Ch.77Chapter 77. Tectonic Shift (2)

* * *

The royal palace of Einhart Castle, the capital of Serpina’s army and the former capital of the old empire.

“My lord. The troops attacking Kelstein Castle, led by General Irian, have safely departed on the date you specified.”

“Hmm.”

News of the rebellion within the Brans army and the failure to suppress the rebels who sided with the Aeshus army had, of course, reached Serpina’s ears.

Though she didn’t know exactly what had caused such a situation, Serpina wasn’t a woman who would let such a golden opportunity slip by.

Naturally, she had gathered troops as a top priority and immediately launched an invasion of Kelstein Castle.

She hadn’t expected her long-cherished wish of advancing into the central continent to be fulfilled in such an anticlimactic way… but she was a woman who moved based on practical benefits rather than honor.

For Serpina, the results achieved were far more important than the process taken to get there.

Serpina extended her hand toward the messenger who delivered the news with a satisfied expression.

Perhaps it was because her face was so beautiful.

Even the simple act of stretching her hand forward gave the impression of a goddess straight out of a fairy tale.

Anyone would have to acknowledge it when looking at her shimmering golden hair and intense golden eyes that seemed as if they could devour even her hair.

‘This woman was born to reign above us.’

“You’ve worked hard. There’s nothing more to relay, so rest until further orders.”

“Yes, understood!”

After dismissing the messenger,

Jenna, the national advisor who had been standing beside Serpina, approached her and asked:

“General Irian is certainly…”

“The son of General Kremton Al Kaski who died last year. A young man who just came of age this year.”

“I see. I heard he graduated at the top of his class from the Einhart Academy.”

Serpina nodded with interest at Jenna’s words.

“Really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“He’s receiving great expectations from generals fighting across the borders. They say he has exceptional spear skills, even among the prestigious Al Kaski family.”

“Is that so.”

Serpina spoke in a somewhat cold tone.

“Trivial things like reputation mean nothing in this country. This isn’t an era where one can survive on empty talk about belonging to a prestigious family or being nobility like in the imperial days. If he’s truly that exceptional, he can prove it on the battlefield.”

“I agree with your words, my lord.”

Besides Irian Al Kaski, Serpina’s army had countless talented young individuals.

Although the land was relatively barren compared to the central region, Serpina’s army had an overwhelming pool of talent compared to other armies, thanks to controlling the entire vast northern continent where Einhart Castle, the former imperial capital, was located, and the overwhelming legitimacy inherited from the old empire.

While there weren’t many legendary generals who would leave their names in continental history, Serpina’s army had the highest concentration of commanders who could more than earn their keep in any situation or location among all countries on the continent.

“More importantly. The report is late.”

“By report… do you mean about the white-haired man?”

Serpina turned her head toward Jenna for the first time at her words.

“Yes. Didn’t I say? That I want to see that man’s face myself.”

“Well… I didn’t mean to inform you late, but his movements have been quite erratic.”

“Oh?”

Serpina slightly raised one eyebrow with interest.

Though she merely changed her expression, an overwhelming beauty and dignity flowed from her.

“First of all… information about the rebellion in the Brans army.”

“You mean the red-haired female knight Irene defecting to the Aeshus army?”

“Yes. Upon investigation, I found that she wasn’t the only commander who betrayed them at that time.”

“The fact that you’re bringing this up now means…”

“That’s right.”

Jenna nodded and said:

“The white-haired man was also a traitor who betrayed alongside her.”

“I haven’t heard his name yet.”

“They call him Swen. He wasn’t particularly renowned until he performed something like magic at the fortress.”

‘Swen…’

Serpina silently repeated the name several times to herself.

It was certainly a name she was hearing for the first time.

Yet, the shape her lips made when murmuring “Swen” brought a strange sense of comfort to her heart.

Why would simply murmuring the name of a man she’d never met evoke such feelings?

“Anyway, he currently belongs to the Aeshus army. He hasn’t shown any particular distinction since then.”

“I see.”

Serpina tapped the armrest of her throne with her finger.

“What would you like to do?”

“…The Brans army is already finished. Once the border line that should never have fallen has collapsed, there’s no hope left. As we advance into the central region starting with Kelstein, won’t there inevitably come a moment when we share a border with the Aeshus army?”

“You mean…”

“It’s simple. I’ll just repeat what I’ve always done when I want something.”

Serpina wore a relaxed smile on her lips.

It was so seductive that it could truly be called a bewitching smile.

“If that man is hiding in the Aeshus army, I’ll simply crush the Aeshus army. Once they have what I desire, I’ll make them give it up.”

“…”

Jenna carefully asked her lord:

“My lord. May I ask one question?”

“What is it?”

“Why do you want to meet this man called Swen? I mean… is he such a necessary talent for our army? I did mention he might be a magician, but there’s been no news of him using similar magic since the incident at the northern fortress of Kelstein.”

Initially, Jenna had thought that if Swen could be brought over, he absolutely should be.

After all, he might be a magician who had finally appeared on the continent.

But since that day, he hadn’t performed any miracles, not even moving a stone, and had been living quite quietly.

Crucially, the recent defeat of the Brans army by the Aeshus army had nothing to do with his miracles.

Moreover, he was a traitor who had once betrayed his lord.

Regardless of the reason, her honest assessment was that he didn’t have much merit as a subordinate commander.

“…”

Serpina also easily noticed why Jenna had asked such a question.

However, she didn’t give a specific answer.

Or more precisely, she couldn’t give an answer.

The desire to ‘meet the white-haired man’ was, in fact, a deeply personal wish that had little to do with recruiting talent.

At first, she thought he might be the man she had encountered repeatedly in her dreams.

But after realizing that a young man with white hair actually existed, she had begun to feel a fundamental attraction to him that seemed to transcend everything.

This was the first time in her life she had felt this way.

“…Well… I’m not sure myself. This might sound ridiculous, but it’s the truth.”

“I see.”

Jenna didn’t press her lord any further.

“It seems noisy days will continue for a while.”

“We’re simply working toward the day when Serpina will reunify the continent and continue the history of the great Einhart Empire.”

“…”

Serpina didn’t respond to Jenna’s seemingly loyal words.

After Jenna temporarily left to attend to her duties,

Serpina, left alone in the audience chamber, sat on the throne and pondered Jenna’s words.

The great Einhart Empire?

She couldn’t help but feel bitter.

She thought of all that this so-called ‘great Einhart Empire’ had devoured.

‘…Kuh.’

For a moment, the past seemed to surface, but she quickly erased it from her mind.

Memories of the past disappeared into the fog like black ink, sealed deep within her heart.

For her… reminiscing about the past was no longer allowed.

What was permitted to her was only to become a perfect iron ruler and unify the continent.

Since [that moment], especially after [that incident] happened to her… she had been living solely for the reconstruction of the continent.

She had long since abandoned feelings of cursing her bloodline or resenting her fate.

Perhaps…

She thought that this feeling of wanting to meet the man called Swen might be a small deviation for someone like her who lived only for the empire.

She just wanted to quickly confirm his face and verify that he was different from the man in her dreams.

Then she wouldn’t have to wrestle with the old memories that kept surfacing.

‘Swen… if you are indeed the man from my dreams…’

Just before her thoughts trailed off again, Serpina quickly pushed away her identity as ‘Serpina.’

Right now, she had to be Serpina von ‘Einhart.’

Whatever the case, it would end once they met.

Thinking this… she could only wait for something that might never come.

* * *

As I expected, Serpina’s army has begun advancing on Kelstein Castle again.

We could stop them if we used all our strength, but that would be the moment our Aeshus army would be caught by the tail.

The Brans army, which had demonstrated overwhelming influence in the central continent, had collapsed with ridiculous speed.

And a few days later,

News came that the Allepel army had disappeared from the continent and been incorporated into the Aeshus territory.

It seemed that Allepel, the ruler, had been executed.

Due to being pushed to the brink of destruction before our withdrawal, it appeared they had been conquered without much difficulty.

Although the Charam army remained, Yurie’s goal wasn’t the Charam army, which could be overthrown at any time, but the Raclaine Castle of the Brans army, so she wasn’t sending additional expeditionary forces.

If she were to take Raclaine Castle, she would certainly become a lord who could exert considerable influence.

Only now had the Aeshus army begun to expand its territory and demonstrate its presence on the continent.

Irene and I had returned to our duties at Balhart Castle after that day.

The occupation forces were led by the Aeshus Three Beauties, headed by Epinel, while Irene remained in the capital as a general defending the capital and training troops.

For my part, I had to help with Reika’s training at the request of Ginor and Yurie.

Yurie was the type to repeatedly employ the founding meritorious generals who had helped her.

From the perspective of being promoted to key positions for achievements, one might have complaints, but neither I nor Irene had any complaints—rather, we were quite satisfied with this treatment.

What I liked most was that she didn’t have to be sent to dangerous battlefields.

After all, she was going to fight a lot under the Lunarian army later, and I also felt that we had already done enough for the Aeshus army.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

“Mm. See you this evening.”

“Today, please brew that tea we haven’t had in a while. You know, the one with the smoked aroma.”

“Sure.”

Irene nodded with a smile.

Living together with her now felt quite natural.

In fact, I would probably feel empty if Irene wasn’t in the room.

‘…I wonder when Lady Luna will raise her army.’

Perhaps that’s why.

These days, I was counting the days until the Lunarian army would reappear on the stage of history.

As soon as our affiliation became the Lunarian army, I planned to propose to Irene.

Of course, there was a possibility that the proposal would be rejected… but I felt I should at least say something to avoid regrets.

‘I wish I could get a prediction result for whether Irene would accept if I proposed to her.’

It would probably answer “Unknown” with high probability.

A brain with 100 intelligence might know what results would come from wars between nations, but it couldn’t predict people’s hearts.

At times like this, it felt like an inconvenient cheat ability, but having this ability was better than nothing.

After all, it was thanks to this ability that I was able to save Irene.

Lost in these thoughts, I arrived at the Nighthart family mansion.

It was time to spend time with Reika.

‘Well then, let’s go in.’

I stepped into the mansion.