Episode 25. We Will Dream the Same Dream
***
“The white flag flutters quite refreshingly.”
Chel, positioned at the vanguard, remarked upon seeing the white flag waving.
“What do you think?”
Airen, standing beside Chel, responded.
“We’ll have to enter the castle to know for sure… but I wonder if there’s some hidden motive.”
Airen recalled the face of Lunarien she saw during her last visit.
The vividly shining ruby eyes.
The ambition and spirit uncharacteristic of a small kingdom’s monarch, boldly claiming that neither Serpina nor Lynn could be entrusted with the world.
Airen had faced many people on the battlefield.
Those who died by her hand, those who nearly killed her—but few had an overwhelming presence.
Recently, Lunarien was perhaps the only exception.
That such a person would open the castle gates and declare surrender?
No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t seem like someone who would give up in such a disheartening manner.
“Hmm…”
At that moment.
A soldier came running from behind.
“Message from the lord! The vanguard is ordered to enter the castle gates immediately! However, be cautious of any possible traps!”
“Traps?”
Chel stroked his chin in thought.
“Well… I wonder if the lord is being overly cautious. What could a small kingdom possibly do?”
“But Lord Calintz was actually ambushed.”
“There’s a difference between 8,000 and 80,000. The numerical difference might be tenfold, but the instantaneous destructive power far exceeds that. The situation then and now is different.”
Airen didn’t respond to Chel’s words, merely nodding her head.
He was as proud and arrogant as his skill was great. It was clear he wouldn’t listen to anything she might add.
“Well, we can’t disobey our lord’s orders.”
With that, Chel let out a wry laugh and shouted with a commanding voice.
“Listen up, everyone! We are entering Jelant Castle! Siege weapons, stand by outside! There may be traps, so move carefully!”
Thus, 80,000 soldiers entered the castle, its gates wide open.
***
“Lord, the search is complete.”
Inside Jelant Castle.
Lynn nodded in response to Airen’s report.
“And the result?”
“Nothing. No sign of traps or anything suspicious.”
“Did you check the castle?”
“We haven’t investigated it yet, but seeing no guards, it appears deserted. It seems they’ve fled.”
“Where to? They have nowhere to go, don’t they?”
“That, I don’t know…”
“Well, they must’ve run to save their skins. After all, she was just a monarch of a small kingdom.”
Lynn pondered Parfalle’s words, resting her chin on her hand.
“Is that really it?”
It didn’t make sense.
Would someone with Swen by their side flee without putting up any resistance?
Without any preparations?
Despite being a leader of a small kingdom, raising an army and becoming a leader wasn’t easy.
The whole situation felt unnatural.
“There seems to be something…”
“Lord, may I suggest something?”
At Airen’s words, Lynn responded with a clearly annoyed tone.
“What is it?”
“Shouldn’t we organize a pursuit team?”
“Pursuit?”
“Yes. Leaving Lunarien alive seems… troubling.”
Lunarien didn’t matter much.
If Swen wasn’t here, organizing a pursuit team would make sense.
Dividing the 80,000 soldiers to thoroughly search could easily find the fleeing Lunarien forces.
Then.
A soldier rushed towards them.
“Lord! There’s someone in the castle!”
“What?”
Lynn asked the soldier.
“Who is it?”
“It’s… a young man with white hair, claiming to be from Lunarien’s forces. He was tied up behind a chair in the castle.”
“Swen!”
Hearing the soldier, Lynn’s face lit up with joy.
“He stayed behind!”
The joy of Swen staying was fleeting.
Parfalle, resting his chin on his hand, commented.
“Leaving a retainer behind while fleeing? It’s a puzzling decision.”
Lynn nodded in agreement with Parfalle’s side remark.
“Yeah, I think so too… but we’ll find out if we ask him. We came here for him anyway♡”
Then, she ordered the soldier.
“Prepare for us to go to the castle right away.”
“Yes! Understood.”
Lynn dismounted her horse.
Airen caught up to her, saying,
“Lord, about organizing a pursuit team…”
“No need for pursuit. The prey seems to be right here.”
“But isn’t there only that man in the castle? That means Lunarien is still on the run, it might be better to catch her. If you entrust me with a minimal force, I’ll pursue Lunarien as quickly as possible and capture her-”
“Hey.”
Lynn harshly cut off Airen.
“Why are you being so bossy? I said there’s no need for pursuit. Are you defying me? Feeling bored because your sword hasn’t tasted blood today? Want me to stain it with your blood?”
“…No, my apologies.”
Airen bowed, replying.
In her mind, letting Lunarien go would pose a significant threat to Brans’s forces later.
It seemed unlikely for someone of Lunarien’s caliber to just abandon her country and hide away.
However.
Her lord was Lynn Brans, and as Lynn’s subordinate, she needed to obey her commands.
“Good. If you understand, stay quiet.”
Lynn said this and turned towards Jelant Castle, walking ahead.
Parfalle, following Lynn and seeing Airen bowing her head, expressed sympathy and said,
“I understand General Airen’s concerns, but it’s not wise to waste forces chasing a fleeing monarch of a small kingdom. If we’ve achieved our lord’s objective, it’s best to quickly redistribute our forces to the front lines. Even with treaties, leaving the front unguarded is dangerous. So don’t worry too much.”
Parfalle seemed to want to offer some consolation.
Understanding his intent, Airen nodded.
“It’s alright. I’m a general of Brans’s forces, and I follow the lord’s command. Thank you for your concern.”
Parfalle nodded slightly and followed Lynn.
Airen sighed softly and slowly followed them.
***
Here was Jelant Castle.
Until just moments ago, this place served as the base and capital of Lunarien’s forces, handling various affairs—now, it had fallen into enemy hands in an instant.
And I was sitting, knees bent, tied to a pillar near the chair Lunarien once sat in.
And before me—her, the one I had greeted as an envoy.
Lynn Brans, the blue-haired monarch, looked down at me with a very satisfied expression.
“Hello, Swen♡ How have you been? It’s really been a while. How many months has it been?”
I didn’t respond.
She continued talking without waiting for my answer.
“So, what exactly happened here? Won’t you explain it to me?”
It begins.
I spoke as calmly as possible.
“Our lord… no, former lord Lunarien tied me up here and fled the castle with the troops.”
“Really? But why didn’t she take you? Could it be that Lunarien, that woman,
enjoys tying up pretty boys like you here? Ahaha♡”
I ignored her light provocation and seriously said,
“I don’t know the reason. However… Lunarien suspected I was colluding with you, Lord Lynn.”
“Colluding?”
“Yes. I’m not sure why she thought that…”
“Hmm.”
She looked down at me, saying nothing more.
Regardless, I had to speak my piece.
“Given the circumstances, I intend to rely on you, Lord Lynn. I offer my strength.”
“Really?”
Lynn stopped smiling, spoke coldly,
“I don’t need you. What now?”
“Is that so?”
Don’t panic.
She needs me.
My prediction has proven that.
Regardless of her reason for saying otherwise, there was no way she could change this predetermined future.
“Right. How can I trust what you say? You could be Lunarien’s spy for all I know, right? The whole situation of leaving just you here, with the troops and gold gone, seems too contrived. Even if she’s just a small kingdom’s monarch, it doesn’t add up.”
Lynn resumed her smile, teasingly adding,
“Could this be your scheme? Did you realize I’d come for you, and concoct some plan to sacrifice yourself to save your lord? If that’s the case, that’s quite the loyalty, isn’t it?”
Her surprisingly sharp deduction.
Was it because she had climbed to the position of a named monarch that she was no ordinary human?
Still, I couldn’t let my agitation show.
“I haven’t lied, but if that’s how it appears to you, there’s nothing I can say.”
“Sure. Whatever you say. Haha♡”
“And, well, if I’m not needed, there’s nothing I can do. I do beg for mercy, though. If you spare my life, I’m content to live quietly farming.”
“What?”
Hearing me, she briefly questioned before bursting into laughter, filling the castle with her mirth.
“Are you sulking? Alright. I was lying about not needing you. I brought this massive army to this insignificant castle, and you didn’t notice?”
She approached me, squatting to meet my eye level,
“Know this, Swen. Whether it’s your plot or whatever, I don’t care. I want you for myself. And I haven’t wanted someone this badly before. Plus.”
She lifted my chin with her pale hand, as she had before,
“I’m confident I can have you. The sights I’ll show you will be far more splendid than any mediocre scene Lunarien could provide. I guarantee you’ll love it. Soon, you’ll be dreaming the same dream as me, Swen…♡”
The same dream, huh.
Sorry, but my dream is to serve under the unifier, I thought, keeping my mouth shut.
Whether she knew my inner thoughts or not, Lynn smiled and asked,
“So, will you serve under me?”
What’s there to hesitate about now?
My answer was decided.
“I will.”
“Great♡ Wait a moment!”
She approached, untied the ropes binding me with her own hands, her face and body pressing against mine, the scent of her perfume piercing my nostrils as it had when we first met.
Freed from the ropes,
Lynn extended her hand to me.
I grasped it, saying,
“I will serve you, Lord Lynn.”
“Good! I’m counting on you? Hahaha♡”
After the fall of Lunarien’s Kingdom, which had only one territory,
I officially became a member of Brans’s forces.
In a way, I had achieved the goal I set when I first arrived in this world.
