episode_0023

“Of course, as you said, it is definitely a dangerous method.”

If a good opportunity comes along, you have no choice but to take advantage of it.

That was my method of survival that I could only predict.

“But it’s okay. There is a very high chance that I will not die.”

Even if the future in which one does not die is 100% determined, the word ‘possibility’ is mentioned without making it obvious.

Kane will be more impressed by how much I have no intention of betraying him.

“What Rin is targeting is me as a person. Perhaps I will be spared. But without me, Lin, unable to get what he wanted, will use his overwhelming force to hunt us down and search us. It won’t last long. Moreover, if Lunarien is caught by Lin, he will definitely die. Even though Lin is the ruler of a weak country, he has a habit of not forgiving those who competed with him for the world.”

I looked into Kane’s eyes and said.

I felt the momentum pass over me.

“As Kane said, raising new troops is very difficult. We don’t know how many years it will take. However, if you die, it’s over. It’s all over. But if you’re alive, you can do anything. Even if it takes time, if breath can continue. As long as Luna, the spirit of our military, is alive, we can do anything. Now, at this moment when the Lunarien army is in danger of being ignited, it is time to run away in order to continue without extinguishing the lantern.”

“… … .”

Kane listened to me and sighed briefly.

He then said with a slight smile.

“You are really risking your life.”

Well, since you are risking your life on a brain with 100 intelligence, it is a safe asset.

“I understand. I will trust you.”

“You won’t regret it.”

A way to save Kane, Tifa, and the two mercenary groups along with Lunarien.

Left alone in the castle where everyone else had left, he surrendered to Lin Brans.

This would definitely be best.

I turned my head and looked at the leaders.

“Gustav and Aaron, please take your mercenary group and leave the central region for the time being. Someday, when the Lunarien army reappears, please join us.”

“… … Okay.”

“Well, it’s not difficult… … .”

“And, as I just said, half of our Lunarien army’s troops will each be assigned to the mercenary group’s troops. Please take everyone with you.”

The two leaders who heard those words looked surprised.

“Swen… … Are you really serious about what you say?”

“Yes.”

“… … .”

Gustav nodded slowly and opened his mouth.

“We are a mercenary group. We work on request without belonging to any country. And as long as the Lunarien army to which we have pledged allegiance does not exist on the continent, we can use its troops to do work for other countries.”

“It’s okay. The Lunarien army will reappear on the scene of history. Please help us at that time.”

“… … That’s a lot of confidence. Swen is such an amazing person.”

After hearing Gustav’s words, Aaron nodded and said.

“Okay. I’m going to leave this place for a moment. All soldiers will be treated the same as existing mercenaries.”

“That’s something I’m grateful for.”

I said while looking at Tifa and Kane.

“Tifa, please help Gustav in assigning soldiers to the Raven mercenaries, and Kane, please help Aaron in assigning soldiers to the Chilean mercenaries. Enemy troops will soon attack, so move as quickly as possible.”

“I understand.”

“… … Oh, is this the only way?”

Just like that, the remaining four people left.

Instructions were also given to Luna, who was left alone in the castle.

“Master. All you need to do is gather as many troops as possible and prepare to escape without interfering with the escape. Take Tifa and Kane with you and plan the future. Then, new opportunities will come to our military.”

“… … … .”

Luna was lowering her head without answering anything.

“Master?”

One more time, after calling her-

She spoke with a pitiful expression, like glass that would shatter if touched.

“… … Mr. Swen.”

“Please tell me.”

“Life… … Do you have to walk? Can’t you come with us?”

“… … .”

If going together was the right decision, I would have gone.

However, the brain of ‘Intelligence 100’ was categorically telling me to leave Lunarien County.

For the sake of the future, I shouldn’t be with them at this moment.

“That’s right. The purpose of Lin Brans is… … This is not the destruction of Zeeland Castle or the Lunarien Army. It’s me.”

“Why… … ?”

“As I said, it looks like they want to recruit me as a subordinate to Brans.”

Luna, who heard what I said, barely managed to squeeze it out in a trembling voice.

“But… … Me, I.”

Luna slowly raised her trembling hand and held onto my sleeve tightly.

Only then did I realize it. That she was crying.

“I… … I can’t leave Swen behind. Swen is being pushed into the abyss of danger, and he cannot escape alone.”

“It is not dangerous. You will definitely survive. And, I will definitely return to my master.”

“But, but… … Still, even so, I can’t make Swen a scapegoat for the sake of the future… … !”

at that time.

Maybe I was in tears.

Had he developed feelings for this woman during their time together?

I placed my hand firmly on her shoulder, holding on to the hem of my dress.

The sound of “Chak” filled the empty palace.

And then yell at her.

“Lunarien Inian!!!”

“… … !!!”

She looks at my face in surprise.

Ruby-colored eyes were shaking like a puppy that had lost its owner.

“… … Didn’t you say you would bring peace to the world? Didn’t you say that the day you recommended me that you would unify the continent yourself, not someone else?”

“That… … Gun.”

“I remember you saying that you have infinite trust in me. Was it really a lie?”

“… … Oh, no. I just… … .”

I told her sincerely.

“I am not trying to be a scapegoat. As your subject, I simply chose the best move. You will definitely survive. And we will definitely meet again.”

And then, slowly looking into her eyes… … .

He spoke of a promise that was bound to come true someday.

“Lunarien. If you trust me, I will put the world in your hands in return.”

“!!!”

I could see her pupils contracting in surprise.

This is not a lie.

With this decision, the unification of her continent will be accelerated.

“So… … For now, for the sake of the future, please run away. I will deal with Brans on my own.”

“… … Black.”

Drop, drop.

Tears began to flow from her eyes again.

And then… … It was brought to me without a word.

I naturally hugged her.

I consoled her as much as I could to help her stop crying and regain her composure.

“It’s okay. Luna. Please trust me. I will definitely come back to see Luna again.”

“… … Okay.”

After she slowly got away from me-

He wiped his tears, looked at me, and opened his mouth trembling.

“… … You must, must come back.”

“I promise. I will definitely return to your side.”

This wasn’t a lie either.

Since the monarch who would unify the continent was Lunarien anyway, the right answer was to be by her side.

“… … Then.”

I shouted again at Luna who turned around and ran away.

“Master! Be healthy! And, if the opportunity comes, don’t miss it! I will definitely return to your side!”

She paused, turned around and looked at my face for a moment –

Soon he turned his head again and quickly left the royal castle.

‘… … .’

If you think about it-

Luna was probably the only monarch who would believe in me just by saying, ‘Please trust me.’

Without listening to any additional explanation, I just listened to one word… … .

Now I have that thought.

Even if you say, ‘If I’m wrong, cut off my head,’ if you say you don’t know if your head is worth it, that’s the end.

No matter how small a country it is and no matter how talented it is… … In the end, trust was a matter that could only be decided by the monarch.

In fact, the reason I was able to push forward my opinion without hesitation was because she, the monarch, trusted me unconditionally.

The unconditional advice of a person with 100 intelligence was meaningless if the monarch did not listen to it.

When I came to my senses thinking that, there were tears forming in the corners of my eyes.

I roughly wiped it off with my sleeve.

‘This is not the time to be here whining and being emotional.’

I had work to do.

I set out to complete my final mission as the Lunarien army’s strategist.

* * *

Luna ran out of the royal castle and quickly ran to the barracks where the soldiers were gathered.

Even while running… … She continued to shed tears.

‘Swen… … ‘Mr. Swen.’

Swen was speaking with confidence. That Lin Brans would save his life.

But- Luna heard those words.

These words came from a heartfelt conversation with Kane.

They say there is a ‘high chance’ of survival.

This was the first time that he, who always asserted his opinions with certainty, uttered the ambiguous word ‘high possibility’.

High probability does not mean 100%. Very low probability – it means that there is a situation where you will eventually die.

So, Swen is now… …

In a situation where you might die, isn’t it the same as sacrificing yourself for the Lunarien army?

‘sorry. Mr. Swen. I am… … Because I am a powerless monarch. Because he is such an ugly leader that he can’t do anything in this situation… … .’

He was the only person who came to this weak country for the first time, where no one came no matter how many offers he made while traveling around the continent.

Luna herself, far from opposing the idea of using the gold that suddenly appeared for the people of the territory to provide relief to them, supported the idea, and out of consideration for the people of the territory, she understood even if she did not conscript troops as efficiently as possible.

If only I had been a little more determined as a leader there.

If you invested all of your gold into city development and conscripted as much as possible to build more soldiers.

So wouldn’t it have been okay not to sacrifice Swen?

Of course, she knew very well that nothing would change.

The enemy is a large army of over 80,000 people.

From the point of view of a weak country, it had no choice but to move towards destruction from the moment it caught Lin’s eye.

‘… … Swen… … .’

After muttering Swen’s name over and over again, she realized.

Here and now, I regret not being harsh in the past, and if I keep mumbling apologies that he won’t hear, nothing will be resolved.

If I truly cared about him sacrificing everything for our military – I had to completely believe him when he said that this was the best situation for us right now.

Swen said.

If you believe in me, I will hold the world in your hands.

And he also said this: Don’t miss the opportunity. If I do that, I will definitely survive and come back to you.

‘… … I will believe it. I believe in Swen, and I will survive somehow. Even if it is a somewhat heartless decision, I will never miss out on an opportunity when it comes. Everything that happened today and everything you said to me… … I will live my life without forgetting a single word. ‘Mr. Swen.’

Luna thought.

If he has the qualifications to unify this continent in human form, it must be a man named Swen.

‘So, definitely, definitely… … I’ll definitely see you again, Swen. If you can’t come, I will do whatever it takes to find you… … please… … .’

A corner of the heart of a leader named Runarien Inien – a woman named Luna.

There was one piece that could never be removed, firmly embedded in the deepest part of her.