“Come! Take freely, don’t worry!”

“Get your bread here! We still have plenty!”

All the money from the box was used to rebuild the village ravaged by the typhoon. About half of the funds were spent on buying food.

Under Cain’s leadership, soldiers performing miscellaneous tasks distributed food to the villagers. While Luna made the decision, Cain and I were at the forefront of the relief activities. Among us, Cain took the lead in helping people and firmly established his presence among the villagers.

“Thank you so much…”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Sir, we will never forget your kindness.”

Cain responded with a kind smile to a woman expressing her gratitude.

“All of this is thanks to Lady Lunarien. Please remember that.”

“Ah… Yes! We will never forget the grace bestowed by Lunarien’s army.”

While distributing food would surely raise the city’s morale for Lunarien’s army…

‘Really, is this right?’

I honestly wondered if this was the correct decision. We were supposed to abandon the city anyway, so what use was improving public opinion? With that money, we could have hired mercenaries. With a total force of about 10,000, we might have been able to defend the city and even use it as a base. Sure, improved public sentiment naturally leads to better security, which boosts commerce and agriculture, and as development progresses, the population increases, allowing more soldiers to be conscripted. But all that would require too much time.

And in these chaotic times, it seemed unlikely that a small nation like Lunarien’s would have such a prolonged period of peace.

But, since my intelligence of 100 concluded that this was the right course, it must be.

“Hey, strategist.”

“What can I do for you?”

Cain, who had been busy with the relief work, took a moment to come and speak to me.

“Was it the lord’s decision to distribute all the money?”

“Yes, it was. Since it was found in this village, she decided to return it to the villagers as a gesture.”

“I see. Hm-hm.”

Cain coughed a few times, then looked directly at me with sharp, lively eyes, not the dull look of a man without ambition.

“I was wondering, did you not object to the lord’s decision to distribute the money? It’s good in spirit, but as you know, our army isn’t exactly flush with funds. In our current situation, without even the money for immediate use, it’s unusual not to object.”

His question and the clarity in his eyes suggested he had something more he wanted to ask, almost like he was testing me. Cain wasn’t a villain. He chose to serve under Lunarien because of her purity, which he didn’t find in other rulers. Was he testing my humanity?

I replied with a bit of a playful tone.

“Do I seem that heartless to you, Lord Cain?”

“Well, it’s not that. Since you are the strategist brought by our lord, I thought you must be exceptional. But honestly… I was curious why you didn’t object and let it proceed.”

“It seemed the right thing to do at the time. A strategist should offer opinions, but also support the lord’s decisions when necessary, right?”

Why I didn’t object? Because my intelligence of 100 concluded that distributing the money was the best choice. But I couldn’t say that outright. So, I had to add a plausible reason. The true reason was still unknown to me. I would probably continue to find plausible reasons for my decisions.

“I see.”

Cain nodded.

“Well, I’ll follow your lead, Mr. Swen. If you hadn’t sent Tifa to the market, we wouldn’t have found this money, right?”

“That’s too kind of you.”

“Right. It seems things are wrapping up here… I’ll handle the report, so you should rest.”

“Thank you, I’ll leave it to you.”

I accepted his offer. I was already exhausted from carrying flour sacks with my low strength. Leaning against the wall, I looked up at the sky.

So brilliantly blue, it almost made me believe in perpetual peace.

‘But that’s impossible.’

Maybe I should start preparing mentally.

I watched the clouds drift by, enjoying a brief moment of peace.

*

Afterward, the days passed without major events as we focused on internal affairs. Cain’s recommended task was [Commerce], and Tifa’s was [Training]. When my brain recommended these, nothing unusual happened. Cain, skilled in politics, handled commerce, and Tifa, strong in combat, took care of training. Continual incredible luck would have been strange anyway.

During this time, I followed Luna instead of exploring, helping her rebuild the village. Lunarien Iniagn, despite being a ruler, was actively involved in physically demanding tasks. Knowing it wasn’t right to leave everything to her, I accompanied her.

“Keep up your spirits. Our army will strive to help the village

regain its former vitality.”

“Thank you so much. Really, thank you, sir…”

Perhaps it was the effect of distributing the money earlier, but the people of Zeilant warmly greeted us, grateful for Luna’s help in various tasks.

Public sentiment is like a blade. In chaotic times, loyalty to those who govern can change in an instant. The sincere gratitude they showed, something we wouldn’t have seen if we’d only been spouting empty promises of effort, was telling.

“Lady. That should be enough for today.”

As the day darkened, I approached Luna.

“But I haven’t checked that alley yet.”

“It’s enough for today. You should rest tonight, especially since you’ll be helping people again tomorrow.”

“…You make a valid point. I will follow your advice.”

Luna wasn’t stubborn and usually listened to me. She might not have distributed all the money if I had advised against it.

After all, her condition for recruiting me was that I’d be thoroughly followed, but she was the lord, and I was just one of her subordinates. Honestly, if she insisted, I couldn’t push my opinion too far.

Thinking about it, this revealed the extent of her capacity.

Her capacity. Pondering this term, a question arose in my mind, and I decided to ask her.

“My lord, I have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“I have a general idea, but still, now that I serve you, I’d like to hear the detailed story. How did you come to raise an army?”

“…”

Luna pondered my question for a moment, then looked up at the darkening sky and began to speak.

“I… lost my only family, my sister, in the chaos of war.”

The story of Lunarien Iniagn, a tale not fully explained in the game, about how the ruler of a minor country with a ‘king-maker’ concept came to raise an army. Now, in this world where the game is a reality, she began to share her story.

“Five years ago, the emperor died without appointing a successor, leading to the empire’s decline. Many lords rose in rebellion, seizing the opportunity. Nobles managing the territories also declared independence, and in that process… many people died. My sister was among them.”

“What was your sister doing?”

“…”

Luna gazed at the sky for a while and then, with a slightly sad smile, looked at me.

“Ahaha. I don’t usually talk about this with anyone… but with you, Swen, it feels okay. It’s strange.”

I didn’t respond, focusing instead on her words.

“My sister… was the unofficial concubine of Algott von Aingarht, the eldest son of the royal family.”

“Algott von Aingarht? Could it be…”

She slowly nodded.

“Yes, the brother of Serphina von Aingarht. Due to her low status, she never officially joined the royal family, merely receiving Algott’s affection. Even as a child, I could see they truly loved each other.”

A common romance story, yet the detail ‘sister related to the royal family’ adds depth to why Cain, a royal, would choose to serve under Lunarien in disguise. The only information available in-game was ‘believing in Lunarien’s purity.’ It made this world feel even more real.

“And then…”

“You don’t have to say more.”

Serphina von Aingarht. How did she, neither the firstborn nor male, become the most influential warlord on the continent? Because she purged all her brothers and sisters.

The Blood Monarch, the Tyrant.

The known fact was that the Aingarht bloodline now flowed only through her. In reality, it was different.

“Then… it’s about revenge? For your sister?”

“Perhaps. It could be a desire for revenge.”

She acknowledged this with a wistful smile but then looked directly into my eyes and said,

“But I want to end this war with my own hands. I want to establish a nation as I envision it, a system where such bloody struggles within the same family don’t occur. I want to bring peace to the continent and honor my sister’s memory. If it were just for revenge, I would have served under someone else. But I don’t want the easy way.”

‘This lady has her own heavy burdens.’

I nodded and said,

“I understand. Thank you for sharing.”

“Not at all. It’s you, after all, Swen.”

“Why do you say that as if I’m special?”

Luna smiled at my blunt remark.

“Well, as I said, you were the first to join our army. No one else accepted my offer.”

‘…’

I turned away and said,

“You will be a unifying monarch.”

“Really? Can I, become a unifying monarch?”

Seizing the opportunity of another question, I pondered it in my mind again.

The answer was the same.

Yes.
You are the one to unify this continent.
I hardly believe it myself.

No matter how many times I thought about it, the conclusion remained unchanged. Lunarien Iniagn was the one destined to unify the continent.

I spoke with conviction,

“Who am I? The strategist of Lunarien’s army. Trust my words.”

“Pfft.”

In the month and a half since we met, it wasn’t a long time, but perhaps because we were like founding members of a minor country, spending all day together, I had grown fond of her. We were of a similar age, too.

“The wind is getting colder. Shall we go inside?”

“That sounds good.”

As we casually prepared to return home,

“Lord!!!”

From afar, a soldier came running towards us – no, more precisely towards Luna.

“What’s the matter?”

Luna quickly switched to leader mode.

I observed the soldier’s attire. Silver armor similar to other soldiers, but a red band on his right arm – a familiar uniform. This man… a messenger?

‘Oh no.’

In the game, messengers appeared only in one particular instance

:

“Brans’s army, with about 8,000 soldiers, is marching towards Zeilant!”

It’s when someone initiates an attack.