Lunarien Entrusts Herself to the Karelia Army
A woman was approaching her as she diligently tilled the fields, encouraging the farmers along.
"Luna. So this is where you were."
"Ah! Hello, Lady Cecil."
Cecil Loengrin.
One of the founding pillars of the Karelia Army, and the sole daughter of the Loengrin family — a house that had amassed wealth over generations. Captivated by the character of their sovereign, Karelia, she had donated her entire fortune to her.
With neat, light-brown bobbed hair and a monocle that seemed to prove her meticulous nature, she was as gentle-tempered as her lord and commanded tremendous respect within the Karelia Army.
She had also been one of those who argued it would be fine to take in Lunarien's wandering party — and so she and Lunarien had grown quite close, even beyond mere professional necessity.
"How are things going? Is the work progressing well?"
"Well… I believe all the farmers are doing their absolute best, but… the weather hasn't been cooperative, so I'm not sure whether we'll be able to meet the quarterly target."
Even in this era of advanced techniques that had dramatically increased agricultural yields, if the most critical factor — the weather — refused to cooperate, one was bound to face all manner of difficulties. There was even a saying that a year's harvest rested entirely in the hands of heaven.
"Everyone sees how hard you work, Luna, coming and going. I don't think you need to worry so much."
"I'm honored by your kind words."
Luna bowed in greeting, then carefully asked, "But… was there a reason you were looking for me?"
Cecil had received a special mission from their lord Karelia this quarter, so she shouldn't have had the leeway to come here. If she had shown herself, there had to be a reason — that much was easy enough to deduce.
"Our lord is looking for you, Luna."
"Our lord?"
A nod.
She had no idea why she was being summoned, but as a vassal, she could hardly refuse a call from her sovereign.
"Understood. I'll head to the royal castle at once."
"Please do. I'd love nothing more than to catch up with you after so long, but we're both rather busy at the moment… Let's talk again when we get the chance."
"You're always welcome, Lady Cecil."
After parting from Cecil with a smile, Luna turned to the farmers she'd been working with.
"Everyone. Since our lord has summoned me, I think we'll stop here for today. You're all free to head home. I'll finish up when I return."
"You don't need to come back, Lady Lunarien! Leave the rest to us! You don't have to come out again today!"
"No, it's fine. You don't need to push yourselves—"
"Please, let us work for you, Lady Lunarien!"
"…Everyone…"
Moved by the farmers' words, Luna hesitated for a moment, then bowed at a full ninety degrees.
"…Then I'll leave it in your hands. And thank you in advance for tomorrow as well. Please don't overdo it, and get home safely."
"Safe travels!"
The fact that a general would apologize to them even when she had no need to explain herself — that this had become a quiet topic of conversation among the castle's farmers — was something she failed to notice.
Madlan Castle was a space that conspicuously lacked the splendor one might expect of a capital's royal castle, built with thoroughly practical purposes in mind.
This was partly because the castle itself had been planned and constructed from the start to fulfill only the bare minimum of functions, and partly a reflection of the current ruler Macana Karelia's distaste for meaningless luxury.
Luna walked the now-familiar corridors of the royal castle toward the audience chamber at its center.
Upon arriving at the audience chamber—
"Ah. Lord Luna. Welcome."
Karelia greeted her with a smiling face.
Her long, deep-green hair had been beautifully gathered up and fixed in place with simple ornaments. Her eyes, a shade darker than her hair — like black ink with a single drop of green mixed in — were filled with something akin to benevolence and generosity.
There was nothing ornate about her attire, yet the plain, unpatterned clothes she wore somehow seemed immensely dignified simply because she was the one wearing them.
She possessed, without question, the aura of a sovereign. Not the kind of ruler who proved their charisma through coercion and dominance, but one whose leadership was warm and all-embracing.
Standing beside her was a woman with a brown bob and a somewhat cold expression directed this way — Vanessa Trinity. The state strategist of the Karelia Army, who perfectly compensated for everything Karelia lacked.
"Lunarien Iniang, having received my lord's summons, I have just arrived."
As Luna knelt in formal greeting, Karelia gestured and said, "Please, make yourself comfortable. Now then, I believe I entrusted you with agricultural affairs. How is the work going?"
"I am working diligently, but… due to my own lack of ability, I don't believe I'll be able to meet the target."
At those words, Karelia tilted her head.
"Lack of ability? You needn't say that. I know full well that the weather hasn't been cooperative these past few days. I'd rather you not blame yourself so much."
"But…"
"No, no. Set that aside. I didn't call you here today to dwell on that."
She continued in a somewhat more serious tone.
"Today, I have a request for you, Lord Luna."
"A request, my lord?"
"It's about Teppelo Castle. Luna, you know of it, don't you?"
At those words, Vanessa flinched briefly, but Luna failed to notice even that.
"Teppelo Castle… You mean the castle adjacent to the border with the Ohana Army?"
"You know it well. Your friends Lord Tifa and Lord Kane are stationed there, after all."
When she had led three thousand soldiers to join the Karelia Army, Luna had been assigned to the capital, Madlan Castle, while Kane and Tifa, who had come with her, had been assigned to Teppelo Castle — and so they had been separated.
Since then, with so much work to do, they hadn't met even once. Though no war had broken out, the honest truth was that Luna felt uneasy about sending her comrades to the border while she remained in the capital.
"Yes. Not long ago, the castle lord Carlos, due to his advanced age and health reasons, expressed his wish to step down from the position. I want to respect the will of a man who has devoted himself to our army even at his age. As such, the lordship of Teppelo Castle is currently vacant."
"Is that so…?"
"What do you think?"
"Uh… well, I think Lord Carlos must have worked terribly hard…"
"And?"
"And, my lord? That is… I'm terribly sorry, but I don't know what I ought to say…"
"…Heh."
Karelia laughed several times, apparently finding Luna's reaction amusing.
"Lord Luna, you truly are an innocent soul. With someone like you, I think it would be easier on both of us if I simply spoke directly."
"…?"
"Lord Luna. Effective immediately, I want you to become the lord of Teppelo Castle."
Only then did Luna realize why she had been summoned, her eyes going wide with shock.
"M-my lord. To suddenly offer me a castle lordship — it's far too much for someone like me—"
"Forgive me for cutting you off, but my mind is made up. I want Lord Lunarien to play in bigger waters. I have no desire to let your talents wither away here in the capital."
"But…"
Just as she was about to refuse the lordship with some suitable words — a voice she could never forget flashed through Luna's mind.
"My lord! Stay healthy! And if an opportunity comes, never let it slip away! I will absolutely return to your side!"
Ah…
Swen.
Her first strategist, buried deep in her heart — a man she could never forget. The voice of the man who had said, If you believe in me, I will place the world in your hands… Why was it flashing through her mind now?
Becoming one of the castle lords of the Karelia Army. This could, perhaps, become an opportunity.
Becoming a castle lord meant managing a territory, however small, and if one managed a territory well, one would inevitably win the hearts of its people. And, though it was a remote possibility… depending on the circumstances, one could raise a rebellion and take up arms.
Was that not a far easier method than raising an army in empty space with nothing? Then wasn't this an opportunity?
And yet, her heart was not at ease.
Call it an "easy uprising through rebellion" if you liked — but in the end, wasn't it stabbing Karelia, who had taken her in, in the back?
Luna had absolutely no desire to do such a thing. She wanted to hold the world in her hands, yes — but she couldn't betray someone who trusted her like this—
It was only after thinking that far that she realized once more why she had lost her nation.
No… I have to be cold… Because of a decision that wasn't cold enough, I sacrificed Lord Swen… I can't run from responsibility any longer…!
Yes.
Even without betrayal, the fact that this was an opportunity remained unchanged. She had sworn to him that if an opportunity came, she would seize it without fail. So Luna nodded without hesitation and said:
"…I accept my lord's command."
"Ah. Thank you. I shall place my trust in you."
Karelia rose from her seat and extended her hand.
"Lunarien Iniang. As of today, you are the lord of Teppelo Castle. Cease all current duties at once and proceed immediately to Teppelo Castle to fulfill your responsibilities as its lord."
"As you command. I shall do my utmost not to bring shame upon you, Lady Karelia."
The lordship of Teppelo Castle.
Whether this was an opportunity or a poisoned chalice, she could not know. But she hesitated no longer.
If only to honor what her one and only strategist had asked of her in the moment they parted… she seized the opportunity that had come to her with fierce determination.
Everything — for the strategist who had believed in her, and whom she had believed in.