After encouraging Ginor several more times, Yuuri finally got to the main point.
"By the way. Have you heard the rumors, Ginor?"
"Are you referring to what happened in the north, my lady?"
"Yes. The story about a white-haired man who performed a ritual and caused stones to fall from the sky."
Ginor nodded at Yuuri's words.
"Of course I've heard. Isn't it the hottest topic on the continent right now? All rulers must have their eyes on that man."
A man who appeared like a comet and literally made a comet fall from the sky.
His existence was surely being discussed heatedly among all the lords.
"Besides, there are many eyewitnesses who claim to have seen it. It doesn't seem to be a false or exaggerated story."
"Then... has he already appeared? The magician."
Ginor let out a long sigh before answering.
"That's the most likely possibility."
"We're a step behind, aren't we?"
"It's fine. If he needs to perform rituals, he hasn't reached the level of a true magician yet."
"Really? But wouldn't it be better to recruit him if possible? If he's a real magician, isn't it a waste to have him under Lynn Brands?"
"I won't stop you if that's what you wish, my lord... but I'm not sure if he's someone who would understand your intentions. After all, our army is small compared to the Brands army."
"You were also skeptical about joining our army at first. Couldn't we persuade him somehow? Or is it too difficult?"
At those words, Ginor bowed his head and said:
"It's alright. Please give me a little more time. If we can just withstand the great tsunami that is the Brands army, the goddess of victory will raise the hand of our Aishers army. Then we can naturally recruit the white-haired man as well."
Their conversation had a clear difference from those of other lords.
Vanessa of the Karelia army who claimed, "He can't be a magician, so he must have read the signs."
Jena of the Serphina army who insisted, "He can't have read the signs, so he must be a magician."
But Ginor had concluded he was a magician.
This was definitely different from the argument that "he must be a magician" because reading signs was impossible.
It felt as if he had accepted the premise that "magicians exist" as an established fact.
"I believe in you, Ginor. And all my comrades who follow me believe in you too. Being part of the Aishers army means forming an unbreakable bond of trust that will never be betrayed. I told you all this when I came to recruit you, didn't I?"
Hearing those words, Ginor bowed deeply to show his respect.
"I will certainly repay your trust, my lord."
Though the strategy had failed, it didn't mean the Aishers army would collapse.
The resolve he had when he first left his homeland.
The ideal of building a nation for his lord, Baranga Yuuri Aishers.
Ginor had essentially bet the rest of his life on the future she was creating.
*
As Ginor returned home briefly before attending to his duties, he heard a woman's voice.
"Father. Have you returned?"
"Yes."
She was a young woman who appeared to be around twenty.
With long pink hair, she gave an impression of being somewhat empty.
Though she called Ginor "Father," there was a significant age difference between them, and they didn't resemble each other at all as father and daughter.
"How was your training today?"
"I haven't reached the level you mentioned, but..."
She hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened her hand.
And shortly after—
A small spark of fire appeared in her hand.
But it didn't last long.
"...Haa."
She collapsed right there.
"I succeeded in creating a spark... but I don't know how to maintain it. I've been reading all the ancient texts you mentioned."
"That's fine. Even being able to manifest this much is no ordinary feat. So, can you read it a little?"
"If you're talking about 'mana'... vaguely, perhaps."
Ginor nodded and said:
"Yes, Reika. Continue your training as you have been. Your talent is one that will bring peace to this continent. Do you understand?"
"I will keep your words in mind, Father."
The pink-haired woman—Reika—simply nodded with her still empty eyes.
Then, she carefully opened her mouth.
"Um, Father. Rather than that, I have something to—"
"I'm busy. I need to leave right away. Is it related to your training?"
"...No."
After hearing Reika's answer, Ginor turned around and immediately left for somewhere.
Though her living conditions had improved since becoming part of the Aishers army, her daily life hadn't changed at all.
Reading what was called "mana" and training in methods to utilize it.
In this life like a bird trapped in a cage—
Reika's heart was growing colder by the day.
* * *
Naturally, it wasn't the lord who made the decision or the commanders who supervised the construction who were destroying and burning the fortresses one by one.
It was the soldiers who had carried each brick, sweating as they worked hard to build them.
Now those same soldiers were tearing down the fortresses they had only recently completed.
'How ironic.'
I understood it was unavoidable given the times, but seeing such scenes unfold so casually triggered what remained of my modern sensibilities.
The soldiers also seemed unhappy with what they were doing, their expressions far from pleased.
Even if they weren't modern people like me, their emotions couldn't be that different.
It made sense why Lunarienne and Irene, the two people I'd met so far, were so popular among the territory's people and soldiers.
Unable to just watch, I tried to help, but...
Maybe because my strength stat was low, I quickly realized I was more of a hindrance than help and had to step back.
I was sweating profusely and panting just from carrying a few bricks.
Fortunately, Irene was also helping the soldiers with the demolition work alongside me, so my image probably wasn't damaged too badly.
After completely destroying the fortress,
On the night before our departure, I was sitting by the campfire thinking about what to do next.
At that moment.
"Swen."
Irene, who had been working with me all day helping to destroy the fortress, approached me as I sat with a tray in her hands and spoke in a careful tone.
"May I sit?"
"Of course."
She sat down right next to me.
A bit too close, so I could feel her body slightly brushing against mine.
Since that ceremony, I felt her sense of distance toward me had strangely narrowed.
"Here you go."
She handed me a cup from the tray she was holding.
"This is... tea?"
"One of the soldiers had it. Said it was a staple item."
"Did you confiscate a soldier's supplies?"
At my words, she shook her head in panic.
"N-no! I didn't confiscate it. I, I just borrowed it...! Swen, I thought it would be nice to drink it with you... and the soldier said it was fine...!"
"I was joking."
At my words, she blushed and puffed her cheeks slightly.
Though she might be the only one who didn't realize it, her behavior had quite an adorable side to it.
"...That's a bit too much teasing for your superior."
After laughing at her reaction a few times, I accepted the tea she offered.
I felt a warm sensation enveloping my body.
"What's the matter?"
"I was wondering when you'll make your decision."
Decision.
Yes. Irene's heart had already left Lynn Brands.
I also had no intention of staying here long.
However, there was still no news of Lunarienne raising an army, who should become my lord.
That meant I would inevitably have to set out again to serve another lord.
'So I'm destined to live as a journeyman again.'
I could have had an easier time if I had just kept a low profile and performed moderately well in the Brands army.
But if I had done that, I would have lost Irene, who was looking at me with those eyes.
For that fact alone, I didn't regret my actions and decisions so far.
My body might suffer a bit, but what did it matter?
I had a loyal red-haired female knight by my side who believed in me.
With large breasts too.
"I might have to spend some time under another lord for a while."
"Another lord?"
"Since Lady Luna hasn't raised an army yet."
"...I see."
She nodded and said:
"It doesn't matter who. Wherever you choose to stay, I will stay as well."
Her eyes didn't waver at all as she spoke, showing her unwavering sincerity.
"But while we're still here... I hope you won't show too obviously that your heart has left. Just enough that Lady Lynn doesn't notice. Like before. Can you do that?"
Irene gave a bitter smile at my words.
"Don't worry. That's what I've been doing all along."
Well, true.
Loyalty, noble spirit—it's easy to talk about such things.
But until now, her heart must have been rotting away beyond words.
"I'll let you know as soon as the time comes."
"Okay."
We both silently stared at the campfire for a while.
And at that moment—
"...!"
I felt something leaning against my shoulder.
It was Irene.
She was using my shoulder as a pillow.
When I turned my head to look at her, I could see her face had turned as red as a radish.
With even her ears bright red, she looked up at me cautiously... with an expression of a shy girl that I'd never seen from her before, and asked:
"...Do you mind?"
"No, I don't mind..."
"...If you don't mind... let me stay like this for a while."
I could feel her body heat directly.
The sensation of her large breasts pressing against my arm was incredibly vivid.
The scent of the tea leaves we had just drunk made the atmosphere even more peculiar.
Yes. I had to honestly admit it.
The fact that my heart was beating a little faster.
'...'
Come to think of it, this game allowed polygamy.
Men could marry up to four women.
I wondered if that rule applied here too.
With such foolish thoughts,
I spent time with Irene in front of the campfire, feeling each other's presence.
*
After finishing the destruction of the fortress, we returned to Anel Castle as soon as day broke.
Our progress was slow due to the number of wounded soldiers, but since we were within our territory, there was no need to rush.
Besides, Irene's daily nursing hadn't been in vain—there were far more able-bodied soldiers than right after our defeat in battle.
Anel Castle, which I hadn't seen for a while, was still bustling and peaceful, making the events in the north seem like a lie.
Even the expressions on people's faces were clearly different from those residing in Kelstein Castle.
If I only wandered around here, I wouldn't even realize we were in an age of turmoil or at war.
The first place we headed was naturally the royal castle where Lynn resided.
I would have liked to return to the house in East Anel and leisurely drink tea with Irene, but we had duties to fulfill.
"...I will take responsibility, so you two needn't worry too much."
Despite everything, Kalinz seemed well aware of his current position.
After all, it was his decision to build the fortress and to deploy troops recklessly.
Irene and I had simply followed orders.
I was concerned about my insubordination, but with the reason being "I wanted to fight for the country," it would probably be somewhat excused.
So with Kalinz leading the way, we headed straight for the audience chamber as soon as we arrived at the castle.
'Time to wrap things up.'
The true end, in a sense, of this northern battle.
It was time to face our lord, Lynn Brands.