I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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“Uh, Kael. Ahem. Chief of Staff.”

“You can call me comfortably, Your Highness the Princess.”

“…Anyway. That song the Dedorants are singing right now, it’s supposedly really popular in Dedorant.”

“Yes. It’s called ‘Lili Marlene.'”

Isn’t it amazing? To think that something exactly like what I remember exists here too.

Thanks to that, things have become much easier. It can evoke their nostalgia.

While listening to that song, could anyone really remain unaffected?

“Will that really be effective? I think it might be better to advocate for surrender instead.”

Still, our princess seemed to be quite worried.

Ah, the reason the princess is here is that she returned to the command a while ago.

Since the siege has been completed, there was no longer any need to stay with the Southern Legion.

“I mentioned to His Majesty the Emperor earlier: they must ask for surrender; we will never advocate for it.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because it will make their collapse faster and more effective.”

“Fight to the death for the glory of the Deo Ethnicity? For pride? That’s utter nonsense. It sounds like something a passing dog would laugh at.”

Yapping about glory and pride won’t mean anything in the face of death.

Humans—no, all living beings have a strong attachment to life.

All creatures live to survive. Humans are no different.

Before such beings, the colossal fear of death has arrived.

They may be holding on for now, but that can’t last long.

Slowly, the notions of pride and honor will fade, and they’ll start facing reality.

They’ll yearn for their parents and siblings, for their lovers and spouses they left behind.

Yet, in that situation, that song they once hummed is playing?

Happy times. Surely, their very lives will come rushing back to them.

“Look at the lyrics, Your Highness the Princess. It says she has long forgotten me. If I were to suffer, who would stand by the streetlamp?”

“The woman I love has forgotten me, and someone else might be by her side. For men on the battlefield, I can’t imagine anything worse than that.”

What?! A madman who hasn’t even gone to battle is stealing my woman?

Just imagining it makes my eyes bulge and my stomach churn.

I can only imagine they’d want to behead the commander who’s urging them to fight right now.

Moreover, that song isn’t sung by anyone other than the Dedorants.

It also should have been a time to celebrate the New Year with family.

Yet, if they’re barely surviving for that month in utter misery—

What thoughts are the Dedorants left in the siege thinking now?

“…This should be the general situation. I wonder if they can fight any longer.”

At my words, the princess merely sighed, “Ah…”

The princess can more or less gauge the situation, too. She can predict what’s coming.

Looking at the Imperial Army singing and humming all around,

When they see beyond victory and glory, and truly confront the primal instinct to survive—

At that moment, I can only conclude that their path is set.

“But, Kael. Even if the soldiers feel that way, the commanders might not share the same thought, right?”

“What you say is true, Your Highness. So, I activated the intelligence network to learn about the enemy commander. As a result, it appears he is a sympathetic type who cares for his soldiers.”

“Then Kael’s strategy might just work.”

“But next to him, there are some who are blinded by the glory of the Deo Ethnicity.”

The princess then looked anxious and exclaimed, “Then what will happen?!”

The commander is generous, but those next to him surely wouldn’t want to surrender at all.

In this situation, I’m asked whether our current strategy can work effectively.

The only answer I can give is one: “It would work even better.”

“If they become divided among themselves, there’s nothing more desirable, Your Highness the Princess.”

“Are you suggesting you didn’t aim for them to surrender from the start—”

“They will become more divided amongst themselves. They’ll distinguish between those who are ‘worthy’ of receiving terms and those who are ‘not worthy.'”

Sometimes, there are those kinds of idiots. They surrender but then act strangely behind the scenes.

Indeed, some of the Dedorants we captured displayed such behavior.

Even in the POW camp, they insisted on maintaining their dignity as the Deo Ethnicity.

Claiming they’d punish anyone who didn’t act like the honorable soldiers of Dedorant.

As if this place isn’t an Imperial POW camp but their own military base.

So what was done to them? Naturally, we had the soldiers beat them with clubs.

There are no inherently bad people in the world. It’s just that some haven’t been hit enough.

And when they get hit enough, they naturally become human, so we did just that.

Anyway. Seeing those types only piqued my interest more in the POW issue.

While there are those who can be taken and used for the Empire,

It’s a waste to feed the taxes of our citizens to those who won’t cooperate.

“I only think and decide for the Empire. For me, those prisoners who aren’t cooperative while eating our supplies have no value.”

“You’re cold.”

“If I’ve disappointed you…”

“No, Kael. That only makes me think even more highly of you. In your mind, it seems there’s only family, your lineage, and the Empire they belong to.”

Absolutely, Your Highness the Princess. That’s the only reason I’ve come this far.

Of course, I’ve begun to consider some things for myself as you advised lately, but still.

“Well, then shall we start moving toward the climax of this play?”

“You mean to where?”

“To the frontline. I will go and request a meeting with the enemy commander. Proposing a 72-hour truce so we can celebrate the New Year we haven’t been able to celebrate during the battle… uwah.”

Just then, my body lurched forward unexpectedly, making me wonder what was going on.

As my mind cleared, oh my. The princess’s face was right in front of me.

Only then did I realize she had grabbed me by my collar.

“Y-Your Highness the Princess?”

“Say it again. Where are you going?”

“I-I’m going to the frontline to meet the Dedorant rear commander—uhk.”

The grip of the princess’s hand tightened around my collar.

Simultaneously, the distance between us, which was already close, became even smaller.

Now we could distinctly perceive each other’s breath.

“What did I say last time?”

“Uh, well.”

“What did I say?”

“Y-You said that now I’m an important person, so I should be cautious.”

“I’m glad you remembered that. I was afraid you might forget.”

But, despite remembering so well,

The princess continues with a fierce smile.

“Again, you’re going to put yourself out there. To reveal yourself at the frontline and even meet directly with the enemy commander.”

“If I don’t take initiative, they might not trust us.”

“Why not just send representatives instead? What if they use some dirty trick?! Don’t you know His Majesty the Emperor personally attached a guard and warned against this?!”

Uh, Your Highness the Princess. I’ve traveled with the guard to both Ross Tanika and DeGale.

The Emperor didn’t mention anything about that, so isn’t it okay?

—But if I say that, she’d only protest more vigorously.

“Your Highness the Princess. Still, I must take the lead this time. It would foster more trust with the enemy, and most importantly, it would elevate the prestige of our Empire.”

“I understood the first part, but why the latter?”

“The Dedorant prince fled, didn’t he? With his soldiers trapped in the siege. If I, as the Chief of Staff of the Empire, appeared before those soldiers, what thoughts would they have?”

What thoughts? Naturally, they’d think ‘Our prince is a coward.’

No matter how impressive someone might be, right now, he’s just a fugitive.

As I said, I must strip away their pride, inside and out.

Only then will when they surrender, they do so sincerely, and when they yield, they truly bow their heads.

There’s no need to leave some strange spark that could lead to more crazies showing up; I’ve enough of those memories from my past life.

“…Truly, I can’t grasp what you’re thinking, Kael.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Your Highness the Princess.”

“Of course. When have you ever seen me insult you?”

Ah, my apologies!

“Haah. Fine. I understand now.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. So then—”

“Which means, let’s go together.”

“Wait, the command—I mean, huh?”

“I said let’s go together. If, as you said, it’s better for me to join you for the sake of credibility, besides to show the difference between royalty and nobility.”

It’s all so reasonable that I find myself unable to refuse.

As I’m hesitating, the princess rolls her eyes and continues.

“Why? Are you suggesting that because it’s a place where something could happen, it might be dangerous, and therefore we shouldn’t go?”

Ultimately, the next move for the princess has been decided.

The destination will be a direct meeting with the Dedorant rear commander alongside me.

“And, Kael. I want to ask you something.”

“Please do.”

“You said only family, your lineage, and the Empire they belong to occupy your mind?”

“That is correct.”

“Then. Can I be included in that?”

Without realizing, I stopped and turned to look at the princess.

Unlike before, she was calmly meeting my gaze.

It wasn’t a joke or a tease. She was seriously asking.

“…Your Highness.”

Rather than avoiding it, I decided to face it head-on.

“If you, Your Highness the Princess, were to become family with me, that would certainly be possible.”

“I like that answer. Very satisfying.”