episode_0280

* * *

Not long after being appointed as the State Councillor, a simple inauguration ceremony was held within the palace.

At first, I honestly wanted to decline the event, but Serpina said that this event was for me as well as for Jenna, who was the previous bookseller.

Even if it was a title given by order of the monarch, it would be bitter to hand over one’s power, especially to someone who had only recently entered the country, so she explained that it was polite to treat him in this way until the end.

‘There’s no need to scratch and make a fuss… … .’

That’s why I was kneeling in the middle of the throne room of the palace where everyone was standing.

Should we really call it courtesy? It was quite a spectacle to see all the influential figures in the current Serpina military standing in a row, striking poses just for this event.

Commander-in-Chief of the Occupation Forces, Cransis

Irene, the woman who saved her life as her second-in-command and escort knight.

General Irian, who is currently receiving the most attention within the Serpina Army.

Reika, a sorceress who continues to create miracles and terrorize the continent.

There were even warriors who had followed her for a long time without ever taking part in any of the countless rebellions that had occurred up until then – it would not be an exaggeration to say that they were all elites of the Serpina military.

The main character of this place, which gave off an overwhelming aura as if only the chosen ones could be invited, was not me, who was inheriting the bookkeeper as Serpina had said, but Jenna, who was the previous national bookkeeper.

“Come here and lift your head, Jenna.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Serpina, who was sitting on the throne, stood up from her seat just in time for Jenna to approach her.

“I have never forgotten your loyalty, which I have seen since the time when I willingly ascended to the throne and decided to settle this war with my own hands during a time when everything was in chaos.”

“I just kept my duty as a subject.”

“It is the duty of a subject… … . It is not anyone else, but you. You know better than anyone else that keeping it is not an easy task. Don’t you? ”

The early days of the Serpina Army, when the issue of the succession to the throne was in turmoil, must have been a series of repressions against the rebellions that continued to occur here and there on the northern continent, as if they were defending themselves.

That’s why I could understand Serpina’s words.

I understand that, but I would understand it even better if it were Jena, who had been acting as a state strategist from the moment she stepped into the monarchy.

“Without your dedication, I would not have been able to secure my position. With the legitimacy of the Eingart royal family gone, the northern continent would have been caught in the whirlwind of war just like the rest of the continent, and countless people would have lost their lives. You not only worked for me, but for everyone in the northern continent.”

“I’ll give you time. If you have something to say, anything is fine.”

“Then, excuse me.”

Jenna turned her head and looked at those who had been inspected.

“Everyone. Thank you for trusting me. If I had accomplished anything, I believe it would have been impossible without you. Today, I am stepping down from the position of national strategist, but my will and that of our military will not be broken. Without your trust, I would have been nothing. The same goes for the new strategist. So, I hope you will trust in your choice.”

“I will never forget the fact that I was able to serve you for a long time.”

After the story was over, Serpina reached out to her and said.

At the tip of her slowly outstretched hand, there stands the brown-haired scribe who has supported Serpina’s army up until now.

“Jenna. I will never forget all the achievements you have made so far. Now, let your hands pass that will to a new one.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Jenna slowly approached me as I knelt down.

Having heard that, I intuitively felt that it was my turn and stood up to face her.

“Please accept this.”

What she handed me was a round case that looked luxurious but felt worn.

All that’s inside is an old piece of paper.

“This is a letter of appointment stating that you will be appointed as a national advisor. It is something that has been passed down through the royal family.”

It is said that all the state strategists who worked for the Eingart Imperial Family inherited it from generation to generation.

It was a draft written by the first emperor, but since the letters had all faded anyway, it had no meaning beyond symbolism.

In any case, each of these traditions is necessary to establish the prestige of the royal family.

Serpina must have been desperate. With all of her strong candidates, her older brothers, all killed, she had to somehow package herself as Eingart.

“I will gladly accept it.”

I took the paper that Jenna had passed to me and put it aside.

By her wink, she sensed that it was my turn to speak.

“I don’t know if I can do as well as my predecessor, but since I’ve been given this position, I’ll do my best for Serpina.”

It’s not for Serpina-kun. It’s for Serpina-sama.

Even if it is detrimental to this country… …if it is the only way to save Lady Serpina’s life, I will do it.

After finishing my conversation, I left Jenna behind and approached Serpina, who was standing proudly in front of the throne.

Golden eyes that seem to illuminate the future. A nobility that makes those who see it naturally worship it.

As soon as I made eye contact with her, I felt once again why she was the absolute being who stood above everyone.

I had forgotten about her for a while because I had seen her in a more girlish manner recently… … But in the end, she was born to be above someone.

“I’ll be counting on you in the future, Swen.”

“Yes.”

If I wanted to talk about this and that, I could have talked about it more, but even though it was an inauguration ceremony, the main character was Jenna.

Both Serpina and I knew that it was not a good idea to talk about me any further.

And at the sound of applause that followed, I unconsciously turned my head.

Everyone was looking at me.

Even Jenna, the real star of this event.

‘… … !!!’

Irian. Airen. Reika. Jenna, the former bookseller.

Everyone who was currently moving the Serpina Army was looking at me at the same time. Even the monarch, Serpina.

Only then did I realize.

What it means for me to become the national strategist of the Serpina Army.

that–

The will of the Serpina Army is in my hands.

Here I can do anything.

No one will oppose me. Those who would oppose me rebelled and died, and all the rookies who made a name for themselves were on my side.

The situation where Serpina, the monarch, trusts me more than anyone else.

Well then, how do you see it, I… …

Does this mean that I am directly confronting Luna of my own volition?

With questions that had no answer, I became the official national strategist of the Serpina Army.

And this rumor… … spread throughout the continent much faster than I had expected.

* * *

Zeeland Castle.

When the plague swept across the central continent, it was one of the few places that was left unscathed by the blockade.

The reason was simple: it was under the command of the Bran’s Army.

The monarch, Lin, quickly issued a blockade before the plague could spread, and thanks to this, the territories in the central western part of the continent, including this place, were able to avoid disaster.

At first, the lockdown raised questions for many, but ultimately, the decision greatly increased Lin’s popularity.

Considering that she had been evaluated as a defeated monarch who had lost public trust due to a number of incomprehensible decisions and mistakes, ultimately dividing her country into three parts, this was a praise that could almost be called a comeback.

The rumor that ‘he has regained his former intelligence’ has now become an established fact, and it is influencing not only the friendly forces, but also the soldiers from the Kalintz and Chel armies who had previously rebelled and broken away.

Even more so because Chell and Kalintz make relatively stupid decisions.

Be that as it may – Lin was quietly going about her work without doing anything rash like before.

Because I didn’t intend to make the same mistake twice.

Even if your reputation has improved now, in the end, reputation is just a measure of how well you are doing your job.

Rather than being blinded by reputation, the current Lin knew very well that a true monarch is one who can control that reputation.

Even for her, who had become somewhat detached, ‘that news’ was quite unexpected.

“So the new strategist for Serpina Army is Swen?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I see.”

Lin nodded with interest at the news that Parpale had delivered.

It wouldn’t be a lie if she said she didn’t regret losing Swen, but it wasn’t regret that was weighing heavily on her mind right now.

‘It’s a little different from what I heard.’

Lin twiddled her fingers through her hair for a moment.

Now, Lin had someone by her side with whom she could discuss this situation.

Lin spoke to her ‘new helper’, a recently naturalized citizen, who was kneeling before her.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.”

The woman on her knees raised her head and looked at Lin’s face.

Lin met her eyes and opened her mouth.

“What do you think, Cecil?”

Cecil Lohengrin.

The last survivor of the Karelia Dream Team, the one who carried on the will of Karelia that Luna had missed, was kneeling before his new lord.