NOVEL NEXT Chapter 275
The soldier’s voice caused me to immediately address Reika, who was sitting across from me with her head bowed.
“Uh… I think we’ve arrived, Miss Reika.”
“Huh?! Ah, o-oh… y-yes, y-yesss…!”
“…”
And just like that, our conversation ended.
Truth be told, during the time it took to travel here from the relief camp near Kelshtain Castle—which was several days at least—this had been the general vibe between Reika and me.
We avoided speaking unless absolutely necessary, and even then, we couldn’t bring ourselves to make eye contact. It was quite a contrast compared to when we were heading toward the relief camp, where we’d chatted about all sorts of trivial things. Surely something strange was going on.
…No, wait.
Now that I think about it, it wasn’t *that* surprising.
After all, *that thing* happened, so it made sense for things to feel awkward between us.
“…”
Unconsciously, I lightly ran my tongue over my lips.
Even after all this time, I still get the illusion that there’s a faint trace of sweetness lingering.
“*Miss* Reika… you kissed me.”
Why?
Because she suddenly charged in like a wild bull, my own feelings are now equally tangled up.
Did she suddenly develop feelings for me? But nothing concrete comes to mind as a reason.
Had she always liked me? If so, why didn’t she say anything when marriage proposals were being discussed?
Hold on.
Does this mean she wants to marry me?
It does make sense. She doesn’t strike me as someone who would kiss someone they don’t intend to marry. After all, Reika is more or less a complete shrinking violet.
“Ugh…”
No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out what went through her mind when she acted so impulsively. Still, I can’t say I disliked it.
In fact, as a man, I definitely felt something.
Anyway, I don’t want to keep dragging this situation out any longer.
We live under the same roof anyway, and if this weird tension keeps going, Lady Iren will surely feel uncomfortable too.
Since we’ve finally reached the capital, it should be okay to start talking again.
“Uh, Miss Reika.”
“Eek…!”
“…”
Just as I started worrying that I might hurt her feelings, Reika frantically waved her hands and spoke.
“N-no! S-s-sir Swoen! I’m s-sorry…! I was just thinking about something else…”
“Is it hard for you to have a conversation?”
“N-no no! Talking is fine! Totally! Totally fine… probably.”
Reika said this and then once again lowered her head, muttering things like “I’m sorry” or “I might as well die.”
“…Hmm… Wasn’t it because of what happened that night?”
“…”
“Do you remember?”
At my words, Reika quietly nodded a few times.
She couldn’t reply, but instead blushed so red her face looked like a perfectly ripe tomato.
“It’s true that I was a little surprised, but I didn’t dislike it.”
“Ahh… y-yes, yes sir.”
“So… umm… what do you think?”
…Damn.
I tried to sound as calm as possible, but saying these words aloud turned out to be harder than expected.
With my hand pressed against my burning forehead, I continued while avoiding eye contact with her.
“Let’s just… pretend it never happened, alright?”
“…”
“Just don’t dwell on it too much and try acting normally around me. Staying this awkward with Miss Reika will make me feel lonely too.”
After saying that, I waited for her response.
When her voice didn’t come, I turned my gaze toward her—
“…”
“Miss Reika…?”
Tears were streaming down her eyes.
Startled, I moved closer to her.
“W-what’s wrong? Miss Reika?”
“A-ah, i-it’s just… umm…”
Reika hastily wiped away her tears with her sleeve.
From the looks of it, even she seemed unsure why she was crying.
“But… uh? Isn’t it… umm…”
“…??”
My brain raced.
Even if I fed the question “Why is Reika Nightharte suddenly crying?” into my mind, there’d be no proper answer coming out.
So right now, I need to think about what I should do.
“…Of course not.”
Thankfully, one possibility came to mind.
It was embarrassing to say out loud, but I hated seeing Reika cry more than I cared about my own embarrassment.
“When I said ‘let’s forget about it,’ I didn’t mean literally forgetting everything.”
“…”
“What I meant was… if we keep dwelling on it and feeling awkward, talking to Miss Reika will become difficult. So let’s just move past it. Accept it. Not that the kiss itself was meaningless.”
For some reason, this felt like the right thing to say. Maybe she felt sad because I suggested treating the kiss like it never happened. Just moments ago, I couldn’t even look her in the eye, yet seeing her cry brought these words out of me so easily.
I definitely seem to have a weakness for people crying. It happened with Lady Serpina, and it happened with Lady Iren too.
“So… please stop crying. Alright?”
Instead of replying, Reika wrapped her arms around me.
I returned the embrace.
As I felt her warmth, along with the sensation of her trembling shoulders as she sniffled, the faint sweetness I smelled during the kiss tickled my nose again.
“Maybe… it’s time to seriously consider marriage…”
Though I thought marriage could wait until after returning to Luna’s army…
Still, there’s no harm in making things clear ahead of time.
Marriage.
I recalled the faces of women who often thought about marriage.
Lady Iren.
Miss Reika.
And…
“…Ah.”
Without realizing it, her face appeared in my mind.
That person…
—
“Today, huh?”
Serpina’s voice carried an unusual excitement compared to usual, prompting Iren to respond cheerfully.
“If there are no delays, he’ll definitely arrive today.”
“Ho ho… The joy in your voice cannot be hidden, Iren.”
Iren simply smiled faintly in response.
Ever since that night when they confessed their feelings to each other and shared drinks—Serpina and Iren’s relationship had grown much closer than before.
Being constantly by her side as her bodyguard certainly contributed to this closeness.
During this period, Iren began to see Serpina as something far greater than merely “a favor to repay.”
This was the most satisfying part of her long career in public service. Now, she truly felt like she was serving a ruler worthy of respect.
On her end, Serpina also kept Iren closer than any other aide.
Partially because this position was originally meant for Swoen, she wanted to maintain proximity with someone close to him. Moreover, she trusted that Iren wouldn’t betray her like others might.
Additionally, compared to the constant sexual tension with Swoen, having another woman nearby felt more comfortable for Serpina.
While a leader discussing sexual tension might invite criticism, she was ultimately human after all.
Ultimately, the bond between the two had evolved significantly since Swoen left.
“Stay by his side today, Iren. After enduring such hardship, he’ll need you.”
“Shouldn’t we give him some alone time to rest after finishing such arduous work?”
Hearing Iren’s sincere words, Serpina chuckled lightly.
“If you truly believe that, you’re quite remarkable, Iren. That’s a reaction that makes me reconsider Swoen’s tastes.”
“Ahh…”
For some reason, Iren felt embarrassed, blushing and lowering her head.
Whatever Serpina was implying, it didn’t exactly make her feel bad.
Their connection transcended the typical ruler-subordinate dynamic, resonating more on a personal level.
Especially when considering Lin, their contrasting relationship made this bond feel even stronger.
With that, Serpina casually shifted topics back to their usual discussions.
“…Well, we still have tasks befitting a woman to attend to. The plague seems to be subsiding gradually…”
“Are you planning to prepare for war?”
“Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to re-enter the Central Continent? Though I am concerned about potential interference, it’s worth discussing with Swoen.”
Iren agreed with Serpina.
The Ashias Army had seen its power reduced to a third of what it used to be, and both the Kalintz and Chel Armies were still dealing with the aftermath of the plague.
This was undoubtedly a golden opportunity for the Serpina Army.
Though immediate action might be risky due to lingering concerns about the plague.
“Still, if we can move quickly, it would be ideal. Something unsettling is happening in the southern continent.”
“The south?”
“Yes. Reports indicate that the rebel forces defeated the Karelia Army.”
At the mention of “rebel forces,” Iren flinched slightly.
After all, those rebels were none other than the newly formed Lunarien Army.
Despite claiming he’d leave soon, Swoen remained here for reasons unknown—but from Iren’s perspective, following Swoen took precedence over following Luna.
“Then, is it true that a mage appeared?”
“That seems likely. The disparity in troop numbers was insurmountable otherwise.”
Thus, the rebel forces not only toppled an existing nation but also coincidentally saw the emergence of a mage.
Swoen’s earlier statement—”The ruler who unifies the continent will be Lunarien”—resurfaced in Iren’s mind.
“Given the fall of the Karelia Army, it seems the long-standing balance of the Southern Continent is about to collapse. We can’t afford to sit idle.”
Having said that, Serpina nonchalantly asked Iren:
“By the way, do you remember the name of the leader of the rebellion?”
“The leader of the rebellion… Are you referring to Lunarien Iniyan?”
“That’s right. Lunarien Iniyan…”
…Huh?
The moment Serpina heard that name, her eyes widened dramatically.
Her pupils shrank momentarily and began trembling ever so slightly.
“I’ve heard that Kyle von Einhardt declared himself a supporter of Lunarien.”
Until now, it hadn’t bothered her much. After all, the name she knew was simply “Lunarien.”
But… what?
“Lunarien… Iniyan…?”
“Milord…?”
Instead of Iren’s worried voice, memories flooded Serpina’s mind—
“Princess, please… restore peace to this continent plunged into chaos once more… For my brother to live peacefully, rebuild the Unified Empire… This is my final request.”
“If someone like you, Princess… My sister-in-law… Had existed, it would have been wonderful… But given my humble status, I couldn’t achieve that… I’m sorry…”
The concubine of her late brother, Algord.
Aria Iniyan.
—