Chapter 185

“……You’re asking me to do what now?”

“Indeed.”

I see.

Until now, I had never asked anyone for anything—but if this request were to come true, it would essentially make me invincible.

And that method was none other than constantly pestering others to ask me questions.

The crux of my Divinity 100 ability is that whatever I say…always comes true. No matter how bizarre or unexpected the outcome might be, my words are law. This absolute rule never wavers.

On paper, this could easily be considered an unparalleled cheat ability. However, there were some rather tricky conditions attached.

Among these, the most bothersome one was undoubtedly the fact that someone else had to ask me a question before I could even begin to predict anything.

In this game, you can’t just expect the strategist’s advice to come out of nowhere; the player must first propose a strategy and confirm it by asking the strategist.

The probability of the strategist’s advice being correct depends on their Ability score. If said score hits 100, then their advice will always be spot-on.

Clearly, the system required someone to ask me a question before I could provide answers. After all, this world was unmistakably part of that game universe.

That said, I couldn’t exactly go around telling people to keep asking me questions.

Explaining how this whole mechanism worked was already awkward enough. If I bluntly said, “Hey, ask me what you should do,” they’d probably think I’m insane—or consider themselves lucky if they don’t.

Even if I decided to bite the bullet and ask for help, finding someone willing to play along would still pose its own set of problems. First, I’d need to prove that everything I say comes true. Even if I managed that, without solid evidence, they might chalk it up to mere coincidence.

But…

Serpina was, in every way, the perfect candidate for this task.

She trusted me immensely and, through her own reasoning, had come closer than anyone else to understanding my true abilities.

Moreover, she provided the final condition necessary to convincingly package all these absurd powers into something believable.

Would Serpina catch on?

Could she realize that I needed her to “ask” questions—and quietly cooperate without needing further explanation?

After hearing my words, Serpina stared intently at me for a long while, lost in thought, before finally posing a very serious question.

“……Do you believe it is right for our army to leave the rebellion at Linenhait Castle unresolved?”

‘Yes!’

It seemed she had successfully grasped the gist of my intentions.

I quickly processed the question she gave me.

‘Linenhait Castle’s rebellion—would ignoring it be the correct decision for our army?’

[The fate of the Unified Empire approaches.]

‘The answer hasn’t changed.’

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

As I had suspected, whether or not we suppress the rebellion at Linenhait Castle has absolutely no connection to Serpina’s death. In either scenario, the conclusion remains the same.

Thus, to avoid the predetermined fate of this Unified Empire—Serpina’s death—we would need to approach this from a different angle.

I recalled the original question that started all this.

If taking over Linenhait Castle isn’t relevant…then the next factor must involve dispatching troops.

Besides, Serpina’s demise implies that her involvement somehow ties into the situation.

“Lord.”

“……Understood. What question shall I ask next?”

Though communication flows smoothly between us, I mustn’t forget to prepare some kind of cover story for this situation.

For now, a new question is essential.

“The next question you should ask is: ‘Would it be efficient for Lady Serpina to personally lead the vanguard and deploy to Linenhait Castle?'”

“Does this mean you believe it is correct for me to personally lead the vanguard to Linenhait Castle?”

While the phrasing isn’t exact, as long as the meaning aligns, the result won’t change.

I immediately inputted the question.

And then—

[No.]

—finally, I obtained the answer I sought.

‘……This is it.’

The conclusion: It is inefficient for Serpina to personally deploy.

Though this answer alone doesn’t reveal why, I already know the reason behind its inefficiency.

When Serpina dies, the nation known as the Serpina Army seizes the destiny to become the Unified Empire. That’s what ‘the fate of the Unified Empire approaches’ means.

However, if Lady Serpina survives, that destiny shifts back to Lady Luna.

All predictions revolve around the nation I currently belong to, and as a commander under the Serpina Army, it makes sense that missing such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would be deemed inefficient.

Therefore…

“Lord.”

From here on out, I must once again attempt to save her life.

“Deploying directly to where General Iren is stationed seems like the right course of action.”

I had to persuade her somehow.

“May I present my reasoning?”

“I assure you, Lord, this is not meant to belittle you. Please calm yourself and hear me out.”

I bowed my head slightly before meeting her gaze directly.

“Do you remember our previous conversation? As it turns out, you were correct.”

“……What does that mean?”

“With my current abilities, I can…‘deduce’ the most rational outcome.”

“!!!!!!”

Her pupils shrank dramatically.

A plausible explanation for this ridiculous power.

Ordinarily, such a thing wouldn’t exist—but perhaps fortune favors me because she hails from the Einhardt royal family.

“I possess something called the ‘Mind’s Eye.'”

“What…did you say?”

“By closing my eyes and contemplating the questions posed to me, I can derive the most efficient answers. This ‘Mind’s Eye’ is the ability I’ve kept hidden until now.”

The final condition to convincingly wrap up all these absurd powers lies in this keyword: ‘Mind’s Eye.’

Of course, precautions must still be taken.

“Not all questions can be answered, and depending on the situation, physical condition, star movements, and weather, there may be cases where predictions fail. Nonetheless, I can achieve results close to 100% accuracy.”

I listed plausible terms to create wiggle room for my abilities.

Both Jinoru and Serpina were able to guess my capabilities somewhat because they were familiar with the legendary tale of the ‘strategist who possesses the Mind’s Eye.’

Even so, legends remain just that—stories. Normally, one would dismiss them as nonsense.

However, since the existence of ‘mages’ became widely acknowledged after I supposedly summoned a meteor, things have shifted.

There’s more. Many witnesses saw when Reika and I demolished the castle wall together.

That’s right. Mages do exist. Reika, who greets me with a smile every time I return home, serves as living proof, and only a select few, including myself and Jinoru, are aware of this truth.

Magic was also used during the suppression of the rebellion to rescue Jenis.

Assuming secrecy requires keeping knowledge from everyone, it’s safe to say the continent has gradually begun accepting the existence of mages.

Given this growing acceptance of the legendary mage, the timing is ripe for another legendary keyword—”Mind’s Eye”—to gain credibility.

Ironically, I am the one responsible for creating this entire situation. More specifically, following my ‘100% accurate advice’ has led to these circumstances.

Whether someone predicted all this from the start or each individual prediction culminated in this outcome remains unclear—but…

“Please trust me here, Lord. This is the best option available to our army.”

At least, I felt confident in convincing Serpina, who already harbors some suspicions.

After listening to me, Serpina remained silent for a moment, staring at me like ice, before cautiously parting her lips.

“……Do you know?”

“Pardon?”

“Does General Iren also know about this ability of yours…?”

Though this question seemed out of context, it wasn’t something I couldn’t answer.

“No, Lady Iren is unaware. You are the first person I’ve mentioned this to.”

“Is that so…?”

She paused briefly before speaking with a trembling voice.

“Why…”

“…Pardon?”

“Why, despite considering him precious, did you hide this fact from General Iren…and reveal it only to me?”

Her trembling tone aside, her manner of speech felt oddly unfamiliar.

The woman who always referred to herself in exalted terms now spoke to me as an equal.

Upon reflection…

Why did I disclose this secret to her?

Even with precautions in place, revealing such an unbelievable ability poses significant risks to myself.

In the worst case, I could be locked away and forced to answer endless questions. With my negligible combat skills, overpowering me wouldn’t be difficult.

Still, I wanted to convince Serpina.

Was it solely to protect the destiny of Continental Unification for my true Lord, Lady Luna…?

‘…No.’

Let’s be honest—it wasn’t just for that.

If that were the case, there’d be no need to take the risk of exposing my ability.

I simply wanted to save her.

I wished she wouldn’t die.

Regardless of any ulterior motives, this desire stood as the sole, shining truth.

“To save you, Lady Serpina…”

“!!!”

“That’s all.”

I felt warmth rising in my chest after uttering those words.

A completely new sensation.

What could this feeling be?

As I watched her blush, tremble, and look at me with wide eyes, I found myself swept up in inexplicable emotions.

“…”

After remaining lost in thought for a while, Serpina finally turned around and spoke.

“Are you suggesting I lead the charge myself?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Understood. Swen, I shall follow your counsel. However—”

Serpina turned her head to face me.

The citrusy scent wafting from her calmed my overheated heart in a pleasant way.

“You’ll have to explain more thoroughly later.”

“Explain what…exactly?”

“…Everything.”

With that, she blushed slightly, curved her lips into a crescent moon, and smiled.

“You’ll have to tell me everything, Swen.”

Ah.

That smile.

For a fleeting moment, I saw the same radiant smile from my dreams.

Yes. The gentle, beautiful smile I saw in my dreams matched this one perfectly—not the dignified smile of an Absolute Ruler seated upon the Throne, but the cheerful grin of an ordinary maiden frolicking among flowers.

“—Your smiles are so beautiful. I wish you could always wear them like this.”

For someone who just revealed a closely guarded secret, it was quite an emotional thought to have.