Ch.419Chapter 419. The Sky Remains Forever and the River Flows Eternally (4)

“Keuuut…!!!”

Lunarian slowly drew back his Adina Sword, then looked at Irene and let out a deep sigh.

His mind was already in chaos, but one fact stood out clearly—

—The woman before him must never be harmed.

“…Have you calmed down, Lord Lunarian?”

“Lady Irene…”

“We came only as messengers. All of this is the will of our lord, Swen. Please listen to our—to Swen’s—words.”

“…!”

At that moment.

Irene sheathed her sword first.

Despite Luna still holding his Adina Sword—she unhesitatingly abandoned the means to protect herself and Serpina.

“I believe in Lord Lunarian.”

“What…?”

“I believe in the Lord Lunarian whom our lord, Swen, trusts.”

Luna looked at Irene’s face.

Unlike himself, trembling with excitement, Irene’s violet eyes were perfectly calm without the slightest tremor.

Looking at that unfathomable serenity… Luna fell into the illusion that his sister Aria Iniang had returned to life and was facing him.

—Clang

Luna silently threw the Adina Sword to the floor.

Then, with naturally clenched fists, he spoke to Irene.

“Lady Irene. If it’s not too presumptuous, please step aside. I wish to speak with the messenger.”

“…”

Irene gave a slight bow, then carefully stepped back.

Naturally, this revealed Serpina, who had been kneeling on one knee, staring intently at Luna.

“…Serpina von Einhart.”

“Speak, Lord Luna.”

“What brings you here today?”

His voice was calm, but his expression was anything but.

Though Luna often showed a benevolent smile to others, he couldn’t do so for Serpina.

Just having this ordinary conversation was consuming an enormous amount of energy from something within him.

An ordinary person would likely feel suffocated just being under the cold gaze of the Red-Eyed Dragon.

Who could maintain composure when the continent’s most powerful warrior looked at them as if they were unforgivable?

Yet Serpina did not avoid his gaze. Despite the earlier commotion, she continued to look at Luna without moving her head once.

She who had borne the world’s hatred while atoning for the sins of her bloodline—somehow managed to endure even before the sharp gaze of the Red-Eyed Dragon.

“As I just mentioned, I’ve come to convey the opinion of our lord, Swen.”

“Put aside the wordplay. I’m asking about the content. Please don’t test my patience.”

“It’s because I’m serious that I must repeat myself. This proposal requires me to emphasize repeatedly that it is our lord’s will, as it’s a proposal that would be difficult to present otherwise.”

Luna snapped at her, and Serpina stood her ground firmly.

Irene realized it then.

No one but Serpina could possibly speak so directly to Lord Luna!

“…Very well, let’s hear it.”

Serpina slowly bowed her head.

Yes.

This was the main point.

Certainly, it was an absurd proposal—but now was the time to believe in Swen, her one and only lord.

“Lord Luna. Our Swen wishes for a merger with the Lunarian Kingdom.”

“…What did you say?”

Luna tilted his head with a hollow laugh and dead eyes.

“A merger? Have you come to recommend surrender? Swen is quite mischievous… If he wants to become one with me, there’s no need for such complicated processes when only one thing needs to be handled… hehehe…♥”

“That’s not it.”

“…Pardon?”

Serpina raised her head again.

The Red-Eyed Dragon’s face filled her golden eyes.

“The monarch would be Lord Lunarian.”

“…!”

“If the merger takes place, the unified kingdom—essentially a united kingdom—would be led by Lunarian Ineanne as its monarch and leader.”

Luna tilted his head once more, looked down at Serpina again, and fell into thought.

What?

A merger… but he’s willing to give up the throne?

Giving up his country?

So… he’s surrendering to me??

“I know it’s hard to believe, but this is our Lord Swen’s will. That’s why I emphasized repeatedly that I came to convey our lord’s intentions. If Lord Lunarian accepts our lord’s will, we will immediately withdraw all forces from the border and proceed with the procedures for the national merger ceremony.”

Serpina’s expression as she spoke was far too serious to be considered a joke or a lie—

An ordinary person would likely be captivated by those unfathomably deep golden eyes, unconsciously falling under her spell.

Just as only Serpina could handle Lunarian, only Lunarian could receive Serpina.

After Serpina finished speaking, silence fell for several minutes.

Then—breaking the silence was the protagonist Luna, who suddenly found himself about to grasp the world.

“The conditions?”

“…”

“There must be conditions, right? Lord Swen isn’t the type to make such a decision without reason.”

At Luna’s words, Serpina closed her eyes once, then opened them—

“The condition is simple.”

—and conveyed her sincere feelings and those of the man she loved.

“Please accept my existence.”

“!!!”

In truth, Serpina had been—

The only legitimate heir of the Einhart family who had eliminated all siblings to claim the throne.

A wicked tyrant whom no one dared to look in the eye.

An ambitious ruler and absolute being who had to obtain whatever she desired.

But now, it was different.

Her bloodline no longer bound her. Her position could no longer define her as one thing.

She had simply accepted staying by Swen’s side.

As a woman who had given up bearing an unwanted crown and chosen to protect the one she loved—

“Lord Lunarian. There is something I must confess. That is—”

Just as she was carefully trying to reach out to her.

“I know.”

“…”

“It seems you weren’t the one who massacred everyone in the Einhart family.”

Luna continued to look down at Serpina with dead eyes.

“Of course. If you were truly such a wicked woman, he would never have chosen someone like you, no matter what. So, that issue doesn’t matter.”

“Yes. You may not have sinned against this continent, the empire, or the world. But what difference does that make? Nothing changes the fact that you took my advisor away from me, does it?”

“The fact that you took my advisor who threw himself to save me, knowing full well that his true lord was elsewhere… does that change?”

Luna’s body trembled.

The large ruby-colored eyes rippled as if about to overflow.

Her flushed face indicated her excited state.

The most sticky and gloomy emotion born since humans began forming relationships with other humans—the feeling of having what is rightfully yours taken away, jealousy.

Serpina did not tremble as she stared into Luna’s eyes.

Although Luna wanted to devour her now—she was a person pure and clear by nature. Like that woman.

“…While I don’t wish to completely deny Lord Lunarian’s words, what I’ve spoken about now is not simply to tell you that.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Lord Lunarian.”

Serpina bowed her head deeply.

She conveyed the impression that came to her upon meeting Luna, something not previously discussed with Swen.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect Aria.”

“!!!”

Aria Iniang.

Algot von Einhart’s consort and Lunarian’s only blood relative, his older sister.

The one significant missing link between Lunarian and Serpina.

“That day at the mansion, Brother Algot deceived Brother Sidmid and killed all our siblings, including our second brother. I survived because I was the only gray figure not belonging to any faction. I was rejected as a successor by Brother Algot. You probably know this much from Swen.”

“On that unforgettable day—when Brother Algot left his last words to me and fulfilled his purpose. Lady Aria was by my brother’s side. She was suffering… having lost both her legs.”

“My sister…?”

“If I had grasped the situation a little faster. If I had realized Brother Algot’s true intentions even a little sooner, I might have saved Lady Aria, if not the other siblings. I truly… truly have no words to offer.”

Drip.

Serpina’s tears fell onto the temporary red carpet.

The emotions she had suppressed because she had to be an absolute ruler crumbled so easily before Lunarian, who resembled Aria whom she couldn’t protect.

“I still remember what Lady Aria told me. That she had a younger sister about my age…”

“!!!”

“Her last wish to me was to create a world where her younger sister could live happily. I’ve carried the words of Brother Algot and Lady Aria in my heart all the way here. However—the destiny to unify the continent and become the new king was not mine.”

“Lord Lunarian. It is yours. Please create the world my brother dreamed of, the world Lady Aria wanted to see. End all these wars and join us with Swen and… with me.”

“…”

Serpina slowly rose from her seat and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

With eyes much clearer than before, she said:

“Northwest from here, there is a small temporary meeting place. If you are willing to accept our lord’s proposal and join us, please come there. Only I, Serpina, who came as a messenger, will be at that location.”

Lunarian asked in surprise at Serpina’s words.

“Only you… will be there?”

“Yes. Even Irene beside you will not be present. Only I will remain there to negotiate with Lord Lunarian… that is the will of our lord Swen.”

“I will wait for three days, Lord Lunarian. Even if we cannot negotiate, I hope you understand that we—that Swen—will not give up on you until the very end. Well then…”

As Serpina turned to leave, Irene gave a slight bow to Lunarian.

Her violet eyes contained a sincere desire to be together. Luna could easily notice how desperate that feeling was.

‘Lord Swen…’

After Serpina and Irene left—

In the empty temporary meeting hall, only Luna remained, staring blankly in the direction they had disappeared.