Chapter 208

“Hey there, my liege. Lunarien Iniyan—”

Vanessa began with a trembling voice, but—

“I’m already aware. I know full well what you’re about to say and what concerns you.”

Karelia raised her hand to stop Vanessa mid-sentence, then spoke with eyes glowing like deep emeralds.

“She may indeed be an outsider. It’s true she was one of the feudal lords who declared their ambitions across the continent as a sovereign ruler. And yes, it’s also known that there are not a few within our nation who follow her closely. However…”

“It’s not just about possibility—”

“But hold on, Vanessa. My decision stands firm; understand that!”

Vanessa fell silent, unable to utter another word.

Even if she had the trust of Karelia, going against the will of her sovereign was nearly impossible. Even if it were possible, pushing her own opinions further in front of so many people would risk shaking the authority of Lady Karelia herself.

“I remember Lady Luna’s gaze clearly. In those sharp eyes lay concern for all the empire’s people. That heart is no different from our own ideals here in Karelia, isn’t it? Sharing the same ideals, shouldn’t we consider her an ally? If I don’t trust her despite her past as a feudal lord and her ambitions, who among our army would dare trust her? How lonely must it feel to shoulder the role of a castle lady without anyone’s belief?”

Resigned, Karelia firmly replied to Vanessa.

“Vanessa, I respect you. Haven’t I entrusted all military power to you before the war? I wish to trust everyone who works for me as much as I trust you. To make others trust me, I first need to trust them—isn’t that reasonable? Regardless of their origins, anyone sweating hard for Karelia deserves my trust.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. Lady Luna is honest. No matter how much power she gains, she wouldn’t betray us with cowardice.”

Cecile, who had been quietly listening, received a nod of agreement from Karelia as she stood up.

“Therefore, henceforth, I shall appoint Lady Lunarien as commander-in-chief of the Ohana invasion force. How many troops can we prepare?”

“…Excluding the soldiers guarding the border with Roland Army and the minimum forces defending the capital, we can probably muster around 120,000 men.”

120,000—a grand army painstakingly gathered by Vanessa through relentless conscription over several months.

“Understood. Cecile, please prepare to support troop movements.”

“Yes, my liege.”

“And everyone, keep this operation strictly confidential.”

While it was almost impossible to keep war preparations entirely secret in this era, even verbal warnings could make a difference. The high-ranking officers present in the capital wouldn’t let information leak out easily.

“Understood!!”

And with that, Karelia…

Drawing her sword at her side, she proclaimed boldly:

“The unification of the Southern Continent shall be carried out by none other than the Karelia Army! For the suffering masses under the fractured and incompetent rule of the Aingart family, let us unite our strength! We can do this!”

With the resolute will of Karelia, all vassals bowed deeply in unison—as the Karelia Army prepared to stretch its wings across the continent.

*

After the long emergency meeting hosted by Karelia, effectively orchestrated by Vanessa, had concluded, and everyone else had left the audience chamber…

Karelia spoke to Vanessa, who still had her head bowed, in a much softer tone.

“Raise your head, Vanessa.”

“…”

“Are you still upset with me?”

“Upset? Nonsense, my liege. How dare I feel such things…”

“Do you still disagree with my decision?”

“…”

Seeing Vanessa remain silent with her head bowed, Karelia chuckled lightly.

“Honesty suits you, Vanessa. You’ve always been straightforward with me.”

“…My liege.”

“Vanessa, as I said earlier, I understand your worries well. But if I, as the sovereign, cannot trust Lady Luna, how can I face her when she serves our army faithfully?”

“These are chaotic times. Virtue holds little value anymore.”

“But wasn’t it because of such values that I ascended to this position?”

“As kindred spirits gather together…”

Around Karelia were people similar to her—warm-hearted individuals who cherished their territories, sought to quickly restore peace, and harbored ambition for a better world. One might even say that Lunarien shared these traits with Karelia.

Even Vanessa…

Hadn’t she pledged allegiance to Karelia precisely because she admired her vision?

“…I have no intention of opposing your will, as I mentioned earlier. However, there is one last request I’d like to make.”

“What is it?”

“Please reduce the number of troops from 120,000 to 90,000. Even 90,000 seems more than sufficient for invading Ohana.”

“…So you’ll listen to me, yet ultimately still fail to fully trust Lady Luna, eh, Vanessa?”

“I am unworthy, but…”

“…Very well. 90,000 should suffice. We plan to deploy our finest commanders anyway. However, I hope you understand that reinforcements may be necessary depending on the battlefield situation.”

“That’s fine. Any need for reinforcements would only confirm my worries were unfounded.”

Hearing this, Karelia smiled absentmindedly while Vanessa bowed her head once again.

Though her liege trusted Lunarien, Vanessa simply couldn’t bring herself to believe in her.

‘Best prepare everything I can, as quietly as possible.’

Even if it would all come to naught, preparing something in case Lunarien entertained any ill intentions was all Vanessa could do under such a rigid and upright ruler during these turbulent times.

* * *

A few days later, at Tevelo Castle.

“Huff… huff… General, please… take a breather!”

Plop.

The handsome golden-haired knight Francis, destined to charm countless women with his looks, dropped his spear and knelt down, panting heavily.

And—

The fiery red-haired warrior Tifa scoffed beside him.

“Tired already? I told you! If you sense the energy in the air while practicing, recovery comes much faster!”

“B-but… forgive me, Master… I don’t quite understand what this ‘energy in the air’ is…”

“You don’t know? This overwhelming energy surrounding us? Come on, close your eyes and try again. Seriously, you don’t feel it?”

“It’s the same every time I try…”

Tifa clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

“Tsk. You’ve got the physique but lack the spirit. Fine, take a break. I don’t want to push you too hard and get scolded by Luna later. I’ll continue my practice alone.”

As Francis rested after Tifa’s grueling training session, gazing at the sky to cool down his sweat…

“Big Brother Francis!”

A distant voice called out.

That voice belonged to his younger sister Violet.

“What’s wrong, Violet?”

“Lady Luna urgently requests your presence. Ah, hello, Lady Tifa.”

“Lady Luna wants me too?”

“Yes. She asked both of you to gather at the manor.”

“What could it be? Hey, Francis, any idea?”

“Me? No clue.”

“Come on, you live with her.”

“Not exactly living together…”

Francis blushed furiously as he replied.

“It’s just… we’re under the same roof, but calling it ‘living together’ feels… odd. Lady Luna is often busy with her duties, so we rarely see each other…”

“Ugh, stop rambling. Just answer properly. Got it?”

“No idea. Nothing comes to mind.”

“Hmm…”

Tifa adjusted her weapon on her back with a hint of disappointment.

“I thought we were getting somewhere… felt like something might finally click!”

Lately, Tifa had started sensing something unusual in the air. Though unsure exactly what it was, she believed mastering it could elevate her skills as a warrior.

‘If I could just perfect this, I’d definitely be able to get my revenge.’

She hadn’t forgotten that moment—not even once.

When the red-haired knight Irene Julieat effortlessly crushed her pride, forcing her to kneel. Since then, Tifa trained tirelessly, driven solely by the desire to avenge herself against her.

‘Maybe I’m stronger than even Luna now… or maybe not. Luna does seem a bit stronger…’

Lost in thought for a moment, she scratched her head.

“Eh, whatever. Head hurts. Hey, Violet, lead the way.”

“Yes, understood.”

Thus, Francis and Tifa followed Violet toward the manor where they practically resided, where Luna awaited.