Chapter 92

“Surely… that’s what you meant.”

“That’s exactly right. It’s far easier to lure the troops out of the castle rather than laying siege and storming it directly.”

After explaining several times, Yuan finally seemed to understand, but Serpina didn’t bother scolding him.

No matter what kind of life she had lived—Serpina, as a ruler now, was walking the path of conquest and wouldn’t tolerate anything existing beside her absolute power.

There were certainly no shortage of people who thought of her as a tyrant and hated her, with many even calling her a demon or witch.

However, surprisingly, she wasn’t the type to govern through fear within her own nation.

Given her poor public image, she had no choice but to ensure those serving under her remained loyal.

Even though she was the sole ruler continuing the legacy of the fallen Einhardt Empire, the original heirs envisioned by those serving the royal family were not her but the late first son, Algord von Einhardt.

The vassals of the empire would never have liked someone who suddenly appeared, especially one known for being cruel.

Of course, ruling through fear might make them obey in the short term. By enforcing harsh punishments and immediately purging anyone who dared challenge her authority without question, she could probably keep the state running somewhat smoothly. After all, Serpina’s forces had already absorbed the entire infrastructure of the Northern Continent and the capital city of the old empire.

But…

She couldn’t build a unified empire that way.

A ruler whose soldiers didn’t truly commit their hearts to her would inevitably collapse at a critical moment.

That was the conclusion she reached after repeatedly studying famous works on leadership.

Thus, she made it a rule never to belittle those who followed her, no matter what happened.

This was the principle Serpina set for herself: always treating her followers with respect.

Therefore, unlike Bran’s army, which also had a similar governing style, Serpina didn’t rule through fear.

Instead, she strictly adhered to the principle of reward and punishment, patiently explaining things multiple times if necessary, and dealt leniently with mistakes unless they were fatal or involved rebellion.

Compared to Lin, this difference stood out even more.

Lin, despite being somewhat scatterbrained lately, was still considered a wise ruler overall. Expanding the territory inherited from the strong foundation of Bran’s army into a near-hegemony in the central continent wasn’t easy.

But Lin was emotional. She judged people based more on who they were rather than the severity of their offenses when doling out punishments.

Moreover, if someone refused to listen to her, she’d quickly discard them, ruling through fear.

Before her eventual downfall, her leadership style was often praised, and indeed, the territories under her control in the central continent rarely rebelled like they did in the north.

For instance, if there were someone like Iren Julieat whom she personally disliked?

Lin Brance would likely take Iren’s life herself, whereas Serpina von Einhardt would employ Iren if she proved capable.

Though disliking her personally, Serpina would still treat her fairly as long as she fulfilled her duties as a subordinate.

In any case, this unexpected care for her subordinates became evident.

The loyalty of her generals was exceptionally high.

Most rebellions came from former imperial figures or those aligned with alternative successors like Algord.

Fear-based governance can be very stable when the ruler’s authority is absolute, but once cracks appear, it becomes extremely unstable.

Serpina instinctively understood this, so she chose the harder path over the easier one.

Considering the current decline of Bran’s army due to Lin’s temperament, it was clearly the right decision.

Her goal was the unification of the continent.

As time passed while striving only to become an ideal ruler to honor promises—

Her aura as an absolute ruler grew stronger.

“Ah, my lord?”

Serpina glanced down slightly at Yuan.

Understanding this as an invitation to speak, Yuan cautiously asked:

“The strategy itself is brilliant, but isn’t this plan dependent on Raclaine Castle’s forces invading us?”

“That’s correct.”

“But if the enemy doesn’t invade, what happens then?”

“…Hmm…”

Serpina paused briefly before slowly speaking.

“True. Wasting supplies while waiting indefinitely for them to bite is inefficient, given that variables such as Brance’s army could come into play. However, I firmly believe Aishias’ army will take the bait.”

“May I ask why?”

Serpina responded nonchalantly.

“It’s simple—they hate me.”

“…”

Yuan remained silent, pondering her words.

In truth, finding someone who liked Serpina on this continent would be far quicker than finding someone who disliked her.

Though Yuan deeply respected and followed his ruler, he wasn’t foolish enough to ignore objective facts.

Indeed, Serpina devised this strategy because she knew Aishias’ army despised her.

‘You don’t belong under the same sky as me…’

It was rare for a weaker nation to use such strong language against a stronger one during diplomatic relations.

Other nations that had rejected surrender offers never expressed such overt hatred.

Baranga Yuri Aishias…

What grudge do you harbor?

At what point did I turn your heart to hatred?

‘…’

Pointless sentiment.

An inappropriate thought for Serpina von Einhardt as a ruler.

She quickly erased it from her mind.

If they hate me, then I’ll exploit that thoroughly.

Suddenly, Jena’s words came to mind.

About the young man with white hair reportedly in Aishias’ army now.

Will I ever see your face in this ongoing war?

The chances that he’s the same man from my dreams are slim.

Still, just to clarify these jumbled thoughts, I want to meet him and confirm he’s not the same person.

Seeing his face should resolve this.

Just as she thought that, a young man’s voice reached her ears.

“My lord!”

Turning her head, she saw a tall, youthful general with black hair kneeling before her.

“Irian Al Caskey reporting! I heard you were here and came immediately.”

Irian Al Caskey.

Son of the late renowned general Kremton Al Caskey, top graduate of the Einhardt Academy.

He achieved remarkable feats in battles like the conquest of Kelshtain Castle and the pacification of the central continent, emerging as a promising young talent in Serpina’s army after a long absence.

“Good. I’ve heard about your accomplishments. You’ve done well.”

“Only thanks to your trust, my lady. I am grateful to repay it.”

Serpina silently smiled enigmatically as she looked down at the kneeling Irian.

With that smile, Irian reaffirmed that Serpina was the only dignified woman worthy of leading him.

“Lord, please place me at the forefront of this operation. I will surely bring glory.”

“Isn’t that too much for you?”

“No, not at all. Thank you for your concern, but Irian is still fully capable—”

“Not quite.”

Serpina cut him off sharply.

Her voice was so cold it felt like it could cut through steel.

“If you push yourself in less-than-perfect condition and fail, ultimately, the responsibility for that choice lies solely with me. So, speak plainly. Can you guarantee success?”

“…Yes. Please assign me the task. If I err, feel free to take my head.”

“…”

Serpina stared silently at him.

Word has it Erhandorf Arias is in Raclaine Castle.

Testing Irian’s capabilities might be worthwhile.

“Alright. I’ll give you another chance. Just ensure you don’t tarnish the Einhardt crest.”

“Yes! Thank you, my lady!”

After dismissing Irian, Serpina left the royal palace deep in thought.

While dealing with Aishias’ army, she needed to keep her eyes and ears open.

‘Soon, we must also observe how Brance’s army moves.’

If they move according to my plans, that’d be ideal…

Thinking this, she steadily advanced toward conquering the central continent.

* * *

“Don’t panic! Maintain formation!”

Anima was trying her best to control the rear troops, but speaking from inside a palanquin instead of a saddle made proper control nearly impossible.

The forward units seemed to have engaged in battle with Serpina’s forces, causing even more chaos in the center ranks.

Worse yet, the enemy soldiers attacking from behind felt unnaturally strong.

It was clear our army was losing ground.

This was because the attackers weren’t regular troops but mercenaries specialized in ambushes, though Anima had no way of knowing this.

‘If only we’d stationed a reliable general in the rear…’

There were two other generals in the rear besides Anima, but neither was particularly skilled in combat.

They were chosen more for their ability to manage troops rather than achieve battlefield exploits.

Reflecting now, it was a glaring oversight.

Had we been more cautious, even with low probability, we should have considered the possibility of a rear attack.

Our haste and eagerness not to miss this opportunity had led us into this predicament.

“Aaaah!”

“Charge, bastards!”

Amidst the chaotic scene, Anima wanted to check on the front lines but knew she had to stay put and maintain order to prevent the army from being sandwiched.

“Ern… I’ll leave the front to you. Please stay safe…”

*

Meanwhile, at the front—

Just as Anima suspected, Ehrandorf Arias faced off against Serpina’s vanguard commander, Irian.

“Are you Ehrandorf Arias?”

“…”

Irian’s question went unanswered, but identifying Ehrandorf wasn’t difficult.

His massive frame, distinctive weapon, and taciturn nature matched the descriptions perfectly.

“I am Irian Al Caskey of Serpina’s army! Remember me as the last person you’ll meet before crossing over!”

Irian taunted lightly, but Ehrandorf simply glared at him silently before adjusting his weapon and muttering,

“You talk too much. Come on, brat.”

“…”

Talking further would be pointless.

Irian extended his hand forward.

“Everyone, charge!”

Roarrrr!

Soldiers from both Serpina’s and Aishias’ armies clashed violently.