The Balance Breaks (2)
Luna mulled over the words Vanessa had just spoken.
Kill them?
For breaking military law… even their families?
She first whispered for Violet, who stood flustered at her side, to stay quiet, then carefully took stock of the scene.
Unlike Cecil, who had cried out in raw fury, Vanessa remained utterly cold.
"To take the field is to stake one's life. In the southern provinces, where war has long been a distant memory and peaceful days have stretched on, that truth may have been forgotten—but it remains an unyielding reality. Do you truly believe a soldier who cannot even uphold the most basic military law can properly fight for the southern continent, let alone stand against the Brans Army or Serpina's forces?"
"Isn't this going too far, Lady Vanessa? I understand your intent perfectly well. I agree that we must prepare. But… this is not the way. Have you even listened to the soldiers? To the hearts of the people of this domain? Can you not feel how the laughter is slowly vanishing from the streets?"
"……."
Vanessa closed her eyes and let out a long breath.
Then, as if steeling herself for something, she slowly opened them again and fixed Cecil with a direct stare.
"Cecil Loengrin. If you continue to shield those who have broken military law any further, I will regard it as insubordination against our lord, Lady Karelia. With the authority she has lawfully granted me, I will punish you."
Having said that, she softened her tone just a fraction.
"You are an indispensable talent to our army, Lady Cecil. Please leave it at this. I have no desire to harm you either. I ask that you make the wise choice."
Cecil looked at the girl trembling beside her.
This weeping child… was to end her life here for no reason other than being the daughter of a soldier who had broken military law.
Is that the future of Karelia I have dreamed of—the future we have all dreamed of?
The answer came without difficulty.
At the same moment, Cecil drew the blade she kept hidden against her body and brought it over her shoulder.
"If Lady Strategist calls this insubordination, then so it is. You have been granted lawful authority by our lord. So punish me."
"!!"
"If you like, you may even pass summary judgment right here. Wouldn't that make an excellent example?"
Vanessa's pupils trembled faintly at Cecil's words.
The soldiers watching the exchange sensed how gravely the situation was turning and could only swallow dryly, unable to utter a sound.
Several minutes of silence stretched on—
until at last Vanessa's lips parted.
"……Do not resent me too much."
She gave a slight nod.
One of the burly soldiers at her side drew his sword.
At the same time, another moved toward Cecil and began to bind her.
"L-Lady Strategist!"
"H-hey…!!"
Soldiers began to murmur all at once—
but in the Karelia Army, where Macana Karelia's absolute authority was firmly established, the words of Vanessa, who had been granted full power by her, carried the same weight as the lord's own.
"Thank you for your service until now. Farewell."
"……."
Cecil slowly closed her eyes.
What rose in her mind was the moment they had first planted the deep-green banner in the earth.
Under that glittering banner that read 'May everyone reclaim a happy and peaceful life,' we gathered.
Even when the Loengrin family—merchants who had amassed a vast fortune—offered nearly all of its assets to the Karelia Army, I never once regretted it, not for a single moment, right up to this day.
If my death can shock Karelia into realizing something…
If it can make them see that Vanessa's politics of fear are wrong…!
She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, bracing herself for the pain that was about to come.
Yet… she felt nothing.
She was still breathing, so she did not seem to be dead yet…?
Just then—
"Stop this at once!"
A woman's voice she had heard once before reached her ears, and Cecil slowly opened her eyes.
Standing before her was a woman with silver-brown hair.
Someone she knew. A person of rare diligence who had recently worked the fields side by side with the people of the domain, pouring out sweat…
"Lady Luna…?"
Lunarien Iniang.
The woman who served as lord of Teppelo Castle now stood before her, just as Cecil herself had tried to protect the girl—
standing against Vanessa, against the will of their lord, in order to protect her.
"Lady Vanessa. Please calm yourself and judge the situation more broadly. Do you truly believe that summarily executing Lady Cecil here is the correct answer?"
"……Lunarien Iniang."
Vanessa muttered under her breath as she met those ruby-red eyes that glared at her, grinding her teeth lightly.
Then she swiftly recovered her composure and answered in a frigid tone.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"I am asking you to stop a meaningless execution."
"Do you understand what you are saying?"
"I do. I am speaking to the strategist as a castle lord, am I not?"
Vanessa's brow twitched faintly at those words.
Castle lord. If there was any post that allowed one to converse with a strategist as an equal—indeed, sometimes even to issue orders from a higher position—it was that of castle lord.
"As a castle lord, you can hardly be unaware that I am our lord's proxy. Do you intend to commit insubordination against her as well?"
"……!"
Luna bit her lower lip lightly.
The look in Vanessa's eyes… was completely different from the one she had turned on Cecil.
A clear, sharp wariness.
That woman… was extremely wary of her.
Honestly.
She already knew that what she was doing now would be regarded as insubordination against their lord.
No matter that she was a castle lord, one could not defy a sovereign's command. She might well be bundled together with Cecil and executed on the spot.
But—
Swen told me… a ruler must possess bold spirit…!
It was something Swen had said to her back when they lived at Jeiland Castle, while telling her not to use formal speech with him.
Strangely, simply recalling his voice made the fear that had been rising in her heart melt away.
All right. Then take one step forward.
If it were Swen, what would he say here?
Recalling the way he always offered extraordinary advice with absolute conviction, Luna chose the words she thought he might have spoken.
"……I have no intention of committing insubordination against our lord."
"Then step aside."
"However."
Luna spoke in a clear voice that did not yield to Vanessa's wary gaze.
"I do intend to oppose the strategist's opinion."
"What… did you say?"
"I serve Lady Karelia. If it is Lady Karelia's will, I will follow it. But I have no intention of blindly following Lady Vanessa's will simply because it is hers."
Vanessa, who had somehow managed to maintain her composure until now—
lost it the moment she heard those words and glared at Luna.
This was a bombshell declaration.
It was no different from saying: I don't care whether you have full authority or not—I refuse to listen to a word you say.
"……Lunarien Iniang. You mean to challenge our lord's authority, then?"
"I do not. I am merely exchanging opinions with the strategist from an equal position."
"My words!!!"
Vanessa roared as if delivering a rebuke.
"……My words are the same as Lord Karelia's words!"
"I do not think so. Lady Karelia would never issue such a cruel order."
"Kh…!"
Vanessa trembled with rage she could barely contain—
then spoke in a tone so cold it seemed it would freeze anything it touched.
"Very well. If that is what you desire, I suppose I must oblige."
"……."
She took a sword from the soldier beside her—
and leveled it at Luna with her own hand.
"I will execute you myself. The charge is insubordination against our lord. Do you have any complaint?"
"Lady Strategist, come to your senses. You are not the lord. Your will cannot become the lord's will!"
"Is that the end of your last words?"
"……!"
Killing intent flowed along the tip of the blade.
Feeling the fierce murderous will directed at her, Luna suddenly realized a moment of choice had arrived.
Simply accept her sword here?
No. She could not do that.
"My lord! Stay well! And if the chance comes, never let it slip away! I will return to your side without fail!"
Had she not promised that person? That she would survive no matter what.
That she would live and meet Swen again…!
So here, she had no choice but to fight her.
She would think about the aftermath later; for now she would focus only on neutralizing her.
Vanessa was a strategist, not a general. Her mind might be sharp, but Luna was confident she would not lose in a fight.
Thinking that, she carefully moved her hand toward the hilt of the sword at her waist—
and at that very moment.
"What in the world are all of you doing?!"
Everyone gathered there turned their heads at once toward the voice.
There stood the sovereign of the Karelia Army—Macana Karelia.
Seeing the soldiers accompanying her, it seemed a soldier who had grasped the gravity of the situation had quickly gone to fetch her.
"Stop this at once!"
"……."
Vanessa immediately wiped the killing intent from her face, returned the sword to the soldier, and dropped to one knee.
Luna likewise knelt at once to receive her rightful lord.
Karelia said nothing for a time—
then approached Vanessa first and spoke in a voice heavy with worry.
"……What on earth is going on here, Vanessa?"
"We were merely discussing the disposition of those who broke military law."
"And what is this about Cecil? What exactly is happening? And…"
"……."
"Why… why are we pointing swords at one another among ourselves?"
Leaving the dazed Karelia behind…
the three of them could only keep a long, wordless silence.
Afterward—
once Vanessa's explanation had given her a rough grasp of the situation, Karelia spoke in a deeply solemn tone.
"Vanessa. I am truly grateful for the loyalty that led you to act for my sake. But looking only at the present circumstances, I cannot help feeling it went somewhat too far."
"My lord, but—"
"I know. It is not that I fail to understand your heart. I simply ask that you uphold my face for now."
"……."
Vanessa kept her head deeply bowed and could say nothing more.
Karelia let out a short sigh, then turned to look at Luna and Cecil.
"And Cecil, Lady Luna. In light of both of your past merits, I will specially let this matter rest without further inquiry. However, Vanessa's orders are the same as the orders of the sovereign of this nation. I hope such an unsightly incident will not occur again."
"But my lord. To extend collective punishment even to a young child is far too harsh. On this point—"
"Cecil."
Karelia cut off Cecil's urgent words—
and spoke in a tone that made it clear she found it truly regrettable, yet could not be helped.
"I have entrusted military authority to Vanessa. ……Please follow her judgment."
"But…!"
"I will not say it twice, Cecil. ……I am sorry."
"……."
Cecil bowed her head deeply.
Beside her, Luna could naturally tell that she was biting her lip, unable to contain her frustration.
"Then let us treat today's events as if they never happened. As for the crime you intended to lay upon that child, I will specially grant a pardon this once. Understood, Vanessa?"
"Yes, my lord."
Because it was the sovereign herself speaking, Vanessa immediately bowed her head.
"……I will go on ahead to the royal castle. Everyone, prepare for the council. That is all."
With that, Karelia left the place.
Then Vanessa approached Luna and Cecil.
"Lady Cecil. I ask that you take care not to forget our lord's words just now."
"……."
"And…"
Unlike the somewhat softened tone she had used with Cecil—
she spoke to Luna without even bothering to hide her hostility, as if spitting the words at her.
"Castle Lord, if you wish to live without incident from now on, it would be best that you observe the laws of this nation."
Having said that, Vanessa followed after Karelia and left the barracks.
……Had they somehow managed to avoid disaster?
Haa…
"Are you all right…?"
Violet supported Luna from the side as the tension drained from her and her steps briefly faltered.
Luna leaned against her, let out a long breath, and then spoke to the hero in her heart.
Swen… I managed to hold on somehow.
It's all because you were with me, she wanted to tell him.
She wanted so very much to convey it to the one who always became her strength from within her heart.