episode_0231

* * *

“There was an order to remove all troops?”

“Yes.”

Kransis, the commander-in-chief of the occupation army and currently the temporary lord of Hispil Castle, answered in an incredulous tone.

“Didn’t you clearly tell your lord that Atious’s movements were unusual?”

” Well, I clearly conveyed it to you… … .”

“So the answer I received was to withdraw troops?”

“Yes.”

“Huh… … .”

Kransis sits down on the castle lord’s seat with a very serious expression.

‘I know that neither my lord nor anyone else would give a meaningless order. but… … .’

I am ordering you to withdraw from a battle in which you have a good chance of winning as a water-based war?

This… … Does this mean that my lord does not trust me?

It would not have been strange to think that I, the current lord of the castle, would give such an order because I was not trustworthy.

However, this hypothesis collapses so absurdly.

If she didn’t trust him, why would she have installed herself as a temporary castle lord in the most important castle, Hispil Castle?

If Hispil Castle is lost, we will head north again.

Considering that the territory above was small and difficult to build,… … There was a possibility that they would be pushed back to Kelstein Castle in an instant.

If that happens, won’t everything eventually go back to how it was before entering the Central Continent?

It was an advance into the Central Continent achieved through the sacrifice of the blood of countless people. No matter how many times he thought about it, Kransis did not want to back down like this.

‘Or is it because of that white-haired man again?”

Swen, a white-haired tactician who has been very close to Serpina these days.

After he joined our military, Serpina’s incomprehensible instructions increased.

Swen was a man with whom she had a close relationship. I was opposed to the idea of invading.

They say they understand because at that time a rebellion broke out, but I can only think of it as a coincidence, and seeing as they are saying not to invade this time either, it seems like they are not very interested in unifying the continent at all.

In the first place, Kransis was a person who did not trust Swen.

How can we trust a man who has changed monarchs so many times?

Besides, I remembered it clearly. The battle at the northern fortress of Kelstein Castle was the decisive factor in Julian’s retirement after being so devastated that he could no longer function as a general.

Because it was he who dropped the rock in that battle.

Of course, in difficult times, changing one’s enemy is not such a bad thing, but even so, how can one completely trust him?

The man who came to our military and insisted on protecting only the northern continent.

Frankly, Kransis didn’t think he was working for Serpina.

As he kept putting off advancing to the continent, I thought that maybe there was a different monarch that he was really following.

Since he didn’t just sit still, I investigated whether there might have been circumstances in which he was having a secret conversation, but-

He had a tendency to avoid contact, to the point where he would not even exchange letters with the outside world, let alone private conversations.

In a situation where no evidence could be found, the female knight Irene who came with him and the wizard Reika who seemed to have been discovered by him took charge of one axis of Serpina’s army.

Although I was reluctant to do so… … From Kransis’s perspective, it was a situation where there was nothing he could say.

‘I’d like to consult with the bookkeeper about this… … .’

It was a time when Kransis was thinking about things in his own way.

“Oh, and I have something else to tell you.”

“What is it?”

The soldier in front of me lowered his head and answered.

“There was an order to mobilize not only troops but also territorial residents to migrate to the unexplored areas of the northern continent.”

“… … What?”

The moment I heard those words, all my brainstorming so far was in vain.

Isn’t what she ordered to avoid battle?

“Didn’t you hear the reason?”

“Because all they said was that it was to pioneer unexplored areas… … .”

“Huh.”

Moving the residents of the territory who were well-established and living well in their own land was bound to greatly lower the public sentiment of the people of the territory.

Of course, it doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to gain. The new owner of this land will feel vain as he sees the population wiped out. Strategically, it’s not such a stupid choice. That is, assuming that you give up this castle and run away.

‘But I have too much to lose to take it… … .’

Are these mysterious instructions also related to a man named Swen?

After thinking about it a little more, Kransis realized that he could not solve this problem on his own and immediately asked the soldier a question.

“Where are you now?”

“I think you’re probably at Kelstein Castle by now… … .”

Luckily it wasn’t that far.

“I’m sorry, but would you mind heading straight to where the inspector is? If possible, I would like you to tell me that you would like to meet me right away. I will answer my lord separately.”

“Yes, I understand!”

Kransis, who sent the soldiers, leaned back on his throne without thinking any more.

What is Serpina’s true intention? …

At some point, Kransis began to think that it had become difficult to read Serpina’s thoughts.

* * *

How many days have passed since then?

“I heard you’ve found me, Lord Kransis.”

“You’re here, Master.”

After shaking hands and lightly greeting Jenna, the government agent who entered the throne room.

Kransis consulted with her about the issues he had been worrying about.

“Are you saying that the lord ordered all troops to move behind the border?”

“That’s right. Plus-”

“Are you saying that not only the soldiers but also the residents of the territory should be relocated?”

“… … Yes.”

“… … .”

Jenna was lost in thought without saying a word.

As far as she knew, there was no need to relocate to the northern frontier. To begin with, it was an unexplored land because it was extremely barren, and there was no point in setting down the population there as it was just unsuitable land for farming.

It wasn’t appropriate to build something like a mine.

While I was thinking that this was clearly an incomprehensible instruction, I heard Kransis’ voice.

“Don’t you think there may have been Swen’s influence?”

“Are you talking about Lord Swen?”

“Don’t you know this too? The lord strangely has Swen as his closest associate.”

There was no way that Jenna, the national strategist, did not know about Swen and the scandal surrounding him.

okay.

When this question was raised, Kransis had no doubt that he and Xena would be able to talk about how to persuade the lord to launch a water-based battle before the Aethus army.

However, the answer I received was completely different from what I expected.

“In that case, we have no choice but to withdraw our troops.”

“… … yes? Teacher, what is that-”

“Lord Cransis.”

Jenna nodded with a hint of understanding what Kransis was trying to say.

“I know. However, now is not the time to keep him in check. It’s time to use him thoroughly.”

“You are using him? But… … Is this really something to use? Withdrew from a battle in which you seemed to have a good chance of winning, and dedicated Hispil Castle, which you had barely acquired at the cost of the blood of your comrades, to the enemy without a fight?”

“I can’t explain it with clear evidence, but… … Based on my experience so far, I don’t think he is intentionally doing this to harm our military. If you really want to do harm, isn’t there a surer way than giving up one or two territories?”

“Is there a sure way?”

“If it is true that Lord Swen is taking a hostile stance toward our military, and Serpina is being manipulated by his three-inch tongue and listens to everything he says, then there is a way to ensure his downfall instead of this ambiguous method. I’m thinking that Lord Sis can easily recall it.”

“That’s it… … Well, what the inspector said is correct… … .”

“In addition, General Iren and the wizard Reika also maintain a deep relationship with him. In this situation, rather than messing with him for no reason, I think it would be of much greater benefit to our military in the long run to actively support him and make him aware that he is an essential person for the Serpina military.”

“Even so, is it right to give up the battle?”

“No.”

Jenna answered in a stern tone.

“If it were just to give up the battle, I would have thought the same as Lord Kransis… … When I heard that Young Ji-min was being relocated, my thoughts changed.”

“Yes… … ?”

“The lord’s real intention is to simply give up Hispil Castle… … I think it might not be the case.”

“… … ???”

“Sorry. I would like to explain in detail, but the story is not organized at this stage. Still, I don’t think you need to worry too much.”

I wanted to ask more, but still… … I could trust the words of Jenna, a national counselor who had always devoted herself to our military, not Swen.

“… … All right. Then I will do as my lord tells me.”

“You do that.”

I was reluctant because I thought Swen was somehow involved, but Kransis also had no intention of continuing to rebel against Serpina.

Because I knew very well how hard she was doing her job.

Jenna leaves the throne room and becomes lost in thought.

‘perhaps… … .’

I thought that maybe Serpina would once again create a miracle that no one could have imagined.

And if, as Kransis expected, all of this is really about Swen, and not lord Serpina herself, that is, acting on his advice –

‘… … There’s no need to guess anymore. First, let’s see the results first.’

After going all the way to Kelstein Castle, it was time to return to Eingart Castle.

Like it or not, when we get back to the castle, we’ll find out what’s going on.

Since you’ve been away for so long, there will be a lot of stories to hear.

“Ah, Mr. ”

When he came out of the castle, he was greeted by Mary.

It seemed like he had been waiting here the entire time he was having a conversation with Kransis.

“Sorry it took me so long, Mary.”

“No. It’s something I have to do.”

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes!”

So, Jenna finally finished her quite long dispatch mission-

I took steps to return to the place where a national officer should be, right next to my lord.