The Capital of Brans Army, Arnel Castle.
"It is truly a relief to see you again, my lord. Have you been well?"
Kneeling before Lyn, who sat upon the throne, was a woman with violet hair.
She was Parfalle, the nation's chief strategist, who had only recently been released from confinent.
Since the day of Chel’s audience with Lyn, ti had passed uneventfully, despite the looming expectation of war.
Of course, “uneventful” simply ant that no battles had broken out.
At the frontlines, where only the bare minimum of troops remained after the withdrawal of key generals and elite forces, morale had long since plumted.
At the sa ti, Lyn Brans' reputation as a ruler had taken a steep dive due to her continued inaction.
If not for Chel and Carlints—both possessing considerable influence over the military—acting as stabilizing forces in their respective positions, the situation might have crumbled entirely. But even with their efforts, Lyn was now a shadow of the overwhelming force that once dominated the nation with sheer charisma.
Lyn had been revered because she delivered results.
She had consolidated control over the central region and subjugated the minor states of the midwest. The only real threat to Serpina had been Brans Army.
The long-dread northern invasion had seed within reach, just a final push away from becoming reality.
Under such circumstances, her commanders had naturally followed her with devotion.
Even when she issued unreasonable or incomprehensible orders, her authority remained unshaken—because she was the one who had made Brans Army into the dominant force it had beco. She was the true master of the central continent.
When the only remaining opposition in the central region was Aishus, her generals had believed they would easily subjugate them as well.
However...
After a single strategist betrayed her and fled the nation—
Everything began to unravel.
Not only did they fail to subdue Aishus, but they ultimately lost nearly a quarter of the central continent to Serpina.
And yet, despite this catastrophic turn of events, Lyn did nothing.
She wasted ti, offered no solutions, and rely watched as opportunities slipped through her grasp.
Given all this, it was inevitable that her authority as a ruler had crumbled.
Lyn understood that now.
That was why, despite imprisoning Parfalle for defying her orders, she had no choice but to release her once more.
"Parfalle, you look unwell... Is it because of ?"
"No, my lord. If anything, I have been treated far too generously for the cri I committed. I take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude for your rcy."
"......."
Defying the ruler’s command to issue orders on her own authority—
Even for a chief strategist, such an act bordered on treason.
None had protested when Lyn ordered Parfalle’s imprisonnt.
And yet, Lyn could not deny the truth.
Parfalle had been right.
"I... what am I supposed to do now?"
"I have thought and thought, but I still don’t know what to do..."
"My lord. This is not the end. Brans Army can rise again. We still have control over the midwestern region, do we not?"
The western fortresses of Arnel Castle.
It had been quite so ti since the countless minor states there had been unified under Brans Army.
While so of these lands were insignificant, like Zeilant, others—such as Estate Castle—were vital strategic hubs with fertile lands and dense populations.
"Compared to before, those regions should now be sufficiently stabilized. If we bolster our forces as much as possible and deploy them along the central border, we may yet secure our remaining territories."
"Secure them? But... you were the one who said we should abandon the borders, weren’t you?"
"I did say that. However, ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) circumstances have changed. Serpina’s army no longer shows signs of advancing south, and Aishus has remained inactive as well. We have already delayed for too long. We must reinforce our troops imdiately!"
"......."
Lyn stared at Parfalle with empty eyes—
Then slowly lowered her head.
"Did he... say the sa thing?"
"...Pardon? Who do you an...?"
"Swen. ...Who else?"
The more she thought about it—the more she regretted letting Swen go.
Looking back, he had been right about everything.
Had she followed his advice without question—
Instead of losing castles in the central region, she would have been planting her banner in the north.
If only she had sent more troops north.
If only she had dispatched a trustworthy general with him instead of Airen.
No, even more simply—
If only she had not pushed Airen away in the first place.
This was a thought she had never once entertained before.
For the first ti in her life, Lyn was regretting how she had treated Airen.
"If... if only I had just acknowledged Airen..."
Before she realized it, tears were streaming down her face again.
She could not forget.
She had been so close to grasping it all, only to watch it slip through her fingers like sand.
Her prestige as a ruler.
Her stronghold in the eastern central continent.
Her dream of becoming a unifying sovereign.
All of it—
Gone, as if swept away by a tidal wave.
Because she had let go of Airen’s hand.
That hand that had reached toward her so many tis—
Once it was gone, everything unraveled.
She could no longer deny reality.
Losing Airen had been a devastating blow.
Had she not sent Swen into Airen’s quarters that day...
Had she not tested Airen’s loyalty again and again, even when Airen had sworn to trust her...
"If I... if I had done things differently, Swen would still be by my side.
He would be here, giving brilliant counsel.
He would still be creating miracles.
He told ... He told not to be afraid.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
He swore he would place the world in my hands.
I thought... I thought we shared the sa dream..."
"My lord..."
"Parfalle... I was afraid of Swen.
That’s why I wanted to crush him—to force him under my control.
I thought that if I did that, he would belong to .
...But I was wrong.
I never should have treated him that way..."
Parfalle watched her ruler collapse into self-reproach and thought—
So even Lyn Brans is capable of regret.
The once-prideful sovereign—
Now utterly broken.
Even from within her cell, Parfalle had heard the rumors.
She had known Lyn Brans had weakened.
But to see her like this—
"My lord, Swen is a traitor. He sided with Airen Juliet to deceive you."
"No... Parfalle, no.
I was the one who left Airen behind in the northern fortress.
I sent her to her death.
So in the end, I..."
Now she understood.
At the very last mont—
Swen had given her a chance.
If she had only listened to him.
If she had chosen soone else instead of Airen...
But back then—
"I wanted Airen dead.
I... I tried to kill her—"
"My lord!"
Parfalle cut her off with a sharp cry.
The old Lyn would never have tolerated such an interruption.
But now, she was too broken to protest.
"Forget the traitors.
No matter how talented Swen may be, he chose Airen over you.
And as for Airen—she is the one who truly crippled Brans Army.
If anything, your decision to eliminate her has been proven correct."
Parfalle knew it was a lie.
Killing Airen had never been the right decision.
But the past could not be changed.
A ruler who remained paralyzed by regret was a far greater danger.
So Lyn had to let go of her guilt.
And if that ant condemning Airen—so be it.
"My lord, I will help you take your revenge against Airen.
Let us rebuild Brans Army together."
"...Parfalle..."
"Trust . Let us begin by ordering the western lords to—"
At that mont—
"My lord!!"
A soldier burst into the audience chamber.
For him to interrupt an official eting—it could only an an ergency.
Parfalle turned to face him—
And at the sight of what he carried, her heart sank.
A red cloth tied to his arm.
A military dispatch.
...It was too late.
"Hesna Army is advancing on Elgaim Castle with sixty-eight thousand troops!"
***
The Capital of the Karelia Army, Madralan Castle
"Hesna’s army has moved?"
"It seems so."
Makana Karelia, the green-eyed ruler of the southern continent’s Karelia Army, concealed her lips behind a folding fan as she contemplated the report.
‘So the ti is finally coming...?’
For years, a delicate balance had existed between the four major powers of the south—Hesna Army, Roland Army, Ohana Army, and Karelia Army.
Now, that balance was breaking at last—though not due to direct conflict among them, but rather because Hesna had chosen to invade Brans Army instead.
‘At the very least, Vanessa’s prediction was correct.’
Coincidentally, today was the day of the national assembly.
All the lords of the realm would be gathering, making it the perfect opportunity to prepare for whatever lay ahead.
Makana nodded slightly before speaking in a gentle tone.
Even to a re soldier, she never spoke without consideration.
"Thank you for bringing this information. You may return to your post."
"Yes, my lady!"
Once the soldier left, Makana set out to find Vanessa—
But she was nowhere to be seen.
‘She’s away.’
Where she had gone, Makana did not know.
Still, with the assembly taking place soon, they would have ample ti to discuss the matter in detail.
‘It seems a great upheaval is indeed coming, just as Vanessa predicted.’
The thought of war engulfing the south, of the bloodshed spreading across the continent, sent a shiver down her spine—
But as a ruler, she had to steel herself.
No matter how painful, she had to endure it for the greater good.
And so, bracing herself, she sat upon her throne and let ti pass.
Until—
‘...Hm?’
***
"We’ve arrived, my lady."
"You’ve done well."
"It was my duty."
Lunarian stepped out of the carriage that had brought her to Madralan Castle, exchanging brief words with the soldier accompanying her before taking in the sight before her.
‘It’s been a while...’
At one ti, she had worked the fields here, toiling under the sun.
For the briefest mont, it almost felt as if she had returned to where she belonged—
But that thought dissipated as quickly as dust in the wind.
This was not where she was ant to be.
That place... was Zeilant Castle.
No matter how insignificant the land had seed to others, she had never once forgotten the days spent there.
"This is the capital, then..."
And then—
A young girl stepped out of the carriage behind her, moving carefully.
She was the youngest of the children entrusted to her by Cain—a girl nad Violet, who had shown great potential as a future administrator.
"What do you think?"
"As you ntioned, I can feel its prosperity."
This ti, Lunarian had brought her along because Violet had expressed a desire to find a particular book on military strategy.
Among the three children, Violet was the most reserved, and Lunarian saw this as an opportunity to grow closer to her.
As their guardian—and as soone whom Cain had personally entrusted with their care—she wanted to see them flourish.
"It looks like we still have so ti. What do you say we take a quick walk through the market first?"
"No, my lady," Violet replied with a graceful bow, her posture impeccable.
"My business can wait until yours is finished."
"Is that so? Well... if you say so."
If that was her preference, then there was no need to insist.
Instead, Lunarian thought it might be nice to take the opportunity to greet the local farrs she had once worked alongside.
And with that thought in mind, she took a step forward—
Only to pause.
‘...Huh?’
Over there—
That building housed the military barracks.
But sothing was off.
The soldiers’ expressions were unusually grave, as if sothing serious had happened.
Lunarian and her companions cautiously made their way in that direction.
***
What they found when they arrived—
Was yet another familiar face.
‘Cecil...?’
And yet, despite the welco sight, this was no mont for casual greetings.
Cecil stood locked in a tense standoff against another woman Lunarian recognized.
Vanessa.
"Lady Cecil, cease this aningless defiance," Vanessa said, her voice cold and unyielding.
Behind Cecil, a young girl trembled, tears streaming down her face.
Cecil placed a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder, then spoke in a firm, unwavering tone.
"aningless defiance? No matter how many tis you say it, my answer will not change. Lady Vanessa, I implore you—please, rescind this order."
"I cannot. The military law is absolute. No one is above it, not even you."
"Lady Cecil, I do not wish to escalate this. Step aside."
Cecil’s eyes burned with restrained fury as she raised her voice.
"Step aside? Do you call this justice? You wish to execute the entire family of a soldier who broke the law—guilty only by association?"
...What?
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