I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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Setongrad, which had somehow endured a massive three-month wave of assaults, was now facing an unprecedented crisis.

This time, even the defenders of the 1st Legion found themselves in dire straits.

“Fire! It’s a fire!!”

“Put the fire out quickly! Hurry!!”

A sudden fire broke out. Fortunately, it wasn’t in the supply depot, but chaos ensued.

As the flames grew larger, even the watch forces had to come down and engage in firefighting efforts.

But the Dedorant Army was not to be underestimated; they seized the moment without hesitation, storming right into the fortress.

No matter how formidable the 1st Legion was, they were overwhelmed trying to defend both the outside and inside simultaneously.

“Commander! This is too much! The walls have already been breached by the enemy!”

“The gates have fallen to them as well. Even if we wanted to send reinforcements, too many are tied up fighting the fire!”

There was no way to hold them off. Stubbornness would only lead to drowning in the crashing waves.

The Legion Commander quickly assessed the situation and made the most suitable decision he could.

“Abandon the outer walls! Fortify the paths inside the fortress and hold our ground there!”

All of the 1st Legion was composed of elite soldiers. They were not merely relying on the walls for protection.

By this time, the interior had already been fortified in case of emergency.

They had also twisted the pathways using various materials to make it a labyrinth.

The aim was to delay the enemy’s advance as much as possible.

Thanks to this, the enemy quickly retreated after realizing they had to abandon their hopes of breaching the walls.

Even amidst such a sudden situation and the order to retreat, there was no sign of panic.

They might have sensed something unusual, but the Dedorant had no time to spare.

The immediate relief of having broke through the outer gates and the excitement kept them moving.

However, it wasn’t long before they realized this was not the end.

“What’s this!”

“The paths are a complete mess; we can’t move any further!”

“Get a messenger out there to stop them from getting in! At this rate, we’ll be tangled up with our own Dedorant soldiers and unable to do anything!”

The fight was merely just beginning. It started with entwined pathways like a maze.

They had expected the complex due to its size, but the Imperial 1st Legion was far more formidable than they had anticipated, both before and during the battle. The interior had been partially fortified.

“Damn it! I thought it was over! What the hell is this!”

“Don’t push! There’s no space! Argh!”

Confusion arose among the units. It was too early to even discuss recapturing.

Some were in despair over that reality, but others wielded their excitement like a weapon.

“Just a bit more strength! The enemies who were clinging to the walls have lost that now. They have nothing left!”

“Charge! Like a storm, charge! Take it back! The glory of the Deo Ethnicity is right in front of us! Deliver another defeat to the Empire and engrave the fear of Dedorant in their hearts!”

The accumulated rage erupted like a volcano.

The Dedorant Army surged forward, pushing the 1st Legion back consistently.

However, amidst this chaotic assault, surprisingly their damages were minimal.

Rather, they calmly lured the enemies deeper into the the citadel, engaging in a war of attrition.

Yes, as if they had anticipated and prepared for this kind of situation.

“What’s the current situation?”

“Many Dedorant soldiers have entered past the gates. It’s estimated to be over 20,000 based on initial confirmations.”

“They managed to enter in such numbers through those narrow paths?”

That was the fortress that had been mercilessly tormenting them for the past three months.

With that door wide open, who wouldn’t be insane with excitement, both the soldiers and commanders?

Even with their allies packed ahead, they continued to pour in without stopping.

Their hearts surely longed to be part of the glorious moment of taking the fortress.

“Supplies were diverted to the interior, right?”

“Yes, Commander. There wasn’t much left anyway, so it was finished quickly.”

“Good. Don’t hold back the flames, make them even stronger. The wind is blowing outward, making it perfect to carry the flames to the Dedorant!”

As soon as the order was given, the 1st Legion soldiers intensified the fires.

Those flames soon began to carry on the wind out towards the exterior of the fortress.

“Fire! It’s a fire!!”

“Damn it! This path is impassable!”

“Put the fire out! You fools, put it out! This fortress holds the glory of our Dedorant! It must not burn completely!”

Some focused on securing the pathway for their allies, while others thought of Dedorant glory.

They concentrated on extinguishing the flames, prioritizing that over attacking the retreating Empire.

The Dedorant Command showed their confusion over the news, but there was little they could do.

Their own forces struggled to move amidst the flames; how could they continue the battle?

Rather, they comforted and encouraged those on the field to make what decisions they could.

However, unlike those in the field, those within the command were unable to hide their anxiety.

The cause of their unease was the intelligence received while they were launching their attack.

[ Movement detected from the Empire’s Western 5th Legion and the Eastern Kingdom Alliance shortly after the situation in Setongrad occurred ]

[ Reinforcements have been urgently dispatched to halt the advance, but the possibility of further reinforcement is high ]

[ A request for support from the Atria front has been received. Multiple signs of movement from the Nobogord troops have been detected ]

[ Benito and the stationed 5th Legion sent an urgent report. The trained reserve forces of the Empire are joining the Benito front ]

Time had been wasted. Ideally, they should have retaken and prepared for a counter-attack long ago.

But sending support units in all directions had sapped their strength at an alarming rate.

They’d broken through the gates, but from the looks of it, complete occupation would take at least a few days.

Given that, the command sensed it was time to make another decision.

Should they aim for the complete recapture of the fortress or focus solely on the annihilation of the Imperial 1st Legion and then retreat?

Or should they act more swiftly than the enemy and reorganize their forces around the fortress?

Choosing the former could allow for some wiggle room in case of contingencies.

They could also allow tired soldiers a moment of respite after the prolonged sieges throughout the winter.

But one cannot overlook the fact that even that alone wouldn’t equate to victory.

Given the tense atmosphere within, a half-hearted victory might come to feel like a defeat.

Conversely, if they chose the latter, no matter how few, it would take a few extra days.

While that might seem short, sometimes that fleeting moment makes all the difference.

A dagger seeking them might be approaching at any moment.

Yet, the Dedorant had already shattered that threat once before.

Most importantly, if they were to annihilate the Imperial 1st Legion, morale would surely soar.

Recapturing this fortress and erasing Seton’s name would change the mood immensely.

‘If we can start with an immediate victory, silence DeGale first, while continuing to persuade Ross Tanika. If the Atria and Benito fronts can hold out in the meantime, even the Empire will find themselves considering negotiation options.’

Gains seem to outweigh losses, and that is an unavoidable perspective.

Above all, those who’ve risen through such ways have seen it as the most natural outcome.

And with over a year without significant achievements, their thirsts had reached their limits.

[ To all Dedorant troops ]
[ Just before the recapture of Setongrad. We plan to send reserves to each area as long as we have the leeway ]
[ Following the completion of the situation, we will reorganize forces and prepare for the next Imperial offensive ]
[ Local defenders are requested. If we maintain the frontlines, possibilities are ample ]

In the end, the command decided to completely suppress Setongrad.

No matter how long it took to extinguish the flames or clear the situation.

To break the Empire’s momentum and revive the Dedorant spirit.

So that they can instill hope and ambition into the soldiers struggling in each area.

But the news they received the following day surpassed even their wildest expectations—

“Communication with the rear has been cut off?”

“Since yesterday afternoon, all magical communications suddenly ceased. It seems there was an issue at the magic communication station, and I’ve sent someone to investigate.”

Here, the rear does not refer to the back of Setongrad.

It refers to even deeper places, far from the battlefield.

While they never imagined anything might happen there, suddenly—

“Urgent report from the flank unit! The Empire’s large army has suddenly appeared!”

“A large army? The only ones nearby were the recently withdrawn Western Legion and the Eastern Kingdom Alliance!”

“We’re still confirming, but it seems they’re going to bolster both the northern and southern fronts! They’re waving the flags of the Eastern Legion and Southern Legion!”

The moment such a report reached the Dedorant Command, their heads raced with frantic thoughts.

If this was a trick from the Empire, then they were attempting to strengthen their flanks and prevent any further advances.

Furthermore, they were probably trying to prevent the deployment of troops to the northern and southern fronts.

‘We must hasten the cleaning up of Setongrad to avoid falling into their trap and turn the pressure back on.’

But what if this was indeed a legitimate flank attack?

If support for the north and south was simply a decoy and the main strike was in the center?

What then would be the situation on the frontline, which had concentrated all focus?

“Immediately reinforce the flanks! There are several units waiting to enter without entering Setongrad; we will utilize them—”

“Reconnaissance report! Large cavalry forces detected behind our lines! The numbers… at least over 8000!”

“What kind of nonsense is this! When did the Empire start deploying cavalry separately! The ones who’ve only been support for the legions, why are they suddenly appearing behind us when our scouts didn’t pick up anything!”

It didn’t make sense. This was Dedorant’s land; they were the ones most familiar with it.

The scouts wouldn’t get lost; they knew the ins and outs of every shortcut.

Then how could they not notice thousands of enemy cavalry entering?

‘…Wait a minute.’

‘Could it be?’

A recent situation unfolded in the command’s mind.

The sudden shaking of Setongrad. The Imperial forces that retreated to support it.

Movements to reduce pressure on this front, while the northern and southern troops were advancing.

And other legions following alongside to protect their flanks as well.

In that situation, a gap must have appeared at least once.

It wasn’t negligence, nor was it overconfidence.

It was merely how things turned out. The fleeting moment was created by the enemy.

Luring them in with bait, baiting, and baiting until they had no choice but to take the hook.

After drawing them into the gigantic trap, once they realized their mistake—

They were now being prevented from fleeing.

“Oh crap.”

Once that thought occurred, a scene surfaced in the minds of all Dedorant soldiers.

The large-scale encirclement battle they had once waged against the Empire.

Though they had fought to the end, the Imperial legions were completely shattered.

And yet now, they found themselves standing in that very place.