*
Bran’s army swiftly retreated, and as promised, we did not pursue them. Honestly, there was an option to break the agreement and ambush them from behind, but doing so would have rendered Lunarien’s army unable to engage in normal diplomacy with any other nation in the future, so we refrained. Besides, there was nothing to gain from pursuing Bran’s army except for the disruption.
Although over half of Jeilant Castle’s walls had collapsed and more than 8,000 soldiers were incapacitated, we ultimately succeeded in defending the castle. With Bran’s army preoccupied with Serphina’s army for the foreseeable future, this provided us with a golden opportunity to strengthen our internal affairs.
In Jeilant Castle’s royal chamber, the setting was modest compared to the grandeur of Anel Castle I had visited before, but it still felt like a real homecoming.
Present were Luna, the ruler, along with Gustav and Aaron, who had been defending different areas, and even Cain. I heard Tifa was receiving treatment for severe injuries sustained during the war.
I placed the bag full of gold on the table.
“Three thousand gold.”
Cain, after confirming the gold, looked at me in disbelief, glancing back and forth between the gold and me.
“So, Sven, you went to negotiate a ceasefire with thirteen hundred gold and returned not only with the ceasefire but also three thousand gold?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“How on earth…?”
I calmly responded to Cain, who was in astonishment.
“I bargained a bit.”
“No, bargaining or not… Huh… Incredible.”
Cain looked at me, wiping sweat from his brow. Initially, his gaze was emotionless, merely acknowledging a new person. Over time, he showed a mix of wariness and amazement at my capabilities.
Now, he looked at me with eyes full of admiration.
“Sven, you’re truly remarkable. How could someone as outstanding as you have remained hidden…? Life is full of surprises. You’re truly amazing, Sven. I won’t doubt your decisions in the future.”
“We were also amazed. To think you’d return from a disadvantageous negotiation with money… truly incredible.”
“Sven, you have many talents.”
Gustav and Aaron also praised me.
While I wasn’t one for basking in adulation, this trust was beneficial in my role with Lunarien’s army. With my intelligence of 100, I would continue to make accurate predictions, and having their full trust would make operations smoother.
“I thought it would turn out this way.”
Luna chimed in.
“I believed in him. Thank you, Sven.”
It wasn’t hard to read the deep trust in her ruby eyes.
Yes.
Most importantly, Luna’s overwhelming support was reassuring. My predictions would be frustratingly futile if the ruler didn’t heed my advice. But working under Luna, it seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about that. She trusted me that much and would likely continue to support me.
I revisited the question I had pondered initially: ‘Can Lunarien Iniange unify the continent?’
The conclusion was the same as before. The unifier of the continent would be none other than her, Luna.
Honestly, I still didn’t see how she would achieve this, but my predictions never failed. She was destined to become the unifier. I just needed to stay by her side and ensure a stable return to my original world. It was a perfectly secure plan for this other world.
‘Too easy?’
No, I mustn’t become complacent. No matter the predetermined future, Lunarien’s army was still a minor nation. We had managed so far, but the future trials remained unknown.
With this, 4,300 gold entered our coffers. Luna decided not to use it all for relief efforts but to prioritize strengthening internal affairs – conscription, commercial development, and funding for the mercenary corps. It was crucial funding for developing Jeilant Castle.
Initially, I thought we might abandon the castle quickly. However, at this point, neighboring castles were occupied by different leaders. While we lacked soldiers and capital initially, other lords had swiftly claimed numerous empty castles.
Although Jeilant Castle’s proximity to Bran’s territory wasn’t ideal, there seemed to be no other option but to develop it, which was slightly disappointing.
‘It’ll be alright. I can handle it.’
I continued to advise Luna by her side.
* * *
Arriving at Anel Castle, Airen quickly organized the wounded soldiers and ordered supplies for the rest before heading to the royal chamber. She soon reached the chamber where her lord, Lynn Bran, was.
“Lord. Airen Juliette has just arrived.”
“…”
Lynn approached Airen, who was reporting to her. One step, two steps, until they were close enough to touch.
Slap!
“…!!”
Lynn harshly slapped Airen’s cheek, turning it noticeably red. Airen was caught off guard, swaying slightly
, but quickly regained her balance.
“What’s this? If you had captured the castle sooner, we wouldn’t be in this humiliating situation. How much longer did you need?”
Lynn glared coldly at Airen. It was unfair. Airen knew it more than anyone, but even in such moments, she never thought of defying orders. Instead, she deeply bowed in apology.
“I apologize, Lord. It’s my fault for failing to capture the castle.”
If only she had one more day, or even a few more.
She could have explained this, but Airen chose not to make excuses.
“I’ll accept any punishment.”
“Never mind that, report the situation. How many troops are left?”
“Yes. Excluding the wounded, we have about 18,000 remaining.”
After the siege and even a retreat, our forces had only reduced by about 5,000 soldiers, and not all of these were fatalities; many were injured. Objectively, it was a commendable result, yet Lynn was dissatisfied with Airen. She felt as if the humiliating negotiation with Sven was forced upon her because Airen hadn’t handled her responsibilities properly.
“Order the soldiers to prepare to march immediately. We need to send them to Kelshtein Castle.”
“And who will lead the vanguard–”
Lynn harshly interrupted Airen.
“What? You want to be sent out? To mess up my plans again?”
“…No, my Lord. I have no excuses.”
Airen slightly bowed her head, a gesture of accepting any punishment. Lynn sighed deeply and then said,
“Just in case, you’ll oversee the defense of the castle walls here. Understood?”
The defense of Anel Castle’s walls was essentially a non-assignment since the surrounding area was all Bran’s territory, implying there was no need for defense. Assigning a general to such a position was essentially a reprimand, but Airen acknowledged the command with a grave tone.
“Yes! I shall diligently fulfill your command.”
“Go then.”
After Airen left, Lynn bit her nail, thinking.
‘With an additional 18,000 soldiers… we should just manage to defend Kelshtein Castle.’
Combining the existing forces at Kelshtein Castle with nearby troops and the returning soldiers would total nearly 40,000. Although the western and southern forces would double this number, they were difficult to mobilize and would take time. Considering the advantage of defending over attacking, Lynn calculated that 40,000 soldiers could hold off 55,000.
But what if the ceasefire hadn’t been negotiated and they had been pursued?
They could have lost up to 8,000 more soldiers during the retreat, especially considering the pursuing forces were trained soldiers from the renowned Raven and Chilean mercenary groups. The losses could have been even higher.
So, Sven was right. The ceasefire saved Bran’s army in a critical situation. Though she didn’t want to admit it.
‘…Huh.’
Lynn felt a shiver. She wanted to claim Sven for herself immediately, but first, she had to repel Serphina’s offensive.
‘I’ll have to lead this battle myself.’
Her elder brother, Chel, was in the south, and her other brother, Calintz, was unreliable. It was time for her to step in as the supreme commander.
‘Interesting, Serphina. Whatever you’re planning, you won’t set foot in the Central lands.’
Lynn swiftly began preparing for departure.
* * *
After the ceasefire with Bran’s army.
Days passed peacefully without major incidents.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. A somewhat monotonous but peaceful routine unfolded.
I delegated tasks to the generals, made predictions, and contributed what I could despite our limited military power.
Jeilant Castle had changed a lot. New buildings replaced those wrecked by the storm, and the once desolate streets regained vibrancy. Farming and livestock breeding flourished. Once a forsaken land, Jeilant Castle was transforming into a lively habitat, and the people praised Luna for her governance.
Looking back, it was ‘peace’.
As the harvest season approached, Luna and I toured the territory for inspection.
Along the vast fields,
Golden wheat fields swayed in the wind, marking the first harvest since Jeilant Castle’s revival.
“The crops are doing well.”
Luna nodded at my comment.
“It’s all thanks to the efforts of our people.”
“The people all praise your governance. Maybe it’s time you acknowledge your own excellence as a leader.”
“You’re the only one who thinks so highly of me, Sven. Hehe… but thank you.”
Then,
A lively noise caught our attention from afar.
‘What’s that?’
A festival, perhaps?
Luna looked in that direction and then grabbed my sleeve.
“There, over there.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Would you… like to go check it out with me?”
Luna’s face was slightly flushed, and she seemed bashfully hesitant, almost like a small animal.
The patrol was almost over, and as her servant, how could I refuse her request?
“Shall we?”
“Oh, yes…! Let’s go together!”
Her face brightened at my response. Her ruby-red eyes, shining in the sunlight, seemed like jewels.
Together, we walked towards where the people were gathered.
