"You want to sleep together?"
When I asked back, Airen floundered in shock, stumbling over her words.
Her face, which had been red since we started cleaning, was now as red as a tomato.
"N-No...! That’s not what I meant! I mean, it’s just... it’s time to sleep...! That’s all...!"
"......."
She was the one who brought it up, yet she was getting this flustered. What was I supposed to do with that?
Still, I couldn’t help but smile.
Yeah. This was exactly the Airen Juliet I knew.
I glanced at the bed.
...Huh?
The blankets were spread wide, but looking closer... it felt like two single beds had been pushed together to make one.
"Airen."
"Y-Yes?!"
"This bed—it's separable. Like this..."
I said as I pulled the beds apart.
The double bed easily split into two singles.
"So, there's no need for you to be so embarrassed."
"Ah... I-I see."
Airen muttered something under her breath, her head lowered. It was too quiet for me to catch.
Before long, she seemed to have sorted out her thoughts and spoke again, her tone much calmer.
"...Yeah. That’s right. That makes sense. Okay, Swen. Let’s get some rest."
"Alright."
Sharing a double bed wasn’t exactly a problem—for me as a man, at least.
But for her, as a woman, it was probably embarrassing.
We weren’t even married, so it was only natural for her to feel uncomfortable.
Marriage, huh...
Now that it came to this, maybe I should just make Airen my first wife?
To be honest, I liked Airen. I didn’t know how she felt about me, but if I had the chance to marry her, I wouldn’t hesitate.
She was beautiful, had an incredible figure, and was strong.
But that wasn’t all. Her sense of pride, her convictions, her consideration for those beneath her despite her high position—those things drew me in.
What kind of man would refuse Airen Juliet?
In the game, marriage required talking to a character repeatedly, giving gifts, completing quests, and fighting together in battles to raise favorability.
At a certain point, you’d just know—"Ah, I can propose now."
But now that this game had become reality... how was I supposed to do it?
There was no visible favorability gauge, so I had to be careful.
Most importantly—
If a proposal failed in the game, not only would the favorability drop to zero, but it would also become nearly impossible to speak to that character again.
If I triggered the event incorrectly or got unlucky, I’d have to reload a save file. Otherwise, marriage with that female commander was off the table.
I was certain my favorability with Airen was high, and I could feel a stronger bond between us than ever.
But I wanted to avoid making things awkward by failing a proposal.
At least until I got her safely to Lunarian’s Army.
If things went south here, I’d only be handing Yuri a victory on a silver platter.
The best timing was probably after Luna's grand mobilization.
If I proposed after joining Luna’s forces, everything would be fine.
Even if I got rejected, our working relationship wouldn’t change.
Sure, I’d be heartbroken, but if we spent more time together, her favorability would naturally increase, and my chances of success would go up.
Besides, even if I didn’t wait for Luna’s army, a natural opportunity might arise on its own.
One thing was clear—I didn’t need to rush and ruin everything.
"Good night, Airen."
"Yeah... Sleep well, Swen."
And with that, she turned off the lantern—
Bringing an end to our long day.
*
After arriving at the house where she and Swen would be staying, Airen’s thoughts upon seeing the double bed were surprisingly simple.
It was, amusingly... about her first time.
Airen had spent her entire life wielding a sword.
She had never known men, and the only ruler she had ever sworn loyalty to was a woman.
Men had approached her in the past, drawn by her beauty, but she had rejected them all for the sake of her training.
And that was only in the beginning.
Once it became widely known that Lyn Brans despised her, no one even thought about making a move on her.
No matter how beautiful she was, no one was willing to defy their lord just to claim her.
The first person to ever reach out to her...
The first person to share the burden of being labeled a traitor...
Was the man next to her—Swen.
Of course, Airen knew.
The reason he left Brans’ army was entirely because of her.
Even if he was waiting for Luna’s uprising, staying in a powerful country like Brans would have been far more convenient than coming to a weak nation like this.
Yet he abandoned that easy path—for her.
And because she knew that, she had sworn to raise her sword for him.
So... if Swen asked her to share his bed tonight—
She had already decided. She would accept.
She had heard that a first time was more painful than pleasurable...
Would she make things difficult for him due to her lack of knowledge?
Would he find her too dull, too inexperienced?
Would he think her large chest was cumbersome rather than attractive?
For the first time in her life, Airen found herself worrying—not as a warrior, but as a woman in love.
That was why she had spent so much longer bathing than usual.
She lowered her gaze, examining herself.
Her body had been forged through training, not pampered into beauty.
Unlike the smooth, delicate skin she had always imagined an ideal woman should have, her body was slightly rough, firm rather than soft, and lined with faint scars and compact muscles.
Her trained physique had always been a source of pride.
So why did it feel so undesirable now?
"Would Swen... like a body like this...?"
Even if it wasn’t beautiful... if he complimented it, she felt like she wouldn’t mind.
She steadied her racing heart, preparing herself as bedtime approached—
But then—
"This bed—it's separable. Like this..."
When she heard that, she let out a breath of relief.
But at the same time—she felt a tinge of disappointment.
Without realizing it, she mumbled her true feelings under her breath.
"...That’s a shame."
She immediately panicked, stealing a glance at Swen.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem to have heard her. He didn’t say anything.
And so, they each lay down in separate beds.
Airen stared at the sleeping Swen and thought to herself.
"Swen... if you wanted me to... I..."
She felt a strange tickling sensation in her stomach.
Like last time—
Whenever she was with him, she discovered new sides of herself.
Feelings she had never experienced with any other man.
And so, it was only natural—
That she lay awake for a long, long time.
***
Royal Castle of Arnel.
Parfalle knelt before Lyn, her face filled with regret.
"I’m sorry. If I had come straight to Arnel Castle instead of heading south... I could have realized something was wrong."
Airen Juliet had surrendered to the Aishus Army, leading over 30,000 soldiers in defection.
This was more than just the loss of troops and a commander.
It meant that the surplus forces—those not stationed along the borders but free to move—had evaporated in an instant.
For the Brans Army, which had already lost around 20,000 troops due to Carlints’ incompetence, this was a devastating blow.
And of all possible enemies—it had to be Aishus.
The very force that posed the greatest obstacle to Brans’ strategy of quickly securing the central region before turning north and south.
The soldiers were one thing, but Airen was a remarkable general.
If the blade she once wielded for them was now pointed in their direction...?
"......."
Lyn said nothing, keeping an outwardly calm expression as she twirled a strand of her hair.
But Parfalle, having served her for a long time, knew better.
She was barely suppressing her rage.
Never before had Parfalle seen her this furious.
And that terrified her.
The backlash from that fury could easily land on her.
So, she pressed her forehead to the floor, begging for her life.
"I failed to make the right judgment. I will accept any punishment you see fit."
"......."
The truth was, Parfalle wasn’t surprised that Airen had betrayed them.
She knew better than anyone how Lyn had treated Airen, one of her most loyal commanders.
It had always been a matter of when, not if, she would leave.
In fact, Parfalle had never understood why Airen had stubbornly remained, desperately trying to earn recognition despite everything.
But Swen?
Swen’s betrayal had genuinely shocked her.
He was a newly appointed officer, supposedly dedicated to proving himself to Carlints.
More than that, he had even sent a letter to separate her from Lyn before defecting—clearly a calculated move.
She had believed that letter without hesitation, simply because the idea of Swen betraying them had never crossed her mind.
Unlike Airen, Swen had no reason to turn his back on Brans.
He had already begun proving his worth, and at the rate he was going, he could have eventually competed for the position of National Strategist.
Even Parfalle had come to acknowledge his abilities—if Swen continued producing miraculous victories, she would have had to admit that even she could lose her position to him.
But...
There was one assumption that, if true, made his reason for betraying them laughably simple.
"To save Airen Juliet?"
It was a faint memory now, but—
On Swen’s very first day, Lyn had ordered him to stay at Airen’s house.
A young man and woman, living together? It wouldn’t have been strange if something had happened between them.
If she assumed Swen had done all this for Airen, then his reckless last stand at the northern fortress suddenly made sense.
Because Airen had been there.
He had thrown himself into a suicidal defense—not for honor, not for Brans, but to protect her.
Had he not miraculously turned the tide, Airen would have undoubtedly died at the hands of the Serpina Army.
All that talk about "preserving Carlints’ honor"?
It was nothing more than an excuse—rendered meaningless the moment he defected.
So in the end—
Lyn’s obsessive hostility toward Airen had cost her both Airen and Swen.
And it was Lyn herself who had inadvertently forged the decisive bond between them.
Upon further investigation, Parfalle had learned that this very campaign had been decided based on Swen’s own advice:
"If Airen Juliet is sent to the frontlines, her life will be at risk. It would be better to send another commander instead."
Lyn had tried to have Airen killed.
And she had been betrayed because of it.
Swen had simply made masterful use of her own murderous intent.
"So it was inevitable."
Parfalle, ever sharp, realized that all of this was Lyn’s own fault.
But because she was sharp—she also knew she could never say that.
She’d be the one losing her head if she did.
And then—
Lyn, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke.
"Parfalle."
"...Yes?"
"What do you think?"
"...What do I think...?"
Parfalle trembled.
Lyn, on the other hand, was ice-cold.
"It was Airen, wasn’t it?"
"...Excuse me?"
"Airen seduced him, didn’t she? With that filthy, vulgar body of hers."
"......???"
"Otherwise, this situation doesn’t make sense. Swen said he wanted to make a name for himself. He told me he’d help me seize the world. So why... why would he betray me? Swen? The Swen I personally scouted? Why would he turn his back on me?"
"...I, um..."
It had never been about ambition.
From the start, Swen had orchestrated everything to get Airen out of here.
The proof? He was the one who first suggested not sending Airen to the frontlines.
If only Parfalle could say that outright...
But she couldn’t.
Lyn wouldn’t accept it.
She couldn’t.
She had personally chosen Swen.
The idea that she had been discarded was unacceptable to her.
She could pick others, but the thought of being rejected herself? Unthinkable.
And so, as always, she sought the answer in her hatred for Airen.
That was easier to accept.
It wasn’t a great habit, but... for a ruler, being emotionally unshakable had its advantages.
"...Airen Juliet. She betrayed me in the end. I knew it. Every time I saw her face, I hated it. The only reason she ever served me was because of who her father was... She was always so damn arrogant. Don’t you think so?"
"......."
"Aishus Army, was it? That’s where the bitch ran off with Swen?"
"...Y-Yes."
"I see. Then I’ll show her. Right before her eyes—I’ll make Swen truly mine. Won’t that be fitting?"
"......."
"Let’s settle the western front quickly. We’ll be busy for a while. And, Parfalle? I always repay the insults I receive. Don’t you agree?"
Parfalle said nothing.
She could only pray—
That this storm would pass.
That once Lyn calmed down, she would at least realize her mistake.
Because despite everything, Parfalle still believed Lyn Brans had the potential to be an excellent ruler.
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If only Airen weren’t involved.
With that, Parfalle quietly withdrew.
And alone in the royal castle—
Lyn abruptly shot up from her throne and flung a decorative sword across the room.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"
CRASH!
The thrown sword clattered to the floor, leaving deep gouges in the wood.
She hurled everything within reach, wrecking her surroundings.
Only after exhausting herself did she begin to regain some semblance of composure.
Betrayal.
She had been betrayed.
By Airen Juliet, of all people.
The woman she despised.
The woman she wanted dead.
And she had taken Swen with her.
"Airen Juliet... I will never forgive you... NEVER."
Biting her lip hard enough to taste blood, Lyn suddenly broke into laughter.
A sharp, cold laugh—like the sound of an icicle stabbing into flesh.
"Haha... Hah. That’s fine. I’ll take what you treasure most... and rip it away from you."
Seating herself back on the throne, she grinned.
Her lifeless eyes shimmered with pure madness.
"Just wait, Swen... I’ll open your clouded eyes again... and free you from that stupid bitch."
At that moment, it was clear—
Parfalle’s silence had been the wisest choice.