Chapter 17

“What…?”

Lin stared at Swoen with an expression of utter shock.

“You’re not asking us for gold… you’re saying you’re going to take it?”

“Hey, what did you just say?”

Lin spoke in a low voice, but Swoen replied with the same confident demeanor he’d shown all along.

“I said that if you give us three thousand gold, I will personally guarantee that the retreating Brance Army will not be pursued as part of our ceasefire agreement.”

“Are you aware who you’re trying to scam right now?”

At this, Swoen bowed his head and responded:

“Scam? That’s preposterous, Lady Lin. I’ve come here solely for diplomatic negotiations.”

“So why are you asking me for money then?!?”

Lin shouted, losing her composure completely.

Her voice carried out into the corridor where her subordinate commanders waited, but in her current state, she couldn’t bring herself to care about such things.

“Didn’t I already explain? Our offer of a ceasefire in exchange for 1300 gold was refused by you, Lady Lin. And now circumstances have changed. What might have been advantageous for us before is now far more beneficial to the Brance Army. It only makes sense that we should receive compensation in return.”

“Hah! Even without the Jeilrant invasion force, I have enough troops to handle fifty thousand soldiers.”

“Is that so? Well, that’s fortunate… though honestly, it doesn’t look that way to me.”

“Hmph!”

Lin let out a derisive snort.

She knew it was all bluster, but right now, maintaining her sanity required putting on some kind of show.

Because deep down, she had to admit he was right.

The irony was that the ceasefire agreement would actually benefit the Brance Army now.

Retreating forces inevitably fight less effectively than those holding their ground.

For the Brance Army, which needed to preserve its forces, the difference between being pursued or not could be enormous.

And this man… He’d been acting like he’d known all along how things would turn out.

As if he’d predicted Serpina’s invasion – no, as if he’d been certain of it.

If she didn’t put on some kind of show in front of this man, her pride would be shattered by someone from a minor nation.

“What will you do if I refuse this ceasefire?”

“What can a humble person like me do? Nothing really. It’ll be just like before. This opportunity will never come again. That’s all.”

At that moment,

Lin grabbed the ceremonial sword next to the throne and approached Swoen, who remained kneeling, with heavy footsteps.

Then –

The sound of steel leaving its scabbard echoed through the room.

Before she knew it, the silver blade in Lin’s hand was pressed against Swoen’s neck.

Even as a decorative piece, it was a real sword with a razor-sharp edge.

“…”

Swoen simply looked up at Lin, showing no fear or hesitation in his expression.

His calm demeanor sent a shiver down Lin’s spine instead.

‘What the hell IS this guy?!’

Lin bit her lower lip hard.

Her voice dripped with barely contained killing intent.

“Listen here. You seem to be under some misunderstanding. Yeah, I’ll admit it – capturing envoys for diplomatic purposes is something tyrants like Serpina would do. Decapitating an envoy? If word got out, I wouldn’t be able to conduct diplomacy with any lords. The public would brand me as bloodthirsty trash, and my own subordinates would be deeply disappointed. Some of the more principled ones might even leave my service.”

Still pressing the blade closer, Lin continued:

“But here’s the thing – I’m secretly very short-tempered. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m the type who’d kill someone who acts all high and mighty in front of me, consequences be damned. Ceasefire agreements mean nothing to me. I could just kill you right here. Sure, there’d be fallout, but I could deal with it eventually. But YOU would die right here. Got it? That’s the difference between you and me.”

Her voice carried genuine malice, cold and calculating.

She tightened her grip on the sword as she spoke.

“And you know what? I could keep killing replacements like you from your minor nation. Reputation? Don’t care. Right?”

Lin pressed the blade even closer to his neck.

They were so close now that the slightest movement would draw blood.

She’d pushed him this far.

Now surely his resolve would break…

But Swoen maintained his calm demeanor, looking up at Lin with unwavering eyes as he spoke.

“Do it then.”

“…What?”

“Kill me. Go ahead.”

Though Lin tried to sound confident, her trembling pupils betrayed her.

“You’re serious?”

“What else can I do? If you’re the kind of person who’d kill an envoy over a minor insult, it’s obvious you wouldn’t agree to a reasonable ceasefire anyway. What more can I do? However…”

Swoen began explaining in a steady, measured tone:

“Lady Lin, losing me would cost you far more than just your reputation among lords and your subordinates’ loyalty. Without reinforcements available, you’d naturally lose Kelshtain Castle. Losing this key stronghold for advancing from the north into the central continent would create great difficulties for your future military campaigns. Your conquest of the Central Continent and southern expansion plans would be ruined. With your northern defenses breached, Serpina’s forces would continue invading.”

“…!”

“Not to mention, would the Brance Army really have time to worry about southern or other regional lords while desperately defending against Serpina in the north? In that case, the Brance Army would become a floodgate protecting everyone else from Serpina’s northern forces. That would be great news for the Aishias Army, which has long been held back by you – now they’d have protection from a greater threat instead.”

‘This… what is this guy saying…?’

Lin was thoroughly shocked.

How does some unknown man from a minor nation know so much about the continental situation?

“Undoubtedly, the southern lords would all praise you, Lady Lin. While you hold back Serpina’s forces, they’ll grow and establish their own order. When that time comes, how different will the Brance Army’s position be compared to now, struggling desperately against Serpina’s offensive? Don’t you wonder?”

“T-t-that…”

“Lady Lin, feel free to kill me. Though the ceasefire wouldn’t happen, all our troops would pursue your retreating 20,000 soldiers relentlessly. The famous Raven Mercenary Unit and Chirein Mercenary Unit would chase your inevitably scattered forces, killing as many as possible. My lord, Lady Lunarien, thinks the same way.”

Swoen stared directly into Lin’s trembling eyes.

Though Lin held the sword and was clearly in the dominant position,

the conversation was now being led by Swoen, not her.

“Of course, we won’t gain much either, nor kill all 20,000. We might suffer greater losses ourselves. But for us minor nations, it’s just a matter of losing troops. For the Brance Army, however, losing precious reinforcements for Kelshtain Castle at a critical time could be disastrous. What if your border defenses arrive too late and you lose the castle?”

“…!!”

Lin’s eyes widened dramatically.

All traces of royal dignity were gone.

She was overwhelmed by a feeling she’d never experienced before.

Fear.

The fundamental fear of being unable to defeat this man no matter what she did.

“…Lady Lin, you said you could handle the consequences, but I’d die, right? Well, that’s only half true.”

Swoen continued slowly,

with a tone that seemed to devour Lin whole:

“I would lose my life, yes. But you, Lady Lin, would lose…the world in exchange for my life.”

“!!!”

“A single envoy’s life from a minor nation is worthless compared to the world the Brance Army might one day conquer, isn’t it? Don’t you agree?”

Swoen smiled faintly as he spoke.

“Pride versus the world… As a ruler, which path you choose is entirely up to you, Lady Lin.”

Lin froze in place.

As if time itself had stopped.

Should she take this man’s life and lose the world?

Or should she accept the ceasefire and preserve her chances for future conquests?

Lin had risen to the top of the Brance Army by proving her abilities.

Her choice was painfully obvious.

Clang!

Lin violently threw the sword away in frustration.

Her face flushed red, her eyes growing watery with barely suppressed rage.

Then, looking at the motionless Swoen, she spoke in a trembling voice:

“What’s your name?”

“Swoen.”

“Right. Swoen… Swoen…”

She repeated the name several times.

Then, finally regaining some composure, she continued:

“I’ll never forget you, Swoen.”

Then she called out to the guard standing expressionlessly behind her:

“Hey, you!”

“Yes, yes sir!”

“Prepare three thousand gold. Now.”

“Three thousand gold… did you say?”

Lin snapped at the questioning soldier:

“What are you waiting for? Do it now!”

“Y-yes ma’am!”

“…”

Lin sighed deeply,

forcing back the rising tears.

Finally, turning back to Swoen with direct eye contact, she said:

“It’ll be waiting outside the castle.”

Only then did Swoen nod and slowly rise to his feet.

“On behalf of my lord, Lady Lunarien, I thank you for your wise decision. As promised, not a single hair on the retreating Brance Army will be touched. Farewell.”

As Swoen walked calmly out of the audience chamber,

Lin slumped back onto her throne.

“Swoen… Swoen… Swoen…”

It was the first time she’d heard that name.

A name that had never appeared in any significant historical moment until today.

And yet, this unknown servant of a minor nation

had completely bested the ruler of the Brance Army.

‘There was someone like him in the Lunarien Army…?’

Pieces began falling into place in Lin’s mind.

The unexpected ambush by the mercenary units.

The recent actions of the Lunarien Army – it all pointed to this man, Swoen.

And somehow, he’d known about Serpina’s impending invasion well in advance.

That explained his consistent confidence.

Whatever method he used to discover it,

there was no doubt he’d known.

While she wondered how Lady Lunarien, an otherwise unremarkable ruler, had discovered such a talent –

it was fortunate in a way.

That someone of his caliber served only a minor lord like Lunarien Iniyan.

‘Swoen.’

The Brance Army’s growth in the Central Continent

came partly from absorbing neighboring minor nations through sheer power,

but more importantly from prioritizing the acquisition of exceptional talents.

Gurupa of the Walnut Army had been one of their top recruitment targets recently.

Though they failed to acquire Gurupa,

Lin instinctively knew:

compared to the Swoen she’d just faced, Gurupa was nothing special.

She recalled how Swoen had stared her down unflinchingly even with a blade at his throat.

The certainty in the handsome young man’s eyes.

At the time, she’d been overcome with surprise and fear,

but reflecting now,

he seemed like the perfect target for acquisition.

His expression…

she wanted to paint it with her own colors.

‘Swoen. I wonder what expression you’ll make when you end up serving under me… Heh heh…♡’

Yes.

The conquest of Jeilrant Castle would have to wait.

First, she needed to secure Kelshtain Castle and stabilize the situation elsewhere.

But after that…

No.

What she truly desired wasn’t meaningless land like Jeilrant Castle.

Her real target was Swoen himself.

‘I’ll make you obey me like a dog, Swoen…♡’

Her face flushed red again,

but this time it was different.

Not anger or hatred,

but something deeper and stickier.

The subtle desire to dominate someone who had once dominated her.

This was obsession.