Chapter 289

Serena had a lot of money.

Inside the leather pouch, gold coins—and not just any gold coins, but the common currency of the Cordis Empire—were overflowing.

The gold coins filling the magic pouch, which was larger inside than outside, amounted to enough to buy a mansion with plenty to spare.

“…No….”

It was an amount of gold that even Nana Nereyades would be surprised by.

To carry this much money around when she wasn’t even a merchant.

Since it was a magic pouch with minimum security features, there wouldn’t have been much worry about someone stealing it, but the fact itself that she carried such money was surprising.

“…How does a person from the West have this much Cordis gold? Especially when the Empire is sensitive about the outflow of national treasury these days….”

“I received it.”

“From whom?”

Serena lifted her eyes.

She wore a complicated expression.

“Someone who used to be an enemy a long time ago.”

***

“You are leaving, Lady Serena.”

It was the night before Serena left for the Empire.

There was a guest.

A middle-aged man resembling a cuckoo, Kukulo Del Conti, who was once the sworn enemy of the Verchello family.

“Yes. It turned out that way. What brings you here?”

“Just to offer my greetings….”

“I appreciate the thought.”

Kukulo lives in the Hanchamus Islands with Tibel Bartole.

He lost his honor, family, and relatives, but while living day by day grateful for the fact that he survived, he encountered Serena.

Kukulo apologized to Serena.

He dared not ask for forgiveness, just shed tears saying he had been too terrible and despicable.

So Serena decided to forgive him.

It was because she didn’t want to be held captive by the wounds Kukulo gave her.

Also, because Shion shone a light into her heart.

Of course, they couldn’t become comfortably close as if nothing had happened.

Serena had scars even if she didn’t have wounds, and Kukulo also hadn’t forgiven his old self who was terrible and despicable yet.

Still, clearly, their relationship was not as sharp as before.

“If you have something to say, please say it, Mr. Kukulo.”

Serena said, watching Kukulo hesitating.

Only then did Kukulo slowly open his mouth.

“Actually, I looked into the situation in the Bururade Peninsula… specifically Merion, through my old connections.”

“…And? What did you find out?”

“That the Verchello family and all business sites were temporarily closed….”

“…….”

Serena shut her mouth.

It was as Kukulo said.

Shion Pollinglight had fallen.

Since the West sold him out, there was no way they would leave his possessions alone.

Various mines and territories under his name all lost their functions.

The Verchello family was no exception.

“…Yes. That’s right.”

Serena turned her eyes.

“Actually, I borrowed the travel expenses for leaving to the Empire from Cornelius too. Far from giving him a salary….”

“There is no need for that.”

“Why?”

She realized that Kukulo was holding a very high-quality leather pouch.

“I was worried that you might have difficulty liquidating assets….”

Kukulo opened the pouch.

The inside was entirely golden.

“I brought all the Cordis gold coins I possess for now.”

“…….”

“The amount is quite substantial, isn’t it? It is thanks to converting most of my physical assets into Cordis gold coins before the war broke out. Thinking about it, I did very well.”

Kukulo handed over the pouch without hesitation.

Serena couldn’t bring herself to accept it immediately.

She looked at the leather pouch and the gold coins inside with complex feelings.

She wondered if the man in front of her was really Kukulo Del Conti, the head of the Cuckoo family famous for selling honor and everything else for money.

Kukulo noticed Serena’s hesitation and thrust the pouch forward again.

“Please accept it. Think of it as lightening the burden on this terrible Kukulo’s heart….”

“…In your situation….”

Serena spoke slowly.

“…If you give up this much money, you won’t be able to live comfortably like now. You have mouths to feed too, don’t you?”

“It is fine. Even without that much comfort.”

Kukulo laughed cheerfully.

“They say many laborers are needed to rebuild houses because the Imperial army destroyed many mansions not long ago. I suppose I will go there.”

“…A laborer. Kukulo Del Conti, a laborer.”

“Am I not allowed to? My limbs are all fine.”

He bowed his head while handing over the money.

While giving wealth, he politely requested the recipient to please accept it.

It was understandable, as he owed Serena a lot.

Enough that he couldn’t possibly repay with this pittance.

However, he was happier than words could say that he could repay even a little, that he could be of even a little help to Serena.

“I beg of you, Young Lady. Please accept it.”

***

“So who was the person who was an enemy?”

“There is someone like that.”

“Why don’t you explain a bit, Ms. Serena?”

“Because the story is long, Ms. Nana.”

Serena giggled.

“Later, when things settle down, let’s have a meal. I will tell you then.”

“…I don’t really like meal promises. Because we always only make promises and never actually have the meal.”

“This time will be different. It will be different.”

“You say it easily.”

“Because I want it to be different. Is it unpleasant if I say it like this?”

“No. It’s much better. No one has ever said that to me until now.”

Nana Nereyades looked at the innocently smiling Serena with wonder.

Nana is the Nine Streams General, one of the ten best generals in the Cordis Empire.

Yet Serena was treating her like a childhood friend. It was beyond wondrous, almost bewildering.

“Anyway, if you have this much money, the story is easy.”

Nana returned the pouch of gold coins.

“I will introduce you to a reliable mercenary group.”

“Mercenary group?”

“We say mercenary group, but they are all former soldiers. Most of them are guys I know personally, so they can be trusted. The price is very expensive, but….”

She glanced at the gold coins again.

“…Still, you can sufficiently hire them with just half of this money.”

I should put in a word first. Nana muttered.

“Two months… no, if I write a pass in my name, one month should be enough to go.”

“Can I get to Kosavagarobira in one month?”

“No. You cannot go directly.”

Nana shook her head.

“The route is very rough. There are many mountains, and the atmosphere is unsettled these days, so it would be better to go out of the border once and come back. Please transit through another region once.”

“Transit where?”

“East.”

Nana looked out the window.

She is one of the Ten Great Generals of the Empire, and no one could block their path.

As they sped along, they were just about to leave Hobel Bay.

It meant the time to wrap up the short meeting with Serena was approaching.

“Horm.”

A country half-conquered by Secundus Debius.

Land not yet incorporated into the Empire’s territory but soon to be.

Since it is still chaotic, they won’t know if just one Serena passes by.

“I will tell the mercenary group to guide you, Ms. Serena, to Horm. Meet another guide after that.”

“…Another guide?”

“You’ve probably heard of them.”

The carriage rattled.

“Oh. It’s the Sobel Mountain Range soon.”

“…That is the Sobel Mountain Range.”

“True, since you are not an Imperial citizen, it would be your first time seeing it.”

Nana pointed far out the window.

The fog is thick.

The fog Sen Sorti laid down 400 years ago still hasn’t dispersed and remains, scattering all mysteries.

The name of that mountain range is the Sobel Mountain Range.

They had to part ways soon.

“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Serena. I really hope we can have a meal.”

Though that probably won’t happen.

Nana giggled.

***

“…I am Kateka Keshulei.”

Serena bowed her head carefully.

“I am Serena de Verchello.”

“…Yes, I heard from General Nana.”

In the eastern part of the Empire, in the conquered territory of Horm, a man and a woman exchanged awkward greetings.

Kateka was performing the duties of Governor-General of the Horm conquered territory in place of the deceased Secundus.

Serena had just arrived in Horm after traveling for a month after parting with Nana.

“Were there any inconveniences on your way…?”

“No. The people in the mercenary group treated me really well. I came very comfortably for a month.”

“…The mercenary group’s words were a bit different.”

“What was different?”

Kateka Keshulei scratched his cheek.

“They said it was incredibly uncomfortable because the employer kept trying to do menial tasks….”

“I have something to say about that too.”

Serena made a hmph sound and put her hands on her waist.

“Everyone was really nice and reliable. Because they acted like it was nothing even after hearing that I was a person from the West. But!”

“…But…?”

“I couldn’t stand them ignoring the level of Merion’s food. So I couldn’t help but show off my skills a bit.”

“…Yes. It was bewildering to see a sudden remark in the report that the bread was very delicious….”

“Would you like a taste?”

Serena held out some bread.

It was chewy bread baked with dried figs she carried as emergency rations.

Kateka put a piece of bread in his mouth while wondering why he had to eat bread right now.

Then his eyes widened.

“……Oh!”

“It’s decent, right?”

“The skill… is good.”

“Actually, it would be more delicious if freshly baked in a proper oven.”

Serena giggled as if it were a pity.

She added that she had fed her family for several years with this bread skill.

Kateka stared at Serena’s black hair and asked.

“…Zionis met a good wife.”

“That name is still unfamiliar. To me, Shion is still Shion.”

“…Does it matter much? Both are him….”

“Because he himself tends to care too much.”

“…You know well.”

“Because I am his wife.”

Shion and Serena were in a relationship too embarrassing to call a married couple.

Shion was a man with scars from before the regression remaining too deep.

Because he absolutely could not forget the Serena who cried with empty eye sockets calling Poesia, Poesia, he could absolutely not be sincere even when treating the current Serena.

Shion always treated Serena like a glass craft.

As if afraid she might break, as if anxious that his touch might leave a mark.

But Serena was not a glass craft, and in some aspects, she was even tougher and stronger than Shion.

Only, Shion could not acknowledge it.

What can I do?

I have to be patient.

Serena thought so.

Because she knew the weight Shion carried was unusual.

She willingly tolerated Shion’s attitude and decided to be grateful for the fact that he still cherished her.

All these thoughts allowed Serena a single ray of a smile.

Seeing that single ray of a smile, Kateka could guess the depth of the person named Serena.

“…Zionis, I’m really envious….”

“Because he has a wife like me?”

“…Of course…. What is he doing leaving such a wife behind, not coming out quickly….”

Kateka muttered playfully.

Once called the Reclusive Prince and kept in his room, Kateka had now become a proper adult.

If Secundus had seen him, he would have been proud that he raised him.

“…You are going to Kosavagarobira, right.”

“Yes. I have something to tell him.”

“There is another person who has business in Kosavagarobira….”

Kateka said.

“…I will introduce you. Even though she is a busy person, she happens to be here….”

“I am not that busy, Kateka.”

It was a beautiful and powerful voice.

Serena was dazzled and lifted her head.

“Only incompetent leaders are busy.”

“…Since I am incredibly busy, I must be incompetent.”

“Try harder.”

“…….”

The woman’s hair was brilliant silver.

Under the bright sunlight of Horm, she shone like an ice statue.

Added to that, her coldly sharp beauty gave the impression of a single keen treasured sword.

“You are Zionis’s wife?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“To think that little kid Zionis has a wife….”

The silver-haired woman laughed, covering her mouth.

She was clearly recalling seven years ago.

“Nice to meet you.”

Serena realized the woman’s identity.

“I am Leniar de Volmark.”

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