for revenge born from it.

Swen cannot be defeated.

Winning the war didn’t matter at all.

She knew too well that she couldn’t face Swen, who created miracles, even if she seriously confronted him.

She thought slowly.

Why did Swen marry Serpina?

Why didn’t Swen return to her in the first place?

At first, she couldn’t understand.

But now she could.

Now.

Now she no longer deceives herself.

Swen was deceived by Serpina? …That’s disrespectful to Swen. He is not someone who would be fooled by a woman.

It was only her own weakness that had hoped for that. Looking at it directly made everything easier and clearer.

Serpina… was likely not a bad person.

Far from being her enemy, she was likely another victim caught up in the situation.

That’s natural since Swen said so in his letter. Swen is never wrong. It doesn’t make sense for him to be wrong.

So Swen.

Was he drawn by Serpina’s tragic fate?

Was he captivated by her beautiful appearance?

Even if he didn’t intend to at first, in the end, his heart was filled with Serpina.

He chose Serpina, not me, chose, chose, chosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechosechose——

“Ah.”

Calm down.

Calm down, Lunarian.

Luna quietly performs the ritual she always does to calm herself.

When she closes her eyes—the white-haired strategist whispers to her.

“Calm down, my lord. If you think calmly, you will surely see a path.”

‘That’s right, Swen… even in this situation, if I think calmly, I can create a path.’

‘Thank you, really, really thank you… ehehe…’

Just hearing those kind and sweet words calmed her mind, and now she could finally organize her thoughts calmly.

Luna thought.

Swen cannot be defeated, but Serpina can be.

—I cannot kill Swen, but I can kill Serpina.

“!!!”

Luna slowly turned her head.

It’s Swen.

Swen is smiling at her.

“Swen… you’re kind enough to forgive Serpina.”

“Even though she may not be directly evil, she inherited that cause and killed many people—yet you accepted her? You forgave the shame of the Einhart Empire.”

“So.”

If I kill Serpina.

Just as you forgave Serpina—you’ll forgive me too, right?

“After all, you promised to give me the world… you said you would never leave my side.”

I have always.

Even when no one else believed in you, I believed in you, didn’t I?

You said it yourself. If I believed in you, you would give me the world.

Yes. The world.

“The world… that’s still my goal. But you know what? I don’t need it anymore.”

“If you want it, you can sit on that throne. After all, if you became the ruler, that would be the right path…”

“That’s right. I still believe. I believe in you, Swen. So.”

All I want is to kill Serpina.

Even if I fail countless times. Even if it costs me my life—

“Ehehe… Swen… I believe in you…♥”

“Until the end… forever… even if you come to hate me for killing Serpina… I will never hate you. Even if you decide to cut my throat with that sword, I would gladly offer it to you.”

“No, even your burning hatred for me would be… aah…!!!”

Luna slowly drew her Adina Sword.

Then, she lightly licks the sharp part.

It tastes metallic.

A taste of life, whether it’s the metallic taste of steel or the taste of blood it has absorbed.

“Even your hatred… would be attention and love to me…♥♥”

I can forgive other women, including Irene, but I can never accept Serpina.

Even if it means being hated by Swen… the sticky emotion hidden within her firm resolve.

Her true feelings—her resentment toward Serpina who took Swen from her.

Because if she hadn’t existed, he would have returned.

The fact that he hasn’t returned to this day, and even crossed swords with her—Luna no longer denied that it was all because Swen met Serpina.

As a sovereign who lost her strategist.

As a woman who lost her man.

The intense jealousy toward the woman who stole her promised one.

And now, Lunarian Ineanne—

“…Ahah♥”

No longer hides it.