episode_0165

“… … Yes?”

I asked again, wondering if I had misheard something.

Her expression didn’t change at all, and she just repeated what she said to me.

“Tonight, stay by her side. That is my command to you, Swen.”

Serpina said that, smiled, and slowly emptied the glass.

therefore… … Are you asking me to stay with you at night?

“Are you asking for an escort?”

“Sorry if it’s a joke I worked hard to prepare, but it’s not that funny.”

“No… … It’s not a joke, but… … .”

Of course, I had no intention of making a joke or anything like that.

I really didn’t think she asked me to be an escort.

‘no way… … .’

Serpina looked at me intently and laughed as if it was fun.

“If Yeo told you that she was asking you to wait on her at night, would you be angry?”

“I don’t get angry. How could I be angry with my lord?”

“Hehehe. Swen. Contrary to what you say, you look very troubled. I guess this body isn’t very attractive to you?”

“… … That’s not the problem.”

“I want an answer to this question.”

After sighing, I followed her rhythm.

“My lord, you are a very attractive person. It’s the same for others, and of course it’s the same for me.”

“But why are you looking so embarrassed?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t like her, but it was dangerous to get deeply involved.

Even more so when he is drunk and touches his master.

I had no family or power to support me. It was said that there was a possibility that it would be removed in any case.

It was a problem as long as it worked out well. She could not unify the continent. It was destined to be defeated by Runarien someday. He would leave her one day, and it was a fact that could be known without even having to predict that if his relationship with her became deeper than this, various difficult situations would arise.

In other words, there is no need to throw yourself into a minefield because you are fascinated by women.

The scent of citron that lingered in my mouth all day was shaking my heart more strongly than ever before –

Still, now was the time to endure it.

“… … You’ve drunk a lot, my lord.”

“Are you avoiding it? The opening is very serious.”

“It’s not about avoiding it. If your lord is truly serious, wouldn’t it be better to talk when both parties are of pure mind?”

Serpina’s pupils widened slightly when she heard what I said.

good. Would you like to take advantage of her weakened moment and hint at her?

“It’s difficult to look after you at night, but I can at least spend time with you. Because I’m free anyway.”

“You are a man with a more upright nature than I thought. Or maybe it’s because someone else already has a place in that heart.”

“… … .”

“I have more to say, but I won’t. Because I don’t want to incur your hatred. Didn’t you tell me? I want to make you mine. I will do my best to please you.”

After saying that, hehe, he laughed once and then followed her as she emptied her glass again –

I also took a sip of wine.

The slightly bitter scent of grapes flowed pleasantly down my throat.

After that, we exchanged glances without saying anything.

I remained silent without saying anything.

I guess now is not the time for me to talk, but rather the time to listen to her story.

After a few minutes passed-

Serpina carefully removed her lips.

“Swen. I am… … Very, very lonely.”

Serpina’s eyes looked towards the empty wine glass.

She muttered in a slightly sad tone, as if she were a sinner who had come to the confessional.

“He ran tirelessly with a single sense of mission: to rebuild the collapsed empire. It was okay even if no one was around. Because a monarch is a being who must overcome loneliness. Whether I wanted it or not, I came up here thinking that since I was born with Eigart’s blood, it was something I had to shoulder.”

I slowly filled her empty glass.

She takes it and drinks it without saying a word. This entire process flowed very naturally, like water.

“One of the things I swore to become a monarch to rebuild the empire was to trust everyone who was on my side no matter what. Aren’t these people who only work for me in these difficult times? but… … Many times, many people have already left this body. He always cursed me at the last moment. From the mouth where we talked about our future together… … It’s really funny that it didn’t take long for the blade to come out at me.”

“Master… … .”

“Yesterday, all rebels were executed. I can’t forget the hateful eyes that those who said they would swear loyalty to me over and over again looked at me. I am… … pain. It seems like all of this happened through Yeo’s fault, not someone else’s, and the thought that she failed to prevent something that could have been prevented through her foolishness continues to shake me.”

Serpina emptied her glass again.

Did she continue to witness the betrayal of her generals?

How does it feel to realize that those who were loyal to you are sharpening their swords to kill you behind your back?

And that continues at intervals of several months.

If you were an ordinary person, this would be something that would have mentally broken you long ago. I also felt like I would have a hard time staying sane.

Until she got to that point, I wondered if what she relied on was alcohol, not people… … Slightly, my heart was drawn to her.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve done this. I carry on Sidmid’s will, I carry on Algot’s will… … Every time I feel like my brothers who are already dead and gone have been wandering around me like ghosts for years… … Am I really doing well? Do you understand that I cannot help but wonder whether the seat I am sitting in right now is the right place for me to sit?”

Serpina’s golden eyes looked very lonely as she said that.

She always showed unrivaled charisma… … It seemed very dangerous at this moment.

Should I say that she is like Irene from back in the day when she was reminded again and again of her loyalty that would never return under Brans’ army?

Irene at that time felt as if she would break if she was touched by mistake, and the same was true for Serpina now.

“Swen, answer me. How many more people’s blood will I have to swallow in the future? Because I sat in a position that was only given to me, I saw allies rather than enemies, people who once worked with me… … A few more people, not with anyone else, but with my own hands… … Should I send it?”

“… … .”

I tried typing out the question she asked just in case.

As expected, only the meaningless answer [Unknown] was output.

How good would it have been to be able to tell her something worthwhile here?

“Okay. Know. Opening… … I shouldn’t be weakened by something like this. I know very well that I am sitting in a place where I am not allowed to. I am… … Because I followed Eingart’s will. Because we are carrying the mission of unifying this continent… … .”

After saying that, Serpina put a very bitter smile on her lips.

What should I say to her?

I organized model answers in my head.

‘Master, you must be strong-hearted. If the lord is shaken, they will become even more excited and run amok, and the country’s discipline will collapse… … ‘This should be enough.’

okay.

It was definitely a problem where you could have found something that could be considered a model answer and then just said it as is.

“… … My lord.”

“Tell me.”

“What I mean is to be strong-minded… … I won’t give it to you. Even if it’s not me, you’ve probably heard it from others, and your lord knows best himself.”

Looking at her lonely eyes-

I couldn’t come up with a ‘calculated answer’.

“These are difficult times. Nevertheless, no one gets used to killing someone. In order to continue to gain strength in this situation, I think we need a moment of rest. so… … .”

“I think one way would be to relax and be weak for a day or so.”

“… … .”

I looked around, took an empty glass from the cupboard, and filled it with wine.

“The lord said, ‘We must not be weakened by something like this,’ but it means killing dozens of people, including those who were our allies. I realized that the people I trusted were pointing their swords at me. We know that it is not a light weight. Whether it is the monarch of a country or an ordinary person, not many people take the lives of others easily.”

“Swen… … .”

Was it simply sympathy?

Or, was it an action to win her favor?

Either that or… … What exactly am I feeling right now?

One thing was certain: I wanted to be her strength now.

Apart from everything else, this was the only fact that shined clearly.

Serpina looked at me in silence for a while with a red, drunken face –

Soon, he slowly released his lips.

“Swen. Can’t you be with me?”

“As I said, I am serving my lord in Serpina County. Is this not enough?”

“… … Are you not leaving my side?”

“Of course-”

I wish I could have said, “Isn’t that so?”

But the words just can’t seem to get out of my throat.

I am… … I couldn’t possibly tell a lie to Serpina, who was now falling apart.

“Swen. I don’t know what you think… … Yeo’s life was a series of days when she could not trust anyone. The general I trusted was anxious because he couldn’t kill me, calling me a witch, and the trickster who always gave me reliable advice was plotting to assassinate me behind the scenes. They always asked me to trust them, and I believed them too. Of course, I gave in to everything they asked for, but… … The results were all the same. Everyone left Yeo’s side.”

“But, you were different. You never forced your faith on me. Instead, it just showed the results. Without expecting anything in return from me, just hint and naturally, so that your efforts are not obvious… … Not only was it not enough to nip treason in the bud twice like that, it even saved my life.”

Of course, belief could not be forced.

The reason was simple. Because even I didn’t know the basis for belief.

It was just something that happened, but it seemed like it was something very special to Serpina.

“I just did what I had to do.”

“Okay. I thought you would say that. If you asked for something, I might be able to hold you too… … .”

She said that, smiled bitterly, and then shook her head.

“No. There is still time left for you.”

“Are you talking about time?”

“Swen, it’s time to convince you.”

She said that and smiled again.

Strangely enough, I thought it was a childlike, innocent smile.

“It’s embarrassing to bring this up directly, but even looking like this, she’s a pretty nice girl. If it somehow pleases you, won’t you leave even if you tell it to? Huhuhu.”

Serpina said that and raised the glass and held it out to me.

It is not difficult for me to realize that it means to clink glasses lightly.

The refreshing sound of glasses clinking together filled the quiet room.

“I told you about it earlier, right? It’s okay to be together today. I hope you keep your word, Swen.”

“Okay.”

So I spent the night with her.

Honestly, she could have refused if she wanted to, and since she didn’t bother to offend me, there was a good chance she would have let me go, but-

Right now, I just wanted to protect her as she shook so much.

The reason is that-

‘I sat in the seat that was only given to me… … ‘I said.’

The sentence she spit out in a flowing manner.

Maybe until she gets up there, I don’t know-

No, I thought there might be an inside story that no one knows about.

anyway.

It was my decision to stay by his side.

My heart, which only belonged to Luna, was shaken just a little… … I couldn’t deny it.