Chapter 168

* * *

Parphale realized something was off with Lin a few days after they returned from forming an alliance at Anel Castle.

“Did you say Jeilrant Castle…?”

“Yeah! I’m thinking of going there myself to capture Lunarien.”

She said this with an expression so天真and overflowing confidence…

…as if she were about to invade the long-destroyed Lunarien Army.

“Uh… I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“What? Parphale, haven’t you even checked the situation? Don’t we need to start unifying the Western Continent soon?”

“No, but… the Western Continent is already under our Brance Army’s control-”

“What are you talking about, Parphale? Even you’re being stupid now. Of course, it’s practically in Our Army’s grasp already. There are only weaklings left over there anyway?”

“…What…”

Parphale slowly observed her.

An overwhelming sense of discomfort.

The certainty that their conversation wasn’t getting through.

Then, at that moment.

“Hold on. The Lunarien Army… surely not.”

Parphale cautiously asked with a trembling voice.

“Milord… may I inquire about the reason for invading the Lunarien Army?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, I haven’t told you yet, have I? A while ago, someone from that country came to propose a ceasefire after that battle where they couldn’t even conquer a single castle.”

“…”

“What? That guy who came to see me… he looked so delicious♡ I want to test him under me as soon as possible. Gathering talented people is crucial before unifying the continent, right?”

-Ah.

When her vague suspicions turned out to be true, Parphale couldn’t help but sigh involuntarily.

“Milord!!”

When Lin had suddenly started taking care of state affairs again after locking herself in her room and refusing to talk to anyone since they returned, Parphale had sighed in relief.

She thought her lord had finally regained her composure. Though they had lost some territory, Parphale believed they could recover with effort.

The northern threat had been contained. The population available for conscription had increased over time.

She thought both the eastern Aishias Army and southern countries were worth challenging.

She was sure of it.

“Alright. We’ll prepare to march immediately. About 80,000 soldiers should do, and Chel as the vanguard, right?”

“Milord, that-”

“I know, I get it. You want me to use that woman, right? Fine. She’s probably bored just guarding the walls anyway. If you insist, I’ll put her in charge of the vanguard too. Happy?”

While watching Lin smile confidently like she used to in her glory days…

Parphale felt a despair she’d never experienced before.

* * *

Realizing something was wrong with her lord, Parphale’s first action was to follow Lin’s orders quietly while planning to exclude her from central politics.

If the generals heard that their ruler wanted to attack a fallen minor nation, chaos would ensue beyond words.

After doing as ordered and moving to Jeilrant Castle, Parphale isolated Lin in the side wing under the pretense of searching, deciding to keep her there until she regained her senses.

“Miss Lin…”

How had that brilliant woman fallen so far?

Despite seeking help from doctors and even figures from the vanished religious community, getting her to regain sanity wasn’t easy.

Though similar to dementia in elders, Lin was far too young for that.

Her immense pride couldn’t endure the humiliation she’d experienced, erasing everything as if it never happened. There was nothing she could do.

If only magic existed – maybe then there’d be hope. But Swen, who once showed miraculous power, was no longer among them.

So all she could do now was…

Pray that Lin, who had suddenly become unstable, would return to normal just as suddenly.

“Swen really knows how to embarrass himself. I wonder how long he plans to hide. I’m not going to kill him; I’ll treat him better than anyone if he comes to me. I can offer as many women as he wants, and give him enough power to have fun if he serves me. Right, Parphale?”

“…”

“Surely that woman isn’t deliberately not searching properly? She keeps telling me useless things like pursuing Lunarien or whatever. She has no idea what’s important right now. Anyway, tell her to try harder. Tell her there will be rewards if she finds Swen.”

“Understood, Milord.”

“Good. How’s the current situation?”

“Currently… Our Army is steadily conquering the Western Continent. It seems we’ll be able to subjugate it soon. The Serpina Army hasn’t shown any significant movement.”

Hearing Parphale’s report, Lin smiled faintly and said:

“Oh good. I was worried about leaving Anel Castle for too long. We need to find Swen quickly and return… When we meet, I’ll have to treat him especially well. Making me come this far and worry like this… hohoho♡”

“…”

“Alright. You may leave. I’ll think about what we should do next here. Let’s see…”

Lin said casually, stood up, spread out a map, and started writing something muttering with a feather pen.

Without adding another word, Parphale quietly left the room and closed the door.

“Have you arrived?”

At the door, Parphale handed over the prepared money pouch to the waiting priest.

With an extremely kind expression, the priest accepted it, respectfully folded his hands, and bowed deeply.

“Let us pray, Miss Parphale. May Lord Lin Brance be favored by the gods…”

“…”

Favored by the gods, huh?

It felt absurd to laugh considering how this situation itself seemed like divine abandonment, but ultimately, the only thing they could rely on now was the priest’s prayers.

Please.

Please let the wise Lady Lin return.

Even if not, please let Lady Lin who could distinguish right from wrong come back…

Reaffirming such hopeless hopes, Parphale slowly left the side wing.

* * *

It had been several days since she moved into the side wing.

Tired of receiving unsatisfactory progress reports, Lin spent her time complaining endlessly.

“Why does it take so long? That incompetent woman can’t find one person and wastes so much time.”

She needed to quickly find Swen, return, and focus on governance, never expecting to waste so much time in this insignificant castle.

For reasons unknown, her vision felt constricted, constantly chased by the feeling that she needed to act fast, making her restless with no signs of improvement.

“This must be because that incompetent woman can’t handle her duties properly.”

One word kept coming up in her complaints – “incompetent woman.”

That red-haired knight who unwaveringly swore loyalty to her no matter what.

“But… somehow…”

For some reason, she couldn’t remember the woman’s name.

“Hold on. Now that I think about it… what was that woman’s name?”

Noticing something she hadn’t recognized despite endless complaints.

The moment she became aware of the woman’s “name” –

Lin suddenly felt chills down her spine.

It felt like recalling this would solve everything.

And when she started thinking about it, the oppressive vision began to clear up.

Lin slowly focused her thoughts on the “incompetent woman.”

“To me always… swearing loyalty.”

“Lord. ■■■■■■■, I’ve just arrived.”

“Snap!”

“What are you doing? If you had captured the castle faster, we wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation. How many more days do you need?”

“I apologize, my lord. It was my inadequacy that led to the failure of capturing the castle.”

“Never complained about unfair treatment.”

“Why are you ordering me around so much? I said there’s no need to pursue. Are you defying me? Is it because there’s no blood on my sword today? Shall I make your blood spill instead?”

“…”

“No. I apologize.”

“Always gave advice without hesitation despite my lack of listening.”

‘Why don’t you achieve something great? ■■■. Prove that you’re not just talk.’

“Would follow my orders without defiance even when pushed to the brink…”

I…

Had tried to drive her to the brink with my own hands.

Her name.

That incompetent woman.

The foolish woman who knew nothing but following my orders…

“―Iren.”

Drip.

Tears flowed freely from her blue eyes without resistance.

“Iren, Iren…”

Recalling the name…

Suddenly tears started flowing uncontrollably.

And she became aware of what she had done to her.

I…

Hurt Iren.

That Iren who served me faithfully, whom father said to value highly… just because of my meaningless pride, I drove her to the brink…

I tried to kill her.

As a result, I lost both Iren and Swen. Repeating foolish choices, Lin gained nothing, and the Brance Army’s momentum began to completely decline.

“Al… al… all my fault… Iren…”

Only tears fell drop by drop onto the floor.

Looking around after crying for a while.

This is the side wing.

The side wing of Jeilrant Castle.

I came here to destroy the Lunarien Army and recruit Swen as a prisoner…

“…”

Wait.

Why did I try to destroy the already destroyed Lunarien Army?

“!!!”

Recalling the keyword “already destroyed” brought all her memories back.

What she had done until now.

What resulted from it.

“Aah…!!”

Thud.

Lin collapsed to her knees and cried again at the spot.

Who I needed to seek forgiveness from wasn’t Swen.

It wasn’t Swen… but Iren.

The last chance Swen gave me, I threw it away.

Knowing I had wronged Iren, still believing that getting Swen back would somehow solve everything, continuing to turn away from the truth…

Wasn’t I wasting manpower and time here unnecessarily!

“No… I can’t fall apart like this…”

Though I can’t change what has already happened… I can’t stay collapsed here.

Lin absolutely had to meet Iren again.

Not to ask her to serve me again.

I just wanted to apologize to her. Somehow. Without any intention of being forgiven, I just wanted to tell her how sorry I was.

It was the first time.

The first time Lin wanted to sincerely apologize to Iren, free from any inexplicable hatred toward her.

Only after falling all the way to the bottom of destruction and hitting rock bottom…

Did her mind finally start functioning like it used to.

* * *