episode_0283

Luna stares blankly at the broken quill pen in my hand with dead eyes.

that’s right.

What was I doing here… … .

I feel like I just had a conversation with someone.

… … Ah. It was Violet. But why… … ?

Yeah… …Jinor went on a mission, and Violet was acting as the national strategist.

however……

Is that so important?

Doesn’t that mean anything?

Why did I establish a new country?

To save the people of Yeongji who are in dire straits?

Because I can’t hand over the continent to Serpina who killed my sister?

There was that reason too… …but I wanted to be with that person again.

I think that with that person, we can build an ideal country.

I wanted to repay that person with that. Because he was my savior. Because he was the only person who chose me when no one else did.

He knows.

The woman who killed my sister was Serpina.

You probably know, but why on earth… … did you make that choice… … ?

――I was the first one to be chosen by Swen.

I was first.

It was my first time meeting Swen and having Swen as my mentor… … !

A broken pen gives no answer.

A broken heart has no answers.

It’s not that it doesn’t exist, it’s that it isn’t done.

‘why…….’

why.

The word “why” kept stabbing her mind like an awl.

‘Why… … .’

Why did you accept her offer?

If I wanted to reject that position, I could have easily rejected it… … Why on earth?

Why… … The person who should be my only bookseller is taking that position as bookseller of that hateful woman… … !!!

Bam

‘… … !!!’

It was only after the half-finished quill in my hand had shattered into pieces that I gradually came to my senses.

As soon as Luna regains her senses, an unpleasant conclusion begins to emerge in her head.

‘Have you decided to take Serpina… as your lord?’

Even though our military is back on the map.

And, despite the destruction of Karelia.

When I thought about the fact that he had become the national strategist of the Serpina Army, let alone returning… … using the information Luna had, that felt like the most likely possibility.

I thought that there was no way that could happen.

A person of Swen’s stature would never willingly serve an evil woman like Serpina.

That’s why I thought she was threatened. That was natural in Luna’s common sense.

still……

Luna could also tell that being given the position of national treasurer wasn’t a simple threat…

Serpina is not a stupid woman.

Of course, there were cases in the world where seemingly normal women like Yuuri made unreasonable decisions, but Luna also knew that if Serpina had been just that kind of woman, she wouldn’t have been able to conquer the Northern Continent.

If Swen-nim had decided to serve Serpina… … he had to respect that.

Of course, he promised to return. He did, but when he thought about it, he had only received something unilaterally from Swen.

After all, it was he who saved her from certain death by sacrificing his own life.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Swen had already done everything he could do.

Because it was Swen who gave me another chance to aim for the world.

Seriously, I literally just took it all.

Life, opportunity, and the will to move forward.

therefore-

For saving his own life, Tifa’s life, and Kain’s life.

And through advice, he gave strength to create the ‘New Lunalian Army’.

It would be the duty of a human being to be satisfied with this and support Swen’s new decision.

‘I… … I, Swen… … .’

Luna just couldn’t let go of the string called Swen.

If I were to admit it. If I were to even admit that he chose Serpina over me… … I really felt like I would fall apart.

Because it was the king’s business and all, it really seemed like there was nothing I could do.

The only light I looked at as I climbed up to this spot.

She never once imagined a future where there would be anyone other than Swen at her side as a bookseller.

So… … she once again bends the direction of her thoughts in a different direction.

‘……wait for a sec.’

If Swen really decided to serve Serpina, why did he send Zinor here?

A person like Zinor would have naturally encouraged Serpina to join him.

However, he sent her to be his attendant, and thanks to that, he was able to catch Karelia in time when she was trying to escape.

A small question becomes a spark, swirling around like a whirlpool in Luna’s head.

It’s hope. A very small hope.

An act of self-defense created by the instinct to maintain sanity and Luna’s absolute trust that ‘Swen will think of everything’.

‘So… … Originally… … you were planning to come to our army, right?’

It was the same with Jinor, with the mercenaries, and in the end, everything was just like the big picture drawn by Swen.

The saying, ‘Don’t miss your chance’ was also the same. Because of that saying, Luna was able to seize the opportunity and take over the Karelian army.

That is, when he first made the promise to himself, he clearly decided to return under him.

Once I came to that conclusion, Swen’s actions naturally began to make sense.

From Bran’s Army to Aishus Army, and then back to Serpina Army… … It was only natural that he would move around the country. Swen was planning to return to our army.

However, for some reason, Swen decided to stay by Serpina’s side.

It must have been Swen’s intention to receive the national strategist. If so, why did Swen have to do so?

Are you being fooled by Serpina? No. Serpina may be an excellent woman, but Swen can’t keep up.

If you weren’t fooled, then the reason is――

‘… … I’m using it.’

The witch Serpina uses the affectionate and kind heart of Swen with her cunning rhetoric.

At least to Luna, it was a given that Swen was affectionate. There was no way an unaffectionate person could sacrifice his life for another.

Swen felt sorry for Serpina, so he couldn’t turn away from her and stayed by her side, unable to do anything-

Actually, I want to come back here… … ?

‘… … !!’

Luna kicked the chair away and jumped up.

Little by little, life returned to the dead eyes.

‘Yes! Swen is being used. For some reason, he feels sympathy for Serphina… …and he can’t leave her side!’

She must have tried everything she could.

Serpina was a villainess of the highest order, but one thing that cannot be denied is that she was a woman with outstanding charm.

I heard it even when my sister was still alive. Of all the women he had met, Serpina was the most beautiful.

Of course, I don’t think that Swen would be swayed by something as simple as a woman’s beauty, but if she were wearing a mask and acting like a woman of misfortune, I thought that it would be natural for the kind-hearted Swen to be swayed by that.

So, you made it so that he couldn’t do anything and tied him up next to you? Swen.

Of course, the only goal would be Swen’s extraordinary abilities.

As soon as I thought that, my head, which had been so complicated just a moment ago, suddenly felt clearer.

okay.

It’s all that woman’s fault.

Serpina von Eingart, the greatest villainess and demon who cannot be cursed no matter how many times she is cursed.

‘Serpina… … !!!’

Luna clenched her fists with trembling hands.

I killed my brothers with my own hands because of my greed for the throne.

By massacring countless territorial citizens, the continent was thrown into the abyss of misery in an instant.

Not only did you kill your only blood relative, your older sister, just because she was related to your brother, but now you want to covet my Swen?

‘Absolutely not… … I can never let that happen… … !!’

If you think about it, the answer is quite simple.

Lunalian killed Karelia, who was like her benefactor. To seize the opportunity. To show herself again on the continent.

Karelia was the one who had been blocking Lunalien from becoming that kind of being. If she had been saved, the chaos would not have been resolved so quickly. There was a possibility that she would have been pushed back again for an unexpected reason and ultimately faltered, or on the contrary, she would have been defeated and lost her life.

It’s the same thing.

If you want to keep Swen by your side, just like you killed Karelia to seize the opportunity.

All we have to do is kill the being who is interfering with it right before our eyes――Serpina von Eingart.

This was much easier than in Karelia. Karelia was a benefactor, but Serpina was a villainess who deserved to die.

Slap.

Luna just slumps back into her chair.

Yes. If it’s for what you want… …you just have to kill everything that stands in your way.

Why did I do something so stupid as worrying about something so simple?

Luna opened her mouth and laughed loudly.

Tears of unknown origin wet her ruby eyes.

“Swen… … Just wait, just wait a little bit. I will definitely kill that wicked witch who is disturbing Swen’s mind with my own hands, and bring Swen back… … Just like Swen saved me… … .”

If there is anything that stands in my way, no matter who it is… …I will kill them all, all of them… …

Even as I muttered to myself, tears continued to flow down my cheeks.

At this moment, Lunalian realized the ‘very simple truth’.

One thing that was certain was that it made her as close to a unified monarch as possible.

――Everything was going according to the prediction of Intelligence 100, which was frightening.

* * *

The throne room of the Eingart Castle.

I was talking with Serpina about a full-scale plan to occupy the Chel Army.

“Are you talking about someone to replace Irene?”

“Yes. For the sake of an efficient occupation plan, I think it would be right to place General Irene back as the original Deputy Commander of the Occupation Forces.”

Although she was the most suitable person to protect Serpina-

When viewed objectively, using her only as a bodyguard was the height of inefficiency, and Serpina was the one who understood that better than anyone else.

“I agree with that too, but… …well, I’m still a bit cautious about who to trust.”

Serpina said so, resting her chin on her hand.

It couldn’t be otherwise. The feelings of a woman who was almost murdered by someone she trusted so much must be so complicated that it would probably be impossible to understand them for the rest of her life.

“If there is no one in mind as a successor, I will appoint one myself.”

“Swen, is that you?”

“Yes.”

There was just one person.

He has decent swordsmanship skills and doesn’t seem like he would betray anyone unless absolutely necessary, but he doesn’t seem like he would have any problems even if he didn’t join the occupying forces.

“If it’s your recommendation, Swen, I can trust it. Tell me.”

I answered, looking Serpina in the eye without avoiding it.

“Make Zenith Al Kaski your escort knight.”