"Ah… Airen!"
"You… are using this room?"
"Ah, yes! This is my room, and I heard that a new recruit was arriving today… But that recruit was you, Airen?"
And so, the unexpected reunion with Silin unfolded.
"Um… is this soone you know…?"
"Ah, yes. Back when I was in the Brans Army, we briefly worked together."
"Hello, my na is Silin."
"Ah, uh… I-I, um… I'm, uh, R-Reika…"
"So, it's Lady Reika. Have you joined as a civil officer?"
"Ah, no… I-I, um… well…"
As Reika faltered in front of a new acquaintance, Airen stepped in and explained the situation on her behalf.
"In short, Lady Reika is not officially enlisted in our army… but she has received special permission from Lady Serpina to stay here as part of your group, Airen?"
"You could put it that way."
"I see…! That's incredible. Of course, if it’s our lady, she would be generous enough to grant such hospitality."
Naturally, the "lady" Silin referred to was Serpina, not Lyn. It was impossible to let that point slide without asking.
"So… it’s a bit strange for to ask you this directly, but—"
Airen cleared his throat a few tis before continuing.
"How did you end up here, in Serpina’s army?"
"Ah…"
Silin let out a small sigh, then asked if she could have so tea before naturally taking a seat.
She took a sip—hororok—before she finally began.
"A lot happened. A lot."
The faint clatter of a teacup touching the table.
The soft rustling as Reika hurriedly wiped away a few spilled drops. These quiet sounds mixed into the conversation.
"Airen. I know it's a bit late to say this outright… but I understand why you betrayed Lyn."
Silin’s voice carried strength.
"Anyone could see that it was Lyn Brans who drove you into a corner first."
"Hm."
He didn’t bother to deny it—because it was the truth.
It was all in the past, and there was no reason to dwell on it. He was done being dragged around like before.
"After the decision was made to leave you behind at the fortress, there was a lot of talk among the officers during the retreat. If even soone as brilliant as Airen Juliet was treated that way, what chance did ordinary soldiers like us have?
"So with ambition resigned imdiately, but people like or Jack—those of us who just needed to survive—stayed behind, following orders as usual. Our loyalty was already at rock bottom, but we had nowhere else to go."
They were only human.
Even if they didn’t personally dislike a commanding officer, they couldn’t ignore the fact that one of their own had been discarded like dead weight.
Rumors could be silenced or buried, but the sight of a superior being ordered to "return" from the battlefield was sothing that stuck in their minds.
"But! I heard the news! You stopped them by dropping so kind of boulder from the sky, didn’t you?"
"Well… Swen was the one who did the real work."
"Right! It was Swen! That handso man who was beside you!"
Silin's eyes sparkled with excitent.
"He was really good-looking. I wanted to get closer to him back then, but… well, our paths didn’t cross again."
"……"
"Co to think of it, what happened to Swen? Didn’t he leave with you, Airen?"
"…Yes. He did. He’s still here."
"What? You an—?"
"That’s right. Swen is also part of Serpina’s army now."
"My goodness."
Silin placed a hand over her face, as if in disbelief.
"We’re eting again like this? How strange!"
"……"
The more Airen listened to Silin’s tone, her expressions, and her voice, the more he felt an unfamiliar, inexplicable sensation.
Yet, he didn’t know how to put it into words, so he simply took another sip of tea in silence.
"I should visit him when I have ti."
Airen abruptly changed the subject.
"More importantly, Silin, how did you end up here?"
"? Well… after that day, I was stationed at Lismaen Castle."
"Lismaen…? That’s near Kelstein Castle, isn’t it?"
"Yes. It’s a tiny fortress. After you left, Arnel Castle beca chaotic, so being stationed there wasn’t too bad… but as you know, once Kelstein fell, Serpina’s forces swept through like a storm.
"I heard that sothing happened between them and the Aishus Army that led to a massive loss of troops… but as a low-ranking soldier, I never got the full details."
She took another sip—hororok—before continuing.
"Um… h-here…"
"Oh, thank you."
Reika passed her a small dish, and Silin absentmindedly nibbled on the snacks.
"The mont the fortress was occupied, we surrendered. After seeing Lyn abandon Airen like that, I had no loyalty left for Brans."
"I see."
In the end, they had been forced into a corner and saved by Swen.
Yet, there were those whose hearts had wavered because of what they had witnessed.
Ironically, that very fact gave Airen an unexpected sense of comfort.
"And what about Jack? How is he doing?"
"Jack? I lost contact with him after we were stationed at different locations. Not that we were particularly close—just coworkers, really.
"He wasn’t as… remarkable as Swen, after all."
"……"
Airen barely managed to swallow down the words, Why does Swen keep coming up in this conversation?
Lately, he had begun noticing just how sensitive he had beco to any ntion of Swen.
"By the way, may I ask you sothing as well?"
"Hm?"
"You had joined the Aishus Army, Airen. How did you end up here?"
"……."
Airen hesitated for a mont, considering how much to say. There was no need to explain everything to Silin.
"Well, there were various circumstances. You know how chaotic tis are."
"I suppose. I never imagined I would end up serving that tyrant Serpina either."
Silin chuckled lightly as she said it, then smiled faintly.
"But I think it's fine."
"Fine?"
"Lady Serpina. I believe she’s a ruler worth following. There’s an excitent here that I never felt while serving under Lyn."
What followed was mostly a conversation about Serpina—her role here, how she was received by her people.
There was nothing particularly new to learn. Just as rumored, Serpina was not so ruthless tyrant. The only tis she acted with cold brutality were when dealing with rebellious forces. Otherwise, she maintained strict governance based on rit and discipline, ensuring stable rule.
When a nation was stable, its economy flourished. And when the economy flourished, it naturally earned the people's loyalty. Nothing was more important than securing one's livelihood.
"So, I’m thinking of settling down here."
"Settling down, you say?"
"Yes. Looking at the state of the continent, I don't see anyone else who could beco a unifying monarch. Brans has collapsed, and the remaining nations are not much of a threat."
"……."
Could Serpina truly beco the ruler to unify the continent?
But it wasn't just anyone—it was Swen himself who had spoken with certainty.
"I serve the only person capable of conquering this continent and becoming its ruler."
"Oh? The only person? Who might that be?"
"You should know. You t her yourself a few months ago, didn’t you?"
Lunarian Iniang.
Swen had declared, with unwavering certainty, that the one with those fiery ruby-red eyes would be the one to unite the continent.
Having spent a considerable amount of ti with Swen, Airen had co to understand sothing—at first, his claims always seed impossible to believe. But in the end, they were always right.
Lunarian had yet to reappear on the stage of history…
Could she truly surpass Serpina, who had already garnered the trust of her people?
'…It doesn’t matter.'
None of it mattered.
Airen wasn’t ultimately following Lunarian.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
'My life belongs to him.'
If Swen commanded it, she would raise her sword and protect whoever beca his ruler.
Airen was no longer uncertain.
As long as Swen stood beside her, she could be the strongest knight in the world.
***
'So, this is Eingart’s royal castle.'
It was undoubtedly the forr imperial capital.
The grand and majestic decorations, the intricate sculptures—they carried an overwhelming presence that left visitors in awe.
In terms of architectural style, Arnel Castle might have had a more modern touch, but Eingart Castle had a profound, almost legendary elegance. It exuded an air of importance, as if to tell all who entered that they had stepped into a place of imnse significance.
After receiving her dormitory assignnt, Airen was summoned by Serpina for the first ti.
It was rely to "ask for her opinion," but having served under other rulers, this was sothing unfamiliar. It made her feel strangely tense.
'Probably just a routine eting with the officers.'
Thinking little of it, she entered the audience chamber Serpina had designated.
"……!"
"You’ve arrived, Swen."
Seated on the throne, one leg crossed over the other in a languid manner, Serpina t him with an indifferent gaze.
But today, she was not wearing the imperial officer’s uniform she had donned the first ti he saw her.
Instead, she was dressed in an opulent gown—sothing befitting a queen.
The off-shoulder design was subtly provocative, yet it carried none of the vulgarity or cheapness one might expect. It was a dress that demanded respect.
The platinum-white hairpiece on her head, standing out against the golden hues that surrounded her, served as a striking accent.
…She was beautiful.
Even setting aside their relationship as ruler and strategist, as a man, he could not deny the effect her appearance had on him.
And standing on either side of her throne—about five warriors, evenly divided across the red carpet.
All unfamiliar faces.
Except for one.
The brown-haired woman standing beside Serpina.
She was a familiar sight.
The first face any player would encounter when starting the ga in Serpina’s army—the one who guided them through the basic chanics.
Jenna.
As the na surfaced in his mind, so did an old mory.
***
[Strategist of Serpina’s Army / Jenna]
["My lady, you must not be swayed by sweet words."]
***
It was because of Jenna’s advice that Serpina had imprisoned him back then.
How could he ever forget?
She wasn’t a particularly outstanding commander, but for those who started with Serpina’s forces, she was one of the few advisors they could rely on.
Seeing her in person, she felt different from the pixelated image in the ga.
Standing next to Serpina, who seed the very embodint of beauty itself, Jenna’s appearance seed more subdued. But in reality, she was quite striking in her own right.
As Swen lowered himself onto one knee—
"Formalities can be kept brief."
"…Swen, at your service, my lady."
As she wished, he gave a simple bow before rising and taking the only available seat.
"Good. Now that everyone is here."
He had left early to arrive on ti, yet he was still the last one to enter.
Perhaps he should start leaving even earlier in the future.
As he was contemplating such trivial thoughts—
"Then, let us begin the twenty-eighth strategy council of the year."
…What?
He could accept that it was a strategy eting, but the twenty-eighth?
Doing a quick ntal count, the year had not even reached its halfway point.
That ant this wasn’t so kind of routine assembly.
This was sothing else entirely.
Serpina’s army was fighting its wars with this level of thorough preparation?
While Swen was still processing the implications, everyone else in the room remained calm, listening to Serpina with utmost attention.
So even looked deeply honored—unable to conceal the pride swelling in their expressions.
Was being summoned here… sothing to be celebrated?
"Now."
Serpina extended her flawless, pale hand toward them.
The golden embellishnts adorning her wrist shimred as they cascaded down her sleeve, adding a srizing touch to her movent.
"What should our army do next? As always, feel free to speak your minds."
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