Ch.52Chapter 52. Becoming Well Known to the Continent (3)

After encouraging Ginor several more times, Yuuri finally got to the main point.

“By the way. Have you heard the rumors, Ginor?”

“Do you mean the story from the north?”

“Yes. The one about a white-haired man who performed a ritual and caused stones to fall from the sky.”

Ginor nodded at Yuuri’s words.

“Of course I’ve heard. Isn’t it the hottest topic on the continent right now? All rulers must have their eyes on that man.”

A man who appeared like a comet and literally made a comet fall from the sky.

His existence was surely being discussed heatedly among all the lords.

“Besides, there are many eyewitnesses who claim to have seen it. It doesn’t seem to be a false or exaggerated story.”

“Then… has he already appeared? A magician.”

Ginor let out a long sigh before responding.

“That’s the most likely possibility.”

“We’re a step behind, aren’t we?”

“It’s fine. If he needs to perform rituals, he hasn’t reached the level of a true magician yet.”

“Really? But wouldn’t it be better to recruit him if possible? If he is a real magician, isn’t it a waste to let him stay under Lynn Brans?”

“I won’t object if that’s what you wish… but I’m not sure if he would understand your intentions. Our army is just a small nation compared to the Brans army.”

“You were also skeptical about joining our army at first. If we persuade him well, couldn’t we somehow manage it? Or would it be too difficult?”

Hearing this, Ginor bowed his head and said:

“It’s alright. Please give me a little more time. If we can just withstand the great tidal wave that is the Brans army, the goddess of victory will raise the hand of our Aeshus army. Then we can naturally recruit the white-haired man as well.”

Their conversation had a clear difference from those of other lords.

Vanessa of the Karelia army who claimed, “He can’t be a magician, so he must have read the timing.”

Jenna of the Serpina army who insisted, “He can’t have read the timing, so he must be a magician.”

But Ginor had determined he was a magician.

This was clearly different from the argument that “he must be a magician” because reading timing was impossible.

It felt as if… the proposition that “magicians exist” was being treated as an established fact.

“I believe in you, Ginor. And all my comrades who follow me believe in you too. Being part of the Aeshus army means forming an unbreakable bond of trust that will never be betrayed. I told you all this on the day I came to recruit you, didn’t I?”

Hearing these words, Ginor bowed to her respectfully.

“I will certainly repay your trust, my lord.”

Though the strategy had failed, it didn’t mean the Aeshus army would collapse.

The mindset he had when leaving his homeland.

The ideal of building a country for his lord, Baranga Yurie Aeshus.

Ginor had essentially bet his remaining life on the future she was creating.

*

As Ginor returned home briefly before attending to his business, a woman’s voice called out to him.

“Father. Have you returned?”

“Yes.”

She was a young woman who appeared to be around twenty.

With long pink hair, she gave an impression of being somewhat empty.

Though she called Ginor “Father,” there was a significant age difference between them, and they didn’t resemble each other at all as father and daughter.

“How was your training today?”

“I haven’t reached the level you mentioned yet, but…”

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened her hand.

And shortly after—

A small spark of fire appeared in her hand.

But it lasted only briefly.

“…Haa.”

She collapsed right there.

“I succeeded in creating a spark… but I don’t know how to maintain it. I’ve been reading all the ancient texts you mentioned.”

“That’s fine. Even being able to manifest this much is no ordinary feat. So, can you read it a little?”

“If you’re referring to [Mana]… vaguely, perhaps.”

Ginor nodded and said:

“Yes, Reika. Continue your training as you have been. Your talent is one that will bring peace to this continent. Do you understand?”

“I will keep your words in mind, Father.”

The pink-haired woman—Reika—simply nodded with her still empty gaze.

Then, carefully, she opened her mouth.

“Um, Father. Rather than that, I have something to—”

“I’m busy. I need to leave right away. Is it related to your training?”

“…No, it’s not.”

After hearing Reika’s answer, Ginor turned around and immediately left for somewhere.

Though her living conditions had improved since becoming part of the Aeshus army, her daily life hadn’t changed at all.

Reading [Mana] and training in methods to utilize it.

In this life like a bird trapped in a cage—

Reika’s heart was growing colder by the day.

* * *

Naturally, it wasn’t the lord who made the decision, nor the officers who supervised construction, who were destroying and burning the fortresses one by one.

It was the soldiers who had carried each brick, sweated, and worked hard to build them.

Now those same soldiers were completely demolishing the fortresses they had only recently built.

‘How ironic.’

I understood it was unavoidable given the times, but seeing such scenes unfold so casually triggered what remained of my modern sensibilities.

The soldiers themselves didn’t look happy either, as if wondering what they were doing.

Even if they weren’t modern people, their emotions wouldn’t be that different from mine.

It made sense why Lunarian and Irene were so popular among the territory’s people and soldiers.

I tried to help when I couldn’t bear watching anymore.

But perhaps due to my low strength, I quickly realized I was more of a hindrance than help and had to step back.

I was sweating profusely and panting just from carrying a few bricks.

Fortunately, Irene was helping the soldiers with the demolition work alongside me, so my image wasn’t completely tarnished.

After completely destroying the fortress,

On the night before our departure, I was sitting by the campfire thinking about what to do next.

At that moment.

“Swen.”

Irene, who had been with me all day helping with the fortress demolition, approached me with a tray as I sat there, and spoke in a careful tone.

“May I sit?”

“Of course.”

She sat down right next to me.

A bit too close, so I could feel her body slightly brushing against mine.

Since that ceremony, I felt her sense of distance toward me had strangely narrowed.

“Here you go.”

She handed me a cup from the tray she was holding.

“This is… tea?”

“One of the soldiers had it. Said it was a regular supply.”

“Did you confiscate a soldier’s supplies?”

At my words, she shook her head in panic.

“N-no. I didn’t confiscate it. I, I just borrowed it…! Swen, I thought it would be nice to drink it with you… and the soldier said it was fine…!”

“I was joking.”

Hearing my response, she blushed and puffed her cheeks slightly.

Though she might be the only one unaware, her behavior had quite a cute side to it.

“…That’s a bit too much teasing for your superior.”

After laughing a few times at her reaction, I accepted the tea she offered.

A warm feeling enveloped my body completely.

“What’s the matter?”

“I was wondering when you’ll make your decision.”

Decision.

Yes. Irene’s heart had already left Lynn Brans.

I didn’t plan to stay here long either.

But there was still no news of Lunarian raising an army, who should become my lord.

This meant I would inevitably have to leave to serve another lord again.

‘So I’m destined to be a journeyman again.’

I could have had an easier time if I’d just kept a low profile and performed moderately well in the Brans army.

But if I had done that, I would have lost Irene, who was looking at me with those eyes.

Just for that fact alone, I didn’t regret my actions and decisions so far.

My body might suffer a bit, but what did it matter?

With a loyal red-haired female knight by my side who believed in me.

With large breasts too.

“I might have to spend some time under another lord for a while.”

“Another lord?”

“Since Luna hasn’t raised an army yet.”

“…I see.”

She nodded and said:

“It doesn’t matter who. Wherever you choose to stay, I will stay there too.”

Her eyes didn’t waver at all as she spoke, showing remarkable steadfastness.

“But while we’re still here… I hope you won’t show too obviously that your heart has left. Just enough that Lynn doesn’t notice. Like before. Can you do that?”

Irene gave a bitter smile at my words.

“Don’t worry. That’s what I’ve been doing all along anyway.”

True.

Loyalty, noble spirit—it’s easy to talk about such things.

But her heart must have been rotting away beyond words all this time.

“I’ll let you know as soon as the time comes.”

“Okay.”

We both silently stared at the campfire for a while.

And at that moment—

“…!”

I felt something leaning against my shoulder.

It was Irene.

She was using my shoulder as a pillow.

Turning my head to look at her, I could see her face had turned as red as a radish.

With even her ears bright red, she looked up at me cautiously… with an expression of a shy girl that I’d never seen in her before, and asked:

“…Do you mind?”

“No, I… don’t mind.”

“…If you don’t mind… let me stay like this for a moment.”

I could feel her body heat directly.

The sensation of her large breasts pressing against my arm was incredibly vivid.

The scent of the tea leaves we had just drunk made the atmosphere even more peculiar.

Yes. I had to honestly admit it.

The fact that my heart was beating a little faster.

‘…’

Come to think of it, this game allowed polygamy.

Men could marry up to four women.

I wonder if that rule applies here too?

With such foolish thoughts,

I spent time with Irene in front of the campfire, feeling each other’s presence.

*

After finishing the destruction of the fortress, we returned to Anel Castle as soon as day broke.

Our progress was slow due to the number of wounded soldiers, but since we were within our territory, there was no need to rush.

Besides, Irene’s daily nursing hadn’t been in vain—we had many more able-bodied soldiers than right after our defeat in battle.

Anel Castle, which I hadn’t seen for a while, was still bustling and peaceful, making the events in the north seem like a lie.

Even the expressions on people’s faces were clearly different from those residing in Kelstein Castle.

If I only wandered around here, I wouldn’t even realize we were in an era of war and chaos.

The first place we headed to was, of course, the royal castle where Lynn resided.

I would have preferred to return to the house in East Anel with Irene and leisurely drink tea, but we had duties to fulfill.

“…I will take responsibility, so you two needn’t worry too much.”

Despite everything, Kalintz seemed well aware of his current position.

After all, it was his decision to build the fortress and to deploy troops recklessly.

Irene and I had simply followed orders.

I was concerned about my insubordination, but with “wanting to fight for the country” as my reason, it would probably be somewhat excused.

With Kalintz leading the way, we headed straight to the audience chamber as soon as we arrived at the castle.

‘Time to wrap things up.’

The true end, in a sense, of this northern battle.

It was time to face our lord, Lynn Brans.