Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy – Chapter 37

Episode 37. Battle in the North (1)

*

We departed from Kelshtein Castle, riding northward.

The distance to the fortress wasn’t far.

Though the fortress itself appeared very sturdy, having just been completed, I faced a fundamental question.

“Why build a fortress here, of all places?”

No matter how I thought about it, the location seemed to lack strategic value.

The immediate surroundings were just open plains.

Of course, it could serve as a forward base. The distance between Kelshtein Castle and Cheryen Castle, located at the southernmost tip of Serphina’s territory, was significant.

Then, it seemed better to build a simple camp or watchtower rather than investing time and resources in a fortress.

After all, if a fortress is captured, it immediately becomes an asset to the enemy.

Furthermore, if we consider the possibility of it being captured, it becomes even more problematic.

From Serphina’s army’s perspective, capturing this fortress would be incredibly useful.

Considering the significant amount of gold, labor, and time required to build a fortress, the Brans army might be inadvertently handing it over to their enemy.

“There must be some reasoning behind it.”

Thinking about it, when playing this game, the CPU didn’t really arrange things strategically; they just built fortresses and watchtowers wherever there was space available.

There was no need to overthink it.

Inside the fortress, we easily met the lord and general in charge, Calintz Brans, Lynn Brans’s younger brother.

A handsome man with blue hair and a refreshing appearance.

There was also a middle-aged man with brown hair standing next to him, whom I didn’t recognize.

“I’m Airen, here with 10,000 soldiers upon our lord’s command.”

Airen lightly bowed in greeting, and Calintz warmly welcomed her.

“Oh, General Airen. You’ve arrived. Quicker than expected. And also…”

Calintz glanced behind Airen at us.

“I’m Jack of the Brans army.”

“I’m Celine, affiliated with the Brans army.”

“I’m Swen of the Brans army.”

After receiving greetings from Jack, Celine, and me, Calintz looked at my face for a while.

“Hmm… Have we met before?”

Indeed.

Calintz was the first enemy commander I encountered after arriving in this world.

Had it not been for the mercenary band’s assistance, I would have already lost Zelrandt Castle to this man.

However.

“I’m rather plain-looking, so perhaps you’re mistaken, General.”

“Is that so? Hmm… I can’t agree with being plain, but I’m not certain either.”

Seems I managed to dodge that bullet.

There was no need to loudly proclaim “I was from Lunarien’s army” to this man here.

He might hear about it from Lynn later, but for now, there was no need to bring it up.

“Right. 10,000, you say… What about the defense troops?”

“We came without any defense troops, only with the additional soldiers dispatched by our lord.”

“Is that so? Rashion, that guy… What is he hesitating for? When will such an opportunity come again!”

Calintz hit the desk lightly with his fist, annoyed.

A thud filled the space a little.

“And you’re saying… Lynn- no, our lord has dispatched 10,000 soldiers to Kelshtein Castle?”

“That’s correct.”

“It’s good timing to send them, but… If only more were sent, we could have secured a definite victory.”

Calintz Brans had not attended the regular meeting and had spent his time building this fortress.

What’s communicated in the regular meeting is not the process but the decisions made.

Therefore- unlike the situation with Rashion, who had a one-on-one discussion with me, Calintz was unaware of that situation.

So he could only think of it as “good timing.”

Then, Airen cautiously asked Calintz.

“General Calintz. If you say we could have secured a victory…”

“Ah, yes. We’re planning to gather these forces and immediately attack Cheryen Castle, which Ian’s army has just raised.”

“…!”

What?

With the current fortress troops of 28,000, plus the 10,000 we brought, that makes 38,000.

The enemy forces are recently reported to be 40,000, with a possibility of having increased.

Even taking all these troops might not be enough for victory, and we should leave at least 3,000 behind in case of unexpected events.

Considering the game this world is based on, where strategy/tactics aren’t very realistic, and S-grade generals could decimate numerous soldiers, it would seem plausible to win a siege with about 70,000 troops…?

“Ah.”

At that moment, I thought I understood Calintz’s strategy.

Was he aiming for the ‘chaos’ immediately after the rebellion was raised?

“Excuse me, General Calintz. Has our lord given his consent…?”

The middle-aged man standing beside him asked, to which Calintz responded as if wondering why he would even ask.

“I, along with my brother, have been granted the authority to proceed with operational actions independently within the Brans army, without consulting our lord.”

“But for such a large-scale troop movement-”

“Moreover, now is the time for a surprise attack. If we wait to report and get an answer, we’ll miss the opportunity. Can you take responsibility for that?”

Cut off by Calintz, the man could only apologize with a remorseful expression, unable to say anything.

“…No, my apologies.”

Calintz patted the man’s shoulder, saying,

“I appreciate your concern. But trust me. I have a plan.”

Then.

Airen cautiously raised her hand and spoke.

“General Calintz, I think proceeding with the departure might be unwise.”

“Eh? Why?”

Airen began to explain with as much politeness as she could muster.

“Before a siege, the attacking force must outnumber the defending force. It’s quite difficult to capture a castle with fewer troops than the defenders.”

Calintz nodded at Airen’s words, but then he gave a look as if he didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Under normal circumstances, Airen, I would agree with you. Attacking a castle with fewer troops than the defenders is nearly impossible. However, the current situation is not normal.”

“How so?”

“Ian’s army has just raised a rebellion, so the order within the castle must be a mess. The soldiers who were stationed there serving Serphina woke up to find their lord changed. In such a situation, their morale can only drop. No matter how many troops there are, soldiers who have lost the will to fight, even if they are two or three times in number, do not need to be feared. If we can quickly deal with the demoralized interception troops that come out to man the siege weapons in this chaotic situation, there’s a good chance of winning, that’s my judgment.”

“Indeed.”

In the game this world is based on, when a rebellion is raised and the original castle is taken over, the soldiers’ morale dramatically drops.

Logically, it would be confusing if the lord they serve suddenly changed.

And in this game, ‘morale’ significantly impacts battle outcomes.

Scenes where 30,000 dem

oralized soldiers are defeated by 10,000 highly motivated troops led by an SS-grade general at the forefront.

I had seen such scenes quite often during my 10,000 hours of gameplay.

However.

“Unfortunately, that’s not the case this time.”

The judgment that Ian’s army in Cheryen Castle would have low morale.

There were two points suggesting that wouldn’t be the case.

First, from a world-building perspective.

Ian Rashpalt, who raised the rebellion, was originally one of the lords with an independent force known as “Ian’s army” in the game’s scenario set in the north.

From his background that I remember, he was a fanatical follower of Algot von Aingarth, who was killed by Serphina von Aingarth.

While the game always had variables, I couldn’t know why he was under Serphina’s command in this world line-

Nonetheless, it meant he had a solid foundation, unlike some others.

If the soldiers serving with him were to follow, their morale might not be as low as expected.

Second, simply from a systemic perspective.

In the game this world is based on, the only case where morale doesn’t drop despite a rebellion is when characters designated as lords raise a rebellion.

Though that’s the only case, considering my predictions with an intelligence of 100 always hitting the mark, I couldn’t ignore the possibility of ‘systems’ applying here too.

And Calintz wouldn’t have known the fact that Ian was originally a lord.

After all, he was just living in this world line.

Regardless of my thoughts or words-

Calintz was excitedly speaking as if he was almost certain of his expectations.

“If you think that way, a difference of 5,000 troops can be overcome. I wouldn’t have attempted it with just 28,000 troops, but with 38,000, it’s worth a try. Leaving the minimum of 3,000 behind, we’ll lead a large force of 35,000 to attack immediately. Before Serphina’s army even grasps the situation, we’ll launch a quick surprise attack.”

“So it has come to this.”

If Lynn hadn’t sent any troops at all, Calintz wouldn’t have ventured into a fight he was bound to lose.

It seems Lynn’s ambiguous troop dispatch has given him the impression that it’s worth a try.

Of course, in the game world this is based on, it’s not entirely impossible for 35,000 troops to capture a castle with 40,000.

If you could enlist the siege-specialized ‘Jerome Mercenary Band’ and gather at least three generals with a siege specialty, then with high-command SS-grade generals and an abundance of siege weapons, capturing it could be as easy as eating a cake.

But this wasn’t that situation.

“Moreover, fortunately, you, known as a specialist in siege warfare, have come here.”

Calintz praised Airen as if lifting her up.

While it’s true she has a specialty in sieges, she alone couldn’t turn the tide of battle.

“However…”

“Don’t argue. I won’t change my mind. This is an opportunity! An opportunity to invade Cheryen Castle and achieve glory!”

I sighed as I watched Calintz passionately make his case.

“He seems obsessed with achieving glory.”

Thinking this naturally led me to guess why he would build a fortress in such a place.

Was it just to show he was doing something?

Calintz Brans. Stuck between Lynn Brans, the successor of the Brans family, and Chel Brans, known as the finest swordsman of the Brans siblings, he was the second of the three siblings.

Compared to his aggressive brother, he had the advantage of being easier to handle due to his calm nature as an S-grade general.

However, objectively speaking, he was overshadowed by his brother as a general and outmatched in leadership by his sister, the ruler.

Certainly, he was a remarkable general, but among the three siblings, he was relatively the most ordinary.

While strong and not easily tricked, making him a reliable character from a player’s perspective, seeing him so anxious made me realize once again that a game’s in-game description could never fully explain a character existing in this world as a human being.

Could even a ‘calm’ person end up like this when cornered?

Moreover, he had previously failed to capture Zelrandt Castle, barely managing with 8,000 troops against about 3,000.

Maybe my actions had put him on edge.

But well, that’s something he needs to overcome on his own.

In this situation, opposing him by saying, “It’s dangerous, we shouldn’t depart,” would not be wise.

Earning unnecessary enmity could endanger my life unexpectedly.

Unless someone like Luna blindly trusts me, it’s safer not to express my opinion too much.

“Serphina’s army will act before they do. Opportunities like this won’t come again. I’ll provide 10,000 troops, so prepare for departure immediately. I’ll follow soon.”

Calintz’s attitude suggested he intended to lead Airen as the vanguard.

Even conceding that dragging soldiers into a battle and facing defeat wasn’t my concern, I couldn’t stand to see Airen placed as the vanguard in a battle that was almost certain to be lost.

She would end up bearing the brunt of it.

Now was the time for me to step in.

“Excuse me, General Calintz.”

“Yes?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to offer a simple opinion.”

“Go ahead.”

“I believe it’s not the right choice to send Airen as the vanguard with the troops.”

Hearing my words, Calintz raised an eyebrow, a hint of sharpness in his tone.

“Oh? And your name was?”

“Swen.”

“Right. Swen. Are you saying that my plan to attack Cheryen Castle is not the right choice?”

If it were any other time, I might have wondered why he was making a fuss over nothing, but at this moment, I was grateful.

“Is attacking Cheryen Castle not the right choice?”

[Yes.]

“That’s what you’re saying.”

I couldn’t actually say that, so I put on a very regretful expression.

“That’s absolutely not the case. However, considering it’s a very difficult battle, instead of Airen, who has spent more time in the rear and lacks experience, it would be more efficient for you, General Calintz, who is well-versed in the situation in the north from continuously fighting there, to take the lead.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

“Yes. I also live off the Brans army’s provisions, so I’ve been continuously informed about your actions in the north. If you wish to achieve glory, now seems like a good opportunity.”

Calintz, seemingly pleased with my words, dropped his previously sharp demeanor and said,

“Then, I’ll take the lead in this important battle.”

That worked.

Lynn Brans, his sister, certainly had talent but was somewhat arrogant and indecisive. She also harbored a rather dark inferiority complex.

His brother, Chel Brans, was a very powerful general but sometimes acted rashly due to his arrogant nature, causing mishaps.

The commonality between the two – their arrogance.

It wasn’t hard to guess that someone sharing their blood would be somewhat arrogant, even if such a person was relatively easy.

You just need to flatter them a bit.

Especially since he was feeling anxious at the moment. Having his own pride, he was likely eager to prove himself as capable as his brother and sister.

“Swen, was it? Would you consider joining me in achieving glory?”

“No, as you can see, I’m of a frail constitution… I doubt I’d be much help in battle.”

“I see.”

Calintz didn’t inquire further and turned away.

“Then, I’ll proceed with the preparations for departure immediately. Meanwhile, I’ll leave this fortress in the care of Fark.”

“Understood!”

The brown-haired man finally spoke up.

So, his name was Fark.

I didn’t recognize the name. He must not be a particularly important figure.

“You all, who came with Airen, can stay and guard the fortress. And Airen, I’m sorry, but I’d like you to stay in the rear this time. Assist General Miguel who will be joining us.”

”Yes!”

Jack, Celine, and I weren’t being dragged along, then.

After Calintz left the fortress, I whispered to Airen as she prepared to follow him.

“Airen, please arrange for at least 5,000 troops to be placed in the rear to secure a retreat. More, if possible.”

“Swen…”

Hearing my words, Airen looked around for a moment, then cautiously asked me,

“Do you think… we can’t win?”

“Yes.”

I was certain, not just thinking. I had made a prediction, after all.

Airen, seemingly as skeptical as I was, didn’t ask why but simply nodded slowly.

“Then, regarding taking the lead in the battle-”

She seemed to catch onto something and was about to question me but-

She closed her eyes briefly, then responded to my advice.

“…Understood. I’ll try to persuade General Miguel so I can propose it to him. Directly speaking to General Calintz won’t make him listen.”

“Thank you. Oh, and one more thing, even more important than what I mentioned before.”

I spoke more seriously than ever.

“No matter what, please make sure you come back alive, Airen.”

“…!”

Whether the Brans army faces defeat after defeat or other generals perish, that’s a burden for Lynn to bear, not me.

What I want to protect in this nation is not the unachievable dreams of Lynn Brans, but-

The will of Airen, who steadfastly endures despite everything that negates her.

Hearing my words, Airen froze for a moment without saying anything, then-

Slowly, she nodded.

“I promise.”

“I trust you, Airen.”

Without saying anything further, she turned and began to walk away.

She didn’t speak, but- I could clearly see it.

Faintly, she was smiling.