‘So this is the reason they call her a tyrant.’
Serpina's expression as she said that... it was that expression again.
At a glance, she looked composed, but if soone touched the wrong nerve, it seed as though she might crumble at any mont.
Thinking about it, Serpina was far from a tyrant—she was closer to an enlightened ruler than any I had ever t.
Her system of rewards and punishnts clearly reflected her efforts to be fair and just. She had an unwavering determination never to betray those who followed her. She tried to avoid being swayed by emotions and gathered as many perspectives as possible before making rational decisions.
Weren’t these all the virtues of a wise ruler rather than a tyrant?
Compared to Lyn, who had charisma but was prone to emotional decisions, and Yuri, who had leadership skills but was so bound by personal bonds that she couldn't even make her own choices freely, Serpina was undoubtedly the superior ruler.
Even Lunarian Iniang, who had successfully governed Zeilant, had only managed a single castle. It was hard to argue that she was a more ideal ruler than Serpina, who governed the entire northern continent.
And yet, from the outside, the world saw her only as a ‘tyrant.’
No matter which nation one belonged to, the consensus on her was unwaveringly consistent.
Even based on my prior knowledge, she was portrayed as a rciless butcher. After arriving in this world, everyone continued to describe her as the worst ruler.
Lunarian, the woman destined to unify the continent, had raised her army with the justification that ‘soone like Serpina must not be allowed to claim the continent.’
I had always been curious, but...
Suspecting that this might be so kind of test, I decided to give what I thought was the safest possible answer.
"Regardless of such rumors, I am currently serving under you, Lady Serpina."
"If you’re not opposed to listening to what I have to say, then at least humor for now."
She smiled, as if making a joke.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to listen... I had simply ant that I would follow her regardless of the rumors.
But it seed she wanted to talk to no matter what.
Fine.
Sotis, all soone needs is for soone else to listen.
"...I am very curious, my lord. If you would, please share your thoughts with ."
"Fufu. Thank you, Swen. Seeing you indulge my reckless whining ti and ti again, you must be quite kind."
Serpina smiled, then turned her head forward and resud walking.
I followed her from behind... silently listening to her story.
"I'm sorry to say, but for all this suspense, it’s a simple tale. My hands are stained with too much blood. The weight of the na ‘Eingart’ was already more than enough to bear, but I exceeded even that. But if there were one decisive reason..."
"It would be the fact that, with my own hands, I slaughtered my own kin."
Her voice trembled ever so slightly—so faintly that it was barely perceptible.
It was strange.
Normally, if soone spoke of their own atrocities with trembling words, they would seem like nothing more than a hypocritical liar.
And yet, for so reason, that was not the impression I got from her.
"In a battle for succession, bloodshed is nothing unusual. You can find countless such cases in history books. But... the true reason, undoubtedly, is that I executed entire groups simply because they had yet to choose a side—because they were deed ‘highly likely’ to beco traitors."
She had said she would tell the reason why she was called a tyrant...
And yet, the way she spoke, it was as if she were rely an impartial observer, analyzing the situation from a third-person perspective.
Just as I started to find that odd—
She turned her head toward and spoke.
"Swen, have you ever heard of an educational institution in the northwest called the Fibiola Academy?"
"Fibiola Academy...?"
I had certainly heard that na before.
But where?
Ah. When I was in the Aishus Army.
Yes. That day when the sunset burned an unusually deep red, when I had gone to that secluded monastery to retrieve Anima Ingram, who had been cast out from her position as the national strategist—
That was when I had heard about it.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
The five central figures of the Aishus Army had an unbreakable bond, stronger than any other nation’s, and the root of that connection lay in Fibiola Academy.
But that was all.
All I knew was that a ‘great purge had occurred there, and that event had turned the five of them into a family bound by blood.’
"I do not know the details, but I have heard of it."
"If one has even a passing interest in the continent’s history, it would be impossible not to know. A massacre took place there, one of unprecedented cruelty. Everyone associated with the academy, including its students, was slaughtered. Even the noble families connected to them were wiped out in order to erase the flas of that incident."
"And the reason...?"
"Yes."
Serpina slowly nodded.
"The headmaster of Fibiola Academy was one of Algott's most loyal followers."
She sighed deeply, then looked at directly.
Why was it?
For so reason, in her golden eyes, I saw the sa desolation I had felt that day—
The sa emptiness as that crimson sunset when I had faced Anima.
***
Turn Back Ti, Several Years Ago—Eingart Castle.
Seated on the throne in place of the late king, who had died unexpectedly without naming a successor, was the man who most closely resembled the emperor in his youth—undisputedly the first in line to inherit the crown—Algott von Eingart.
His gleaming blonde hair and golden eyes, as if capturing the very essence of sunlight, marked him as an intelligent and strikingly handso young man. Many had already begun to follow him, certain that he would succeed the emperor.
And yet, at that mont, he sat in shock, having just heard the report from his subordinate, General Julian.
"Orland Brans... has started a rebellion?"
"Yes, Your Highness. That insolent fool dared to claim that the era of Eingart has co to an end..."
"So this is the path he has chosen, after all..."
Closing his eyes, Algott fell into deep thought.
Orland Brans was a man as cunning as a raccoon.
A man obsessed with central politics, suddenly volunteering to be dispatched to Arnel Castle when the late emperor’s days were numbered, claiming he wished to devote his remaining years to his holand—it had been suspicious from the start. But since the late emperor had cherished Orland, he had ultimately granted him lordship over the castle. And now, as expected, the result was rebellion.
"Even if the throne is vacant, to resort to rebellion so soon..."
"What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"It must be put down imdiately. However, we may as well attempt to persuade him once. If a war breaks out in the middle of this situation, the continent will be plunged into endless chaos."
Extending his hand toward Julian, Algott commanded,
"Send word to Arnel Castle. Tell them that if they cease their foolishness and surrender imdiately, I will grant them their lives."
"Understood!"
With that, Julian left the audience chamber.
Algott had spoken confidently, but the mont he was alone, he let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair.
‘Honestly, I can’t afford to put down this rebellion right now.’
Ordinarily, rebellion ant swift execution. But the situation was different.
Aside from the capital’s defense forces, most of the imperial army was under the command of his younger brother, Sidmid von Eingart.
Although Algott and Sidmid had never been particularly close, they were still brothers, and Algott had assud they at least shared a familial bond. However, after the emperor’s death, Sidmid had bared his fangs without hesitation.
Even if Algott demanded that Sidmid suppress the rebellion, it was unlikely he would comply. If anything, Sidmid would probably use the continent’s turmoil as an excuse to seize the throne for himself.
To make matters worse, Sidmid had already secured the allegiance of their younger siblings, Stadel and Lilirose.
"One against three, huh."
Algott had thought his relationships with his younger siblings were amicable...
"Is this all because of my own inadequacy?"
Letting out another sigh, he gazed up at the sky.
The dark, overcast clouds threatened rain at any mont, and today, they seed more ominous than ever.
***
When Algott returned to the grand Eingart manor within the castle, he was greeted by a beautiful woman with long, cream-colored hair neatly tied to one side.
"Welco ho, Lord Algott."
"Aria... have you not gone to bed yet?"
"How could I, when you hadn’t returned yet?"
Aria Iniang.
Unlike the wives who had died suddenly without bearing him children, she was the only woman who had remained by his side.
Her status was too low for her to be formally married into the imperial family, but now, she was the only person supporting Algott, who had no one else left.
Ironically, she had survived because she had never married him.
The three won Algott had wed had all died prematurely.
"How is the situation...?"
"The sa as always. Nothing has changed. Ah, have you received any word from your uncle yet?"
"No, no particular ssages so far."
"I see... ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) If he were willing to help, it would make a great difference."
Algott sighed deeply.
There truly wasn’t a single person on his side.
Had he been too arrogant, certain that he would be crowned emperor?
Or was he simply an inadequate man?
At that mont—
Aria, standing before him, wrapped him in a tight embrace.
"Aria...?"
"Stay strong, Lord Algott. This is just another trial that will pass."
"......"
Closing his eyes, Algott quietly absorbed the warmth of Aria in his arms.
Ever since the emperor’s death, the ti he spent with her had beco the only mont where he could breathe amidst the chaos.
After sharing that brief yet heavy embrace—
"Lord Algott. It is not news from your uncle, but you have a visitor today."
"A visitor?"
She nodded.
"They are waiting in the audience chamber as we speak."
***
After sending Aria outside, saying she wanted so fresh air, Algott hurried toward the audience chamber and pushed open the doors.
And there—
"Brother."
Long golden hair.
Eyes of a brilliant gold that marked her as a true child of the imperial family.
The one who most resembled their late mother.
The only sibling who had not sided with Sidmid.
"Serpina...?"
The visitor was none other than—
The youngest of the royal family, the one who had aligned herself with no faction—
Serpina von Eingart.
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