Chapter 255

* * *

Long ago, at the moment when the Aishias Army was just about to stretch its limbs toward the Serpina Army once more.

Even in the Southern Continent, which had long maintained peace, the clouds of war were beginning to gather.

The capital of newborn Lunarien, Tevelo Castle.

When the rebellion first began, everyone predicted that something would happen soon enough, and indeed, the Karelia Army had stationed a large number of troops at the border—but surprisingly, time passed quietly without even skirmishes or small-scale conflicts breaking out.

Of course, this only referred to external appearances—whether any nation had moved its armies.

The system to lead this new nation was being built up slowly but surely.

—Today, however, was the day to announce the key figures who would lead the state affairs going forward.

Luna slowly rose from her seat, drew her sword, and approached Tifa, who knelt with her knees bent, conducting some sort of “ritual.”

“Tifa, I hereby officially appoint you as the Commander-in-Chief of our army.”

“I humbly accept, my Lord.”

This formal exchange and ceremony were things the two usually wouldn’t engage in…

But as Sir Swoen had said, “Showing authority to subordinates in one way or another is also a virtue of those in higher positions.” Thus, Luna silently followed his advice.

“And…”

Having finished the ritual with Tifa, Luna slowly approached an elderly man kneeling beside her.

“Jinoru, I hereby officially appoint you as the Nation’s Strategist of our army.”

This decision was quite surprising for the Lunarien Army.

While Jinoru was undoubtedly talented, he hadn’t been part of the initial rebellion but joined later on. In the eyes of many commanders from Karelia who valued loyalty, it seemed more logical for Violet, the young strategist who had supported Luna from the start, to take this position.

“Mighty shall I serve the entrusted task with all my might, I promise.”

Jinoru wasn’t unaware of the atmosphere around him.

After all, his original place was with the Aishias Army.

Even though Karelia placed great importance on loyalty, they were rather exclusive towards outsiders. Compared to them, this situation was much better.

Moreover, Jinoru himself wanted to stay close to Luna and observe her closely, so there was no reason to reject the title offered to him.

After all rituals were completed,

Jinoru headed to the Audience Chamber as instructed beforehand.

“Did you summon me, my Lord?”

“You’ve arrived, Jinoru.”

“I was about to suggest we don’t need honorifics, but… never mind. You insist on using polite speech with everyone, don’t you?”

If this was the culture of the nation, then adapting was simply part of the job.

More importantly, now was the time to get to the point.

“May I inquire what you summoned me for?”

“It’s not anything too serious. However, since you are now appointed as our Nation’s Strategist, there are a few matters I wish to convey.”

“Please speak.”

“First off, I do not plan to address you as ‘Strategist’ moving forward… but please do not misunderstand; this does not mean I don’t recognize you or am trying to suppress your authority.”

Jinoru didn’t feel offended by not being called ‘Strategist.’

What truly mattered was how he was treated, not what he was called.

A ruler who publicly addressed someone as ‘Strategist’ but consulted only their trusted inner circle instead of discussing important matters with the actual strategist was far worse than a ruler willing to discuss national affairs openly.

Still, if there was ever a time to ask, it was now.

“I have no issue with it, but may I inquire why?”

Luna paused momentarily after hearing the question.

“…I can explain both reasons together.”

Jinoru nodded silently, indicating he awaited her explanation.

“Secondly… in the future, we will replace the position of Nation’s Strategist.”

Her tone was firm, her gaze unwavering as she expressed her true intentions.

“This isn’t a possibility—it’s absolutely certain. Moreover, this applies not just to you, Jinoru, but anyone else, even if Violet were to sit in that position.”

“Hmm…”

Luna nodded slowly, looking directly into Jinoru’s eyes with utmost sincerity.

“The person who will become our Nation’s Strategist… the one I will call ‘Strategist,’ is only one person in this world.”

At these words, Jinoru’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

An image flashed through his mind—the face of a man he knew: silver-haired, gray-eyed, capable of using magic akin to the ‘Mind’s Eye.’

Changing the Nation’s Strategist was an extremely sensitive matter for the strategist themselves.

Yet, Lunarien stated firmly that the change was inevitable.

It was practically a bombshell declaration—”You’re a temporary strategist”—but Jinoru showed no emotional disturbance upon hearing it.

Rather, his stance was clear—if someone more capable came along, he’d gladly hand over the position.

If the person Luna considered her strategist was that man, then he must be far superior to Jinoru himself, right?

“I understand.”

Upon hearing this, Lunarien bowed deeply with an apologetic expression.

“…I apologize for bringing this up right after your appointment. But I believed it would be dishonest to expect you to fulfill your duties as a strategist without addressing such matters while my intentions remain clear.”

Jinoru quickly returned the bow.

“Not at all, my Lord. The appointment of strategists lies solely within your discretion. Please do not worry about it. I will ensure I do not hinder the strategist you choose.”

His words were genuine.

Truly, someone like Swoen likely possessed insights far beyond Jinoru’s own.

Lunarien then extended her hand politely and spoke.

“I look forward to working with you, Jinoru.”

* * *

After concluding her discussion with Luna and leaving the royal palace, a familiar face awaited him.

“…KYLE?”

“Haha, it seems hard to adjust, huh? It feels like just yesterday you used to call me ‘Lord Kyle.'”

“Don’t tell me you waited here just to crack jokes.”

Kyle grinned before turning serious.

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“Our Lord.”

“…I don’t believe we have enough material yet to form a proper judgment on her.”

“Surely, there must be some first impressions, right?”

“…”

Deciding honesty was best here, Jinoru briefly revealed his thoughts.

“She doesn’t seem like the type of ruler destined to unify the continent.”

“Why not?”

“Whether tyrant or wise ruler, the throne demands someone willing to shed blood. While she shows strong resolve, there’s little sign of the cruel streak common among rulers.”

“Well, our Lord is definitely someone who acts when necessary. That’s where she differs from Karelia.”

Jinoru readily agreed with this. Karelia would likely never rebel, no matter the circumstances.

Though admirable, carrying all burdens alone wasn’t the trait of a unifying ruler.

“You’ll see soon enough. Our Lord is destined for greatness.”

Instead of outright agreeing, Jinoru continued the earlier topic.

“Objectively speaking, with just Tevelo Castle and 90,000 troops, I’m unsure what we can achieve. Honestly, if war breaks out tomorrow with Karelia, I doubt we could win.”

“Quite a cold assessment.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I believe you’d reach the same conclusion easily.”

Kyle laughed heartily before asking curiously.

“So why did you join our army?”

“That….”

“I know already. It was because of Swoen’s recommendation, right?”

Indeed.

Taking on the precarious role of strategist for a rebellious state where capture meant certain execution, even temporarily, was solely due to Swoen claiming, “Lunarien Iniyan is destined to be the unifying ruler.”

“…By the way, how did Swoen seem during his time with Lunarien’s forces?”

“He’s very straightforward to describe. He performed miracles… repeatedly.”

Kyle’s eyes sparkled with youthful admiration when talking about Swoen.

“The battle and agreement with Brance… asserting his will and proving its correctness. This simple principle was repeated over and over. Even now, didn’t our army eventually find another chance?”

According to Kyle, it was Swoen who advocated presenting Luna’s group to Karelia.

If considering the revival of a fallen vassal as an opportunity, his judgment proved correct again.

“Still, there is one concern…”

“Speak your mind.”

“Swoen not returning here…”

Swoen currently served under Serpina.

This fact, verified by rumors near the northern regions, was almost certain.

Given the ample time passed since news of Lunarien’s uprising, it was strange for him not to have returned already, prompting Kyle’s curiosity.

‘…’

Hearing this, Jinoru fell into thought.

He had been the most recent to interact with Swoen.

The reason he ended up serving Serpina was due to an incomprehensible ‘exchange’ ordered by Lady Yuuri, but fundamentally, it happened because Swoen volunteered as envoy to Serpina.

Considering he volunteered…

‘It seems he has something to accomplish within Serpina’s forces.’

He recommended Luna to me, so he must view her as his lord.

Taking this into account, it wasn’t a simple problem to conclude.

“Well, that’s Swoen for you. He must have his reasons.”

Jinoru nodded at Kyle’s words.

Yes. Likely, he remains there to accomplish something crucial for Lunarien’s cause.

Though unclear what exactly, Swoen always uncovered the right results in unforeseen ways, making it evident the continent would tremble again.

[He stays in Serpina’s army because he has tasks to complete.]

That’s all.

That’s the optimal conclusion based on the information Jinoru possesses.

Regardless, his immediate task was handling the pressing issues at hand.

‘Maybe, if we could focus on internal affairs for a bit longer, it’d be ideal.’

Without a clear advantage yet, he hoped nothing major occurred until they gained the upper hand.

* * *

Situation rarely moves exactly as one wishes.

* * *