I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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It wasn’t without reason that Father brought up the Marquis of Consloker.

The day after news spread that I was returning to the system and taking a break from the family.

“Nice to meet you, Your Excellency the Marquis.”

“Pleasure to meet you too, Chief of Staff.”

In the reception room of the Count’s estate, I faced the Marquis of Consloker.

“It is truly an honor to meet the brilliant strategist of the Empire whose fame resounds throughout.”

“Haha. Everyone says that, but I am not such a remarkable person. Now then, would you like a cup of tea?”

“If the Chief of Staff is offering, then I’ll drink anything. Even if it’s just cold water, I’d consider it the best tea in the world. Hehe.”

The Marquis appears to be in a good mood. I wonder if it’s because I’m supporting his faction.

After that, the Marquis and I passed the time with simple small talk. How the Duke and his lady were doing well, something along those lines.

“How about the war situation?”

Although the Marquis of Consloker did not start as a military figure, he has close ties with the military.

Yet, his asking me that question holds multiple connotations.

For instance, it implies that he has stepped back from all military matters due to the responsibility for the recent defeat.

I am also curious about how he is compensating for the damages caused by his factions.

“It’s going well. As you’ve heard, the Kingdom of Benito is now under the Empire’s influence, and Atria is on the brink of collapse. It should all be sorted out within a month.”

“Then the only remaining concern is Dedorant. They are the last one standing.”

“They intend to sort that out before the year ends.”

The Marquis of Consloker nodded at my words, showing signs of deep thought for a moment.

Then suddenly, he bowed his head towards me.

“Your Excellency?”

“Thank you. And I apologize.”

“I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to.”

“It’s because of my son. And those connected with our family. The Empire suffered a great defeat, and two entire legions disappeared, bringing disgrace upon us. The Chief of Staff had to undertake incredibly perilous ventures, and I’m sure you’ve struggled to fill that vacant spot ever since.”

Hmm. Even for courtesy’s sake, I should deny that, but I can’t bring myself to do so.

After all, it was the Marquis’s fifth son, Commander Mesok, and his subordinates who led the operation at that time.

The result was devastating damage, and the Empire nearly broke its back trying to recover.

As for the lute incident I was having… well, let’s just move past that, as it’s a personal matter.

“If this is a thank-you for doing well, I’m happy to accept it. But Your Excellency the Marquis, I believe the apology should go not to me but to the families of those valiant soldiers who fought bravely and perished.”

The Marquis nodded firmly with a solemn expression, claiming he would do so without fail.

I’ve heard that he is already generously using his wealth to assist the bereaved families.

Additionally, he seems to be pouring funds into rebuilding the legions under the guise of military aid.

It’s thanks to such diligence that the Emperor has not demanded more from the Marquis.

In fact, this may also be why our Empire has coped well without falling into a crisis later on.

What if the war situation deteriorated to the worst after losing two legions?

No matter how much wealth he deployed, the Emperor’s wrath wouldn’t easily subside.

‘Perhaps my thanks also includes such aspects.’

Had things gone wrong, not just his title but even his life might have been at stake.

At that moment, I showed up and helped him overcome every crisis, so he must be relieved to no end.

It makes sense why a person of the Marquis’s stature, treated as an equal to a minister, would personally come to see me.

‘Now then, shall I get to the main point?’

There’s no way the Marquis came all this way just for small talk.

Everyone wants something; there’s something he wishes to convey but hasn’t yet.

Honestly, it’s understandable. I can imagine how much pressure he must be feeling. It’s a tough situation even for me.

Had I been a stickler for extreme efficiency, I might have made him wait indefinitely.

However, I’m not that cold-hearted kind of person, so I decided to speak first.

“About the personnel I’ve reassigned to the staff, these are individuals related to you, as Your Excellency knows.”

“Hmm? Ah, right. They were the ones who were sidelined from the staff due to that issue. I heard the Chief of Staff called them back.”

“It’s only natural. Though there were some mistakes, it would be a loss to throw away such experience and ability, regardless of the Empire’s status.”

I took a sip of tea, positioning myself appropriately.

Not too arrogant, but neither overly humble.

I aimed to present myself as someone painting a grand vision for the future.

“Some people think the end of the war means the end of everything, but in fact, the real challenging and difficult times come post-war. Rebuilding, gauging the public sentiment, handling external affairs—these require individuals far more capable than during the war.”

“Indeed.”

“I will lead the newly selected individuals. While I cannot disregard the past, it’s crucial to keep them close to avoid repeating previous errors.”

After the war concludes, I will be linked with the Princess.

Being a Duke is already a significant position, but I might be carrying even greater burdens.

If that happens, having even one enemy nearby could lead to great fatigue.
It’s wise to cultivate at least some friendly forces, even if they aren’t my closest friends.

“…I hear the Chief of Staff is quite self-deprecating.”

“It’s not self-deprecation; it’s a rational evaluation.”

“I thought so too, but now I see that’s not the case. Self-deprecation indeed!”

Wait, no, I’m really not being modest here! Did he just say that based on what I said?

This level of reasoning should be standard knowledge for anyone aware of the political landscape.

It’s simply strange for someone like me, the eldest son of a Duke, to act like some kid.

“Chief of Staff. No, Prince Kael Clausewitz. If you ever need my assistance, I will stake everything from the Marquisate to help you, as long as it doesn’t run counter to the safety of the Empire and the Imperial Family.”

“Uh, thank you for the offer, but…”

“It seems His Majesty is very fortunate.”

I no longer know whether this fortune pertains to noble wealth, son-in-law privilege, or perhaps even slave luck.

“…I look forward to your continued support, Your Excellency.”

“That’s what I wanted to say, Chief of Staff.”

*

After taking a restful five days, I returned to the frontline.
Not much had changed. Benito was on the operating table, and Atria was undergoing cleaning.

Once the issues with the two kingdoms were resolved, the temporarily paused Dedorant offensive would resume.

“…Why are you telling me this?”

The former Commander of Dedorant, Paelus, dragged to my tent rather than a prison camp, wore a blank expression at first before turning sour upon realizing the situation.

While he had surrendered, this circumstance couldn’t be pleasant for him.

It must be hard to witness the collapse of the country to which he had devoted everything.

His choice to surrender wasn’t for his own safety but rather for the sake of his soldiers beneath him.

“I attended the grand strategic meeting under the auspices of our Emperor in the capital. Commander Paelus.”

“….”

“However, I heard some important news there. Normally, I should remain silent about it, but considering our loyal Commander Paelus from Dedorant, I felt it wouldn’t be right to keep it a secret. It wouldn’t sit well with my conscience.”

I’m lying. I had already thoroughly discussed this with the Minister of War and the Minister of Special Affairs.

Ultimately, the Emperor even gave the green light on it.

“The King of Dedorant seems to have encountered some trouble.”

“…What?”

“Reports from our informants and those we’ve corrupted within Dedorant came back with similar information. It seems the King has been reclusive for some time, and this doesn’t appear to be mere isolation.”

Paelus briefly displayed a strange expression but quickly composed his face.

“Listen here, Chief of Staff. I considered you a distinguished individual, but this is quite disappointing. Are you attempting to shake me with such trivialities?”

“Shake you? Commander Paelus, I can’t help but feel like you’re misunderstanding something due to your incessant calling.”

I purposely pulled a chair with a loud scrape and sat in front of Paelus.

Then, I tapped his hat with the baton I held.

“Whether you choose to be persuaded or not has no value to me, nor to our Empire. Benito is already under the Empire’s banner, and Atria is crumbling. Dedorant will soon follow.”

“….”

“There’s no need for any assistance in this process. With the power of the Empire, we can obliterate everything in our path. That’s the situation.”

There seemed to be some misunderstanding. Did he think this was a deception?

Did he believe I was attempting to sway him to become a puppet of the Empire?

“This is merely my goodwill toward a Commander who made a wise choice. Whether you accept it or decline it is entirely up to you. But if you misinterpret it, I will be quite displeased.”

In a calm tone, I made it clear that our standings were different.

Even as a surrendered commander, there would be no special treatment here.

Regardless, it was our men who got injured under the orders of his previous superior.

Misunderstanding goodwill would turn me into quite the sharp-tongued representative of the Empire.

“Since it seems words will only create more resentment between us.”

I placed the various reports I had brought in front of Paelus.

“Why don’t you take a look at these for leisure? Commander.”

*

Kael Clausewitz. Chief of Staff of the Imperial Army.

The prodigy of the Empire.

The one who shattered all weapons and shattered the shields of Dedorant.

In the space he left behind, a thick stack of reports remained.

Paelus stared at them for a moment, then slowly reached out.

‘The Emperor encountered misfortune.’

Cassius II. Although he initially did not follow him, it’s true that he ultimately made some incomprehensible decisions.

Still, he had shown loyalty to the King of Dedorant.

It’s naturally expected; that is the duty of those in positions as nobles.

“….”

Thus, the more Paelus read the reports, the more he felt anger bubbling inside.

Before being a military figure, Paelus himself was a noble.

Though no clear conclusion appeared, some events could at least be inferred.

It absolutely doesn’t make sense. He wants to believe it can’t be true.

But as he logically ruled out possibilities one by one, that tragedy eventually surfaced.

“Your Majesty.”

With his head bowed, Paelus muttered the unanswered call.