"Of course, as you said, it's certainly a dangerous method."
If a good opportunity presents itself, I can't not take advantage of it.
That was the only survival strategy I had: relying on prediction.
"But it's fine. The chances of me dying are extremely low."
Even though I knew the future where I wouldn't die was 100% certain, I deliberately used the word 'possibility' without making it obvious.
It would better convey to Cain that I had no thoughts of betrayal.
"What Lynn is targeting is me. She'll probably keep me alive. But if I'm not there, Lynn, having failed to obtain what she wants, will use her overwhelming forces to scour and hunt you down. You won't be able to last long. And if Lunarian were to be caught by Lynn, she would certainly be killed. No matter how small the nation, Lynn has a habit of not forgiving those who once stood against her for the world."
I looked Cain straight in the eyes as I spoke.
I could feel the momentum shift to me.
"Just as you said, Cain, raising an army again is incredibly difficult. Who knows how many years it would take? But death is the end. Everything ends there. However, as long as you are alive, you can do anything. Even if time is needed, if breath still flows, we can make something happen. As long as Lady Luna, the spirit of our army, is alive, we can do anything. Right now, in this moment where the Lunarian Army is on the verge of collapse, in order to keep the flame from going out, we must flee."
"..."
Cain listened to me and let out a short sigh.
Then, with a faint smile, he said, "You really are staking your life on this."
Well, technically, it's a brain with 100 intelligence points on the line, so it's a safe asset.
"Very well. I will trust you."
"You won't regret it."
A way to save Cain, Tifa, and the two mercenary corps along with Lunarian.
Stay behind alone in the emptied castle, and surrender to Lynn Brance.
This must be the best option.
I turned and looked at the unit commanders.
"Sir Gustav and Sir Aaron, please take your mercenaries and leave the central region for a while. When the Lunarian Army returns, please rejoin us."
"...Understood."
"It's not a difficult request, but..."
"As I mentioned earlier, we will divide the Lunarian Army's forces in half and assign them to your respective mercenaries. Please take them with you."
The two commanders looked genuinely surprised.
"Swen... Are you serious about this?"
"Yes."
"..."
Gustav slowly nodded and began to speak.
"We are mercenaries. We operate independently from any nation and take on requests. And as long as the Lunarian Army no longer exists on this continent, we might have to serve other countries with this force."
"That's fine. The Lunarian Army will return to the world stage. When that time comes, that's when we'll need your help."
"...Such confidence. Swen, you're a truly remarkable man."
Hearing Gustav, Aaron nodded.
"Understood. We will withdraw for now. The soldiers will be treated the same as the existing mercenaries."
"That is most appreciated."
I looked to Tifa and Cain.
"Tifa, please assist Gustav in integrating our soldiers into the Raven Mercenaries. Cain, please assist Aaron in doing the same with the Chilein Mercenaries. The enemy forces will soon arrive, so please act swiftly."
"Understood."
"...Damn it, is this really the only way?!"
And with that, the four of them left.
I turned to give instructions to Luna, who remained alone in the royal castle.
"My liege. Please gather as many troops as possible, enough not to hinder your escape, and prepare for evacuation. Take Tifa and Cain with you and bide your time. Then a new opportunity will come to our army."
"....."
Luna could only hang her head, saying nothing.
"My liege?"
It wasn't until I called her again that she, with a sorrowful expression as if she might shatter at the slightest touch, spoke.
"...Swen."
"Yes, my liege?"
"Do you... really have to stake your life on this? Can't you come with us?"
"..."
If going with you was the right decision, I would have.
But the '100 intelligence' brain had made it clear: I must leave the Lunarian Army.
For the future, in this moment, I cannot be with them.
"Yes. Lynn Brance's goal isn't Zeilant Castle or the destruction of the Lunarian Army. It's me."
"Why?"
"As I mentioned, it seems she wants to recruit me into the Brance Army."
Hearing that, Luna spoke with a voice trembling so much she could barely get the words out.
"But... I, I..."
Luna slowly raised her shaking hand and gripped the hem of my sleeve tightly.
Only then did I realize it. She was crying.
"I... I can't leave you behind, Swen. I can't run away while pushing only you into the jaws of danger."
"It won't be dangerous. I will survive, no matter what. And I will return to your side, my liege."
"But, but... even so, even if that's true, I can't use you as a sacrifice in the name of the future!"
At that moment.
Maybe I was overwhelmed.
Had I grown attached to her during our time together?
I placed my hand firmly on her shoulder as she clung to my sleeve.
Clack —the sound echoed through the empty royal castle.
Then, I shouted at her.
"Lunarian Iniang!!!"
Startled, she looked up at me.
Her ruby-red eyes trembled like a lost puppy.
"...Did you not say you would bring peace to the world? That you yourself would unify the continent? Wasn't it you who said that to me on the day you appointed me?"
"Th-that was..."
"I also remember you saying you had infinite trust in me. Was that a lie?"
"...No, it wasn't. I just..."
I spoke to her with all my heart.
"I am not trying to be a sacrifice. As your retainer, I have merely chosen the best course of action. I will survive. And we will meet again."
Then, looking into her eyes slowly...
I made a promise that would surely come true someday.
"Lady Lunarian. If you trust me, then in return, I will place the world in your hands."
I saw her pupils contract in shock.
This was no lie.
Because this decision would only hasten her unification of the continent.
"So... for now, for the sake of the future, please run. I will handle the Brance Army."
"...Sob."
Drip. Drip.
Tears once again began to fall from her eyes.
And then... she silently embraced me.
I naturally held her.
To help her stop crying and regain her composure, I comforted and soothed her as best as I could.
"It's okay, Luna. Please trust me. I promise, I will return to serve you again."
"...Alright."
She slowly stepped back from me—
Wiped away her tears and looked at me with trembling lips.
"...You must, you absolutely must come back."
"I promise. I will return to your side, no matter what."
That wasn't a lie either.
Since the one who would unify the continent was Lunarian, it was only right that I stay by her side.
"...Then."
As Luna turned and ran off, I shouted once more.
"My liege! Stay safe! And if an opportunity comes, don't let it pass you by! I will definitely return to your side!"
She paused for a moment, looked back at me—
Then turned her head again and quickly ran out of the royal castle.
'...'
Looking back—
Luna might have been the only liege who would believe me based on just one sentence.
Without any additional explanation, just based on a single word...
Thinking about it now, that's what I realized.
Even if I had said, 'If I'm wrong, cut off my head,' and she responded with 'I'm not sure your head is worth that much,' that would have been the end.
No matter how weak a nation, no matter how short on talent... in the end, trust was something the liege alone could decide.
To be honest, the only reason I could so confidently assert my opinions was because she unconditionally believed in me.
Even the perfect advice from someone with 100 intelligence meant nothing if the liege wouldn't listen.
Thinking that, I snapped out of it and found my own eyes moist.
I roughly wiped them away with my sleeve.
'Now's not the time to get all sentimental and start crying.'
I still had something to do.
To fulfill my final duty as strategist of the Lunarian Army, I began to walk.
* * *
Having dashed out of the royal castle, Luna ran quickly to the barracks where the soldiers were gathered.
Even as she ran... she continued to shed tears.
'Swen... Swen...'
Swen had spoken with certainty. That Lynn Brance would keep him alive.
But—Luna had heard that word.
That word that came from a heartfelt conversation with Cain.
He said the probability of surviving was high.
It was the first time the ever-confident Swen had used such a vague word.
A high probability didn't mean 100%. A low chance—death—was still on the table.
So then, wasn't Swen...
Wasn't he, in effect, sacrificing himself for the sake of the Lunarian Army, in a situation where he might die?
'I'm sorry, Swen. I... I'm such a powerless liege. A pitiful leader who can do nothing in this kind of situation...'
The only person who ever accepted her invitation to this weak little country that no one else would join, even after she scoured the continent.
The one who didn't oppose using the sudden gold she acquired to aid the citizens, and supported her will. Who understood when she couldn't recruit soldiers aggressively, for the sake of the people.
If only she had hardened her heart a bit more as a leader back then.
If she had invested all the gold into urban development and recruited as many soldiers as possible.
Then maybe Swen wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself.
Of course, she knew full well that even if she had, nothing would have changed.
The enemy had over 80,000 troops.
From the moment Lynn noticed them, this small nation had already been on the path to destruction.
"'...Swen…"
Muttering his name over and over, she realized.
That regretting her past softness here and now, apologizing over and over to someone who could no longer hear her, would change nothing.
If she truly cared about the man who was sacrificing everything for their army—then she had to believe him completely, and trust that this was the best path for them.
Swen had said:
If you trust me, I will place the world in your hands.
And he said this too: Don't miss the opportunity. If you do that, I will survive and return to your side.
'...I believe you. I'll trust in you and survive, no matter what. Even if I have to make cold-hearted decisions, I won't let the opportunity slip by. Everything that happened today, and every word you said to me... I'll live on without forgetting a single one. Swen.'
Luna thought:
If the qualifications to unify the continent could take human form—then surely that form was the man named Swen.
'And so, please, definitely... definitely come back, Swen. If you're in a situation where you can't find me, then I'll find you no matter what it takes... I promise...'
In the heart of the leader known as Lunarian Iniang—the woman named Luna—
A fragment that could never be removed was now embedded deep within her soul.
To read advanced Chapter
Patreon.com/Asura555