Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100\% Accuracy-Chapter 286: Back to the Central Continent (1)

The plague had subsided.

Chel, having barely managed to bring the Aishus border region under control, received news that was anything but pleasant.

“Serpina’s forces... are marching this way?”

“Yes... sir!”

“Goddamn it...!”

Chel let out a long sigh.

He had already failed to capture Yuri, Anima, and Epinnel, who had fled across the border due to his own misjudgment.

He had managed to seize the territory, sure—but all he had gained was another plague-ravaged wasteland. Nothing more, nothing less.

“What are your orders, sir?”

“Just wait a moment. I’m thinking, can’t you see?”

At the soldier’s question, Chel rubbed his hand harshly over his mouth, twisting his lips in frustration. The anxiety on his face was plain to see.

“There’s no way I can beat Serpina like this.”

No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t hold this territory and fight her massive army at the same time.

His forces were already depleted from meaningless skirmishes against Aishus and Carlints. The few remaining troops had been drained in the process of stabilizing the border region.

If he’d had more soldiers to begin with, he wouldn’t have lost Yuri in the first place. That fact alone made it clear—he had no real means to withstand Serpina’s massive army.

“Goddamn it!”

Clang!

Chel threw the sword hanging from his waist across the room in a fit of irritation.

Where had it all gone wrong?

In the beginning, there had been hope. Truly, there had.

Most of the best talents in Brans Army had followed him, becoming the backbone of Chel’s forces. Lyn had been driven to the outer edges, a ruler in name only, barely hanging on. Once Carlints was dealt with, Chel would undoubtedly become the next leader of House Brans.

It had been within reach. The path was right there, laid out before his eyes.

So when had it all started to unravel? When he fought the Aishus Army? When he severed Hernandorf’s head? Or had it all begun with the outbreak of the plague?

Or maybe... maybe it had been the moment he raised his own banner in rebellion...?

At that thought, Chel shook his head violently.

“Pointless thoughts.”

Dredging up the past didn’t suit him. He believed that time was better spent thinking about the future.

No matter what choices he made, Chel had never once regretted them. Not even now. He didn’t regret taking Hernandorf’s head. If you didn’t eliminate a general of such overwhelming strength the moment you captured him, things would go sideways—he knew that better than anyone, having lived his life on the battlefield.

“...Summon the officers.”

“Sir...?”

“I said summon the officers! Are you deaf?!”

“Y-yes, understood!”

The soldier quickly relayed Chel’s order to the officers under his command.

Before long, all the core personnel supporting Chel’s forces had gathered in the audience chamber.

“I trust you all understand the situation. I’ve called you here to discuss what we must do next.”

The officers remained silent, observing the situation.

The court strategist—who should’ve stepped up first in a moment like this—had already died from the plague, and no one else dared speak up.

No, it wasn’t that they hadn’t thought of a possible solution. The real issue was that no one had the courage to say the one suggestion that made the most sense.

Then, one of the elder retainers—who had served House Brans for many years—slowly raised his hand.

“...My lord.”

“Speak.”

“To be frank, this is a battle we cannot win. It may be time to make a decision for the future.”

“A decision for the future?”

“Surrender.”

“...!!”

“Surrender now and prepare for what comes next. It's true that most rulers who served a nation are not spared—but Your Lordship was never the true sovereign of Brans to begin with. And you were once called the greatest sword of Brans. Even that ruthless woman Serpina would likely accept your allegiance if you bowed your head. I beg you to survive and bide your time—to strike at Serpina when the opportunity presents itself.”

“So what you’re saying... is that I should kneel to that bitch Serpina?”

“Please, make the wise choice, my lord. Boldness in the face of death is not the same as bravery.”

The moment the elder retainer finished speaking, the atmosphere in the chamber turned heavy.

Everyone stared at him as if he had uttered something that should never have been said.

But they all knew.

That there was no other option besides surrender.

The enemy’s forces were larger, better fed, better trained, and approaching like a tidal wave—while their own army was exhausted from the plague and constant fighting.

Their trump card—a mage capable of turning the tide—was on the other side, with Serpina’s army.

No matter what they tried, there was no objective way to win. Fighting would just lead to meaningless deaths. Which meant surrender was the only rational answer.

And yet... it was a truth too bitter to say aloud.

That retainer had taken the burden upon himself to voice it.

“......”

Chel remained silent for a moment, then finally spoke in a cold tone.

“If it were any other day, I would’ve had your head for speaking such foolishness. But I’m not that stupid.”

“......”

“Even if Lyn is still out there, I’ve spent enough time as a ruler myself. Whether or not Serpina lets me live is a gamble.”

“I understand, my lord... but I believe she won’t kill you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Chel narrowed his eyes, and the elder retainer’s gaze lit up as he replied.

“Because Your Lordship has no ambition to rule the continent.”

“What?”

“Wasn’t your true goal always to restore the Brans Army, which was falling apart under Lyn’s tyranny?”

“......”

Chel was left speechless.

And honestly—what the retainer said wasn’t wrong.

After all, it was true that he'd quickly raised his own faction upon seeing Lyn constantly making the worst possible choices, and then witnessing her brother Carlints betray her and seize Arnel Castle during her absence. At that rate, the Brans Army would’ve collapsed entirely, so Chel acted fast.

He had never once thought, “I will unify the continent,” or “I will reign as sovereign and shape the world.”

What he had in mind was only one thing—restoring the Brans Army to its former glory. That was all.

He’d once acknowledged Lyn’s leadership, but came to believe that neither under her, nor under her younger brother Carlints, could the Brans Army rise again. That was why he took the seat of leadership for himself.

“Serpina is as ruthless as she is frighteningly perceptive. And Your Lordship is a man of integrity—you are not the sort to speak lies like a snake feigning sincerity. So, I believe she’ll easily see that you have no grand ambitions.”

“...You really are saying every damn thing today, aren’t you?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Well, considering I’m likely to lose my head anyway—whether by your hand or Serpina’s—what does it matter? I don’t have many days left. Speaking my mind is my final duty as your retainer.”

Chel burst into loud laughter, the sound echoing through the audience chamber.

Then, his eyes ignited with a fierce blue flame as he addressed everyone with his plan.

“Deliver this order to the lords of each territory. As soon as they receive this message, they are to gather every supply and soldier they can and move to Alkanwood Castle.”

“...!!”

All the retainers’ eyes widened in shock at his words.

“We’re short on troops as it is. If we remain scattered like this, there’s no chance in hell of holding off Serpina’s army. Our only option is to regroup. We’ll make our final stand at Alkanwood Castle.”

“This battle will likely cost many of you your lives. But I have no use for generals who shy away from the battlefield out of fear for their lives.”

“I think you all understand what I’m saying now, don’t you?”

“Y-you mean...”

Chel nodded to the younger retainer standing beside the elder.

“If you value your life, step down from our army now. I won’t stop you.”

No one spoke for a moment.

“...Seems like no one here plans on leaving.”

“We’ll fight to the end with you, my lord.”

“We have never forgotten the pride of the Brans Army.”

One by one, the retainers nodded, each voicing their support.

These were, after all, the elite of the Brans Army. And their enemy was none other than the infamous Serpina. Even if their minds understood that surrender was the rational path, their hearts refused to accept it.

“You too, then?” Chel asked the elder retainer who had first spoken.

“If my lord has decided to fight, then I will as well.”

“Based on your logic, this is an irrational decision, isn’t it?”

“The bond between lord and retainer cannot be explained with reason alone.”

At that, Chel smiled in satisfaction.

The odds of victory were slim. But that didn’t mean he would simply roll over.

If he could just hinder Serpina’s advance, even a little...

Clenching his fist tightly, Chel reaffirmed his resolve.

...No matter what it takes, I’ll make her regret ever crossing Chel Brans.

***

As the occupying forces marched past Kelstein Castle, having departed from Eingart Castle—

“Only ten thousand troops are being sent?”

“Yes.”

Riding alongside her, Airen questioned Serpina with a puzzled look.

“But... isn’t that too few to capture Castle Zog?”

“No. If Chel is someone worth fighting, then ten thousand is enough to take Zog.”

“...I’m sorry, but I don’t quite follow.”

At Airen’s confusion, Serpina gave a faint smile.

Then she turned to me, riding on the other side.

“Swen. Would you explain it for me?”

“In short, if they’ve consolidated their forces, then their base isn’t Castle Zog.”

“Consolidated... their forces?” frёewebnoѵēl.com

“Given our invasion, they don’t have many options. Their best move is to gather their entire army in a more distant stronghold and prepare for a final defense. Even if the odds are against them, it’s their only viable choice. If it were me—”

“Alkanwood.”

“—I’d choose Alkanwood Castle as the rally point...”

Startled by Serpina suddenly speaking, I glanced her way mid-sentence.

“What’s with that look, Swen?”

“...It’s nothing.”

It hit me again—Serpina truly was exceptional.

It was hard to believe someone like her wouldn’t end up unifying the continent.

“In any case, if we’re right and they’ve pulled their troops from Zog, we could’ve sent just a thousand men. It’s probably an empty castle.”

“I see... That’s why you said ‘if he’s someone worth fighting,’ isn’t it?”

“Exactly. If there are still troops stationed there and they give us trouble, well—that’s not a bad outcome either. It just means we split them ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) up and crush them piece by piece.”

Just like she said, sending ten thousand troops served to test what kind of man Chel Brans really was.

And soon enough, the results of that test arrived.

—Slightly more unexpected than anticipated.

“...Is that true?”

“Yes! Just as you suspected, Castle Zog was completely empty, but...”

The messenger’s voice trembled with disbelief as he continued.

“It looked like the whole place had gone up in flames... Every building in the territory was burnt to the ground... It was a wasteland!”