episode_0168

* * *

It was about a few days after they formed an alliance and returned to Annell Castle that Farfalle realized Lin’s strange phenomenon.

“Are you talking about Zeeland Castle? … ?”

“Yes! I plan to go catch Runarien myself.”

She had a very innocent expression and spoke in a confident tone… …

They were saying that they would invade the Lunarien army, which had already been destroyed for a long time.

“I… … I don’t really understand what you’re saying.”

“What is it? Farfalle, didn’t you even check the situation? Shouldn’t we gradually integrate the western continent?”

“No, I mean… … The western continent is already occupied by our Brans army-”

“What do you mean, Farfalle? Even you, a smart person, sound like an idiot. Of course, the western continent is already in the hands of our military. There are only weaklings out there, right?”

“… … What is that… … .”

Farfalle slowly looked at her.

A crazy sense of discomfort.

Confidence that conversation is not working properly.

at that time.

‘for a moment. If it’s the Lunarien army… … no way.’

Farfalle carefully asked a question in a slightly trembling voice.

“I… … My lord. Excuse me, Lunarien… … May I ask why you are invading?”

“Huh? that’s right. Have I told you yet? Yes. Not long ago, that country came to you asking for an armistice agreement. Why, the battle where that stupid woman couldn’t even capture a castle.”

“… … .”

“The man who came to me there… … Because it looks so delicious… … ♡ I want to test it under me as soon as possible. Recruiting talent before unifying the continent is the most important thing, right?”

-ah.

The moment the vaguely anticipated guess became true, Farfalle could not help but sigh involuntarily.

“Master… … !!”

After returning, Rin, who had been staying in her room, doing nothing, and refusing to talk to anyone, suddenly said she would take care of the affairs again, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

I thought that my lord had finally made up his mind. Although the lost territory was painful, I thought I had the power to recover if I started again step by step from now on.

The northern threat was blocked. As time passed, the number of people eligible for conscription increased to some extent.

I thought that the Aceas Islands in the east and the countries in the south were also worth a try.

It was definitely like that.

“Now. We’ll get ready to go right away. About 80,000 soldiers, with Brother Chell as the vanguard, right?”

“Master, that is-”

“I know, I know. Farfalle, that’s all I can say. Does this mean that you should use that woman carefully? okay. Since I’ll be guarding the castle walls right now anyway, I guess I’ll have some free time. As you said, I will call him and place him in the vanguard. Okay then?”

As I said that, I looked at Rin with the same confident smile that she used to have when she was doing well in the past… …

Farfalle felt a sense of despair that she had never felt before.

* * *

The first thing Farfalle did after realizing that her master was a bit strange was to quietly do as Rin told her and then exclude her from central politics.

It was clear that if the words of the monarch, Lin, to go and attack a weak nation that had long since fallen into disrepair reached the ears of his subordinate generals, there would be chaos that would be difficult to explain in words.

It was Farfalle’s choice to go to Zeeland Castle as instructed, then place her in a separate building under the pretext of a search and hide her until she came to her senses.

‘Rin… … .’

How did that bright woman collapse like that?

They are trying to help her come to her senses by begging doctors and even religious figures who have already disappeared… … It was never easy.

She often shows symptoms similar to those of elderly people who are senile, but isn’t she too young to be senile?

There was nothing she could do in a situation where her pride, which was much stronger than that of others, could not bear the humiliation she had experienced and turned it all into nothing.

Maybe I could do something if I had magic.

Swen, who showed miraculous powers, is no longer with us.

So, now all she can do is-

I just hoped and prayed that one day things would suddenly get better, just like Rin, who had stabilized, suddenly became like this one day.

“Swen is also really embarrassed. I don’t know how long I’ll be hiding. It’s not like I’m going to kill her, and if she comes to me, I’ll be prettier than anyone else. I will provide as many women as you want, and I am willing to grant you a certain amount of power to please me as long as you serve me. Isn’t that right, farfalle?”

“… … Yes.”

“That woman, you’re sure she didn’t do a proper search on purpose, right? They’re talking nonsense, telling me to chase down Lunarien for no reason. You seem like a bitch who has no idea what’s important right now. Anyway, try talking to her nicely. If you find Swen, I will still reward you.”

“Understood, my lord.”

“Okay. How is the situation now?”

“Currently… … Our military is gradually occupying the western continent. I think I’ll be able to conquer it soon. Serpina-kun is not showing any particular movement.”

Lin, who heard Farfalle’s words, smiled brightly and said.

“Really? I’m glad. I was concerned because it seemed like Annel Castle had been away for too long. We need to find Swen quickly and return to the castle… … When I meet you, I have to treat you two or three times more favorably. You made me come all the way here and then put so much effort into it… … Hehehe… … ♡”

“… … Yes.”

“I understand. Come in. I’ll be here thinking about what our military should do in the future. Let’s see.”

Rin spoke in a sly tone, stood up, unfolded the map, and began to mumble and write something down with a quill.

Without saying anything more, Farfalle quietly left the room and closed the door.

“Are you here?”

Farfalle handed the money bag he had prepared to the priest who was waiting for him at the door.

The priest accepted it with a very kind expression, clasped his hands together politely, bowed, and spoke.

“Let’s pray, Mr. Farfalle. I hope God will treat you well, Lin Brans… … .”

“… … .”

May God bless you, huh?

I laughed out loud, wondering if the situation itself had been abandoned by God in the first place, but in the end, the only thing I could rely on now was the priest’s prayer.

please.

Please come back to the bright person you used to be.

No, even if that’s not the case, if only Lin would return to being the person who discerned between right and wrong… … .

Reflecting on those vain hopes, Farfalle slowly left the annex.

* * *

It’s already been a few days since I stayed in the outbuilding.

Rin, who was tired of the inconvenient progress reports that kept coming in, was spending time alone complaining.

“Why on earth is it taking so long? I wonder why that stupid bitch is taking so much time when she can’t find anyone.”

I had to quickly find Swen and then go back and focus on state affairs, but I never thought I would waste so much time in this insignificant castle.

I don’t know why, but my vision was constantly frustrating and I was being chased by the thought that I had to do something quickly, so my mind was busy, but I couldn’t see a way out, so for Rin, there couldn’t be a more frustrating situation than that.

“This is all probably the result of that stupid woman not handling her work properly.”

In this way, if there was a word she kept mentioning – it was ‘stupid woman’.

A red-haired female knight who honestly swore loyalty no matter what she did.

” That woman, even though she was frustrated, she was always good at exploring things. therefore… … The name… … .”

however… …

For some reason, I couldn’t remember the woman’s name.

“Wait a minute. Now that I think about it… … What was her name?”

Something that I never once recognized while complaining endlessly.

The very moment I recognized that woman’s ‘name’-

Rin suddenly felt a chill in his stomach.

like… … When I remembered this, I felt like everything would be resolved.

And, when I started thinking about it… … I felt like the vision in front of my eyes, which had been somewhat frustrating, was becoming clearer.

Rin slowly focused his thoughts on that ‘stupid woman’.

“Always to me… … Pledged loyalty.”

“Master. ■■■■■■■, just arrived.”

slap!

“What are you doing? If you had taken over the castle sooner, there wouldn’t have been this humiliation. How many more days do you need?”

“I’m sorry, my lord. I failed to capture the castle due to my shortcomings.”

“Even though I experienced something unfair, I never complained.”

“Why have you been saying this and that since a while ago? You say I don’t have to chase. Are you going to complain to me? Are you bored because there is no blood on your knife today? Please at least bury your blood?”

“… … no. Sorry.”

“Even if he didn’t listen to my opinions, he always gave me advice.”

‘Try to make a contribution.■■■. Prove that it’s not just words?’

“Even when I was put to death, he would listen to me without protesting… … .”

I am.

I tried to drive it into limbs with my own hands.

her name.

That stupid woman.

The name of the foolish woman who knew nothing other than listening to me was――

“Yes! ■■■■■, I will do my best to deliver good news in accordance with my lord’s orders.”

“This is ■■ Len Jule■■, who is at the forefront. I’m really happy to be able to report victory this time.”

“That child■ Jules■ette, will gladly become a shield to protect the master. Please order anything.”

“――Irene.”

Grumble.

Tears flowed from her blue eyes without any resistance.

“Iren, Iren… … .”

As soon as I think of that name-

Suddenly, tears started flowing non-stop.

And then he realizes what he did to her.

I am.

I hurt Irene.

Irene, who was so loyal to me and whom my father told me to use carefully… … Just because of my useless pride, I was driven to death…

I was trying to kill her.

As a result, she lost it and Swen lost it too. Lin repeatedly made foolish choices without gaining anything, and as a result, the momentum of Brans’s army began to completely decline.

“da… … It’s all my fault… … Irene… … .”

Only tears fell to the floor.

I cried for a while and looked around.

This place is a separate building.

It is a separate building of Zeeland Castle.

I am here… … I came to destroy the Lunarien army and capture Swen as a prisoner to recruit him… … ?

‘… … uh?’

for a moment.

why me… … You were trying to destroy the already ruined Lunarien army, right?

“… … !!!!”

By directly recalling the keyword ‘already ruined and gone’, all the memories came back to her mind.

What have you done so far?

What happened as a result.

“Ah… … !!”

Slurp.

Rin collapsed on the spot and shed tears again.

It wasn’t Swen that he had to desperately seek out and ask for forgiveness.

Not Swen… … It was Irene.

Lastly, he was the one who threw away the opportunity that Swen had given him.

Even though I knew I had done wrong to Irene, I continued to turn my eyes away from the truth until the very end, thinking that if only I could get Swen back, I could solve it somehow –

Isn’t this a waste of time here, wasting manpower needlessly?

“No… … It can’t collapse like this… … .”

There was nothing I could do about what had already happened… … Anyway, I couldn’t just sit here like this.

Lin absolutely had to see Irene again.

I had no intention of asking her to take me back, or anything like that.

I just wanted to apologize to her. somehow. I had no intention of being forgiven, but I wanted to say that I was truly sorry.

It was my first time.

Rin got rid of her unexplained hatred for Irene and decided that she wanted to sincerely apologize to her.

Only after being pushed to the end of the abyss of destruction and hitting the bottom… … Her head started to turn like before.

* * *