Ch.54Chapter 54. The Audience Chamber / Castle Annel (2)

* * *

A few hours ago.

Inside the royal palace before Kalintz’s group had arrived.

“……”

Lynn sat on the throne, reading Farfalle’s letter over and over again.

The contents could be summarized as follows:

[Swen’s predictions were all correct. Charam had been colluding with Aeshus from the beginning to stab us in the back. I’ve also received news of the rebellion. Everything he said was right. His abilities are extraordinary. Even if his opinions don’t align with mine, they seem trustworthy.]

Farfalle wasn’t an arrogant person, but she wasn’t the type to deny her excellent abilities with false modesty either.

Full of confidence, she rarely listened to others’ opinions, and she certainly didn’t like having her own opinions modified by others’ intervention.

Yet this same woman was telling her lord for the first time in her life: ‘His opinions are trustworthy even if they don’t align with mine.’

Not someone with completely different talents like Irene, but someone like Swen who competed in the same waters as herself.

At this point, Lynn’s mind was in an uncontrollably complex state.

Clearly, an incredible talent had joined them… but her heart was far from at ease.

How could all his words match reality so unrealistically perfectly?

With such a general who predicted everything correctly… why did she feel “fear” instead of “reassurance” or “reliability”?

Lynn Brans fundamentally did not trust others.

The biggest reason she could ascend to the position of successor was because she trusted no one.

It was already a well-known fact among the three siblings that her father, Orlando Brans, had chosen Lynn as his successor over Chel or Kalintz precisely because of her nature of absolutely not relying on or trusting anyone.

Honestly.

She knew that while Farfalle was among the smartest in the central continent, she didn’t possess particularly outstanding abilities compared to strategists of other nations.

But that’s exactly why Lynn could comfortably employ her.

She believed she could ultimately control her. She valued Farfalle highly, but at the same time, didn’t trust her 100%.

Gathering talented individuals buried in small countries was part of this approach.

Instead of absolutely trusting one person, she collected as many people as possible who could offer her opinions.

This would greatly increase the options available to her.

But.

This comfortable “Brans Army Management Plan” of hers was beginning to fall apart because of a man named Swen.

It was none other than Lynn herself who had recruited Swen.

For a strategist from a small country, he seemed quite intelligent.

It was enough that he occasionally gave spine-chilling advice.

Yes. That’s all she expected from him. Just that much—to hear his advice on continental affairs and discuss strategies.

But.

He kept making claims that were so “absurd” they were difficult to even consider.

And those absurd claims, after time passed, eventually turned out to be “correct” right before her eyes.

Was that all?

Now he had even stayed at the fortress against her orders, and in a battle that was thought impossible to win…

He had even summoned rocks by praying to the heavens.

Lynn sensed it.

That Swen was not someone who existed within the realm she could control.

That’s why she feared him.

She, the ruler, was afraid of her subordinate general who seemed impossible to handle as she wished, who kept saying only correct things.

At first, she tried not to show it.

After all, Swen’s lord was herself.

She thought that if there was any sign of him escaping her grasp, she could somehow deal with him.

In fact, when he entered the audience hall with Kalintz, she wasn’t particularly nervous.

Yes. It’s probably nothing.

Even when she had just begun her private audience with him after sending Kalintz and Irene away… she was fine.

But.

The more she talked with him, the more she began to fear him again.

The certainty that she would not be able to manipulate him as she wished, no matter what she did, was creeping up on her.

Without realizing it, her voice began to tremble.

Without realizing it, she felt chills running through her body.

Clearly, she was the ruler.

Even now, she could order him imprisoned without giving any reason, or go further and frame him with false charges and have him beheaded.

Despite this—she was terribly afraid of Swen, who knelt before her, calmly muttering impossible things like “reading the stars in the sky” or “reading people’s actions.”

“Swen… what exactly are you…?”

Barely managing to squeeze out the words, she asked about his existence.

What exactly are you?

How much do you know?

Do you even know that I fear you?

As she was mentally repeating those words she had unconsciously blurted out.

Swen slowly smiled and said:

“Lady Lynn. It’s alright.”

“Alright…?”

“My talents are entirely yours. There’s no need to fear.”

“…!!!”

Yes.

As expected, this man had seen through even her fear of him.

But, at the same time…

He was speaking to her almost pleadingly, with his waist bent all the way down.

“Please use me as your compass. I will gladly comply.”

“…?”

Though she was a bit taken aback by Swen’s suddenly submissive attitude.

Somehow, she regained her composure and asked:

“…What do you mean…?”

“I mean it literally, my lord.”

Swen looked up at Lynn and spoke in a respectful tone.

“It’s a modest talent, but thanks to your high regard for it, I was able to join the Brans army. I think this is an excellent stage to fulfill my dream. My dream is not to grasp the world with my own hands. My dream is to assist the person who will grasp the world.”

“The person who will grasp the world…”

“Yes.”

To the slightly trembling Lynn, Swen confidently said:

“I’m referring to you, Lady Lynn.”

“…!”

“My goal is to achieve fame and success. I don’t particularly want anything else. Fulfill what I want. I will fulfill what you want.”

After saying that, Swen…

Once again lowered his head even further toward the floor and said:

“Please, give me wings, my lord.”

*

After Swen withdrew.

Finally alone in the audience hall, Lynn was able to regain her composure after letting time dissolve away.

As soon as she could think rationally again, what she did was to ruminate on what Swen had told her.

‘Use him as a compass… is it.’

Did that mean he wanted to be appointed as the national strategist?

Even if not exactly that, it was clear he wanted to be used importantly.

He said he wanted to achieve fame and success. And he also said that the person who would grasp the world was none other than me, Lynn Brans.

So to summarize—he was saying don’t be afraid of him, and please use him.

‘……’

Honestly.

When she heard that his goal was fame and success, she felt somewhat deflated.

With abilities like his, that’s all his ambition amounted to?

Moreover, he was boldly telling Lynn herself that she was “the person who would grasp the world.”

While she herself thought so too, hearing it from someone else’s mouth was a slightly different matter.

Rather than truly thinking so… it felt more like flattery to impress her, the ruler.

Lynn couldn’t erase that thought from her mind.

‘Have I… overestimated him too much?’

She thought, twirling her finger through her hair.

Swen had clearly noticed that she, his lord, feared him.

That’s why he said “there’s no need to fear.”

So despite knowing that she felt fear towards him, he prostrated himself before her like that and said he would use his abilities for her?

Seeing Swen’s excessively submissive attitude made her mind even more complicated.

Thinking that far, she naturally recalled her first meeting with Swen.

He had said that ‘his lord Lunarian Ineanne thought he was a traitor colluding with the Brans army.’

Clearly, his former lord Lunarian had also feared Swen’s abilities and dealt with him in such a manner.

How broad-minded could a weak ruler of a small country be?

If he had experienced such things, it wouldn’t be incomprehensible if he chose self-preservation over harboring grand dreams.

‘Perhaps I’ve overestimated not just Swen’s abilities… but Swen himself.’

Extraordinary ability and bold character didn’t necessarily correlate.

Come to think of it, his reason for disobeying orders was also incredibly simple.

To achieve merit.

He was probably trying to curry favor with Kalintz. As a new general, it would be difficult to establish connections around her, with Farfalle and other meritorious retainers standing guard.

From the point where he defended a fortress that was meaningless if one thought about it a little, even to the extent of disobeying orders just to curry favor, his desire for fame and success didn’t seem false.

Thinking this way made her feel a bit relieved.

Of course, there was a separate true reason why Swen remained at that fortress, but there was no way for Lynn to realize that.

‘…Actually, that’s just about right. If he’s someone with clear desires…’

Lynn gave a sardonic smile.

Yes.

Giving him what he wanted, while not trusting him 100% and extracting only what she needed from him.

Perhaps that would form a win-win relationship between her and Swen.

If Swen’s goal was truly fame and success, she was confident she could provide that.

By doing so and making him dependent on and loyal to her—from then on, she was confident she could handle him somehow.

There was no one easier to manipulate than someone with clear desires.

“Heheheh.”

Lynn’s laughter filled the quiet audience hall.

Yes.

There was no need to be afraid. No matter what anyone said, she was the absolute authority.

‘Swen… slowly prove your abilities, will you? If you do that, I’ll make you unable to live without me…’

She thought this while continuing to twirl her finger through her hair.

She only stopped this behavior after another 30 minutes had passed.

* * *

As I left the palace after the audience, Irene was waiting for me.

“Swen.”

“You should have gone home first.”

“How could I leave without you? We’re heading to the same place anyway.”

She said that, and then suddenly lowered her head slightly—

With a flushed face, she looked up at me and said:

“And… it’s been a while since I’ve gone home. I wanted to go in with you.”

“I see. Me too.”

Irene smiled broadly at my words.

Lately, I’d been able to see her smiling face often.

“…I’m glad.”

On the way home from the royal palace.

She asked me a few questions.

“Did your conversation with the lord go well?”

“Yes.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Nothing special, just planted an illusion in her mind.”

Irene tilted her head at my words.

“Planted an illusion?”

“Yes.”

I smiled and said:

“I gave her the confidence that she might be able to control me as she wishes.”

“Gave her confidence… why on earth?”

“Well, people are more likely to be deceived by someone they think they can handle than someone they fear.”

“The mention of fear concerns me, but what do you mean by ‘deceived’?”

“Because it’s about time for us to leave.”

“…!!”

Irene’s pupils contracted sharply upon hearing my words.

“Before leaving, we need to gather everything we need to make it worthwhile, don’t we?”

She glanced around slightly, then asked in a careful tone:

“When you say it’s time to leave…”

“Yes. Lady Irene, please prepare yourself mentally. We will soon be going to serve a new lord.”

Yes.

Before me, for Irene’s safety as well.

We had to leave this place quickly.

Irene said nothing after hearing my words—

Then, with a faint smile, she said:

“…Alright. Swen, if that’s what you’re thinking, I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

“That’s good enough.”

I smiled along with her.

Between her and me, a stronger bond than ever before was clearly felt.

“Shall we go back now? To our home.”

“Our home… huh.”

Irene repeated the word “our” several times, then looked at me with a bright smile.

Her face, bathed in sunlight, seemed more radiant than ever.

“Yes. Let’s go back, Swen. Together with me. To our home.”

The place where our story began.

It was time to return to East Anel, 32nd Street.