Chapter 186

*

Since that day.

By Serpina’s orders, about 13,000 troops from the capital defense force were mobilized to march toward Roze Castle where Iren was stationed.

The supreme commander was Serpina herself. I participated as one of the assistants, and managing Ainhardt Castle temporarily fell to Jena, the nation’s strategist.

Jena was chosen because she had proven her basic abilities as a strategist, and also because she had overseen Ainhardt Castle when Serpina and the occupying forces moved to the central continent. There was no better candidate than her here.

I heard she gave Serpina some very logical advice: “The troops at Roze Castle are sufficient. Sending reinforcements might just be a waste of supplies.”

But it seems Lady Serpina dismissed the advice and took action anyway.

No matter what, she seemed to trust me more than the national strategist. I’m not sure if I should feel grateful or apologetic about that…

As the day of departure arrived…

“I’ll return safely. It feels strange leaving like this…”

“A-Ah… Please give my regards to Lady Iren, Sir Swoen!”

After receiving farewells from Reika and the maids, we joined the army and immediately began marching toward Roze Castle.

Once we’d left the castle gates and traveled a bit, I turned my head to look back at Ainhardt Castle.

Atop its towering spire, the flag symbolizing Serpina’s forces—a shade of golden yellow—fluttered in the wind.

Even from afar, it still stood proudly as the largest and most prosperous castle in the empire, perhaps even on the entire continent. As I gazed at it, thoughts of predictions resurfaced once again.

What exactly…

Was supposed to happen if Serpina hadn’t left? Why was her life in danger while staying behind?

And why…

Must her disappearance—or stepping down from the throne—be necessary for this country’s unification?

My mind naturally drifted to the person I knew as Serpina.

Regardless of personal opinions, everyone acknowledged her competence. She didn’t belittle her subordinates, cared deeply for those loyal to her, made sound decisions based on her keen judgment, and wasn’t swayed by old power brokers but listened to new voices.

It didn’t make sense that someone like her couldn’t achieve unification…

And the idea that this nation’s fate required her removal from the throne raised countless questions.

“Could there be something I’m missing?”

My predictions are absolute. That much became painfully clear when I served as Luna’s strategist.

When Tifa found the treasure chest, sprinkled the money, and mercenaries flooded in—it sent shivers down my spine.

So, there must be a valid reason why Serpina can’t unify the land… What could it possibly be?

If only I could take one more step…

It felt like I was so close, yet a few puzzle pieces were still missing.

“Alright, let’s set this aside for now.”

In any case, Serpina’s fate has changed once again due to my interference.

She will survive. Though I feel sorry for her nation, they’ll miss another chance at becoming the Unified Empire.

Honestly, which country unifies isn’t really my concern. What matters is that I want to save Serpina.

Several days passed.

We finally arrived at Roze Castle, which paled in comparison to the massive scale of Einhardt Castle.

“Have you arrived, my lord?”

Upon arrival, Iren greeted us.

Seeing her flanked by various armed officers, including Irian, reminded me how far she’d come.

“You’ve worked hard, Iren.”

“Not at all. This is simply my duty.”

From afar, Iren looked familiar yet strangely distant.

Her composed demeanor now seemed slightly awkward to me.

After all, the Iren who stays by my side is always…

“I would like a detailed report of the current situation.”

“Yes. Let me explain further from the watchtower. I’ll guide you—”

“Before that, wouldn’t it be nice to exchange greetings first?”

“?”

Serpina smiled faintly and tilted her head backward.

Confused, Iren glanced at me, and I cautiously offered my greeting.

“Hello.”

“Ah… S-Swen?! Is that you?”

“Go ahead inside. Take your time catching up.”

With that, Serpina brushed past Iren and continued forward.

I didn’t mind; I understood this was her way of showing consideration.

Besides, even without Iren, others like Irian were perfectly capable of accompanying her. Accepting her kindness seemed best.

Approaching the bewildered Iren, I asked:

“How have you been?”

“Huh? Oh, I’ve been fine…”

Blushing and lowering her gaze, Iren appeared unsure of herself.

Why does she always seem so endearing?

Whenever she’s around me, the usually strong-willed woman becomes softer than anyone else I know. It’s unbearably cute.

Without hiding my affection, I expressed my feelings openly.

“I missed you.”

“Eh?! Ah, ah… Yes, I missed you too.”

“It’s good to see you’re healthy. I was worried you might overwork yourself again.”

“Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten our promise. I swore never to put myself in danger…”

“Good job.”

Feeling incredibly proud, I slowly raised my hand and gently patted her head.

Like a puppy responding to affection, Iren tilted her head slightly, enjoying the touch.

How adorable.

Realizing the situation after indulging in my gesture, she cleared her throat a few times before speaking with her usual dignified tone.

“Um… Can I ask one question?”

“What is it?”

“If the rebel forces aren’t particularly strong, and we could’ve handled them without reinforcements, why did you send additional troops? Some voices here worry that this decision may actually hinder our strategy.”

Her point was valid.

Our occupation force was already substantial, especially since Serpina’s elite unit was among them. Capturing this castle from the rebels shouldn’t have been difficult with the existing forces alone.

This decision was purely to protect Serpina’s life—nothing more, nothing less.

To outsiders, it might seem like a waste of supplies.

I considered explaining logically but decided against complicating things unnecessarily.

Especially since I was speaking to Iren.

“I proposed it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I judged it necessary.”

Nodding in agreement, Iren replied:

“If it’s your suggestion, Swen, then it must hold meaning. Understood. I’ll ensure cooperation and explain things properly to the troops.”

Ever since the meteor incident, Iren has placed unwavering trust in me.

Had she been the ruler, she likely would’ve made nothing but the best choices.

‘…’

Given her deep trust in me, maybe I should tell her…

Sharing these thoughts with someone reliable feels more reassuring than keeping everything bottled up inside.

Considering Iren, betrayal isn’t even worth contemplating. If anything, I’d rather die standing than doubt her loyalty.

“Lady Iren.”

“Yes?”

“I have something to say. Do you have a moment?”

Looking at my serious expression, Iren scanned the area.

Everyone was busy attending to Serpina, leaving us plenty of privacy for a confidential conversation.

“What is it?”

“It seems… Our lord, Lady Serpina, may be in danger.”

“!!!”

That’s right.

Throughout our journey from Einhardt Castle, my mind kept returning to one thought: ‘If Serpina had stayed behind, she would’ve been in danger.’

Unification means her death. She lacks the destiny to become the unifying monarch. This mirrors the events of that fateful time.

Then why must she die?

What kind of death could be avoided simply by moving here?

One possibility is an earthquake striking Einhardt Castle.

If the royal palace collapses while she’s conducting business inside, her demise wouldn’t be surprising.

Though nothing unusual has happened so far, we can’t entirely rule out an earthquake occurring on our return journey and destroying the palace.

Broadly speaking, it’s similar to the previous landslide scenario.

Of course, natural disasters like earthquakes are extremely rare. The fact that we’ve relied on them so conveniently makes it easy to imagine such scenarios, but their probability remains exceedingly low.

Moreover, if the palace collapses, it won’t just affect Serpina—it’ll cause catastrophic damage across the board. Thus, alternative outcomes of my prediction shouldn’t be dismissed outright.

Diseases or epidemics aren’t plausible either. Even dispatching troops wouldn’t change her fate in that case.

Forcing a disease-related prediction might result in something like “an epidemic breaks out in Einhardt Castle after she leaves,” but this is just as unlikely as an earthquake and requires further observation.

So, what’s the most probable conclusion given the circumstances?

“It’s unclear, but I suspect there may be a group within the royal palace attempting to assassinate Lady Serpina.”

Hearing my words, Iren froze, her eyes widening in shock.

“W-What did you say?”

My conclusion:

“Serpina will be assassinated while remaining in the royal palace.”