Chapter 157

* * *

Tevelo Castle, under the command of the Karelia Army.

“Huff… huff… just a little… can we take a small break…?”

Francis, the eldest son of Cain’s children entrusted to Luna and gifted with remarkable talent in spear techniques, leaned heavily on his spear as he wheezed out a request to his master—but—

“Hey! You’re already falling apart at this young age? What’s your excuse?”

The red-haired instructor, her hair tied back carelessly, looked down on her disciple with an expression that bordered on disdain.

“I’ve been training since sunrise until just before sunset… only taking a break for lunch.”

“So what? Do you think nighttime is for playing around? At your age? If you want to get stronger, it’s only natural to keep going until bedtime, isn’t it?”

“But… Tifa-sama. Even so, training all day seems a bit much…”

Tifa approached Francis and spoke in a very serious tone.

“Hey. Don’t you want to excel? Don’t you want to make a good impression on Luna?”

“N-no, well, it’s not exactly about that…”

Francis blushed slightly and lowered his head.

“It’s less about making a good impression and more about achieving outstanding results… so as not to bring shame upon my uncle’s honor…”

“Cain, that creepy old man? Who cares about some frozen fart of ‘honor’!?”

Tifa laughed loudly, completely dismissing the idea.

While her words might have seemed rude in other circumstances, Francis had lived here long enough to understand the bond between Tifa, Cain, and their lord, Luna. He wasn’t offended.

“Hey, Francis. You’re way better than old man Cain. Sure, you’ve got talent, but looks-wise, you’re a cut above him. That guy’s kind of scruffy, right? Honestly, I don’t know whose bloodline you come from, but you’ve got a princely vibe going on. And despite working hard all day, your skin still looks pretty decent.”

“…”

Francis remained silent, keeping his head bowed.

Honestly.

By this age, one knows if they look better than others their age…

And for Francis, knowing he was handsome helped boost his teenage self-esteem.

Of course, in an era of chaos, does being handsome even matter?

“At least among the men I’ve seen, you’re second-best. So have some pride, will ya?! What does old man Cain’s honor matter anyway? Forget that old geezer, Francis! Sweat for the sake of making your name known across the continent!”

Though Tifa intended this speech to encourage him—

A particular word caught young Francis’ attention, something he couldn’t just brush off.

“…Second place?”

An ordinary person might have winced at this point, realizing their faux pas—

But Tifa, who disliked lying (and didn’t even know how to), replied bluntly without a second thought.

“Yeah? Yeah. You’re second. There’s someone who’s far handsomer than you.”

For someone like Francis, who’d grown up hearing compliments about his appearance, this was no small matter.

“Really? Who is it?”

“Swoen.”

“Swoen…?”

“Never heard of him? A strategist in our army… wait a sec?”

At that moment,

Luna appeared in the distance, waving her hand in greeting.

“Hey, Luna? Are you done with your tasks already?”

“Yeah. Until further orders, there’s nothing special to do.”

Currently, the Southern Continent was brimming with tension, led by the Hesna Army. The reason Tifa was pushing Francis so hard was because she believed his talents would soon be ready for actual combat. For a general preparing for battle, real-world experience was far more important than mere drills—this was her firm belief.

“Got it? How about the thing I asked you about?”

“Actually, that’s why I came. Oh, hold on.”

Luna turned her head toward Francis, smiled gently, and asked,

“Mr. Francis, thank you for all your hard work. Did you train diligently today?”

“A-ah! Yes, yes!”

Francis, who had been sitting slumped over, immediately stood up and responded energetically.

“I’ve been striving tirelessly to be of help to Lady Luna.”

“Is that so? Hehe, I feel supported.”

As she said this, Luna gave a radiant smile that made Francis unable to meet her eyes—

He quickly turned his head, trying to cool down his burning cheeks.

Does she realize how much I want to be of assistance to Lady Luna?

“What were you two talking about? Training?”

“About Swoen.”

“…Eh?”

At that moment,

Upon hearing the name “Swoen,” Luna’s face flushed noticeably.

“S-sir Swoen…? W-why suddenly…?”

Looking flustered, Luna received Tifa’s nonchalant response.

“Yeah. I was telling Francis about him. Since he’ll likely become one of our generals someday, it wouldn’t hurt for him to know about our irreplaceable strategist, right?”

“Oh… I see…”

Luna sighed deeply, then—

Her smile transformed into one that radiated happiness, both as a ruler and as a woman.

That smile wasn’t just beautiful or pure or warm—it was fundamentally different.

It was a smile she had never once shown to Francis.

Always kind and gentle to him, treating him with warmth and consideration, yet she had never worn such an expression in front of him.

“That’s right. Our army’s strategist is Sir Swoen alone. No one else could ever replace him.”

“…I hope he’s doing well.”

“He’s fine. Looking back, even his strange statements always turned out to be true.”

“I suppose…”

In Luna’s eyes, longing shone clearly.

At that moment, Francis, who had sworn to wield his spear for her, felt an insurmountable wall rising before him.

Who is Swoen?

What kind of man makes Lady Luna wear such an expression?

For the first time in his life, Francis experienced a complex emotion that defied easy description. Quietly, he wondered:

Who is this person?

* * *

“Serpina… sama…?”

“…”

Only after hearing her unilateral “verdict” did I manage to stammer her name, half-dazed.

Serpina gazed at me, slowly placing her hand under my chin, tilting my head up slightly.

“You called me ‘Serpina-sama’ again during a crucial moment, just like last time.”

“No, I-I mean… My Lord.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about trivialities. Didn’t I just say it clearly? Whoever resides within you, it doesn’t matter. Yes. It’s fine if you don’t serve me right now.”

“…I am already part of the Serpina Army.”

To my indirect statement of loyalty,

She smirked faintly.

It still felt surreal that those seductive lips of hers had touched mine moments ago.

“Swoen. You lie so convincingly to me. No one dares to tell falsehoods so calmly in front of me. Hehehe…”

“…!”

How does she…

Why is she so certain it’s a lie?

Could she have some information I’m unaware of?

She was a ruler, and if she wanted, she could investigate my actions. From Serpina’s perspective, connecting me to my true lord, Lunarien, might not be too difficult.

Though somewhat disconcerted, I gritted my teeth and maintained an expression of confusion.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Swoen. Whether your true allegiance lies with Lin Brance, Baranga Yuri Aishias, or someone else entirely… there’s no way for me to uncover it. And you’re certainly not careless enough to expose yourself.”

I was messier than I thought, but there was no need to remind her of that.

“However, I have no intention of giving up on you. Those who carry the blood of Einhardt never let go of what they desire. Be it this continent or… Swoen… you as a person.”

Serpina continued,

Her gaze locking directly onto my eyes.

The lingering citrus scent from earlier grew stronger as she drew closer, tickling my nose.

“When I was younger, during the days when everyone believed the empire would prosper forever, countless men pursued me. They worked tirelessly to impress me, flaunting their families, positions, and talents, boasting endlessly about how compatible they were with my noble blood and how gloriously they’d enhance the imperial family.”

“Not a single one captured my heart. They were all too predictable. Their motives were obvious, their approaches transparent. Every single one was foreseeable. Without exception.”

Her eyes sparkled as she emphasized “not a single one.”

Beautiful.

“After becoming a ruler, no one dared to grovel before me anymore. I became a tyrant who cleansed blood with blood. Once I became a figure too terrifying for commoners to approach, I finally found freedom. Isn’t it ironic? Now, despite being worth far more than my naive younger self, people are too afraid to come near me.”

Serpina chuckled.

Her tone was similar to Lin Brance’s, but while Lin’s carried arrogance, Serpina’s laugh was purely playful, almost mischievous.

“However, Swoen, you’re different. You’re unlike any man I’ve met… I can’t read you. This is a first for me. No one has ever made my heart race like yours does. Imagine the possibilities if we combined your talent with Einhardt’s noble blood… Aren’t you curious? Hehehe… ♥”

After finishing her speech, Serpina—

Her face flushed, her voice sticky with intensity as she stared at me—

“Let me reiterate. Those of the Einhardt family never let go of what they desire. And—”

—

―This body desires you.

Only after hearing her declaration did I realize:

In this world, the woman I may become most entangled with isn’t Lady Luna… but perhaps her.

And for me, who must stay close to protect her life at all costs, this was akin to having a ticking time bomb installed.

* * *

“Thank you very much…!”

In the marketplace of Einhardt Castle,

Reika, now free to move outside without restraint, was purchasing various necessities for daily life.

“Thanks to Lady Iren, I might soon be able to leave the accommodation, which means I can start seriously attempting cooking!”

Although her direct maids took care of all meals, Reika wanted to spend time in the kitchen herself.

Even if it wasn’t pastries, cakes, or bread, there were many dishes she wanted to try.

For Reika, who had been confined to the manor like a bird in a cage, repeatedly practicing magic, each small attempt now felt like a thrilling escape.

“Then I should check out that place next… huh?”

At that moment,

Something unusual caught Reika’s eye.

* * *