Chapter 124

“……Then, allow me to explain my reasoning.”

“Hmm? Go ahead and speak your mind.”

But…

As much as I wanted to call it ‘reasoning,’ there wasn’t really anything concrete to say. My definitive basis was the Divinity 100 prediction result. There was no way I could verbalize that.

Even if I did try to explain, I doubted it would convince Serpina. Thinking back to Irian’s time, she wouldn’t move her army unless given a thoroughly convincing reason.

So then, what attitude should I take here?

‘If an absolutely correct result exists anyway…’

It meant that such a result was inevitable.

If I were Yuri, secretly using the river to strike at Serpina’s rear flank right now—what kind of thinking would lead me to do that?

That’s where I’d start my thought process.

Right as I was about to open my mouth,

“Hold on.”

Serpina extended her pristine white hand slightly and spoke.

“I’d like to voice my thoughts before hearing your evidence. Would that be alright?”

“By all means, please.”

“If that’s the case, I won’t hold back.”

Serpina unfolded her clasped hands slowly and began speaking.

“If the Aishias Army truly uses the river for a surprise attack, Amire Castle will undoubtedly be placed in danger. If we’re caught completely off guard, I even think there’s a possibility we might temporarily lose the castle. However, no matter how many times I consider it, I can’t see this bringing Aishias much gain.”

After saying this, Serpina glanced briefly at Jena.

Jena nodded slowly and followed up on her words.

“Given the route is limited to the river, there’s naturally a limit to the number of troops they can deploy. Even if reinforcements keep coming, if we manage to block them effectively, recapturing the castle won’t be difficult. Knowing this, it seems unlikely they’d recklessly launch an attack.”

Indeed, this plan bordered on gambling from the perspective of the Aishias Army.

They must remain undetected while crossing the river, the time involved would be immense, and with supply lines being problematic, the number of troops they could send would be restricted. It would be hard to use this route for a serious incursion into the Northern Continent.

“One temporary strong blow is all they could achieve. Ultimately, this isn’t a practical route for a full-scale invasion.”

“As Lord Serpina has mentioned, losing Amire Castle would put us in a momentarily difficult situation. But if we ultimately reclaim it, then in conclusion, there’s nothing substantial the Aishias Army gains from such an effort. Currently, Swen’s suggestion implies they’d go through great trouble just for one fleeting impact—but…”

“Exactly!”

“…!”

I quickly bowed deeply to the startled Jena.

“Pardon my rudeness, Lady Jena. However, what you’ve stated is precisely the Aishias Army’s scheme, so I couldn’t help but interject.”

“A scheme, you say?”

“—Impact. Yuri needs an impact powerful enough to shock everyone.”

Ironically, hearing the word ‘impact’ made the overall picture clearer bit by bit.

“My Lord knows this already, but I originally served under the Aishias Army, assisting Yuri.”

“Yes, I remember.”

“With the time I spent around them, I can surely understand their thinking and how things work.”

At my words, Serpina tapped her fingers on the armrest, intrigued.

“Go on.”

“To put it simply, let’s consider the current situation of the Aishias Army.”

With exaggerated gestures, I continued speaking confidently, almost like a silver-tongued orator.

“At this moment, Baranga Yuri Aishias is likely enduring quite a perilous time as a monarch.”

“Reason?”

She knew the answer but insisted on asking. Clearly, she was testing me. And though transparent, it wasn’t necessarily bad. Someone whose motives are readable is better than someone who’s entirely inscrutable.

“My very existence here is the reason.”

“In other words…?”

A nearby Jena chimed in. Seeing she had a rough idea of the situation, I gave her a light nod. No need to repeat myself too many times.

“Baranga Yuri Aishias made the worst possible move as a monarch by letting me stay here without taking action.”

No matter how crucial Animus Ingram may be to her, sacrificing another commander for her sake is disastrous both microscopically and macroscopically. The internal turmoil within her ranks must have been palpable. Even Jinoru, who sent me a letter recently, seemed to have lost faith in her.

“There’s no way to undo what’s already happened. Therefore, she must somehow stabilize the chaotic atmosphere inside her forces as a ruler. So what can she do?”

“Create a common enemy by attacking externally.”

Before I could finish, Serpina cut in—but it didn’t matter since her statement aligned perfectly with mine.

“Exactly.”

After creating a common enemy, redirect everyone’s attention to focus on uniting against that threat. The perfect scapegoat in this scenario is none other than the Serpina Army, the starting point of all this chaos. There’s no better justification.

Even if the attempt fails, succeeding even momentarily to plant the Aishias flag on the Northern Continent would undoubtedly enhance her reputation.

“But if merely attacking an external target is the goal, isn’t there a simpler option? Were I in her position, I’d have targeted border castles. Even if captured, defending them would be far easier.”

“The Aishias Army is already struggling just managing their current territories. Hypothetically, if they demanded Raclaine Castle in exchange for releasing Animus Ingram, there’s a good chance we would have accepted. They’re aware that expanding their territory under these circumstances could easily backfire. Moreover, a surprise attack requires significantly fewer troops compared to a prolonged siege. Besides…”

“…From the standpoint of boosting morale, our army is practically the ideal opponent for them. After all, the Aishias Army doesn’t particularly favor the Serpina Army.”

Hearing this, Serpina paused to reflect. Her intelligent golden eyes revealed traces of the competitive spirit that brought her to this position.

“I see. Because there’s something tangible to gain, they’ll use the river to attack… gaining unity and making a decision-worthy impact, am I right?”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to convey.”

Smiling wryly, I continued, prompting Serpina to tilt her head again, clearly amused.

“Can you explain why this timing is chosen?”

“They must know the borders are becoming more established. Both sides will continue monitoring each other. Now, when further invasions seem unlikely, isn’t this the perfect time to stab us in the back?”

“…”

Serpina stroked her chin thoughtfully.

“Swen.”

When called, I met her gaze once more.

“All your talk about stirring up trouble, using the river for a surprise attack, and targeting our army ultimately boils down to conjecture. The fact remains that her little game will likely end without any real gain.”

“…”

Serpina truly is a tough opponent. She’s someone who never trusts without solid reasons. She stands in stark contrast to Lunarien, who offered unconditional trust.

“So, despite all this, you still seek my trust?”

I’ve squeezed everything out of this situation I possibly could. Under the assumption that “the Aishias Army will definitely come via the river,” I constructed the most plausible scenario. Reflecting on it now, it almost feels like they really would.

Serpina is a shared rival of the core five members of Aishias. If they could land a proper blow against her, it might help cover up their current disarray. Thinking this way, it seems Animus Ingram was behind the plan. Jinoru wouldn’t propose such a plan lacking clear benefits.

There’s no further solid evidence I can bring forward here. Thus, instead of dragging things out, it’s time to make my move.

Let’s wrap this up.

I bowed deeply to her.

“Lady Serpina, my opinion is merely one of many possibilities. As I’ve said, based on my experiences serving in the Aishias Army, I believe with high probability they’ll come via the river. However, whether or not to credit this opinion rests solely with you, my Lord.”

Serpina stared silently into my face. Her stunning beauty still managed to slightly unsettle me, even now.

“In other words, you’re saying: While I suspect they might act this way, I lack certainty. Whether you choose to believe me or not is entirely up to you. Correct?”

“Yes.”

“Which essentially means you lack sufficient grounds to persuade me, doesn’t it?”

I closed my eyes slowly, bowed my head, and calmly replied, prepared for this question.

“Lady Serpina, I cannot reveal everything outright. It wouldn’t be appropriate to present incomplete reasoning to someone of your stature.”

“I hear undertones of hidden truths in your words.”

“I’m merely seeking your understanding.”

Though I know the absolute outcome, the exact reasons elude me. For now, it’s best to appear knowledgeable.

Anyway, once the conclusion emerges, it’ll prove I was right. The seeds of language I’ve planted will sprout and eventually bear the fruit of trust.

“Did you also rely on intuition when praying for the giant rock to fall from the sky?”

“…”

Not responding, Serpina slowly nodded.

“Understood. I’ll keep your opinion in mind.”

“Thank you.”

“You’ve worked hard today. You may leave.”

I bowed deeply again.

“Please call upon me whenever needed. I shall await your summons.”

Leaving the Audience Chamber with Serpina behind me, I reflected.

Based purely on the assumption that “the Aishias Army will come via the river,” I pieced together a plausible explanation. But ultimately, Serpina was right.

Frankly, this wouldn’t deal our army a significant blow.

‘Well, it’s fine. Serpina said she’ll handle it her own way, right?’

Depending on the situation, preventing this minor disturbance might be the most efficient course of action for our army.

Thinking too much after mentally exerting myself left me feeling tired. I briefly considered asking Iren for a cup of tea but remembered we no longer lived together.

‘Lady Iren, are you doing well?’

When the building is ready for moving in, perhaps I’ll invite her to live together again. It wouldn’t hurt to casually check her feelings if the situation allows.

What about Reika? Would she end up living with us too?

Considering both women have the potential to become my wives made my head heat up again—but…

‘There’s no need to think about all this now.’

For now, I’ll rest. Having tidied my thoughts, I slowly exited the Royal Palace.