Chapter 114

After seeing Serpina off as she returned to the Royal Palace, I headed to the place she had directed me to.

After explaining the situation to the guards, I entered the room and was finally able to reunite with them.

“Swon!”

“Sir Swon…!”

“It’s good to see that all of you are safe.”

It felt like we hadn’t seen each other in ages, even though it had only been a few days.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one thinking this way; they also seemed genuinely glad to see me.

Especially Iren… she seemed on the verge of tears.

“Iren, please calm down.”

“But… Swon. I thought I might never see you again… snif.”

“Never see me again? Why would that happen? It’s not like Serpina was going to eat me.”

Well, technically, since I ended up serving her, maybe she did sort of ‘consume’ me.

“But, Swon, when I asked about your condition… I heard you were so heartbroken that you stopped eating altogether… I was so worried.”

“…”

I thought she was just joking, but it seems she really believed that.

“You need to take better care of yourself… You’re already too thin. If you don’t eat properly, your health will deteriorate.”

Even though she was crying, I could feel her genuine concern for me, which made me feel oddly warm inside.

Though she usually comes across as mature and reliable, there are times when she shows a childlike side.

“Ahh, Lady Iren… Please stop crying…”

“Hmmph.”

If I judged by personality alone, I’d have thought it should be Reika sobbing, not Iren. This role reversal was oddly amusing.

Once I managed to calm Iren down, I finally learned how they had been faring.

“Did the two of you stay together?”

“Yes. Actually, Lady Serpina helped arrange that. Originally, we were supposed to stay separately, but when they expressed concerns, she said it would be fine if we stayed together.”

I barely knew her, but Serpina was clearly nothing like the rumors suggested. In fact, she might even be more compassionate than Yuri.

“Was it comfortable living there?”

“Yes… Regular meals were provided, and with Lady Iren around… But seriously, did you really stop eating?”

“No, no. I was fine, so please don’t worry.”

As I said this, I observed their faces. For a moment, I wondered if they’d feel awkward without me acting as an intermediary, but then I remembered—these two had already grown quite close during the carriage ride here.

Sometimes, you meet people who naturally click with you. With those individuals, you can become fast friends after just a few words. On the other hand, some people just don’t mesh no matter what. Judging from their interactions, these two seemed to get along pretty well.

When Iren had calmed down enough, I finally broached the main topic with them.

“My Lord… Swon, it seems they demanded Anima’s release instead of sending you back…”

“That seems to be the case.”

“So that is true, then.”

Yuri’s decision came as quite a shock to Iren. Indeed, any rational person would find it strange to exchange one commander for another, especially a commander sent as an envoy.

“Then ultimately, you’ve been abandoned.”

“That’s how it turned out.”

In Iren’s gaze, I saw both pity and a sense of shared experience. Reflecting on it, she too had been abandoned by her original lord, Lin. There are many people in this world who make irrational decisions, regardless of their rank.

“Ah, um, actually…”

I placed my hand on Reika’s shoulder as she hesitated to interject.

“Reika!…”

“Reika, please calm down and listen to what I have to say.”

“A, I, um…”

With the clearest voice I could muster, I addressed her while she blushed furiously.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble here. Truly, I apologize.”

“What? No, no… It’s not… It’s alright.”

“I’ll send you back safely to Falaharte Castle immediately.”

“Eh?”

Startled by my words, Reika looked at me with wide eyes, resembling an abandoned kitten. That’s why I added that she shouldn’t misunderstand.

“That is not because you’re unnecessary or unhelpful… I am no longer part of Aishias Army.”

“Wh-what? Does that mean…!”

I nodded as she stared at me in surprise.

“Yes. Starting today, I work under Serpina.”

“Hmm, well, even if you went back to Aishias now, I doubt you’d be welcomed.”

Iren quickly understood the situation. She’s quite sharp, so figuring out the implications wouldn’t be difficult for her.

“So, it seems we won’t be traveling together anymore. It’s disappointing, but such is life.”

“T-that’s… But…”

“Reika, what about Lady Iren? What will happen to her?”

“That’s right. Lady Iren, what do you plan to do?”

Though asking feels redundant, it’s still worth confirming. As expected, she answered without hesitation.

“I told you before, didn’t I? No matter what happens, I will stay by Swon’s side. And I too will serve Lady Serpina.”

“Are you not concerned? After all, my new lord doesn’t have the best reputation.”

“If you’ve chosen to serve her, then she is my lord too, no matter who she is.”

While I anticipated this response…

Hearing her say it outright filled me with pride and a bit of ticklish discomfort.

“Alright. I’ll discuss it with Lady Serpina… our Lord. Since Lady Iren is skilled, I believe she’ll accept you, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“Hmm.”

Though Lady Iren has the freedom to choose whom she serves…

Since Reika is bound to Jinoru, we don’t have a valid reason to continue taking her with us.

“B-but then, I will…”

“Reika, as much as I’d like to keep you with me, if anything happened to you, I couldn’t face Jinoru.”

“It doesn’t matter…! I want to stay with Sir Swon…”

“It does matter. Of course it does.”

“No! It really doesn’t matter. Please…”

Reika was desperately trying to convey something.

“I received permission… Father’s permission! Before we left, he said…”

“…Yes?”

“If things went awry, he said I should stay by Swon’s side… So… I’m allowed to stay here… Besides, I don’t serve anyone anyway. If Father gives his permission, then isn’t it fine…?”

Though her tone was unusually strong for her…

Upon reflection, what she said made sense.

She was merely conducting magical research at Jinoru’s manor and wasn’t officially part of Aishias Army. The only one who could control her was Jinoru, but if he gave his approval, there’s no real reason to send her back to Falaharte Castle.

“…Is that true? Are you telling the truth?”

“Of course…! I, I don’t lie about things like this… Though I understand why you might think otherwise…”

“Alright. If you’re telling the truth, that’s all that matters. Then… for now, you can stay with us.”

“Please do as Swon says, Reika. If we’re around, you’ll be safe at least.”

Upon hearing Iren’s words, the shadow of sadness lifted from Reika’s face.

“Sir Swon… Lady Iren…”

As I comforted Reika alongside Iren, thoughts of my old lord surfaced once again—not Lin or Yuri, but the one person who truly trusted me: Lunarien.

If only I could return to Luna’s side at the exact moment she raises her banner…

Having a knight like Iren and a mage like Reika would be immensely helpful.

And if we seize the right timing, I could propose to Iren…

And then… perhaps propose to Reika as well?

Though I’m unsure about Reika’s feelings, it feels a bit premature to propose to her.

This whole engagement negotiation got complicated due to recent events, but…

Living together for a while should give me a clearer sense of what to do.

Thus, we joined the ranks under the northern overlord, Serpina.

For Iren, it was her third lord. For me, it was my fourth.

* * *

“Then, I’ll visit again soon.”

After Swon left the room, Iren sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

He mentioned that Serpina would soon decide where to assign us and instructed us to stay in this wing until then.

Though technically under house arrest, the conditions were decent enough that it didn’t bother her much.

Truthfully, none of that mattered.

What troubled her was failing to ask Swon the question that lingered on her mind.

“The talk about the engagement… I didn’t bring it up.”

She was curious about the engagement negotiations involving Reika but more intrigued by why Reika referred to her as “the first wife.”

Reika claimed that “listening to Swon’s stories made her think that way,” but what exactly did he say to make her say that?

“Swon…”

The idea of becoming his wife rather than just his comrade…

Long ago, Iren had given up on the dream of finding love and starting a family. Her life revolved around the battlefield and the sword. Taking someone’s life meant risking yours in return. Loving someone could lead to losing them, so she vowed to dedicate everything to her sword and her lord, avoiding attachment.

But…

Thinking about becoming Swon’s wife made her heart flutter.

At first, it startled her, but upon deeper reflection…

If Swon desired it… she wanted to be his wife.

She wished to bear children who resembled him.

To live for a man who recognized her when no one else did, who relied on her and became her support in return, didn’t seem like such a bad life.

Only then did she realize…

She had fallen in love.

Given the current upheaval caused by changing lords, it wasn’t the right time to bring up this topic…

‘Next time, I must gather the courage to ask.’

Meanwhile, Reika’s concerns were more practical.

“I did say it, but… what now?”

Though it wasn’t a lie that she had Jinoru’s permission…

Still, she worried he might fret if she didn’t check in.

Not that he’d likely be overly concerned, but she owed him for raising her.

‘Maybe I should send a letter just in case.’

If I mention I’m staying with Swon… that should suffice.

Ever since meeting Swon, she felt herself regaining freedom, even though it felt like she was cooped up just yesterday.

But what if her father suddenly demanded her return?

‘Even though I’ve never done it before, it’s scary… but I should prepare a polite refusal just in case.’

Despite appearing frail and timid…

She didn’t want to lose the freedom Swon had gifted her—a freedom akin to a present from her magic mentor.

And when faced with someone she wanted to spend more time with…

A woman can become incredibly strong.