Chapter 136

* * *

As they were making their way back to the Royal Palace, Karelia turned her head and glanced at Vanessa.

“Vanessa.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Wouldn’t you say we’ve had enough of this vigilance already?”

Vanessa didn’t respond, merely bowing her head in silence.

“There’s growing unrest regarding your policies. I too believe your harsh measures might be excessive. Many are voicing their opposition… Perhaps it’s time for you to reconsider.”

“My Lord, do you remember General Sad Astron?”

“…!”

Sad Astron.

The general who greatly contributed when our army was still a wandering band. The last intel she’d received was that he was now leading a mercenary unit, unaffiliated with any nation.

“He was an extraordinary man, far surpassing any other generals we’ve ever had. A man who willingly sacrificed his own eye to serve as your shield. No one can deny his pivotal role in capturing Madlen Castle. But what did you do to him, my Lord?”

“…I said we could no longer work together. He plundered the territorial people.”

After that incident, several thousand soldiers followed Sad and left the nation.

“If he hadn’t plundered then, we would have failed due to lack of supplies, and Madlen Castle wouldn’t have been ours. This nation itself might not even exist. It was a necessary choice.”

“But if we resort to robbing innocent territorial people just to wage war, how are we any different from Serpina’s Army?”

“At that time, they weren’t our territorial people yet. They paid taxes to the enemy nation and produced food for their soldiers.”

“Regardless of affiliation, territorial people are still territorial people. Just a few decades ago, we were all part of the same nation. How can we so easily dismiss the value of even enemy territorial people?”

“Exactly, my Lord.”

Vanessa spoke earnestly, her tone firm.

“Your weakness lies precisely in considering such things, my Lord.”

“What…?”

“My Lord, this is an Era of Chaos. You cannot rule the world with mere benevolence and virtue alone. While I too agree with your ideals, and many have gathered here inspired by your cause, establishing a nation might be possible with that mindset alone, but defeating Serpina? Impossible.”

Her overwhelming military strength, decisive leadership, and undeniable legitimacy as the sole heir of the old empire—without something truly outstanding to surpass her, conquering this continent and becoming the unified ruler would be nearly impossible, Vanessa judged.

“Our soldiers haven’t experienced war for a long time. Compared to other southern nations where unrest has occurred, we’ve enjoyed a relatively peaceful era. Peace ironically corrodes armies and soldiers over time. Without strict discipline, achieving even southern unification, let alone defeating Serpina’s Army, will be extremely difficult.”

“But… isn’t collective punishment too harsh? And those military codes… shouldn’t we overlook minor mistakes?”

“When small mistakes accumulate into big ones, and big ones lead to situations beyond repair, should we still turn a blind eye?”

“!!!”

Vanessa bowed deeply once more.

“To be honest, my Lord, before I took control of the military, our army’s discipline was in shambles. Can you imagine soldiers skipping mandatory training led by their generals because of trivial personal reasons? One soldier even said this: ‘Lord Karelia cherishes each of us, so why is Strategist Vanessa doing this?'”

“…”

“This isn’t a proper army. In normal peacetime, it might not matter much, but now, absolutely not. Any organization, whether a nation or an army, requires a clear hierarchy. Without it, everything falls apart.”

Karelia couldn’t refute Vanessa’s words.

“To spread peace across the continent, to prevent it from falling into Tyrant Serpina’s hands, we must build an unbeatable army and nation. Along the way, blood may be spilled. But when you become the unified ruler and fulfill your vision, won’t that day bring true peace to everyone?”

“…”

“My Lord, if bloodshed is required in this process, I shall bear it. If I must wallow in filth, I’ll gladly do so. Even if others call me arrogant for trying to play monarch, I’ll accept that stigma. Please, I humbly beg you to understand my heart.”

“Vanessa…”

Karelia met Vanessa’s eyes.

She couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She knew very well how much Vanessa had done on her behalf.

A moment of silence passed.

Then Vanessa bowed deeply again.

“Forgive my insolence, my Lord.”

“No. Between you and me, where is there room for such notions?”

“…Though, in the position of asking forgiveness, it’s quite amusing to say this, but if you had cut off my head for being insolent, I might have gone to the afterlife with some peace of mind.”

“You sure like making high jokes.”

After saying that, Karelia smiled. Watching her, Vanessa reaffirmed her resolve:

No matter what, I will elevate you to become the sun of this sky.

* * *

“Thank you so much earlier, Lady Luna. Thanks to you, I survived.”

“Not at all. Someone else would have done the same thing.”

“That’s not true! If it wasn’t for Lady Luna, who would dare defy Lady Vanessa?”

After the regular meeting ended.

At Cecil’s request to spend some time together, Luna was currently visiting her home.

Even though they were just enjoying tea and light conversation—

This time felt especially meaningful to both Cecil and Luna.

When Luna first joined Karelia’s Army, Cecil was the one who helped her adapt the most. Ever since then, she wanted to repay her kindness, and now she felt she had managed to lighten her burden somewhat.

By the way…

“Who’s the girl standing beside you?”

Cecil asked, looking at Violet standing quietly next to Luna.

“She’s a girl I’m mentoring.”

“Hello.”

Cecil replied with a gentle smile.

“To have such a knowledgeable mentor is a blessing. I hope you make the most of this opportunity.”

“Thank you. I will never forget what you’ve said today.”

Cecil gave a casual blessing, then subtly glanced at Luna.

Luna noticed the nuance in her gaze and asked Violet with a smile:

“Violet, could you excuse us for a moment?”

Violet, the quickest among the three children under Luna’s care, immediately picked up on the subtle atmosphere in the room and bowed gracefully.

“Yes. Please take your time discussing.”

After Violet left,

“She’s quite impressive. There’s determination in her eyes; she seems destined to achieve great things.”

“Thank you. Personally, I just hope she grows up healthy, regardless of achievements…”

And then…

Cecil slowly brought up the real topic she wanted to discuss.

“What do you think, Lady Luna?”

“…?”

What she meant was clearly about the earlier incident.

Or rather, it extended beyond that—to Vanessa’s “politics of fear.”

How should I respond…?

Deciding to feel out the situation first, she began cautiously.

“How’s the mood in the Capital City?”

“The morale of the people is worsening. Not only the conscripted territorial people but also among the armed forces… Voices criticizing the decisions of the Strategist are growing louder.”

“I see…”

Luna stared blankly at the tranquil teacup.

“On the surface, it might seem like we’re building a powerful army with strict discipline…”

Cecil continued, tapping Luna’s teacup lightly with her finger, causing the previously calm liquid inside to ripple.

“Even the smallest trigger could make all this dissatisfaction explode.”

“…Has anyone reported these concerns directly to the Lord?”

“Of course. I’ve pleaded countless times. Generals Mirion and Gid have also spoken up.”

Mirion and Gid were senior generals in Karelia’s Army, almost founding fathers of the nation.

“They understand the strategist’s intentions but argue it’s going too far. At this rate, internal issues might arise, turning what could be a strong army into a disorganized rabble. We can’t govern territorial people through fear alone.”

“And the Lord…?”

“…Sigh.”

Cecil sighed deeply, her eyes trembling slightly, showing genuine worry for the nation she held dear.

“It’s similar to what you just heard… The Lord has delegated military authority. It seems she’s decided to trust her for now…”

“But… Is the Lord really just sitting idly by watching this reign of terror? That doesn’t sound like the Lord I know—”

At Luna’s words, Cecil closed her eyes and slowly nodded.

“Yes. I think so too. However… The Lord might feel a sense of debt.”

“A sense of debt?”

“Lady Vanessa has always been the shadow of the Lord. A ruler in troubled times cannot merely espouse idealistic visions. They must carry ideals in their hearts while simultaneously possessing action, decisiveness, and the readiness to get their hands bloody.”

And…

Willing to soil her hands with blood—

Rather, plunging her hands deep into a pool of blood—is none other than National Strategist Vanessa Trinity.

After saying that, Cecil let out a wry laugh.