NOVEL NEXT Chapter 289
* * *
The entire way back to where everyone was waiting, neither Swoen nor Iren said a word.
Of course, they weren’t speaking out loud—but inside Iren’s head, a massive typhoon was raging.
“…”
I did it.
I finally went ahead and did what I’d only ever imagined before.
It was partly an impulsive decision, but it wasn’t just about riding the mood either.
The reason she’d made up her mind goes back just a few days.
* * *
“Is everything alright, Miss Reika?”
“Iren-sama…!”
Unlike Swoen and Iren, who were keeping pace with Serpina on horseback, Reika, who couldn’t ride, was following in a carriage at the rear of the convoy, guarded by soldiers.
Reika especially wasn’t used to moving for such long periods. She was the type to tire out faster than even Swoen, who lacked stamina.
Still, judging that even sitting for so long must have been exhausting after traveling such a long distance at forced march speed, Serpina had sent Iren to check on her.
Reika’s condition was extremely important to Serpina’s forces. As a mage, she served as their ultimate weapon in most battles, so Serpina, as ruler, was paying special attention to her.
“Our Lord has asked me to come see how you’re holding up.”
“I’m fine. How about you, Su, Swoen-sama…?”
“Swoen’s doing fine. He seems to be pushing himself, but so far there haven’t been any major issues.”
“That’s good… Thank goodness.”
Reika said this, then drew her knees up slightly.
“Um… Iren-sama, could we talk for a moment?”
“Hmm? This carriage is smaller than expected. Looks like it’s strictly a two-seater.”
“Thank you so much! For taking the time…”
Iren raised a hand dismissively. “No problem. Our Lord would understand something like this. So, what’s on your mind?”
“Well… it’s not really anything else… B, but Iren-sama… There’s something I absolutely need to tell you…”
“Something you absolutely need to tell me? Me?”
“Yes, yes!”
Iren looked curiously at Reika’s determined face—a look she rarely saw.
“What is it?”
Of course, up until that moment, Iren hadn’t the slightest idea how weighty the answer would be.
“I… I did it.”
“Hm?”
“With Swoen-sama… I did it!!”
“Wha—?”
SMACK!
Reika grabbed Iren’s knees tightly, the sound reverberating through the carriage.
“Kiss, k-k-kiss…!!!”
“!!!!”
“I kissed him! With Swoen-sama!!”
Silence.
After the initial shock of the knee grab wore off, an almost palpable silence filled the air.
Clutching Iren’s shoulder as if she might turn to stone, Reika pleaded.
“So! I wanted to tell you, Iren-sama…!”
“W, wha…?”
“You like Swoen-sama, don’t you, Iren-sama?”
“N-no, well, that’s…”
Before Iren, who was completely lost trying to grasp the meaning behind the kiss confession, could respond—
Reika delivered her message like a battering ram. It was the first time she’d ever asserted herself so strongly instead of lingering shyly in others’ shadows.
“I didn’t want to be underhanded about this…! I… I also like Swoen-sama. I want to take him as my husband. But… I also like you, Iren-sama. If I could live with both of you and build a family together… I’d think that would be wonderful!”
“Miss Reika…”
“Therefore, if you feel the same way, Iren-sama… Don’t hold back. You should confess your feelings to Swoen-sama… Timing is crucial. If you miss it, you really might…”
Reika finally let go of Iren’s shoulders slowly.
“It could get really complicated…”
“…”
“If you have feelings you want to convey, you must do so clearly in the moment. If you hesitate too long, you might lose everything precious to you… Unraveling tangled threads can take a very long time. So…”
“Iren-sama must absolutely… Confess those feelings to Swoen-sama!!”
At the sound of those words, the spirit that had seemed to drift away slowly returned.
So… Is it true?
If I don’t convey these feelings, will it really not work?
“But…”
Swoen had asked her to wait. Would pressing him with her feelings now, when he still had so much left to do, just end up being a burden on him?
“I…”
Would it be selfish?
Wouldn’t it just make things harder for him, whose mind was already troubled by matters concerning Lunarien?
“I don’t want to burden him…”
Watching Iren struggle to articulate her thoughts, Reika gently took her rough knightly hands in hers.
“I don’t know exactly what you’re thinking, but one thing is certain: there’s no way Swoen-sama could dislike you!”
“Re, Reika…?”
“Sometimes I even felt… jealous… When Swoen-sama talked to you, he became more magnificent than any other man… Happier than when talking to anyone else… Many people seek conversations with Swoen-sama. Even though he treats me kindly and gently, those expressions… They only appear in front of you, Iren-sama.”
“!!”
Reika’s words reminded her of something Serpina had once told her. That only she could make Swoen smile so wonderfully. Both Serpina then and Reika now agreed: Swoen smiled his best when around her.
“Really…?”
Looking at Iren’s flushed face, Reika nodded with a faint smile.
“Of course! You’re someone Swoen-sama loves very, very much. I wouldn’t lie to you, Iren-sama… So-”
* * *
‘You absolutely must convey your feelings,’ she said.
Iren carefully observed Swoen walking behind her. His flustered expression was evident.
My cheeks are probably red too, right? Without a mirror to check, I imagine my face must be burning as hot as his.
‘Haa…’
What was I thinking, doing something so bold?
Honestly, I don’t even know how to properly express my feelings. Just because Reika mentioned kissing, I vaguely thought maybe I could do it too…
Swoen was the first man she’d ever gotten close to. She had no idea how a woman should approach confessing her feelings to a man. Moreover, she considered herself entirely lacking in feminine charm compared to the girlish, supportive Reika or the goddess-like beauty of Serpina, who inspired devotion.
Swoen would likely be shocked if he knew, but Iren was so pure in this regard that she failed to recognize the allure of her own figure.
Still…
‘He didn’t say no…’
If Swoen didn’t dislike it, then maybe it’s okay.
I’m not sure if my feelings came across clearly, but two things became certain.
That she wanted to become Swoen’s wife.
And that if Reika also became Swoen’s wife, they would all surely live happily together.
In spending time with them, Iren felt something clear: bonds and a sense of belonging. These were the very things she had desperately sought but never found during her time with the Brance Army.
* * *
Taking Jog Castle as a starting point, it didn’t take long to occupy the rest of the territory.
The issue was that every castle and settlement they captured ended up burned to the ground.
However, our side’s response had greatly improved. The difference between facing ruins without preparation and being ready to face ruins meant our army’s handling of the situation became far more efficient and swift.
The biggest gain in this process was undoubtedly Serpina finally beginning to win over the hearts of the Central Continent’s citizens. While the relief camp had previously been limited to those with family in the Northern Continent and required quite a journey for locals to reach, now they were directly entering the Central Continent itself to provide aid. Naturally, this brought them to the attention of far more people.
In this situation, it was obvious that even those who had lived under the Brance Army for a long time would prefer “those who came into the ruins to help” over “those who burned everything and ran.”
“Thank you, Lady Serpina…”
“I’ll never forget this kindness.”
With this, after somewhat stabilizing the chaos in Chel’s territory,
Our army finally managed to gather forces near Alcanwood Castle, where Chel was making his final stand.
Countless siege weapons, the mage Reika, well-fed and well-trained troops in overwhelming numbers compared to the enemy.
Facing a battle we simply could not afford to lose, Serpina cautiously questioned me.
“What do you think, Swoen? Do you believe we will win this battle?”
“…”
While I thought we would likely win barring any issues, I still decided to address her question directly.
“Will our army defeat Chel’s forces in the battle at Alcanwood Castle?”
The answer immediately appeared.
And—
**[We will win the battle itself.]**
“?…”
—The conclusion that came back was slightly unsettling.