Chapter 203

Descending into the underground prison, Serpina marched forward to confront Ark, a key figure of the Rebel Forces.

Ark had been close friends with Reni, his Bodyguard, for a very long time. Together, they had served the Einhardt Empire since their youth.

Thus, he was also somewhat acquainted with young Serpina.

At this moment of confronting the Rebels, it had always been an arduous time for Serpina. She had to face those who swore loyalty to her but spoke differently and harbored hatred – even for sins she hadn’t committed.

Of course, she herself had made the decision to accept everything, but no one ever truly gets used to being hated. Even an Absolute Ruler couldn’t escape the crushing loneliness that came from lacking the people’s adoration.

Moreover, this time, she had been betrayed by her trusted Bodyguard.

If she had been her old self, collapsing alone multiple times wouldn’t have been surprising.

But now, things were different.

With relatively light steps, Serpina arrived at the prison, lifted her head, and boldly asked:

“Speak if you must, Ark. Tomorrow, you won’t even have the chance.”

“…Princess Serpina.”

“Who are you? Algord? Sidemid? There have been plenty of fools who chased after dead men’s shadows and threw away their lives.”

“Princess…”

Ark looked up and stared directly at Serpina.

“I speak for no one, Princess. What I sought to overthrow was the Einhardt Clan itself.”

Ark slowly closed his eyes.

“From the moment I witnessed the endless sacrifices required for the succession of the Imperial Throne, Reni and I resolved: when the time came, we would drive out the sin-laden Einhardt family. Now that you’ve wiped them all out, from our perspective, getting rid of you is all that remains. Ironically, your actions made our plan more concrete.”

Then, opening his tightly shut eyes, he glared fiercely at Serpina.

“So kind-hearted… Yes, Serpina, even you eventually stained your hands with the blood of my brothers. The lineage of the Einhardt family is cursed! And as long as you bear that bloodline, you will thirst for blood!”

“…”

Serpina remained silent, listening quietly without revealing her inner thoughts.

“Why do you think we revealed ourselves as the masterminds, Princess? It was because of the promise between Reni and me. The Einhardt family no longer deserves to rule this continent. To continue ruling despite causing so many sacrifices is simply absurd!”

“You merely wanted to become the new Emperor, disregarding the chaos it would bring to the continent.”

“Isn’t this already an Era of Chaos, Princess? Haven’t you noticed that two-thirds of the continent’s people already live under flags other than the Einhardt banner?”

“…What a tiresome tale.”

Serpina slowly stood up and coldly looked down at Ark.

“There’s no need to listen further to the noise of someone who couldn’t handle the weight given to him and only mutters nonsense.”

“Princess. As I said, I won’t be the last. Let me give you some advice in consideration of past ties. If you wish to save your life, abdicate and live quietly like a mouse. The Empire is over. You can’t stop the wave of the new era!”

“…In the past, perhaps.”

Serpina said this, then slowly turned around and left the prison with one final statement:

“Not anymore.”

Indeed, in the past, she might have cowered before such words. She might have spent her days lamenting her fate, pushed around aimlessly without any support, much like when Raherven scolded her.

But not now.

‘I have him… Swoen.’

With Swoen by her side, she could rebuild the Empire. With the ability of his Mind’s Eye, which always gave sound advice, and his gentle nature that warmly embraced her, she felt confident she could overcome even the karmic burdens of the Imperial Family.

Thinking of him alone was enough to disperse the confusion in her heart.

He acted as her psychological shield.

It’s fine.

Even if no one else understood her…

As long as Swoen understood her and followed her until the end, Serpina feared nothing.

‘I will surely prove it… That my judgment is correct!’

As time passed, Swoen’s presence began to seep into every aspect of Serpina’s life, gradually taking root in ways neither of them could control.

*

The next day.

All members of the Rebel Forces who dared to target Serpina’s neck vanished like morning dew on the execution grounds.

Ark, the key figure, saw his family line extinguished for three generations, and soldiers who actively participated faced severe punishment.

Though, due to the continuous magical bombardment coordinated with Reika, there weren’t many survivors to begin with.

And as for Reika, how was she faring?

“Ugh… I’m sorry, Sir Swoen. I should recover soon… We still have duties to perform…”

“No, you worked incredibly hard on the battlefield. Rest for a while.”

Not long after using magic, she collapsed and has been bedridden since returning to the manor.

This battle marked her first real use of proper magic. Until now, she’d only practiced small-scale spells—lifting objects or targeting dummies—but this time, she drained all her mana, inevitably straining her body.

In the game-based system of this world, mages had cooldowns to balance their powerful abilities. Here, that manifested as “mana exhaustion,” affecting Reika physically.

Or rather, since physical effects couldn’t be represented in the game, they implemented cooldowns as a workaround.

Given how she continuously maximized the amplification effect of my rapier by creating the largest spells possible, it’ll take her quite some time to regain her full capabilities.

“I can’t help with household chores… and I can’t even gather mana properly… Sir Swoen, am I broken? If I can’t use magic, I’m just useless… like a parasite…”

“No, after such intense casting, a bit more rest will restore your abilities. I, your teacher, guarantee it.”

“Really…?”

Nod.

Since it wasn’t a lie, and considering it’s akin to a cooldown period, I confidently assured her she’d recover with rest.

Seeing my expression, she seemed reassured, covering her mouth with her pale hand and giggling—

“Since the teacher said so… I guess I’ll be fine, huh? Hehe.”

“And please, don’t call yourself useless. Reika is exceptionally talented—she bakes bread and snacks well, excels at housework, and even if she lacked these skills, I’d still take good care of you, so don’t worry too much.”

“Ahh…”

Hearing this, Reika’s face flushed bright red, and she pulled the blanket higher to hide her face entirely. Only her pink bangs peeked out, looking incredibly adorable.

“…Thank you…”

Her muffled voice from beneath the covers wasn’t clear, but contextually, it meant “thank you.”

Though, I was the one who should be grateful.

“I’m the one who should thank you, Reika. I won’t forget this kindness.”

Even with my rapier acting as an amplifier, without Reika sacrificing her body and getting her hands bloody to assist me, achieving Iren’s vengeance so cleanly would’ve been impossible. While her magic itself was impressive, her determination to use it for me moved me even more.

For a few days thereafter, I tended to Reika lightly while staying at the manor. Gradually, she was weaving herself into my life like a drizzle soaking through cloth.

*

Time passed.

Though Reika hadn’t fully recovered her mana and wasn’t ready for combat, she had regained enough strength.

“Reika Nightharte, hear me.”

In the center of the Audience Chamber, Serpina extended her hand to Reika, who knelt before her, declaring her intent. This was a formal investiture ceremony, delayed due to Reika’s collapse.

Such ceremonies were rare for individual warriors during chaotic times, as many defected frequently. Both Swoen and Iren joined Serpina’s forces informally. However, this ceremony symbolized Serpina’s acknowledgment of Reika. It signified that Serpina recognized how indispensable Reika had been in suppressing the recent rebellion, saving countless soldiers’ lives.

“Reika. Do you swear to dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to me from this day forward?”

Reika, calm as usual, carefully responded—

“…Yes, I swear!”

—only to accidentally bite her tongue, making her answer sound foolish, revealing her true nervousness.

“Ah… I, I… I apologize! I deserve death… I’ll die right here and now… Please forgive me…”

“You dying would negate the meaning of forgiveness, wouldn’t it?”

“Ah, you’re right. Then… I’ll just go somewhere where you can’t see me and die separately. My apologies…”

“Hmm…”

While some might consider her behavior disrespectful during such a sacred ceremony, fortunately, Serpina didn’t dwell on formalities.

“Reika. I regretfully cannot grant that request. I don’t want to lose someone as valuable as you, whom I’ve barely gained.”

“Serpina-sama…”

Reika slowly looked up at Serpina, understanding for the first time what Iren had once explained—”Our Lord is like an Absolute Ruler.”

“I understand your resolve. From today onward, I shall officially recognize you as part of the Serpina Army.”

“Y-Yes…!! I will do my utmost…!”

Fortunately, this time, she managed to answer without biting her tongue.

Thus, Reika Nightharte became an official member of the Serpina Army. No longer a Civilian, she officially aligned herself with the state in this turbulent era.

This was all due to Reika’s desire—”I also want to be of help.” To effectively utilize her abilities on the battlefield, resolving her ambiguous status was necessary. Neither Swoen nor Iren could indefinitely escort her.

With that, the investiture ceremony concluded successfully. Those present with political insight instinctively grasped the implications.

Swoen, Iren, and Reika would undoubtedly become Serpina’s closest confidants, forming a new power structure within the Serpina Army, which had suffered from a severe lack of talent due to prolonged rebellions. Few warriors in the army could rival their prowess.

Just as the appearance of a Mage heralded a new age of combat across the continent—

Within the Serpina Army, a new power was rising, shining brightly.

—A fragile authority that seemed poised to vanish like a mirage at any moment.