episode_0194

*

After that day.

I became so close to Serpina that I could almost be considered her personal attendant.

It can be said that I naturally follow where she goes.

Serpina asked me to become your wife.

That means – marriage proposal.

She was basically asking me to marry her.

Of course, since then, there have been no terrible developments just imagining things like forcing marriage or killing people if they don’t marry, but-

While talking to her, sometimes we even make eye contact.

“… … ♥”

Because of Serpina’s eye smile, I often got so nervous that I couldn’t concentrate on my work.

If you think about it.

If she had approached me in a more burdensome way, I would have naturally thought that I would want to stay away from her.

Serpina was surprisingly good at keeping that ‘line’. Because of his seemingly insurmountable attitude, it was truly an amazing strategy to make the other person impatient.

In a situation where an incredibly beautiful blonde woman says with sincerity in her sparkling gold eyes that she wants to have a child… …

Still, I felt like it was okay to hear that it was amazing to maintain this level of composure.

It wasn’t a place like a royal castle or a mansion, and whenever she went outside, not only I but also the four escort knights who were always accompanying her were with her.

That person included someone who was extremely precious to me – Irene.

She was the only person who knew that Serpina might be assassinated.

The job of a guard knight protecting the monarch was certainly not suitable for the second-in-command of an occupying force, but-

After realizing long ago that this was my intention, I was carrying out my work well without any complaints.

Even if it wasn’t necessarily that, she was originally raised to be used as Rin’s bodyguard. He became a general based solely on his ability and earned the title of ‘Siege Warfare Specialist’, and since he was now doing what he had learned since childhood, it was natural that he had no objection to this mission.

I constantly shared the situation with Irene.

“What do you think?”

Irene lowered her voice and spoke to me carefully.

“I don’t feel any other strange signs. It’s not like there are any rumors going around.”

I thought that if there was an assassination, there would definitely be signs, so I’ve been talking to Irene often lately.

According to Iren’s words, there didn’t seem to be any special signs.

He asked me to tell him right away if he felt anything strange, but he just kept quiet and focused on his work.

“But there is a very high possibility that there is something there.”

“I know that. Not anyone else, Swen, because you say so. I will also continue to keep an eye on you, and the rest of the escorts are all excellent people, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

When I see Iren saying that, I think of it again.

Come to think of it.

At some point, she stopped asking me for ‘reasons’.

Even now, he just believes the words ‘Master is in danger’ and silently does what I tell him to do in order to help me in some way.

After Serpina became aware of my ‘mind’s eye’ ability, she listened to me without asking why.

Iren and Serpina… … As soon as I remembered that what I said was giving me a lot of trust because I knew in retrospect that I was right.

Suddenly I thought of that person.

The ruby-eyed monarch who believed in me unconditionally, even though I had nothing to show him yet.

“… … .”

“Swen?”

“No. I’m just confused for a moment.”

“If anything happens, it’s okay to tell me. I’ll give you some advice.”

“Thank you.”

After talking to Irene like this-

Once again, the time came to give Serpina advice on overall state administration.

“According to your words, I dispatched Rude to Roget Castle.”

“Well done.”

Perhaps the optimal results will come rolling in again. I don’t know what principles are applied, but I now feel familiar with the results that are beneficial to our military.

It’s just that he doesn’t have the courage to do anything, and he’s actually acting as a government agent… …

It’s okay now that Jenna is away because she’s traveling around the continent checking for possible rebellions, but how will this relationship be maintained after she returns?

It was obvious that if I stepped up from her seat, it would definitely be a big problem. Perhaps there will be another rebellion, and even if not, there will be many people who will not like my presence, which is a stone that suddenly came rolling in.

There were a few people like Irian and Irene who would firmly be on my side, but to some generals, I would still feel like an enemy in the battle to take over Kelstein Castle and a migratory bird who changed monarchs three times.

And as expected.

After learning a bit about my abilities, I asked the question I had been asking again.

“Swen. Am I, Serpina von Eingart, capable of becoming the monarch of a unified continent and taking over this world?”

When she asked that question, her eyes were closer to those of a curious girl than to those of a leader.

Should I say that it’s as if I’m asking, ‘I’ve worked this hard, so wouldn’t it be okay to say I’m finally qualified?’

of course.

Although the answer to that question has never changed.

“I don’t think that’s the case yet.”

“Really? That’s what I’m saying.”

She might have been disappointed at least once when she kept hearing that she couldn’t do it over and over again, but she didn’t show any signs of it and spoke with a confident expression.

“It seems like you still lack sincerity and ability.”

“Master… … .”

“But, I don’t care at all. Because she has you. A white-haired wizard who came to my side as if by fate… … Weren’t you by my side?”

Serpina said that and stroked my cheek with her white hand.

I am once again surprised at myself for not hating that touch so much.

“Swen. If you continue to be with me in the future… … You will definitely be able to win the world. I am confident that rebuilding the once splendid empire will not be just a dream if I am with you.”

I didn’t respond to anything she said, but she didn’t mind and just looked at me and talked.

“So, keep telling me various things. Light the way forward, Swen. Until then, you will be with her for the rest of your life. Hehehe… … ♥”

Serpina blushed profusely and looked at me with an expression that made me crazy with love.

I felt her voice becoming more and more sticky.

The longing for me in her eyes was becoming more explicit as time went by.

If there is anything else that has changed, is it that the frequency with which she looks as if she is about to break has decreased?

It seemed that the fact that I, who was ‘seen as saying only the right things’, continued to help her by her side played a quite positive role in her mental health.

It seemed like he believed in my words, “Predictions vary depending on the situation,” and thought that if you keep knocking, a path will open someday.

So, of course, you want to keep me.

A lord’s obsession with capable subjects was not that strange.

So the next day, and the day after that.

He continued to say, ‘My lord cannot be the monarch of a unified empire,’ but—

Serpina did not give in and continued to rely on me to lead state affairs.

To me, it seemed as if she was resisting the enormous evil karma that was weighing on her shoulders, the malice that was trying to crush her that she continued to face at every moment.

‘… … .’

The more I spend with her… … I felt like a big rock was pressing down on me.

In the end, in the long run, it’s not only for Serpina’s sake but also for Luna’s sake, isn’t it?

Serpina’s survival was essential for Luna’s unification conditions, and being able to maintain contact with Serpina in a situation where there was a risk of assassination was also the best condition to protect her.

But why is it so frustrating?

Time just passed by day by day, without being able to come to a conclusion about the stirrings in my mind.

* * *

How many days have already passed since I spent it that way?

That day was a day when the sky was particularly blue.

I was accompanying Serpina on the outskirts of the walls surrounding Eingart’s domain.

As soon as the four escort knights, including Irene, left the castle, they followed her like shadows.

For the past few days.

I kept thinking about my promise to Luna.

Is it because Serpina has been especially asking me not to leave her these days, or is it because of the smile she gives me from time to time?

Or maybe it was because I thought that even I would forget Luna if I didn’t think of her somehow.

While I was following her, I found myself thinking about another monarch in a very cheeky way.

‘… … no. ‘Let’s not think about it now.’

After roughly organizing my thoughts, I looked away and followed her for a while, wondering why she asked me to come here.

she asked me, pointing beyond with her hand.

“Swen. Do you know where it is?”

“It’s Eutiner Castle.”

Jutiner Castle.

It was a small estate closest to Eingart Castle.

Although it was small, it had a royal castle and was close to the capital, Eingart, so it was a very important place strategically.

and.

From her mouth, a bombshell declaration was heard.

“Okay. That place. This is the territory that I have decided to bestow upon you.”

“… … Yes?”

Are you giving me territory?

All fiefdoms were managed directly by the monarch.

There was only a castle lord, and after the division of the empire, the operation was more centralized than granting the authority of the territory to vassals and collecting taxes, so the term ‘granting of territory’ sounded quite awkward.

Actually, there was no such function in this game.

Of course, during the imperial era, it was operated a little differently than it is now.

For an emperor of an empire, granting fiefdom was not such an unusual thing to say.

If it weren’t for the history book I was reading out of boredom at the Eingart Library, I wouldn’t have understood what he meant.

in other words-

It was like a declaration that he would have me by his side until the moment when the unified empire was rebuilt.

“Swen, if it were only with you, this Serpina army would soon be able to unify the continent and revive the great Eingart Empire. When that time comes, I will grant you the title of nobleman.”

Serpina said that, then turned her head and looked at me again.

The bright yellow hair soaked in sunlight was like a jewel.

Her golden eyes were pure and without any lies as she proudly said that she would give her a title.

Serpina in front of me needs me more than anyone else.

And Luna, who firmly believed in my promise and gave me faith without any consequences.

I naturally had no choice but to lower my head, close my eyes, and sigh.

――Why on earth did this happen?