The day after my conversation with Airen,
Serpina summoned once again.
However, this ti, it wasn’t to the audience chamber.
Instead, I was directed to the very annex where we had last held our impromptu swordsmanship match.
Does Serpina often spend her ti here?
It wasn’t strange for a ruler to have several annexes.
But this place had a strangely eerie atmosphere—almost as if it had been frozen in ti.
Though it wasn’t far from the main castle and was clearly within the fortress walls,
it carried a chilling stillness that was difficult to put into words.
As I made my way toward the residence—
Huh?
I spotted a familiar figure crouched in front of a flower bed.
Upon approaching, the long golden hair and distinctive hairpin confird my suspicions.
It was Serpina.
Her profile, illuminated by the faint sunlight, was so serene that I montarily questioned whether I was truly looking at the sa person.
I had never seen her appear so at peace before.
She was fiddling with sothing in the flower bed—perhaps tending to the plants?
Just then, as if sensing my presence, she turned toward and spoke.
"You’re here, Swen."
"What were you doing?"
"I was just tending to the flower bed for a mont."
I was surprised to hear that.
A ruler personally taking care of sothing as trivial as a flower bed?
But I refrained from voicing my thoughts.
It wasn’t as if kings and queens were forbidden from having hobbies.
Besides, the expression on her face as she had been tending to the plants—
it was... surprisingly pleasant.
"I assu you summoned here today, my lord, because—"
"There’s no need for formalities. Just follow ."
"...Understood."
With that, I trailed behind Serpina as she led the way.
*
Inside one of the rooms in the annex,
a massive map of the continent hung on the wall.
Serpina, standing in front of it, looked at with a confident expression.
"Swen, this concerns the ‘test’ you set for .
It gave a great deal to think about.
Today, I summoned you here to confirm if my conclusion is the correct one."
A test, huh...
Right.
She had mistakenly believed that I had set a test for her.
The idea of soone deliberately testing their monarch—
especially soone as formidable as Serpina—
was absurd.
Yet, this misunderstanding had worked in my favor.
Because of it, I didn’t have to explain how I had reached my prediction.
The key phrase had been: "An alliance that presents a great opportunity for our forces."
On the surface, Brans Army seed to be the primary beneficiary of the proposed alliance.
Aside from the fact that their proud leader, Lyn Brans, had proposed it first,
the conditions themselves weren’t too outrageous.
However, one possibility remained—
that this alliance was, in reality, not advantageous for Brans Army.
After all, if it presented an opportunity for us,
then it inherently ant a disadvantage for them.
Brans Army’s interests and ours were fundantally at odds.
A true win-win situation was impossible.
With that in mind, the answer could be inferred.
But ultimately, these were still just deductions.
Unlike before, I didn’t have solid material evidence.
It wouldn’t be enough to persuade Serpina outright.
"Then, listen well, Swen."
That being said,
there was no reason for to refuse when she was willing to think it through on my behalf.
"...Understood. Please proceed."
"In my opinion... there is no doubt that Lyn Brans’ intentions have changed.
The re fact that she proposed such an alliance suggests that she has beco soone who knows when to seek practicality over pride."
I agreed.
For soone like her—
to extend a hand to an enemy she had once sought to annihilate—
was no trivial matter.
She pointed at the map.
"Swen, as you surely already know,
out of all the existing nations, Brans Army benefits the most from this alliance.
The southern nations do not share a border with us.
Aishus Army, if allied with us, would find their borders completely sealed off.
Only Brans Army can secure their southern front without concern for us."
She tapped her finger on Brans’ borders.
"From both a strategic and surface-level perspective,
this alliance is undeniably advantageous for Brans Army."
Her explanation was smooth, and her voice—
as alluring as ever.
Serpina truly was a woman who possessed every quality to be considered attractive,
in both power and presence.
"But," she continued, "you claid this alliance is also beneficial for our forces.
We are set to receive 12,800 gold.
Sure, it’s a decent sum for a six-month agreent,
but it doesn’t explain why you rejected all the previous alliances.
This alone cannot be the key reason you see this alliance as an ‘opportunity.’"
I said nothing and simply t her gaze.
Her violet eyes glead.
She was waiting for my reaction.
She wanted to confirm that she had reached the right conclusion.
"And yet," she went on,
"you claid that this alliance presents a great opportunity for us.
Brans Army’s gain does not equate to our gain.
If they grow stronger from this,
the country that suffers the most...
is ours.
Do you [N O V E L I G H T] agree?"
It seed Serpina had reached this level of reasoning on her own.
It wasn’t surprising.
She was highly intelligent.
After all, in her own army,
the most formidable tactician was Serpina herself.
"I agree."
"Good.
Now, Swen—
how do you think I’m doing so far?"
A slight smirk curled at her lips as she spoke.
Oddly enough, she looked rather... pleased with herself.
I found it sowhat endearing,
but of course, I’d never dare to say that aloud.
"Please continue."
"Very well.
Even if Lyn Brans has changed her approach,
human emotions are not always dictated by reason.
Our forces have slaughtered countless Brans soldiers.
And that was not long ago."
She then turned to with a knowing, self-assured smile.
"How do you think Brans Army’s soldiers and officers will feel about this?
How about those who lost their comrades, their loved ones, their families?"
Her voice grew sharper.
"This alliance—
despite appearing beneficial—
may carry a very different aning within Brans Army itself."
Ah.
I had a feeling I knew where she was going with this.
It was one of the many possible deductions I had considered.
In other words—
"This alliance could—"
"Cause internal division within Brans Army."
"Oh my..."
Serpina’s lips curled into a seductive smile,
clearly delighted that our thoughts aligned.
Yes.
Among the many possible scenarios I had envisioned,
this was one of the most realistic outcos.
The alliance might appear advantageous to Brans Army.
But humans were not creatures governed by logic alone.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Lyn Brans had once let her personal feelings cloud her judgnt,
abandoning her most loyal retainer, Airen.
Baranga Yuri Aishus, too, had made foolish choices
because she was shackled by the past.
Humans do not always act purely out of rationality.
"Swen," Serpina murmured, her gaze steady.
"You once told : ‘If you put yourself in that position, you will inevitably feel it.’
Now, I see the weight of that statent.
Because, after all—"
She smiled faintly.
"I am a tyrant."
...That wasn’t exactly what I had ant,
but now that she said it,
it did sound oddly fitting.
A tyrant, huh?
I had never actually seen her act like one since I arrived here.
Yet, her reputation spoke volus.
"Lyn Brans, allying herself with the tyrant Serpina—
What will her loyal followers think of this?"
Serpina’s voice was laced with amusent.
"Even now, Brans Army has done nothing but lose battle after battle.
And that’s not the only issue, is it?"
I smiled.
"Indeed, it isn’t."
Since Serpina had put in so much effort to reach this conclusion,
it was only fair that I shared my own thoughts as well.
"Brans Army is likely in complete disarray due to Lyn Brans’ repeated miscalculations.
The only thing keeping them unified until now was their hatred for you, my lord.
But if they were to see you and their leader standing together,
they would lose even that last source of cohesion."
In other words, the person who proposed this alliance was soone capable of reading the battlefield—
but utterly incapable of reading people’s hearts.
Most likely... Parfalle.
"You are absolutely right, Swen.
You fill in the gaps in my reasoning so seamlessly—
it almost makes think we were once one and the sa. Fufu...♡"
She chuckled and took a step closer to .
The subtle sway of her chest was noticeable even through her clothing.
No matter how much I tried not to think about it,
I couldn’t shake the mory of yesterday—
when those massive things had crushed against .
"What do you think, Swen?
Did I pass your test?"
A test.
It was a plausible assessnt.
But after everything that had happened recently,
I couldn’t blindly declare anything with certainty unless I had solid evidence.
Avoiding a definite answer was the better choice here.
If I wanted to maintain my position and stay in Serpina’s good graces,
I had to let her believe she had my trust.
"I’m not sure if ‘test’ is the right word...
but I will say that you are extrely close to the answer."
"Of course.
I have no intention of stopping here."
Then,
she turned away and spoke in a low voice.
"This alliance... I will oversee it personally."
"You an... you’ll handle it yourself, my lord?"
"I plan to visit Arnel Castle."
"...What?"
"rely announcing the alliance would already be enough to stir up chaos within Brans Army.
But I thought to myself—
if I were one of Lyn Brans’ officers,
what would enrage the most?"
At that mont,
Serpina turned her gaze to .
Her golden hair shimred as she moved.
"Seeing their sworn enemy, Serpina, standing beside their leader—
hand in hand."
...!
"If we can etch that image into Brans Army’s minds,
it will completely shatter their morale.
Wouldn’t you agree, Swen? Fufu..."
She laughed playfully after saying that.
It was a bold move.
A far more aggressive approach than I had expected.
The logic behind it made sense.
But the assumption that it would definitely work was still just that—
an assumption.
Of course, given that I had already received the answer that "this alliance benefits us greatly,"
the likelihood of her theory being correct was high.
Still...
I hadn’t expected Serpina to take such an active role herself.
So now, the situation had changed.
The condition had shifted to ‘Serpina personally going to Arnel Castle.’
I should input the updated condition and see what happens.
Without much thought,
I entered a new prediction:
"Is forming an alliance with Brans Army beneficial for our forces?"
And the answer—
The damn "prediction."
The one that always carried the weight of absolute certainty.
[This alliance is an overwhelming benefit to our forces—enough to decide the fate of continental unification.]
"!!!!!"
"Swen?"
My legs nearly gave out,
and I instinctively grabbed onto the nearby desk for support.
What...?
"What’s wrong all of a sudden?"
"I... No, I— Serpina, please give a mont..."
As I staggered,
she quickly stepped in to support .
I didn’t even think to thank her.
I was too busy trying to process what I had just seen.
The prediction had changed.
Simply adding the condition that Serpina would personally go had altered the future.
Wait.
If this decision was enough to shift the fate of the entire continent’s unification—
Did that an... the ruling power itself would change?
To be sure,
I tested another prediction.
It was a question I had once asked before, during my conversation with Janis.
"Can Serpina von Eingart unify the continent?"
[She cannot.]
It hasn’t changed...
The answer remained the sa.
Even with Serpina now deciding to take direct action,
her ability to unify the continent had not increased.
Yet the fate of unification had still shifted toward our forces.
And "our forces" ant—
Serpina’s army.
Since I was now a part of her faction,
"our forces" had to refer to Serpina’s army, not Luna’s.
If only I could check the sa question regarding Luna...
That would confirm everything.
But I had never asked about Luna’s potential to unify the continent
since joining Serpina’s side.
No.
The real issue wasn’t about Luna at all.
The real issue was before that.
If the fate of unification was shifting toward Serpina’s army—
then it ant that Serpina’s forces were gaining the chance to unify the continent instead of Luna’s.
Then why...
Then why... is Serpina still unable to unify the continent?
Thump.
Thump.
My heart began to pound violently.
My mind was racing at full speed.
And then—
I realized it.
—The weight of two absolute statents:
① The fate of continental unification will shift toward Serpina’s army.
② Serpina von Eingart cannot unify the continent.
Like a divine revelation—
No.
Not a revelation.
As if I had glimpsed into the forbidden realm of gods—
I understood the one inevitable conclusion derived from these two facts.
"Serpina... is going to die?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)