Chapter 211

An army of over ninety thousand troops, the prime territory of Tevelo Castle, and resources that could be gathered in limitless amounts if desired…

The moment of a lifetime.

This was the sole, thin chance she’d ever have to seize after building up Karelia’s trust all this time!

In this continent where not an inch of land lay vacant, this was undoubtedly the best timing for her to rise in rebellion if she truly intended to do so.

This “perfect timing,” however, could vanish from her grasp like a mirage at any moment. If tomorrow were to come and Karelia suddenly issued an order saying, “Lady Luna, step down from your position as castle lord,” then it would all be over in that instant—no time even to deliberate on whether or not betrayal was an option.

Lady Luna herself, despite ruling a small nation, had once dreamt of conquering the entire continent.

Of course, she fully understood the advantages of the current situation.

‘……’

Silently, Luna assumed the scenario where no betrayal occurred and progressed the situation accordingly.

If they engaged in battle, their forces would dwindle, and with the expansion of territory, Karelia’s armed forces would flood in like a tide.

While currently stationed at the edge of the border, they could manipulate the Ohana Army to prevent Karelia from responding immediately, but as the war progressed, even that would become difficult.

Moreover, although Lady Luna possessed lofty ideals and was respected, this was limited to Tevelo Castle alone. Even here, many would abandon her should she betray.

They weren’t just any army; they were the Karelia Army. The fact that people chose to follow her instead of others in such chaotic times meant there were many who valued honor and righteousness above all else.

Currently, Vanessa had stirred discontent by preparing for war through oppressive politics while acting as her shadow—

But once things settled down and Karelia resumed control of all internal affairs, these feelings would quickly subside.

In every aspect,

Now was the time to act.

This was what Sir Swoen referred to as the “opportunity.”

As Luna’s expression grew serious, those around her maintained complete silence.

Everyone knew that she wasn’t the type to make such a choice.

But simultaneously, they also recognized that if Luna truly harbored great ambitions, opportunities better than this one would be hard to come by.

Ultimately, everything depended on Luna’s decision.

It was tacitly acknowledged by all that further advice would be meaningless.

All they could do was follow the decisions made by their “true Lord.”

And.

What their “true Lord,” Luna, could do was――

‘……Sir Swoen…….’

Sir Swoen.

What should I do?

Since this is the world we live in, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it… But, am I really supposed to strike down the person who took me in?

Am I justified in doing tyrannical acts similar to Serpina? Can I still face those who suffer without shame?

With her eyes slowly closed,

Luna asked the ever-present Swoen within her heart.

Since parting ways with that man,

Whenever faced with tough choices, Luna would close her eyes and ponder, “What would Sir Swoen have said?”

It was this mindset that allowed her to make countless decisions alone.

What story would my strategist tell now?

And between efficiency and absolute righteousness, which would he choose?

Surprisingly,

As soon as she thought about it, the hesitation clouding her mind began to dissipate like mist.

What would Sir Swoen choose?

It was obviously―

“……Tifa, and everyone, I understand your points. But…”

Luna slowly opened her eyes and looked at those who sought to crown her as the new ruler.

With a voice steady and unwavering, she declared boldly—

“I will not betray my Lord… I will not forsake my trust with Lady Karelia.”

―The righteous path.

And simultaneously, the most efficient one.

The answer Sir Swoen would have given was always this, and Luna had never forgotten it, not even for a moment.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Besides, since it’s you, your words are correct. Understood. My decision aligns with yours too.”

Unlike Tifa, who accepted it easily, Mets struggled to contain his excitement.

“However, Lady Luna! Isn’t this golden opportunity something you shouldn’t let slip if you truly harbor grand ambitions? Please reconsider-”

“No.”

Unlike the heated Mets, Luna replied calmly.

“Mets, this isn’t merely about valuing trust that prompted me to bring this up.”

“Ye…s?”

“While it may appear to be an unparalleled opportunity as you say…”

“A ruler must sometimes reach into filth. There will be times when blood must stain their hands. A ruler isn’t solely defined by noble ideals. However……“

“One loses the most crucial justification.”

“!!!”

―Regardless, the strength of our Lord lies in the belief that she will never lose her noble ideals, no matter what.

That’s right, Sir Swoen.

If Sir Swoen were here, he would definitely say something like this, I believe.

No matter how tempting the prize before her eyes might be, she shouldn’t take it recklessly.

At least to become a ruler who surpasses even Karelia, she must accumulate more justification than her.

That would paradoxically be the most ‘efficient’ method, wouldn’t it? That’s what he would say.

So.

Let’s not rush.

Like Sir Swoen said, surely, a much better opportunity will definitely come along later.

Besides, didn’t he say?

We win in the end.

I believe in Sir Swoen.

Even without resorting to the reckless move of betrayal… I firmly believe that everything will work out fine.

“So, I kindly ask you to set aside your intentions for now. However, I will never forget the ideals you’ve expressed, no matter what happens.”

“…….”

There was no further rebuttal against Luna’s words.

Facing the justification of war, Vanessa pushed forward—Karelia made a decision against her own beliefs.

And yet, despite such a favorable situation before her eyes, Luna chose to uphold her principles.

This situation left an indelible mark on the hearts of someone present.

* * *

Afterward-

The dialogue with Luna flowed into an ordinary “war preparation,” with no further radical discussions taking place.

However… Undoubtedly, someone’s heart underwent a change because of that dialogue.

“Encourage Lady Lunarien to betray.”

“Encourage, you say?”

“She is not the type to forever remain content under Lady Karelia. She will react if provoked. Once she makes up her mind, simply report back to me.”

“But… What if she doesn’t betray?”

“…Can there be two suns in the sky, after all?”

“!!!”

“I trust the message has been clearly conveyed.”

‘…….’

Mets, now officially part of the “Lunarien faction,”

In truth, he had approached Luna upon receiving secret orders from Vanessa.

Vanessa claimed that Luna was an ambitious woman.

He agreed with that. From his observations and feedback from others, Luna was not someone who would be satisfied with being a mere castle lord.

However, as he spent time with her, a different sentiment began to grow within him.

It couldn’t be helped.

Objectively speaking, Lunarien was far more qualified as a ruler compared to Karelia.

Both women shared a similar essence, but Karelia was rigid.

Someone who would never walk an unjust path, unsuited for these chaotic times.

Her decisiveness lacked, and she often wavered at critical moments. Too frequently, she made wrong choices swayed by emotions.

If her conviction were absolutely unshakable, perhaps he could die alongside her without regret…

But after turning a blind eye to Vanessa’s tyranny despite having Karelia’s utmost trust, questions about his true Lord inevitably arose.

It was during this period of wavering faith that Lunarien gradually came into focus.

Clearly, an incredible opportunity presented itself, and his own ambitions were undeniable. Yet, unlike Karelia, Lunarien chose to uphold her convictions.

Although she stated, “It’s not solely for the sake of trust that I made this decision,” the undeniable fact remained that she hadn’t chosen to betray Karelia first.

Perhaps.

This person wouldn’t be swayed unilaterally by someone like Vanessa.

This person might thoroughly make decisions based on their thoughts without hesitation at crucial moments.

Mets reevaluated the situation again.

Contrary to Vanessa’s expectations, Luna didn’t choose to stab her Lord in the back.

Then, what should he do now?

Since two suns cannot coexist in the sky… One sun must fall, right?

Then.

Is the sun that must fall truly Lunarien?

Shouldn’t the sun I must serve be Karelia?

‘…….’

After deep contemplation, the decision he reached was…

* * *

In the audience chamber, while discussing future battles with Tifa and Violet, Luna was startled by the sudden news and widened her eyes in shock.

“Did you… receive an order to kill me?”

“That’s correct.”

As Mets knelt and confessed everything, Luna’s body trembled slightly.

Mets’ choice was Lunarien.

Because after careful consideration, he believed that Lunarien, rather than Karelia—who seemed to blindly follow Vanessa and couldn’t uphold her own beliefs—was the rightful sun that deserved to shine.

Luna paused briefly in silence before cautiously questioning Mets.

“Is this… not an order from our Lord, Lady Karelia?”

“No. It was a secret command from the Strategist… Lady Vanessa.”

“Then why are you telling me all this?”

“I don’t want to lose Lady Luna under false accusations here.”

Mets closed his eyes and bowed his head.

“I desired Karelia’s dominion. But does that dominion necessarily have to be achieved solely by Lady Karelia?”

“…!”

“What I desire is a brilliant, wise leader who loves their people to unify the continent. And as mentioned earlier, there’s no reason it must be Lady Karelia. In fact, I believe Lady Luna would be more suitable to stop Serpina’s tyranny.”

“May I inquire the reason?”

“I’m not sure if you’re aware… But Lady Luna always speaks with such confidence.”

“…!”

The reason she could make every decision with such confidence.

It was because of… that person.

Even now, it’s the same.

Because she firmly believes in the words, “If we hold on until the end, we’ll win,” hasn’t the concept of “justification” literally rolled towards her like a pumpkin?

“Therefore, I, Mets, wish to entrust my fate to Lady Lunarien.”

As soon as Mets finished speaking, Tifa interjected with an agitated tone.

“Luna. This can’t just pass unnoticed, right? No matter what side we choose, the other is surely plotting to destroy us!”

“I agree with Miss Tifa, Lady Luna. It seems the time to make a decisive judgment has arrived.”

“…….”

A few minutes of silence followed.

Finally, Luna broke the seemingly endless silence.

“Tifa. Violet. Sorry, but could you please summon everyone here immediately?”