Chapter 62

Southern Continent, Tevelo Castle occupied by the Karelia Army.

Adjacent to the borderline with the Ohana Army, Lady Lunarien Iniyan was appointed as the lady of this castle.

Initially, there were concerns about giving such a significant position to someone who had arrived not too long ago—but as time passed and Lunarien herself increasingly proved her capabilities, those complaints quickly subsided. Her strict adherence to reward and punishment, along with her meticulous management of even minor details that other lords might overlook, silenced any doubts about her leadership.

It wasn’t surprising considering Karelia—and Vanessa, who supported Karelia—prioritized ability above all else in their appointments.

And at the royal palace within Tevelo Castle—

Tifa and Luna were enjoying a rare one-on-one chat.

“Old man Cain wants to see me too?”

“Yeah.”

“Why? I’m busy training recruits.”

“He says he has something to show us.”

“Huh? Just us?”

“He said it’d be best if only we two were there.”

“Hmm… really?”

Tifa smirked and replied, “Hearing that—me, old man Cain, and Luna together—it brings back memories.”

Luna couldn’t deny she’d been thinking the same thing. The difference now, though…

…was that ‘that person’ no longer existed here.

“Right. You’ve heard too, haven’t you? About the white-haired mage in Brance’s army?”

“Yeah.”

“I think it’s definitely Swoen, don’t you?”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course! How many young white-haired men could possibly pull off something like that?”

Just like when Luna immediately recognized him as Sir Swoen upon hearing the news…

Tifa also seemed quick to deduce it was indeed Swoen.

“So magic actually exists, huh?”

“But is what he did really magic? Rumors say he performed some sort of ritual to the heavens.”

“If making rocks fall from the sky isn’t magic, then what is?”

“…Is it? Still, Sir Swoen never used magic when he was with us…”

“Maybe he was just hiding his strength?”

“…”

Though Luna looked slightly puzzled, Tifa didn’t seem too bothered. She slammed her fists together and declared,

“In any case! If some scrawny kid can use magic, why can’t I?”

“That’s because it might not even be magic—”

“Don’t care! Let’s try it out starting today. Of course, even without magic, I’m plenty strong!”

Recently, Tifa had been pushing herself through near-lethal training regimens: repeating simple motions hundreds or thousands of times to strengthen her body, running 3km three times daily around Tevelo Castle’s territory.

The moment her confidence in her own power shattered came when…

After being utterly defeated by Iren Julieat, she realized her current strength wouldn’t even help protect herself, let alone assist Luna. Thus began her relentless training regimen, which she continued without fail despite overlapping duties, cutting sleep if necessary.

Knowing Tifa’s determination, Luna entrusted her primarily with soldier training after becoming the castle’s lord. It was efficient; while soldiers trained under Tifa, she trained alongside them, maximizing her time.

Then, suddenly—

“There you both are. Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

From afar, Cain slowly approached. But… he wasn’t alone.

Behind him walked three youths, two girls and a boy, looking somewhat younger but clearly human.

Cain explained, “These are my relatives. Due to certain circumstances, they’ve become orphans.”

“What? Relatives? Didn’t you say you had none?”

“Yes,” Cain nodded. “That was true when I was at Jeilrant Castle. These children were living in an orphanage elsewhere.”

“An orphanage?”

“Exactly. Now that enough time has passed, I thought it would be good to introduce them to Lady Luna.”

One by one, the voices of the children echoed:

“My name is Francis.”

“I am Charlotte.”

“My name is Violet.”

Luna stared into Francis’ golden eyes and pale blonde hair. They felt oddly familiar… but maybe it was just her imagination.

Charlotte shared similar golden eyes, while Violet had black eyes resembling Cain’s, with both having dark hair.

“Pleased to meet you all. I am Lunarien.”

“So, what’s the purpose here? Introducing family members doesn’t justify gathering us, does it?”

“Not exactly. Listen up.”

Cain turned to Luna with an unusually serious expression.

“Lady Luna, please take these children under your guardianship.”

“Me? Take them in…?”

“Yes. Though it pains me to admit it, these children possess extraordinary talents. They will undoubtedly aid you in achieving your ambitions later on.”

“Ambitions… meaning…?”

Cain nodded. “I assume ruling under the Karelia Army forever isn’t part of Lady Luna’s plans.”

“Ah.”

Tifa finally understood the reason for calling them together.

“These kids will join our side eventually, right?”

“Correct.”

…

As Cain said, Luna never intended to remain in this place indefinitely. Hadn’t she promised Swen she wouldn’t let go of opportunity when it arose? That he would surely return to her side someday. His voice still lingered vividly in her mind.

“Let them stay at Lady Luna’s manor for now. With no servants currently employed, it won’t raise suspicion if they’re introduced as household staff.”

Previously, Luna had inherited the massive estate once owned by former lord Carlos. Alone, it felt excessively spacious, but she managed somehow.

“But why me? Wouldn’t it be better for them to stay with you, since they’re your relatives?”

“Haha… Lady Luna, I appreciate your concern, but I’m far too old. My days are numbered—I might pass next month. For someone who’s lived enough, it’s natural, but…”

“No! Don’t say that!”

“Yeah, old man. One of the biggest lies old people tell is ‘I’ve lived enough, so I’ll just die peacefully.’ At least live long enough to see Luna rebuild the nation!”

Cain chuckled lightly and replied,

“Well… introducing these children to Lady Luna feels like completing my final duty.”

“Tch, whatever. So how talented are these relatives to act so confidently?”

“You’ll understand in time, Tifa.”

Finally, Cain bowed deeply to Luna.

“Please consider taking them in, Lady Luna. They’ll prove invaluable allies.”

…

Eventually, they must break away from the Karelia Army and raise their own forces. Having more supporters aligned with her vision was certainly beneficial.

“…Everyone, please rise.”

At Luna’s request, the kneeling children stood. Slowly walking toward Francis, the eldest, she spoke softly.

“Francis.”

“Yes, Lady Lunarien.”

“Call me Luna from now on. Consider me your guardian. I look forward to working with you.”

Upon hearing this, Francis blushed slightly, clearly inexperienced dealing with women, and bowed.

“Understood. I’ll do my best.”

Afterward, Luna briefly greeted Charlotte and Violet, finding no hostility toward her.

Watching this exchange, Cain reflected inwardly:

‘I hesitated before, but yes… the only worthy master I can serve is Lady Lunarien.’

These children, hidden carefully by Cain himself due to their noble lineage, could provide legitimacy rivaling Serpina’s should they align with Lunarien. Their presence could effectively challenge her oppressive rule.

Unbeknownst to them, meeting Cain drastically altered their fates.

Had events unfolded normally, Cain might have left instructions in his will shortly before death, entrusting the children to Luna much later. However, during their escape south from Jeilrant Castle, he found his new leader early.

Similarly, Tifa’s path changed faster than expected. Instead of discovering mana through some miraculous coincidence over time, hearing about the mysterious ‘Swen,’ a mage, made her realize sooner that magic might exist. As the sole physical-type commander capable of sensing mana, her potential awakened earlier.

Lady Lunarien of the Karelia Army, gaining prominence earlier than usual.

Tifa recognizing the existence of mages sooner than planned.

Cain swiftly identifying his ideal ruler through experience.

All thanks to one person—Swen. His influence significantly accelerated the buildup of the Lunarien faction’s ‘King Return Build.’

—

It had been a week since arriving at Falaharte Castle. During this time, I enjoyed some rare pleasant moments with Irene.

“Should I hold it like this?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Tie it here, and… done! Three more to go.”

First, we crafted practice dummies for Irene’s training. Placing such items first in the room felt fittingly her style, causing me to chuckle quietly.

During free moments, we strolled around various parts of Falaharte Castle. Unlike Anel Castle, Falaharte held its own charm, proving quite comfortable to live in. Considering its location near the borderline, it was impressive how the Aishias Army defended it so fiercely. Certainly, the tension here wasn’t absent, but compared to Kelshtain, the atmosphere remained surprisingly peaceful.

I soaked in a rare sense of peace.

Back during my days with the Luna Army, after harvest season ended, touring Jeylran Castle with Lady Luna brought similar feelings. We danced together during inspections. Those exact emotions resurfaced now, sharing this distant Falaharte Castle with Irene.

‘Is she doing well?’

Traveling from Brance’s army to Aishias’ didn’t answer whether ‘Lunarien Iniyan could become the unifying ruler destined to unite the world.’ Still, my belief that she thrives somewhere remained unwavering.

‘Spending time like this with Irene isn’t bad either.’

I knew this period of peace wouldn’t last long. Unless Brance’s army consists entirely of fools, trouble will inevitably arise soon. Rather than worrying endlessly, I decided to enjoy the calm while it lasted—and spent each day fully engaged with her.

Around the tenth day…

Irene and I returned home after purchasing tea leaves and necessities from a general store inside the castle.

Then…

“Hm? What’s going on?”

“What is it, Swen?”

“Over there… Something bothersome seems to be happening.”

A veiled young woman appeared surrounded by three burly men. Judging by their demeanor, they likely weren’t acquaintances. Even from a distance, the woman’s discomfort was evident.

‘Thugs, perhaps.’

As officers of the Aishias Army, our leisurely stroll doubled as patrol duty maintaining public order. Ignoring such sights once noticed wasn’t an option. I stepped closer.

“What do you think you’re doing?”