Chapter 112

* * *

Tevelo Castle, under the Serpina Army of the Southern Continent.

Lady Lunarien Iniyan’s expression was clouded with deep concern.

“Did they… really die in the end?”

“Yes.”

More than thirty soldiers were publicly executed for violating military law.

Luna’s objections about the executions seemed to have been ignored.

Of course, breaking military law is wrong. But the problem was that the punishment felt far too harsh no matter how you looked at it. Losing your life over a minor mistake was undeniably cruel.

Especially now, with conscription being almost mandatory for any man who could walk and move, morale was bound to be low, and their training levels weren’t high either.

All of this stemmed from the will of their lord, Makana Karelia—or rather, as Luna had come to understand, not entirely her decision.

“It’s Vanessa, the strategist’s doing.”

Ever since Vanessa took control of the nation’s military power, the enforcement of military law became stricter, and the intensity of training skyrocketed. A strong army sounded good, and during wartime, emphasizing strict military discipline wasn’t something Luna disagreed with…

But…

Executing someone simply for being 30 minutes late? Wasn’t that excessive?

Most of the executed soldiers hadn’t committed crimes worthy of death. Even if they deserved some form of punishment, taking their lives seemed disproportionate for such minor offenses.

It was almost like a reign of terror.

Vanessa’s reign of terror, bolstered by the prestige of Karelia herself.

Despite hearing various stories circulating within the Karelia Army, all concerns were dismissed under the guise of “preparing for war.” There was also the justification of raising the morale and training standards of the soldiers and commanders, which had fallen due to the prolonged peace in the southern continent.

“My lady.”

“…Speak.”

“Our lord doesn’t seem to think highly of you, Lady Luna. They say you shouldn’t have unnecessary sympathy in your position.”

With a bitter tone, Luna responded to the male commander before her.

“The lord’s will, is it?”

“…In reality, it might as well be the same thing.”

The male commander knew this wasn’t truly Makana Karelia’s intention but Vanessa’s. Yet, he could only say so much because Karelia stood above Vanessa as everyone’s idol.

“I see.”

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

As the male commander exited the audience chamber, Luna headed back to the manor where she was currently staying.

“You’ve returned, Lady Luna.”

Upon arriving at the manor, Charlotte, Cain’s relative with golden eyes, greeted her after returning from the royal palace. Not wanting to burden her with her worries, Luna tried to keep a bright expression.

“How was your day?”

“I feel I’m improving in swordsmanship, though I’ll never reach brother’s level.”

The three children Cain asked her to raise—Francis, Charlotte, and Violet—were adapting remarkably well to her household, showcasing incredible talent.

Francis with his spear, Charlotte with her sword, and Violet showing potential as a civil official.

Francis possessed an overwhelming talent akin to the legendary Kremten Al Caskey, once famous for his spear skills in the old empire. He had already surpassed the regular soldiers and could hold his own against several experienced commanders in the Karelia Army despite his age.

Charlotte, too, was no slouch. Her instructor Tifa often boasted that when she grew up, she would undoubtedly surpass even her as a great general. Given Tifa’s honest nature, Charlotte must truly be talented.

While her older siblings excelled in combat, Violet demonstrated exceptional strategic and tactical abilities. She accurately predicted that the Serpina Army wouldn’t attack the Brance Army anymore, and indeed, there had been no battles between the two nations since then. Violet argued that maintaining the front line without occupation would weaken Brance more effectively.

“And what about the academy? Have you thought about it?”

“Yes, we’ve thought about it, but all three of us reached the same conclusion.”

Charlotte bowed deeply as she spoke.

“We don’t need to attend the academy.”

Lunarien wanted them to go, believing it would provide better experiences compared to staying as retainers in her manor.

“If funds are a concern, please don’t worry. Attending the academy would expose you to many valuable experiences.”

“While that may be true… Uncle said we must protect Lady Lunarien. We should be ready to assist you whenever opportunity arises.”

Was she talking about Cain?

Luna chuckled awkwardly in response.

“Still, thinking about all of you…”

“Please don’t worry, Lady Luna. Tifa has been an excellent teacher, and Violet believes that observing situations by your side will help her more than theoretical studies at the academy. Please consider our wishes.”

“…If that’s your decision, I won’t force you. But if you change your mind, let me know. I have enough resources to send all three of you.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

With the heavy topic concluded, Luna decided to lighten the mood.

“By the way, you look very nice today!”

“Oh, well…”

Charlotte blushed slightly, showing a more girlish side.

“There’s a festival in the square today.”

“Ah, that’s right!”

She remembered hearing about it. The festival was meant to ease tensions caused by excessive conscription.

“So, if you’d like, you can go?”

“You don’t need my permission. Go ahead.”

“A… Thank you!”

For all her maturity, Charlotte still acted her age sometimes.

After seeing her off, Luna fell into deep thought.

A festival, huh?

Come to think of it, there used to be a harvest celebration at Jeilrant Castle. After the first proper harvest following a typhoon, everyone’s faces were filled with joy.

At that moment, holding Sir Swoen’s hand, we danced together…

Time has passed since then, but Luna never forgot that moment.

The golden wheat fields swaying in the wind, the air, the atmosphere, the smell, the food handed out by the villagers…

And Swoen’s face, holding my hand as we danced…

“Sir Swoen…”

Is he still with the Brance Army?

Since hearing that the Brance Army was losing badly to the Serpina Army, she worried constantly. But she believed he would return safely, as he promised.

When the chance comes, I must seize it. Only then can I face Swoen proudly.

“Please… stay safe.”

A fleeting thought crossed her mind.

What is Sir Swoen doing right now?

* * *

Knock knock knock.

“Come in. No need to knock.”

At my words, the door opened, revealing the absolute ruler with golden hair.

Her distinctive hairpin and shimmering locks made her look less like a tyrant and more like a goddess incarnate.

“You seem quite relaxed, Swoen.”

“It’s thanks to Lady Serpina’s unexpected leniency.”

“Unexpected, huh?”

Serpina smirked, her smile almost unfair in its beauty.

Since the day the envoy came with the proposal—”Release Anima in exchange for Swoen”—Iren, Reika, and I have been confined to separate rooms in the side wing prepared by Serpina.

Though technically imprisonment, it was comfortable enough. Each room had its own bath and toilet, meals were served regularly, windows provided natural light, and the beds were soft.

It was definitely preferable to being thrown into a dungeon.

The downside was not knowing how Reika and Iren were faring.

“So, what brings you here today?”

“I’ve come to grant a favor you asked for and share a story.”

Favor…

Yes, I did ask her for something.

“Iren Julieat and Reika Nightharte are doing well. They’re curious about you too.”

“What did you say?”

“I mentioned they were grieving so much they stopped eating.”

Her upward-curving eyes betrayed her playful teasing. She wasn’t actually harming them, thankfully.

“As long as both are fine, that’s all that matters.”

“Now that I’ve granted your favor, it’s time for you to answer my questions.”

“If I can, I will.”

“Reika Nightharte… I didn’t know Zinoru had such a young daughter.”

The Nightharte family does have a reputation. Quite an age gap, but it makes sense given she’s an adopted daughter.

But surely that wasn’t the real reason for bringing this up.

“Is she perhaps… a mage?”

Caught off guard by her direct question, I barely managed to compose myself…

“Even you seem surprised.”

“…”

I thought I kept my expression neutral. How did she notice?

“Just recently, there was an incident where part of Hisfil Castle’s wall collapsed. It was due to an unexplained explosion. Witnesses claimed they saw a pink-haired woman. Likely your doing, no?”

“Haha, you’re joking. Mages don’t exist in this world, do they?”

“To a man known as the White-Haired Mage, that sounds amusing.”

She chuckled again, her laugh enchantingly feminine.

“And understanding why she carries the surname ‘Nightharte’ makes perfect sense. Zinoru must have recognized her talent and adopted her as his daughter. Such a predictable story, isn’t it?”

Hearing this, I was genuinely impressed.

She was right.

Serpina was clearly astute. It explained why she managed to unify half the continent in this game. Even in an era where mages haven’t fully emerged, her flexible thinking was remarkable.

Still, it felt somewhat silly that her charm overshadowed her intelligence in my thoughts.

“In any case, that’s your answer.”

“That’s correct.”

“Well, it’s not entirely satisfying… but it’ll do. We’ll have plenty of time for deeper conversations soon.”

What?

Startled, I looked at her face.

And she… moved closer until her face was mere inches from mine. The strong scent of her perfume assaulted my nose.

“Your defeat, Swoen. This match goes to me.”

“…!”

The result of our bet disguised as a challenge…

“Baranga Yuri Aishias has abandoned you. You know what that means, don’t you?”

Whispering into my ear with shocking audacity…

Her eyes gleaming with a dangerously beautiful smile…

As if making an eternal vow together…

Like a bride promising marriage…

“This is now mine.”