Chapter 89

“Swoen?”

“No, uh… please wait a moment.”

—

If I personally go and negotiate, will it resolve things?

Is it really necessary for me—specifically myself—to go instead of someone else?

If others go, negotiations fail, but if I go, they succeed?

—

“Why???”

—

Unable to bypass the root question, my brain began overheating once again.

But no matter how many times I ran through the query in my mind, the answer remained the same:

I have to be the one to go.

—

*Sigh.* Every time this happens, I wish someone would just plainly explain the reason. It’d make convincing people so much easier!

—

After cautiously observing everyone’s expressions, I carefully opened my mouth.

“Personally, I don’t think combat is the only solution.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean… we should consider negotiating. It wouldn’t hurt.”

—

Even though I’d already concluded this in my mind, I couldn’t help but mix in my inability to fully grasp why negotiation was possible.

After all, there’s no reason Serpina Army would want to negotiate with Our Army.

Negotiation requires something for them to gain, right? What could we possibly offer when we have nothing?

—

Of course, this is undoubtedly the most efficient method. Back when I was in Luna’s army, negotiating with Lin turned out similarly. Negotiations always happen in some form. That’s why they’re suggesting it now.

But…

There’s a difference between then and now—

“Swoen?”

“Yes…?”

Yuri tilted her head and asked.

“Are you saying we can reach a ceasefire agreement with Serpina Army through negotiation?”

“That’s correct.”

“How exactly?”

—

This wasn’t Lunarien Army; this was Aishias Army. And Yuri wasn’t like Luna, who unconditionally trusted me.

Luna would’ve simply accepted my word—”That’s right”—and left it at that. But Yuri was different. To convince her, I had to logically explain *why* my opinion was correct.

Yet, no proper sentences came to mind.

—

“It requires more thought, I believe.”

“More thought? Didn’t you already draw a conclusion?”

“Well… I’ve organized it in my head, but due to my own inadequacies, summarizing it into a concise sentence proves difficult.”

“Hmm… that’s a bit hard to understand…”

Yuri stroked her chin, clearly troubled.

“Anyway, if that’s your stance, I’m afraid I can’t accept it. Opinions need justification, right? Just throwing out ‘Let’s negotiate’ isn’t something we can easily adopt here. We’re not offering anything Serpina wants anyway, and given her nature, she might not even bother.”

Without more time, I couldn’t come up with anything convincing.

It would’ve been helpful to spread out a map and confirm what’s happening—but the information available to me is severely lacking. Like trying to cook without ingredients.

—

“So, Swoen, your suggestion is rejected. Sorry about that.”

“No, I understand.”

Hearing my response, Yuri gave a wry smile.

“You don’t need to feel too down. Honestly, no matter what anyone says, I doubt Serpina would negotiate anyway.”

—

She added sharply,

“After all, we’re destined to clash eventually. Even if we avoided conflict through negotiation now, it’d only be temporary.”

—

While that’s true…

My Divinity 100 brain predicted this as not only the most efficient option but also the most righteous decision for Aishias Army.

—

“Besides…”

At that moment, an unusual glint of anger flashed in Yuri’s usually gentle eyes.

“I don’t really want to negotiate with Serpina Army anyway.”

—

‘Aha.’

I instantly understood Yuri’s psychology.

Though not as overtly emotional as Anima, she must’ve also gone through the fiery hell of the Blood Academy. Given that the roots of the empire’s attack trace back to Serpina…

To convince her, I’d need something powerful enough to overcome her deep-seated aversion—not just logic. And since I’d only just begun predicting, I certainly didn’t possess such a thing.

—

‘Should I give up pushing this idea?’

The loss would fall on Aishias Army, not me. Besides, even if we fight, we’ll win eventually…

Not the most efficient path, but not entirely bad either, right?

Moreover, while this decision heavily favors Aishias Army, whether it ultimately benefits Lunarien remains uncertain.

True, having various nations remain alongside Aishias Army instead of letting Serpina dominate half the Central Continent makes future unification easier for Lunarien—but that’s assuming Lunarien does indeed unify the continent.

Since that prediction exists, there’s no absolute need for me to persuade Yuri.

‘Yeah. This is just Aishias Army’s problem. It’s not endangering Iren, so there’s no need to force the issue.’

We already repaid our debt by helping against Brance Army. Pushing this further isn’t necessary. Letting it slide isn’t a bad decision.

—

Jinoru glanced at me strangely, but regardless, I wasn’t given another chance to interject on this topic.

Further discussions ensued. Even relatively unknown commanders freely voiced their opinions to Yuri, showing she wasn’t overly rigid.

Her refusal to compromise on certain issues might be problematic, though.

“Thank you all for sharing your thoughts.”

Yuri stood up, extending her hand forward.

“We’ll choose to fight. While I appreciate Jinoru and others arguing we should surrender troops, avoiding battle outright and pre-determining defeat will never lead us forward. Though immediate reinforcements won’t be sent, they may later depending on the situation. I’ll speak separately with the commanders heading into battle, so it’d be wise to mentally prepare. Understood?”

“Yes! Understood!”

I nodded along with everyone else.

So, we’re choosing resistance.

Since we’ll win anyway, I’m not overly worried… but there’s still a lingering unease in my heart.

“If there are no special instructions, please continue your duties as usual. Thanks.”

As I exited the Royal Palace—

“Swoen.”

Iren approached with a worried expression.

“Iren.”

“Should we negotiate with Serpina Army? Is that truly the most efficient path for our forces?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… well, if it comes from you, it must be right.”

Thinking about it, Iren seemed willing to trust my words. She’s the only one who’s witnessed all my seemingly absurd claims turn true since Brance Army days.

“In that case, I’ll try to persuade our Lord.”

“Persuade?”

“Yeah. Lady Yuri listens to her generals.”

“But how?”

“Um… why exactly is negotiation the best choice? Do you know any weaknesses of Serpina Army?”

I hesitated briefly before deciding—

‘I don’t need to lie to Iren.’

And answered honestly,

“To be frank, it’s just a hunch.”

“A hunch?”

“Yes. I just have this strong conviction that it’s the right answer.”

“Is that so…”

Despite sounding somewhat irresponsible, Iren nodded seriously after a pause.

“I see why you couldn’t convince Lord Yuri. But, Swoen, if your intuition is sparking like this, it’s probably correct. I trust you.”

Grateful for her unwavering faith, I recalled Luna.

Unlike Iren, Luna believed in me completely from day one.

‘How did she manage that?’

I couldn’t help but wonder how she’s doing now.

“Thank you for your concern. Don’t worry too much—we won’t lose this battle.”

“Hmm. Alright, see you later then.”

After parting ways with Iren, I looked up at the sky outside the palace.

Today, for some reason, Luna’s face—someone who believed in me absolutely and unconditionally—kept appearing in my mind.

She was incredibly gentle, yet her crimson eyes burned fiercely.

Are you well, My Lord?

I’ve survived day by day, changing masters twice.

Until you return to center stage in history, I’ll endure and survive.

With that thought, I headed away from the palace.

—

When Swoen suggested ‘negotiation,’

the person who took it most seriously was none other than National Strategist Jinoru standing beside Yuri.

‘Negotiation…’

Why did Swoen suggest this?

No one else but Swoen.

Jinoru held him in high regard. He firmly believed Brance Army’s decline began precisely when Swoen defected to Aishias Army.

Though he claimed ignorance of why negotiation was the answer when speaking to Yuri,

Jinoru suspected Swoen knew but chose not to disclose it for some reason.

‘Does this mean he’s colluding with Serpina Army?’

Unlikely. After all, wasn’t the enemy he defeated using floating rocks Serpina Army itself? No one would deliberately sabotage their own side like that.

On second thought, there’s one possibility…

Given it’s Swoen, it’s plausible.

‘Magic… maybe?’

Swoen claimed to ‘consult the heavens,’ but considering his ability to detect mana and drastically improve Reika’s magical prowess, Jinoru believed he was a genuine mage. He refrained from pressing further merely to avoid unnecessary friction—he could potentially become family someday.

Could it be…

that only Swoen knows something involving some mysterious magic-like power capable of persuading Serpina Army?

Magic being an enigmatic force, its effects and influence aren’t fully understood. For all we know, he might possess some miraculous spell capable of resolving this situation.

‘If that’s true, this could be a golden opportunity.’

A successful negotiation with Serpina Army could resolve everything without losing either the castle or troops. However, if the method involves magic, convincing Yuri directly would be tough.

Thus—

‘It’s time for me to step in.’

As a National Strategist rather than just a general, Jinoru’s proposal might carry more weight.

Though Yuri harbors animosity toward Serpina Army, she’s fundamentally wise. If explained properly, she’d likely listen.

Jinoru glanced at Yuri’s profile. She appeared lost in thought, nibbling her nails—a habit she exhibits when anxious. Clearly, she was worried about the upcoming battle.

‘This isn’t the right moment. Once Yuri calms down, it won’t be too late to propose.’

—

In Jinoru’s mind, Swoen gradually transformed into something akin to a great archmage wielding mysterious powers capable of manipulating hearts.