Episode 58. Sincerity, Not Coercion
*
After parting ways with Swen, who said he would join soon.
Airen arrived at Racline Castle, located at the easternmost point, and coincidentally encountered Parfalle, who was about to leave the castle.
“General Airen?”
“It’s been a while, Strategist. Are you on a mission?”
“I was just about to head back… But what brings you here, General?”
At Parfalle’s question, Airen slightly bowed her head and replied,
“I’ve been assigned here by the lord’s command. I will be serving at Racline Castle from now on.”
“Is that so…?”
Hearing her response, Parfalle frowned slightly, lost in thought.
Lynn is assigning Airen to the eastern border?
Placing someone at the border meant, at least in Brans’ forces, that the general’s capabilities were trusted and deemed important.
Indeed, the generals stationed along the border were often significantly more competent than those stationed at castles not along the border.
But Lynn had a strong dislike for Airen.
Thus, despite any advice, she seemed unwilling to seriously utilize her.
Parfalle had also advised on several occasions but had somewhat given up.
And now, she personally assigned Airen to the most crucial front in Brans’ forces, the eastern front?
Parfalle had been in the east for a while and had no chance to advise her directly.
“What exactly is going on…?”
Was it the strategist’s intuition?
Wondering if something unexpected was happening, Airen offered a light farewell,
“Then, I shall take my leave first, Strategist.”
“Ah… Understood.”
After Airen left,
Parfalle pulled out a letter from her pocket.
This letter… was sent by Swen.
[Parfalle, something concerning is happening along the southern border. I wish I could check it myself, but I need the lord’s permission, and I have duties to attend to. Since you have the freedom to act without the lord’s permission, I humbly request you to check it out as soon as possible.]
Initially, she wondered why Swen didn’t speak directly to the lord but sent her this letter instead.
Indeed, having served Lynn for so long in Brans’ forces, she somewhat understood.
Lynn was incredibly picky. Having suffered a significant setback from the north, she was probably in a bad mood.
From a new general’s perspective, voicing their opinion freely to such a lord would be difficult.
Of course, Swen had performed some unbelievable miracles and had shown remarkable insight, even seeing through Aeshers’ forces’ schemes-
But the king of a nation wasn’t a strategist or a general; having great abilities didn’t necessarily equate to the lord’s trust.
Initially, she intended to ignore the letter and return to Anel Castle to assess the situation before heading south-
Parfalle had come to trust Swen quite a bit after the events in the east.
“It’s not too far; checking it out briefly should be fine.”
With Chel Brans, Brans’ finest sword, at the southern border, if there was any issue, she could advise on solutions, and it wouldn’t take long to resolve.
Right.
A brief visit should be fine.
The trust Parfalle had in Swen, gained by seeing through his strategies-
Motivated her to act according to his wishes.
*
Not long after being assigned,
As expected, Airen received the command to build a fortress.
The fortress was constructed very quickly.
Unlike the meticulously built brick fortress in the north, this one was hastily made with wood frames and barely had a roof.
Technically called a fortress, it was more akin to a ‘camp’.
Of course, this didn’t matter much to Airen.
There were no issues with stationing soldiers, and the longer the construction took, the more ambiguous her position could become.
“Everyone, well done. Wait for further orders until then.”
“Yes! Understood!!”
The soldiers’ robust shouts seemed to pierce the sky.
Typically, fortress construction was mainly the soldiers’ responsibility.
The commander was literally just overseeing, never directly involved in carrying materials or construction.
However, Airen, throughout the construction, worked and lived hardly any differently from the soldiers.
For the soldiers, her involvement alone was likely enough to boost morale.
Especially considering a recently built northern fortress was immediately demolished.
Naturally, any commander who made their soldiers work hard would be compared unfavorably.
On the day the fortress was established,
Soon, a soldier was seen riding towards the location.
The Brans’ forces emblem marked on him indicated he was a friendly soldier.
“A messenger…?”
Airen sensed unease for a moment.
Had Lynn noticed something?
If she ordered a return, Airen pondered her next actions when-
The soldier approached Airen, removed his helmet, and revealed his identity.
Airen knew this soldier well.
“…Swen?”
* * *
I arrived before Airen, dismounted slowly, and said,
“General Airen. You’ve successfully constructed the fortress. Though it looks more like a camp than a fortress.”
Hearing my words, she smiled warmly, seemingly pleased,
“I wondered when you’d join… I didn’t expect you as a soldier.”
“It would be problematic if they thought I disappeared. They’ll probably think I’m still in the cave, communicating with the heavens.”
Right.
Why did I spend hours, sometimes the entire day, in that place?
It was to instill the image that “Swen often meditates there to communicate with the heavens.”
Eventually, it might be exposed, but a little time gained was sufficient for us.
The key was buying time.
By sending Parfalle on a wild goose chase with a letter and enduring the tedious time in the cave, we aimed to surrender as quickly as possible without Lynn noticing.
“Has there been any word yet?”
“Not yet. No orders to advance, but a messenger seems to be arriving soon.”
“Good. Let’s make contact with Aeshers’ forces quickly.”
“Before that, there’s something I need to do.”
“What’s that?”
Airen nodded.
“I need to speak to the soldiers. Tell them we’re planning to change lords. If they disagree, I intend to let them leave.”
“You…?”
Surprised by her unexpected words, I couldn’t hide my astonishment. She firmly stated,
“Isn’t it obvious? The right to choose a lord shouldn’t only belong to you and me.”
“…”
Wait a moment.
According to the system… if a general with full authority surrenders, the subordinate soldiers automatically change allegiance.
Given the rebellion in Ian’s forces had somewhat proven this system, was there really a need to do this-
…Upon reflection, I realized how soft that thinking was.
After all, wasn’t it the same for Airen?
The game couldn’t show what thoughts she harbored or what insults she endured under Lynn.
Was it her pride?
The dignity of a commander who didn’t mistreat her soldiers.
“…Let’s trust Airen this time.”
Granting the soldiers a choice might lead to some desertion, but in a world where a prediction with an Intelligence of 100 holds true,
I wanted to choose to protect her dignity over efficiency.
“Understood. Then, let those who wish to stay, stay, and let those who wish to leave, leave.”
“Hmm.”
She then slowly started walking
.
I followed Airen.
*
At the highest point of the fortress.
Though it was just a small fortress, equivalent to a two-story building’s height, it was the perfect spot to draw the soldiers’ attention. Airen stood there and began her speech loudly.
“Listen, everyone!”
The soldiers all looked up at her.
Initially quiet… but with the next sentence, murmurs began to spread.
“I intend to change our lord from now on!”
The soldiers showed various reactions, puzzled, looking at each other or staring blankly at Airen.
Airen continued to declare her intentions nobly to the surprised soldiers.
“I know there are detailed circumstances, but ultimately, it would just be excuses for a traitor. I don’t ask for understanding. Of course, I realize this decision might be hard to accept for those who have diligently served Brans’ forces. Therefore, anyone who doesn’t wish to follow me may leave this fortress!”
“…”
“Those who want to leave can do so now! Don’t worry about it!”
“…”
Astonishingly,
Not a single soldier left their spot, all continuing to look up at her.
Airen was momentarily taken aback but then,
“General Airen.”
I gently placed my hand on her shoulder, and she regained her composure, shouting once more.
“Those who remain have chosen to follow me. I assume there are no objections!”
With that,
Finally, voices emerged from the group of soldiers.
“None!”
“We will serve under General Airen!”
“We will follow General Airen!”
“Please take us with you!”
“…”
I thought to myself,
Was this the force of the “system”?
I can assert it was not.
Though this world was based on a game, it was a very real existence.
Just as James had his own microcosm, these soldiers had the right to choose whom they deemed fit to serve.
Airen… had truly captured their hearts.
Having traveled long distances with her, I knew how much the soldiers trusted and followed her.
Her path, and the soldiers’ desire to follow it, was not something dictated by any “system.”
After the speech,
In the end, without a single soldier deserting, we secured a total of 38,000 soldiers.
Now, only one task remained.
Meeting with Baranka Yuri Aeshers.
* * *
On the day of the speech,
A soldier carrying a letter expressing the will to surrender rode towards Valharat Castle.
And a few days later,
“There’s a soldier from Aeshers’ forces approaching!”
A soldier on horseback, carrying the red flag emblematic of Aeshers’ forces, was heading their way.
Arriving at the fortress without difficulty, he passed through the gate and reached Airen.
His attire was distinctly different from that of Brans’ forces, though if there was a familiar sign, it was the red armband he wore.
He appeared to be a messenger sent as an envoy to convey Aeshers’ forces’ stance.
“Are you General Airen?”
“That I am.”
“Our lord, Baranka Yuri Aeshers, wishes to speak with you. Not far from here, she has set up a light camp with soldiers. She invites you there.”
“Hmm.”
Good.
They’re willing to listen.
If they’ll listen… there’s a way through.
“Let’s go see the new lord.”
I followed the Aeshers’ forces messenger with Airen and a small group of soldiers.
