Chapter 191

What it means to dedicate oneself—well, the correct answer would be that I ended up spending nearly the entire day in close proximity to her.

――Of course, most of that time was spent managing the affairs of the state.

Though I didn’t secure the position as the Nation’s Strategist, Serpina, now aware of my ‘Mind’s Eye,’ consulted with me instead of Jena for nearly all major decisions regarding national governance.

From trivial matters to grand strategies about what lay ahead.

While Jena was inspecting the Northern Continent as a whole, I took charge of handling the smaller internal affairs.

And then…

After returning from Roze Castle alongside me, General Iren officially became Serpina’s Bodyguard at Einhardt Castle.

At first, there were whispers suggesting this was essentially a demotion—but Iren showed no signs of agitation. With quiet resolve, she knelt before Serpina and readily accepted the assignment.

Later, when we had a private chat…

“Did you think I ordered it?”

“That’s right.”

On our way back to the Manor, Iren turned her head and looked at me. Her violet eyes brimmed with unwavering confidence.

“There’s no way Lord would summon me, the Deputy Commander, just to become a bodyguard without reason. And lately, you’ve been spending more time with Lord than ever… Naturally, it seemed like the two of you discussed this already.”

Then, with a careful gaze, she asked:

“…Am I wrong?”

“No. You’re absolutely right, Miss Iren. Though, it’s still kind of surprising how accurately you figured it out.”

“Well, given that it wasn’t someone else but your command, there had to be a reason, right? And I did have some suspicions…”

At that moment, Iren stopped smiling and leaned closer, her expression suddenly serious.

“Is this related to that danger you mentioned earlier?”

Since there was nothing left to hide from Miss Iren, I simply nodded.

“Yes. You’re correct.”

“I see. Understood. Protecting the Lord is fulfilling work indeed.”

Miss Iren likely harbors far deeper feelings of gratitude or indebtedness toward Serpina than even I do. If helping her brings her satisfaction, she’ll accomplish tasks without complaint. When the time comes to take her along, this decision will also serve to ease her heart.

“By the way… though it’s a slightly different topic.”

“Yes, go on.”

Iren hesitated for a moment before asking carefully, her face flushing red with embarrassment.

“Um… What exactly do you talk about with Lord?”

Her transparent question brought a smile to my face.

About what, exactly?

“Just discussions about governing the nation overall. Don’t worry too much about strange rumors.”

“No, no! Swen, I don’t believe those rumors… It’s just…”

“Instead, why don’t we spend some time together today? We haven’t talked much since you’ve been so busy after coming back.”

Iren has been maintaining a schedule where she leaves at dawn and returns just before evening.

And I’ve been equally occupied by accompanying Serpina.

“But… isn’t Miss Reika—”

“She’ll be fine today.”

On my way out, I greeted Reika, who had dark circles under her eyes. Apparently, she stayed up all night reading books, so she must be sound asleep by now.

“So let’s spend some time together, Miss Iren.”

After pondering for a moment—

She bowed her head deeply and replied softly.

“Yes.”

That way, for the first time in a long while, we managed to spend time alone together. The moments spent with her were, for me, akin to the only rest I got amidst the constant barrage of questions and battles.

*

Time flowed on.

Today, as usual, the Q&A session with Serpina continued. She asks, I answer. A deceptively simple mechanism, but with my ‘Divinity 100’ ability—which always gives the right answers—it carried far greater significance. Right now, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I’m single-handedly leading the mighty Serpina Army, sprinkled with half-jokes.

“It’s not yet the right timing to start a war, you mean?”

“That’s correct. Something seems to be brewing behind the scenes.”

“You aren’t sure if it’s a rebellion or something else entirely?”

“Yes.”

Though I wanted to give precise answers, I could only provide vague ones since I only know the results. In the past, such responses might have been dismissed as “illogical,” but Serpina now listens intently to every word I say, trusting them fully.

“…Understood. I’ll reflect further on this part. If the result holds true, there must be a reason.”

Serpina’s approach to dealing with these “always-correct truths” eerily mirrors mine. Drawing probabilities based on outcomes, deducing the most likely scenarios.

Even though I possess knowledge of this world through and through, she, as a Monarch, can’t possibly match that depth. Yet, if she had this ‘Divinity 100’ ability, she might use it better than me—she’s far more knowledgeable about statecraft and military tactics compared to me, whose understanding stems solely from years of gaming.

“If so, I plan to assign a mission soon—what would be the best way to organize it?”

Truthfully, being a strategist with Divinity 100 boils down to answering questions like this.

I provided her with the most efficient solutions to every query.

As a result, this country underwent changes far greater than I anticipated.

We preempted natural disasters, earning the trust of the Territorial People. Through rational trade agreements with the Head of Trading Company, we secured enough Supplies for an entire year at reasonable prices. Thanks to her decisive actions, outbreaks of Bandit Groups were prevented beforehand.

Following her orders led to optimal outcomes, naturally enhancing Serpina’s reputation. While her standing among the armed forces was never bad, considering that the hearts of the Territorial People weren’t entirely aligned with her, this was incredibly encouraging.

As positive results kept piling up, Serpina stopped hesitating. Initially, she listened to my advice with slight skepticism despite knowing about my ‘Mind’s Eye.’ But eventually, she began to trust my words completely. I could sense her expression towards me changing in real-time.

The benefits didn’t stop there. Every exploration mission brought nothing but good news.

“What is all this?”

“These are treasures found during this round of exploring neighboring territories, following your orders.”

Not just one treasure, but multiple treasures. Before Serpina stood five dazzling finds: an extraordinary Sword, a medical text compiled across six generations, a renowned treatise on military strategy… legendary wine and high-value jewels. All results of following my suggestion to conduct explorations.

Serpina distributed all these treasures among her Commanders. When asked why, she replied nonchalantly:

“I have no interest in collecting things. Besides, items exist to be used by people. Wouldn’t these treasures prefer to be touched and enjoyed rather than rotting away in the Royal Palace’s treasury?”

Even though it’s rare for someone to so easily part with valuable treasures, she consistently gave them away. The only exception was the military strategy book, which she kept for herself, apparently studying it separately. Rumor has it that Serpina devised the strategy to lure Anima to the castle.

She valued listening to her Commanders’ opinions but believed in making her own judgments. As the ultimate decision-maker, she couldn’t afford to neglect studies.

Of course, having me, the Divinity 100 Strategist, around meant she didn’t technically need to put in such effort—but she continued to hone herself relentlessly without slacking off.

Nevertheless—

“Still not possible, you say?”

“That’s correct.”

A recurring question Serpina started asking me at some point: “Can Serpina von Einhardt unify the world?”

And the unchanging conclusion: No.

Despite the steady progress of the nation, this answer never changed.

“I see. Very well.”

Rather than questioning or showing disappointment, Serpina accepted my words, nodding and returning to her duties. One would expect her to inquire about the reasons at least once, but she remained resolute, quietly battling her fate. Her continuous studies were part of her effort to overcome her accumulated karma and become the unifying ruler.

I couldn’t tell her the truth—that “If Lady Serpina loses her life, this nation will become the Unified Empire.” Instead, I silently resolved to continue supporting her. After all, keeping her alive benefited Lady Luna as well, so aiding her came without much deliberation.

While serving by her side—

A critical event unfolded.

It began with “exploration.”

“Would sending General Selia to Kelshtain Castle be the most efficient choice?”

[Approaching.]

“…No.”

I shook my head vigorously. Through several rounds of Q&A, we concluded that exploring Kelshtain Castle was efficient, but the challenge lay in choosing the right commander. Exploration itself was a fixed value; selecting the appropriate commander was key.

Considering various factors, picking the right commander should yield a “[Yes]” response.

Serpina nodded thoughtfully and said:

“All commanders currently free from duties have been summoned.”

“Seems like the commander we seek is currently engaged in another task.”

“Hmm…”

After a brief pause, Serpina resumed questioning.

“Would sending General Iren to Kelshtain Castle be the most efficient choice?”

“…”

[Approaching.]

‘Not Miss Iren.’

Again shaking my head, names of occupation force commanders began to roll out starting with Iren.

Cranfis, Jaden, Yuria… How many unfamiliar names passed by, excluding Cranfis?

“Would sending General Irian to Kelshtain Castle be the most efficient choice?”

‘…!’

In the midst of mechanically inputting questions, she paused momentarily.

“Heheh…”

Serpina chuckled satisfactorily. Concealing emotions in front of her was incredibly difficult.

“It seems we’ve hit upon the answer, Swen.”

The result of the question: [Yes.]

“…That’s correct.”

Bowing my head, I responded.

“Please dispatch General Irian to Kelshtain Castle.”