Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100\% Accuracy-Chapter 242: Retreat to the Border, and What Follows (7)

Zeilant Castle, the Furthest Outpost of Brans Army

Once an insignificant fortress, Zeilant Castle had suddenly become a critical strategic point at the very edge of Brans Army’s territory after the army split into three factions.

Originally, it had been little more than a stop along the road, and losing it had seemed inevitable. However, thanks to a fortunate turn of events, Lyn had managed to solidify its defenses while Chel’s Army and Carlints’ Army were too occupied with each other to intervene.

And now, seated in the castle lord’s chair, receiving reports, was not Aneka Rem, the original lord, but the ruler herself—Lyn Brans.

"Lord Lyn, as per your orders, we have enforced the blockade to the east."

At Rem’s report, Lyn nodded in satisfaction.

"Good work. What about Parfalle?"

"She has yet to return from the blockade site. She mentioned she would likely be late, as there were additional matters to attend to."

"Is that so?"

If it was Parfalle, she could be trusted.

Seeing that Lyn seemed reassured, Rem hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking again.

"Uhm... Lord Lyn?"

"What? Do you have a question?"

"Well... I mean... There’s no need for you to answer if you don’t want to, but..."

"What is it?"

After much hesitation, Rem finally asked:

"May I ask why you made this decision?"

"Hah, is that all? For a second, I thought you were going to tell me you wanted to quit."

"I honestly thought you might snap at me for questioning your orders..."

Rem swallowed those words, merely watching as Lyn let out a small, amused smile.

"It’s simple. Serpina’s army did the same thing."

"...What?"

"You know that Chel’s Army and Aishus Army are currently at war, right?"

"Yes, I’ve heard as much."

"Think about it. Why are they at war? What do you think?"

"Well... because Chel Brans killed one of Aishus Army’s founding heroes, didn’t he?"

Lyn nodded at that, but she wagged her finger, signaling that it wasn’t the full answer.

"That’s the result, not the cause of the war. What I’m asking is—why did they even meet in the first place? How was Chel able to kill Aishus Army’s founding hero?"

"Uh..."

Rem hesitated, unsure if admitting ignorance would get her scolded like in the past. But before she could worry too much, Lyn spoke in an unexpectedly gentle tone.

"It’s okay if you don’t know. I’ll tell you."

"...I-I don’t know."

She swallowed nervously, but Lyn didn’t scold her or criticize her. Instead, she simply shared her thoughts.

"In my opinion, it all started when Serpina’s Army withdrew its troops from the border. Think about it. If they hadn’t pulled back, would Chel’s Army and Aishus Army have even crossed paths?"

It was true that the immediate spark for the war had been Chel’s execution of Hernandorf, one of Aishus Army’s founding figures.

But the reason things escalated to this point was because Serpina had vacated her holdings in the central continent.

If not for that, there would have been no reason for the two nations to clash so violently.

"Ah... That does make sense, my lord."

"Right? And now, Serpina’s Army—the very ones who triggered this whole mess—have issued a blockade near Kelstein Castle, preventing any outsiders from entering their territory."

"Then... did you issue the blockade simply because Serpina did?"

"That’s right."

Lyn absentmindedly twirled a strand of her blue hair around her fingers—one of her habits whenever she was deep in thought.

"People only talk about the war between Chel’s Army and Aishus Army, but what is Serpina, the one who orchestrated this whole situation, actually doing? She’s sealing off entry into her own country."

Her tone sharpened.

"That means she didn’t abandon the central continent just because of some rebellion in the northern territories, as rumors suggest. No—maybe she’s ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) actually trying to prevent something from spreading into the central continent instead."

"Something spreading... Could it be...?"

Rem’s voice trailed off, her face paling.

Lyn’s blue eyes sparkled as she spoke in the same lively tone she’d used when she had first seized the throne, pushing aside her two elder brothers to become the heir to Brans Army.

"A plague."

"......!!"

"Why else would I issue the blockade?"

Lyn let out a smirk and continued her explanation.

"That’s why Serpina abandoned the central continent. Otherwise, it just doesn’t add up. That greedy woman wouldn’t throw away the land she fought so hard to take just to make two other nations fight. That would be an outright loss for her. If Chel gets destroyed or Aishus gets destroyed, the balance of power simply tips in one direction—it doesn’t benefit Serpina’s Army at all.

I think it’s very possible that she knew about the plague ahead of time."

"If what you’re saying is true, then I suppose it makes sense... But how could Serpina possibly know whether a plague will spread or not? Objectively speaking, her actions just seem like those of a cruel, capricious witch."

"......."

At those words, Lyn, who had been speaking smoothly up until now, suddenly fell silent.

She slowly closed her eyes.

"...It’s not Serpina that I trust."

"...Excuse me?"

"I would never trust that wretched woman. She killed her own kin with her own hands to secure her claim to the throne. ...Then again, considering how our army split apart, I suppose I’m not in any position to criticize her for that."

Lyn let out a short, bitter chuckle.

"But—"

She opened her eyes again.

"There’s someone there that is worth trusting."

"...?"

It wasn’t Serpina that Lyn believed in.

Rather, it was the one person who had likely advised Serpina to take actions that, on the surface, seemed incomprehensible.

This style of problem-solving—it was something Lyn was very familiar with.

Someone who had once been within her grasp.

Someone who had always been right.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

A strategist with white hair who, no matter the situation, had only ever spoken the truth.

Lyn slowly opened her eyes again.

Then, flashing a knowing smile, she said:

"Well... No use dwelling on the past, is there?"

"R-right..."

And just like that, the conversation came to an end.

Though her curiosity had only grown after their conversation was cut short, Rem chose to remain silent rather than press further.

She had no desire to provoke Lyn’s temper unnecessarily.

To be honest, even this cryptic exchange had been a bold move on Rem’s part.

She knew better than anyone just how difficult it was to appease Lyn’s whims, having worked her way up to the rank of a castle lord in Brans Army.

Of course, she had heard rumors that Lyn had changed drastically, that she was an entirely different person from before.

But people are skeptical by nature—it was hard to believe anything until she saw it with her own eyes.

So far, she had cautiously probed Lyn’s disposition, ready to withdraw at the first sign of irritation.

But to her surprise, Lyn hadn’t lashed out.

She had listened to the question without annoyance, accepted uncertainty without mockery, and explained her thoughts with a rare patience.

Her tone and mannerisms were still the same as before, but the emotions behind them had changed.

"Has she truly changed?"

Even the strategist had said it—the Lyn before the Brans Army split and the Lyn after were completely different people.

Seeing her now, it was easier to believe... but trust, once broken, is difficult to restore.

"She’s probably just lowering her guard for now because the situation is difficult. I shouldn’t get my hopes up."

Lyn studied Rem, who had bowed her head in deference.

She already knew what Rem was thinking.

The way she watched for every reaction, the way she spoke cautiously, the way she measured every word—

It was a look Lyn was very familiar with.

It was the same way her vassals had once behaved toward her, back in the days when she had believed herself untouchable, standing alone at the top.

"There’s no need to explain myself in detail."

Lyn let out a small, bitter smile.

The only thing she could do now was prove through her actions that she was different from before.

And if her belief—no, if the belief of the man she trusted—was correct, the central continent would soon be thrown into chaos.

It wasn’t time to act yet.

Just a little longer...

Just a little more patience, a little more preparation...

"The time will come."

Lyn decided to bide her time even further.

For the day when the sky-blue banners of Brans Army would once again cover the central continent.

***

ishus Army's Field Base

"...So we lost?"

"Yes, my lord. I have no excuse... Please, execute me."

The warrior knelt before Yuri, head bowed low.

Yuri spoke in a cold, detached voice.

"Tell me. What do I gain by killing you?"

"Th-that is..."

"...Forget it. If you truly want to prove your loyalty, then pull yourself together. Go back to the battlefield and earn redemption. That is all I ask."

"......."

"What are you waiting for? Go."

"...Understood."

As the warrior left, Yuri let out a deep sigh.

She had thought conquering Chel’s Army would be a simple task.

But things were not going as smoothly as she had expected.

The continuous forced marches, the relentless battles, and the prolonged sieges—Aishus Army’s soldiers were nearing their limit.

Even the commanders, who had been fighting non-stop, were beginning to show signs of exhaustion.

"Damn it."

Yuri slammed her fist onto the desk.

Hernandorf was suffering in the afterlife, even now.

And until she severed that bastard Chel’s head, she would not know peace.

But Chel had taken personal command of his forces.

As the former strongest swordsman of Brans Army, even past his prime, he was no easy prey.

Emma and Epinnel were fighting fiercely, but—they lacked the decisive strike to finish the war.

"...I might have to hire mercenaries."

If this stalemate continued, the war would turn into an endless war of attrition.

Instead, she could tip the scales by overwhelming Chel’s Army with sheer numbers.

Of course, doing so would require an enormous amount of gold—

Enough that her Plan B might no longer be an option.

But right now, nothing mattered more than erasing Chel Brans from the map.

"Yes. I’ll speak with Anima about it when she arrives."

The thought settled her resolve.

But just as she finally made her decision, a deep, gnawing unease surfaced in the back of her mind.

Something felt off.

Why...

Why hadn’t Anima arrived yet?

She should have been here by now.

"...Is she still asleep?"

No.

Anima was the last person to oversleep.

Something was wrong.

Yuri slowly rose from her seat and headed toward Anima’s quarters.

The feeling of unease grew stronger with every step.

She couldn’t explain it, but—

It was an instinctual dread.

Finally, she reached Anima’s door.

Taking a deep breath, she called out.

"Anima, are you there...?"

No response.

A cold chill ran down her spine.

Without hesitating any further, Yuri pushed open the door.

And—

"......!!!!"

The sight that met her eyes—

A pale, sweat-soaked Anima lay in bed, wracked with violent coughs.

"Kuhh...! Cough... Cough...!!"