Chapter 128

“……”

To him, who gave no particular response, Serpina asked in a slightly chilly tone.

“Let alone the area around Amire Castle, not a single enemy flag has been spotted from across the river. We’ve already sent out reconnaissance three times, and every report has been the same. I believe enough time has passed for us to make a judgment. In my opinion, it seems unlikely that the Aishias Army would invade through this route without gaining anything significant.”

If they were caught unprepared, they’d certainly be shaken.

Perhaps the poorly defended Amire Castle could have already fallen in an instant.

But ultimately, that’s all there was to it.

By blocking the river and cutting off supply lines, retaking Amire Castle wouldn’t take much time at all.

Sure, getting hit by the Aishias Army might irritate them, but that’s secondary.

“You told me to see what cannot be seen, did you not?”

“That is correct.”

“Looking back now, it just seems like you strung together some fancy words to cover up the situation.”

She had seen people act this way before—those trying to climb the ladder of success no matter what.

Yeah, it wasn’t the first time she’d witnessed such behavior. If that was true, then Swoen was just another one of those types.

Serpina looked down at Swoen.

There was no sign of wavering in his bowed head. At the same time, the strong sense of certainty he exuded even in this situation unsettled her heart.

‘What… is he thinking?’

Just as she thought this—

Finally, Swoen slowly opened his mouth.

“My lord, the first thing I wish to say is—”

And at that moment,

A soldier rushed into the Audience Chamber.

“My lord, General Jena has arrived. He says there’s an urgent matter that must be reported immediately.”

The moment the soldier spoke, she glanced briefly at where Swoen was.

He closed his mouth, which had been about to speak, and silently communicated something to her.

‘Is it alright to bring him in…?’

While suddenly interrupting an audience could be considered rude depending on the circumstances—

Serpina nodded without showing any particular concern.

“…Bring him in.”

Jena was a general affiliated with Amire Castle.

Not particularly outstanding in ability, but he did a decent job training troops, so he stayed in the rear guarding the barracks—a fairly common commander.

So, why would such a commander come rushing all the way here to Einhardt Castle saying there was an urgent matter?

“Jena, I didn’t expect to see your face today.”

“M-my lord…”

Jena knelt before her, catching his breath slightly as he spoke.

“I’ve come hastily to the Royal Palace despite the rudeness because I have something to show you. Please forgive me—”

“Cut the unnecessary formalities. What is it?”

“It’s… this that we found!”

Jena presented something with both hands.

Serpina stood up and confirmed what he handed over.

“…!!”

Rarely did her eyes widen so dramatically.

In Jena’s hands was an emblem.

It resembled the double-headed eagle crest that symbolized the Einhardt family but with three slanted diagonal lines running beneath it.

This was the crest used by Serpina’s late second brother, Sidemid von Einhardt, when he rebelled against the eldest brother, Algord von Einhardt.

The reappearance of a crest now lost to history meant…

—The spirits of the dead Sidemid have returned to drag Serpina down once more.

* * *

After the sudden death of the Emperor,

Before the full onset of rebellion among the vassals.

There was a faction that raised its banner against Algord von Einhardt, the eldest son everyone assumed would naturally become the successor.

That was none other than Sidemid von Einhardt, the second son of Algord.

With the support of their third brother, Stadel von Einhardt, and their eldest sister, Lilirose von Einhardt, Sidemid rose against handing the empire over to Algord, rallying roughly three-quarters of the imperial noble families behind him to compete with Algord.

Amidst the battlefield of sibling rivalry—

Serpina von Einhardt, the youngest sister, tried her best to reunite the fractured Imperial Family from a step removed.

However, the sole reason she could act as a dove—her lack of any power base—meant her efforts never truly bore fruit.

The sibling intrigue escalated beyond mere scheming, reaching the destruction of each other’s power bases.

The climax of this conflict was the tragedy at the Pheobola Academy.

Despite the obvious presence of nobles supporting her, the academy was completely wiped out with all faculty and students massacred, leaving no trace of its existence.

This incident marked a point of no return between Algord and Sidemid.

Even Serpina, who had been trying desperately to end the political strife, found herself in a situation beyond resolution.

Not long after the tragedy,

Serpina confronted her second brother, Sidemid, the instigator of the event, for the first time.

“Big Brother… Why? Why did you do such a thing?! What wrong did the people there commit—”

Pheobola Academy was a prestigious institution attended by many noble children, including some she had spent her childhood with.

It wasn’t just her. There were surely acquaintances of Sidemid there too, along with influential family heirs who supported her.

It wasn’t solely due to ethical concerns.

Politically, it was a grave misstep. Sensing this faintly, Sidemid began yelling at Serpina.

“Shut up! This is the only way! We need to consolidate forces somehow to stop that idiotic older brother from inheriting the throne!”

Though glaring fiercely and shouting as if ready to devour her—

She resisted the intimidation, looking him directly in the eye.

“But… indiscriminately killing people like this… someone destined to be Emperor shouldn’t do such things!”

At that moment,

Slap!

Serpina’s cheek turned bright red.

Sidemid spoke coldly, as if ready to strangle her if she said another word.

“…Don’t overstep. Do you understand?”

“…”

Serpina couldn’t respond, tears falling to the floor.

It wasn’t from the pain of being struck—

It was from the realization that there would be no peaceful resolution anymore.

* * *

I remember.

Big Brother Sidemid’s gaze, wanting to devour me.

I could do nothing.

Couldn’t stop anything… couldn’t protect anything…

And now again.

It appears before my eyes again.

As if mocking me for doing nothing, it raises its head and glares at me once more.

While I wallow in resignation, that gaze sinks into the abyss—

Fiercely piercing me from the darkness.

That gaze grows stronger.

It turns red.

It’s the color of blood, the smell of death, the fading life.

Serpina… You… YOU did THIS TO ME!

No.

No, Big Brother. I—

YOU KILLED ME!!!

That’s not true, Big Brother! I… I was just trying to help Algord Big Brother!!

YOU!!! You killed me, my siblings…! Could it be you planned this from the start…!!

No.

No, no! It wasn’t me!

I didn’t do that.

Algord Big Brother… he…

Like that.

In this dark place.

When every gaze, every voice came to tear me apart—

My Lord!!!!

Suddenly, a warm voice enveloped Serpina.

This isn’t… a voice to hurt me.

It’s a voice to hold me.

In the pitch-black void, it shines as the only pure white light—

* * *

“…”

Realizing—

The silver-haired man, Swoen, was holding her wrist and looking at her.

Yes.

I called Swoen to talk.

Then, Jena interrupted abruptly—

“Calm down, My Lord. Nothing has happened.”

“…Swoen…?”

That’s right.

I called Swoen to talk.

And in the middle, Jena suddenly burst in—

“Calm yourself, My Lord. Everything is fine.”

“A…”

“Are you alright?”

Hearing Swoen’s voice again, Serpina realized.

She had momentarily fallen into a panic attack.

Seeing the crest Sidemid once used triggered a surge of past trauma—and it was Swoen who called her back.

Strangely—

Her trembling body calmed down.

Why?

Why does his voice feel so warm?

At that moment, a recurring dream flashed through her mind.

A beautiful seascape where she laughed and talked with Swoen—

“Lord…?”

Being questioned again, she felt her senses returning.

“…Forgive me. For a moment, my condition wasn’t good.”

“Not at all. It’s fortunate you’ve calmed down.”

Swoen naturally stepped back, bringing Jena kneeling on the floor back into view.

“Forgive the sudden intrusion, Jena.”

“My Lord, I’m fine. But there is something I must say…”

“Yes… Where was that crest found?”

Serpina asked in a trembling voice. Bowing deeply, Jena apologized and explained.

“With the new reinforcements at Amire Castle, we were finally able to patrol the territory properly. During the patrol, we discovered this insignia and investigated the location, finding hostile elements.”

“What…?”

Hostile elements were discovered.

More precisely—’while patrolling the territory with newly reinforced troops,’ hostile elements were discovered.

‘Could it be…!!!’

Something clicked in Serpina’s mind, and she froze on the spot.

“Only deploy the conscripted troops to the territories where they were recruited. That seems to be the most efficient method.”

“Are you suggesting it’s efficient to station troops in remote areas?”

“That’s correct.”

Scenes from the strategy meeting flashed through her mind, followed by Jena’s voice.

“Swoen’s proposal is somewhat puzzling. To explain… it feels like he’s dodging the main points… developing logic on peripheral issues rather than the core…”

“Swoen’s suggestion seemed more focused on deploying troops to Amire Castle rather than stopping the Aishias Army…”

The puzzle pieces in her mind started fitting together.

‘Did he know… everything would turn out this way?’

She slowly turned her head to look at Swoen, who had helped her up.

His expression showed no waver.

As if he knew from the beginning how things would unfold—he appeared calm like a proud crane—

A sense of ease could even be detected in his gray eyes.

Upon seeing this, Serpina felt—like she had been struck by lightning.

Her body trembled again as she muttered, realizing what the silver-haired man truly intended.

Swoen—knew everything, she concluded.