After Luna bid farewell to Karelia and left, only two people remained in the audience chamber.

    At last, Vanessa spoke.

    "My liege."

    "I know. I already know what you want to say. You don’t have to."

    Karelia’s tone was lighthearted, but Vanessa remained serious, her expression unchanging.

    "I must say it regardless. You should not place too much trust in Lunarian Iniang. She was once a ruler. Someone like her will never be content serving under another."@@@@

    "...."

    When Luna had first arrived, pleading to be accepted along with Cain and Tifa, the Karelia Army had been divided.

    Some, like Karelia and Cecil, had advocated for taking her in. But others had strongly opposed the idea.

    Vanessa had been the most vocal among them.

    To her, accepting Luna was no different from raising a tiger cub.

    Of course, what she truly wanted was to kill Luna the moment she walked through their gates.

    But she knew Karelia would never agree to that.

    Even now, Vanessa did not trust her in the slightest.

    Karelia let out a short sigh, then looked at Vanessa with a calm expression.

    "Vanessa, have you heard what people are saying about Luna’s work?"

    "I have. The people she worked with praise her endlessly, don’t they?"

    "Exactly. In just a short time, she has managed to win over the hearts of those around her. Not only that, but she has also excelled in agriculture, trade, fortifications, and even soldier training. Everything she touches yields results."

    Luna had claimed she might not meet her quota, but that had been purely due to the weather.

    Her skills were undeniable—anything she took on, she mastered.

    And it wasn’t just her competence. Wherever she went, she naturally won people’s hearts.

    "Tepello Castle is our military’s frontline stronghold. Its future is crucial to us. With Luna’s capabilities, I have no doubt she will manage it wisely. If we fail to make use of such talent, that would be a far greater loss to our army."

    "Or a great threat. The people of this army should only have room in their hearts for you, my liege. A nation must not have a second figure who rivals its absolute ruler."

    "As our nation grows, will that not become inevitable?"

    "It doesn’t matter. I will ensure that never happens."

    "...I see."

    In most countries, the second-in-command was often the chief strategist.

    Strategists advised their rulers on the most crucial decisions, standing closest to power.

    But Karelia’s Army was different.

    Vanessa had never sought power for herself. She remained firmly in Karelia’s shadow, ensuring that every accomplishment reflected solely on her liege.

    Governance could not be maintained through virtue alone—someone had to get their hands dirty.

    That was Vanessa’s role.

    As a result, Karelia’s Army had been shaped into a nation where Karelia stood alone, untouched and revered.

    Vanessa saw similarities between Luna and Karelia.

    And that was exactly why she couldn’t allow Luna to rise any further.

    But Karelia only smiled wryly before responding in a relaxed tone.

    "It’s fine. If someone like Luna were to rise and claim the world, if she were to surpass me and become a ruler greater than I am... I wouldn’t mind. As long as this world finds peace, does it truly matter who sits upon the throne?"

    "...The only ruler I will ever serve is you, my liege. If anything, your words only strengthen my resolve to remain by your side and ensure no one threatens your place. Nothing more, nothing less."

    "...Is that so?"

    Karelia chuckled warmly.

    She knew she was a soft-hearted ruler.

    She also knew that the only reason she had been able to expand her influence in the south was because of Vanessa’s unwavering loyalty and skill.

    "Let’s change the subject. Have you heard the latest rumors?"

    "Which ones?"

    "They say a miraculous man has appeared in the Brans Army."

    "You mean the report about the massive boulder that fell from the sky onto Serpina’s forces?"

    "So you have heard. Seems the news has already spread far and wide."

    "With such an incident, how could it not?"

    A rock had fallen from the sky.

    That alone was unusual enough, but combined with the reports of a white-haired man performing some kind of strange ritual before it happened, the story had become a sensation.

    Even in Karelia’s distant southern territories, the rumors had reached them.

    That meant no ruler on the continent had been left unaware.

    "A man capable of making stones fall from the heavens... What kind of person do you think he is? I’m beginning to wonder if a sorcerer from legend has finally emerged."

    "That’s one way to see it... But I have a different theory."

    "Oh? And what is that?"

    "It’s simple. I don’t believe magic exists. There’s no such thing as a sorcerer. So rather than assuming this man cast a spell to bring down the boulder, wouldn’t it be more likely that he simply knew it was going to fall and staged the ritual to make it look like he caused it?"

    Karelia’s green eyes gleamed with interest.

    Swen had always been like that.

    Even when they had been together, he had performed "miracles" time and time again.

    So if something this absurd had happened—

    Who else could it be but Swen?

    "Um... Lady Lunarian, we need to get going now. May we take our leave?"

    "..."

    "Please excuse us, then. We apologize if we were disrespectful."

    The soldiers quickly left, but Luna barely noticed.

    Slowly, she sank to the ground.

    "Swen...! You’re alive! You’re truly alive...!"

    How long had it been since she had last heard news of him?

    She had believed in his promise—"I will return to your side"—so she had never despaired.

    But she had still worried.

    Swen was someone who spoke with absolute conviction.

    That was something she loved about him, but she also knew it could be dangerous.

    Particularly in front of someone as arrogant as Lyn Brans.

    She had feared he would provoke the wrong people.

    But somehow, he had survived.

    And just like when he had been by her side—

    He was once again performing absurd, impossible miracles.

    He had summoned a massive boulder from the heavens.

    An unbelievable feat—

    And yet, the moment she realized it was Swen, she found herself accepting it without question.

    Of course he did it.

    That was simply the kind of person he was.

    "This will happen." "This is how it will be."

    He would say those impossible things—

    And then he would make them reality.

    Luna slowly stood up.

    Her ruby-red eyes burned with determination.

    Now that she knew Swen was alive—

    Hesitation was a sin.

    "...I have to prepare for the day I meet him again."

    When the time came—

    When the moment was undeniable—

    She would seize it.

    For the sake of the man who had survived until now—

    For the strategist who had always believed in her.

    With that conviction in her heart, Luna mounted her horse and rode toward her new destination—Tepello Castle.

    She would tell Tifa and Cain the news as well.

    For the first time since losing her nation—

    Her heart pounded with excitement.

    ***

    And Luna was not the only one in the southern continent to lose her composure upon hearing the words "white-haired man."

    "Is that true? A young man with white hair and gray eyes?!"

    "Kuh...!"

    Serpina grabbed General Julian by the collar, her voice filled with uncharacteristic urgency.

    She was rarely this flustered.

    In a battle where she had led 33,000 troops—

    A massive boulder had crushed over 30,000 of them.

    Julian had barely escaped with his life, returning with only 3,000 survivors.

    And now, she was hearing that before the boulder had fallen—

    Some man had been performing a ritual at the fortress.

    The entire situation was absurd, but none of that mattered to her right now.

    "White hair... gray eyes... That man...!"

    She had almost never seen a young man with white hair.

    In fact, there was only one time she had.

    In her dreams.