As he had said, not far off, there was a rudimentary camp set up. It seemed to have been constructed solely for the purpose of negotiations, without any sort of fencing or other permanent structures.
"Please wait a moment."
A messenger from the Aishus army said this before entering the tent.
I stood beside Airen, whispering to her cautiously.
"There's no need to be nervous. From her perspective, there's no reason to refuse our surrender."
Instead of responding, she slowly nodded her head. In her gaze directed at me, I could read her trust.
And after a while,
Finally, from inside the tent—a woman appeared, bringing someone with her.
Her hair was long, black, and gave off an elegant vibe. Her eyes were of two different colors, one the blue of ocean water, the other a contrasting bright sky blue. Her nose and lips were positioned as if they were carved meticulously in place. Though she wasn't as physically imposing as Airen in terms of feminine presence—her figure was undeniably feminine and beautifully shaped. Some might even prefer her balanced features.
'Wow... she's beautiful.'
Baranga Yuri Aishus—upon seeing Yuri's appearance, I couldn't hide my admiration. She was far more beautiful than I had anticipated.
I was already familiar with Yuri's face. After all, I had chosen to play as her character in the game. But like with Lyn and Airen—the in-game graphics bore a significant disparity from her real face. Honestly, I hadn't expected her to be this pretty.
And the woman next to her, I could recognize her easily. In this game, a general who always carries a bow and has her turquoise hair tied in a ponytail—could only be her.
Epinel Rosencross. One of the founding generals of the Aishus army, an S-rank general known for her excellent combat and leadership skills. She was a face of the army, known for her high capabilities. While I hadn't realized from the pixelated graphics, her feminine allure was intensely striking. Considering her attire barely covered her chest, exposing her belly and thighs, it was a wonder she wore such in battle.
But then again, the world allowed it.
Airen knelt on one knee and bowed her head as Yuri's steps halted before her. I matched her speed and did the same.
"We greet you, Baranga Yuri Aishus."
With a nod, Yuri responded.
"You are Airen Juliet?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I've heard rumors, but it's my first time seeing you. It's an honor to meet the red-haired knight, Airen."
Yuri smiled, then turned slightly to look down at me.
"And who might this be?"
"I am Swen. Along with Miss Airen, I wish to defect to the Aishus army."
"..."
She looked at me silently, then with a tone of amused curiosity, she spoke.
"You... your hair is white? That’s quite a rare color around here for a young man. Are you the 'White-Haired Mage' who split the sky with a miracle at the fortress of the Brans army?"
'...'
That day, not lightning but a meteor had fallen. Considering the number of eyes that must have seen it, I had expected rumors, but hearing the slightly cringe-worthy title of 'White-Haired Mage' in person was somewhat embarrassing.
But what does it matter? Having this title, if she desires me, it would be beneficial.
"Embarrassing as it may be, that's me. I hesitate to call myself a mage, though."
"Oh? Really?"
Yuri covered her mouth with her hand, chuckling softly—not in mockery, but as if she found something genuinely interesting. Unlike Lyn Brans, whose sinister motives often leaked through, Yuri seemed a different sort of person.
"Let’s see. You both want to surrender to our army?"
"Yes. Along with myself and Swen here, we bring with us the fortress and 38,000 soldiers."
Yuri nodded and then asked cautiously,
"Airen and Swen, listen. Your offer is too good for us to refuse. But think about it. It’s unusual for someone to bring soldiers and even a fortress to surrender. If you wanted to surrender, you could’ve simply escaped and come to us. It’s less hassle. If you were desperate during a war, it might make sense to bring soldiers, but we aren’t exactly at war right now, are we? We’re just not on good terms."
Her logic was sound. The situation had become complicated partly because I had pushed for a surrender to maximize the benefits under the circumstances to disrupt the power dynamics of the central continent, which was predominantly under Brans’ control.
"So, what I’m saying is..."
Just as Yuri seemed to be struggling,
Epinel, for the first time, spoke up.
"Yuri, what she’s saying is, she doesn’t completely trust you. What if this surrender is just a deceitful tactic? If the soldiers you’ve brought rebel from within, we would be in a difficult position. It’s too favorable a situation for us."
So, they were afraid this surrender might be a ploy, akin to a 'Trojan Horse.'
Well, their suspicion wasn’t entirely unwarranted. Being honest about why we needed to surrender seemed like the right approach.
"The truth is—"
Just as I was about to speak, Airen gently placed her hand over mine. It seemed she was telling me, 'Leave this to me.'
Right. After all, she was the one initiating the surrender. It was only right for her to speak.
"I am..."
Airen slowly closed her eyes, then opened them at the same pace and looked up at Yuri.
"My lord... that is, I have sensed a strong murderous intent from Lord Lyn Brans towards me."
"Murderous intent...?"
Both Yuri and Epinel seemed startled by Airen’s confession. Naturally, it’s rare for someone to harbor such feelings towards their own general.
"Yes. She... dislikes me. She’s moved beyond resentment to wishing for my death."
"...What? That’s a bit hard to grasp. You, Airen, the red-haired knight. The specialist in siege warfare. I know your name, and I’m sure most lords do as well. Why would such a renowned general be despised?"
"..."
Exactly. Why would she hate her to this extent? There’s no particular reason for dislike, but Lyn Brans in every timeline had been determined to kill Airen Juliet.
"I am terribly ashamed, but it’s the truth. That’s why... I want to live, and so I am defecting to the Aishus army."
"Uh-huh... so you want to live, and that’s why you’re surrendering..."
Having one life, and the equality everyone faces in death, provided a compelling justification for surrender.
"...Alright. If that rumor is true, I can understand Airen. But,"
Yuri turned to look down at me.
"Swen. Why are you surrendering? You could have a brilliant career in the Brans army, especially as a mage who performed miracles. Wouldn’t they treat you well? Why would you leave a considerable force like Brans’ and come to a minor power like ours? Doesn’t that seem odd?"
She was essentially asking why I was acting against my own interests.
I had anticipated such questions, so I had a response ready.
"I came to believe that Lyn Brans is not a monarch I can serve. In other words, she doesn’t fit the image of a ruler who can conquer the world."
"Really?"
My response was simple, but I noticed it.
The corners of Yuri’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.
"Yes. Just look at Miss Airen beside me. How can someone who treats a general of her stature with personal disdain unite the continent? I wish to serve under someone worthy of unification. It’s meaningful to excel after choosing the right leader."
"So, in reverse, you think I can be that unifying sovereign?"
"That’s correct."
She smiled at my immediate response.
"Is that the only reason? Nothing else?"
"...?"
What? That expectant look in her eyes...?
Until just now, I had felt a different kind of sovereign's aura from Yuri, distinct from Lyn or Lunarian. While their tones, personalities, and attitudes towards me differed, they all possessed a distinct charisma of bearing someone’s will.
But now... she was looking at me not with the gaze of a sovereign, but almost like that of a girl.
'...Could it be.'
Carefully... I ventured a guess at what she might want to hear.
"I want to protect Miss Airen and stay by her side."
"...!!!"
At my words, Airen, who had been kneeling beside me, looked at me in surprise, her face flushing as she flustered about, honestly, a bit adorable.
And Yuri as well.
After hearing that answer, she spoke with a satisfied expression.
"I thought so. That’s what I expected. The reason a man follows a woman. That makes sense. Hehehe."
"..."
"Alright. Will you both stand up? Epinel, prepare that."
As we stood up, Epinel went into the tent and brought something out. It was a tray with two glasses, alcohol, and something resembling a silver knife.
Epinel skillfully filled the glasses while Yuri took the knife, opening it—
"...!"
And slightly cut her finger. She then mixed a few drops of her blood into the alcohol.
"Drink this. With this, you both become part of our family, sharing in my blood."
'...What an odd ritual.'
It felt somewhat ironic, considering I had conducted a ritual to summon lightning.
I was abruptly reminded this was reality. The in-game information I had about Yuri was, 'an excellent leader who attracts many to her cause,' 'has strong relationships with her allies,' 'a mid-tier sovereign with a good pool of talent but a weak base.' But clearly, understanding the character Yuri through a few lines of introduction was a difficult task.
After lightly emptying the glass, Yuri finally spoke in a somewhat serious tone.
"Airen Juliet. And Swen. Welcome to the Aishus army. I will ensure your safety with my life, as those who share my blood are my family."
Then, looking at Airen, she said,
"I look forward to working with you, Airen."
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"Yes! I will do my best to meet your expectations."
"And you, Swen?"
Yuri tilted her head slightly, asking me. I responded with a confident smile.
"I will ensure you never regret this decision."
Thus, Airen and I became members of the Aishus army. In the end, I had succeeded in saving Airen Juliet.
Just that made me feel it was right to have passed through Brans’ army.