I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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As the sun began to set, I realized I had been utterly mistaken.

Years ago, I believed the most nerve-wracking thing in the world was the first deployment to the battlefield.

Born into a martial family, I didn’t possess any extraordinary talent in that regard.

I remember being filled with thoughts of whether I would be a burden to my family and clan.

But that wasn’t the case. Even as a member of a martial family, the battlefield wasn’t as terrifying as I had thought.

If I had trembled in fear, I would have failed to take on the position of military advisor and eventually rise to the rank of Chief of Staff.

I would have made a slew of awkward mistakes and not been able to step up proudly.

Instead, what left my heart racing more than any of that was the wedding ceremony.

The guests flooding in felt more daunting than the enemies pouring in from the front.

Even though they would surely laugh it off if I made a blunder.

But as time passed, that wedding ceremony became merely ‘a thing’ in the past.

The tension of becoming a married man. Guests from both the empire and foreign nations were gathering.

The pressure of absolutely not making a mistake overwhelmed me, leaving me forgetful.

After the wedding, I was waiting for some event with Bel.

‘…I wonder if I did alright?’

Glancing to the side, I saw Bel still lost in dreamland.

Yes. Bel and I. We were in the same bed, sharing the same blanket.

As husband and wife, we passionately welcomed our first night together, just like anyone else.

If you asked me how that moment was, I honestly couldn’t say.

It’s not that I don’t remember. In fact, I remember it clearer than anything.

It’s just that I had no idea how to express it; I couldn’t dare to put it into words.

Bel and I were that passionate, focusing on each other for days.

It was the fruit of love that blossomed not from an arranged marriage, but from mutual feelings.

“K-Kael? Wait a second. Can I really just take a quick break?”

“Are you already trying to rest? What a waste of time.”

But on the second day, Bel started to tire and couldn’t keep up.

I thought nothing of it since she had been indifferent on the battlefield with me.

But from the third day onward, I had to lead our married time entirely.

On the first day, Bel was so confident, but that image had completely vanished.

Well, that was only natural. Bel was the princess of the empire, and I was a child of a martial family.

Even though my martial skills were lacking, I had undergone several physical training sessions under my father.

In contrast, Bel had only practiced the very basics, so the difference was inevitable.

‘Thanks to that, it feels like I’ve been doing everything since yesterday. I can’t even ask if she was okay.’

It’s a bit tricky to say that physical ability and technique directly relate… maybe not?

Yet, I couldn’t ask her directly because I’d feel embarrassed to do so.

Even if I mustered the courage to ask, would Bel respond properly?

Then I shook off those thoughts and looked at Bel, whose breath I could feel beside me.

She’s beautiful. That’s the only word that comes to mind. My wife. My partner. The lady of our family.

The person who would someday become the mother of my child. The only one I would grow old with for a lifetime.

“Ugh.”

Suddenly, Bel shuddered, slowly opening her eyes.

Watching her drowsy gaze glisten with sleep made me catch my breath.

That sight was not good for my heart. It was too deadly.

“Kael?”

“Did you wake up?”

“…I felt like someone was watching me.”

Bel, who had been gazing at me in a daze, slowly opened her arms.

Realizing what she meant, I hugged her tightly.

Feeling her warm body sent heat racing through me.

“Do I have to go back to work now?”

Work. Yes. Unfortunately, I don’t have many holidays granted to me.

I spent three days with Bel. Just the two of us, without any interruptions.

For those moments, as the newlywed, I did my best to stay by my bride’s side.

But the next day… starting today, I had to return as Chief of Staff.

There were still many tasks ahead. They would only increase, not decrease.

“What’s on the agenda for today?”

“I suppose I should head back to the Dedorant occupied territories.”

“…Ah. You’re going to meet the Count of the West.”

The Count of the West of the Empire. Paelus Gusthagen of Westpoint.

Yes, that Paelus. The first among the surrendering Dedorant figures to be granted a title.

That was granted by none other than the Emperor himself.

Thanks to that, the lingering unease in the Dedorant occupied territories was somewhat alleviated.

With the Emperor personally granting a title, the fear of being expelled was nearly gone.

The residents of the Dedorant occupied territories had also relaxed significantly due to ongoing support.

Public sentiment had stabilized to some extent. Now it was time for redevelopment.

If this had been previous imperial territory, it would have been okay to start right away.

But since it was an occupied territory, we had to soothe public sentiment first, then discuss the rest.

If word got out that we were attempting to exploit them like slaves, it would be unmanageable.

“Once the Dedorant schedule is over, I need to head back to the capital. Specifically, a meeting with the Minister of the Palace.”

“That’s for the Ducal title ceremony, right?”

When marrying a princess of the empire, until then, I had unofficially received the treatment of a duke.

Since the time of the Great Emperor, there hadn’t been any formal acknowledgment of a duke in the empire.

But this time, my father-in-law took it upon himself to establish that precedent.

There was no opposition. It meant that my contributions were clear.

It would be a lie to say it wasn’t burdensome, but I didn’t outright decline.

Since my father-in-law mentioned it in the Emperor’s name, I shouldn’t argue further.

Above all, it’s for my wife, Bel. Receiving a ducal title would be best.

Honestly, if she’s a princess, shouldn’t she be a duchess and not just a lady of the empire?

“Then I’ll be off… Bel? Bel? Why are you suddenly getting up?”

“Well, when my husband is going to work, how can I just lie in bed?”

I might be okay, but Bel wasn’t. Her frowning face looked quite uncomfortable.

Our first night as a married couple had been hotter than that of any other couple.

Even though it was likely to cause aches here and there, Bel still stubbornly got up and put on her clothes.

A life being seen off by my wife. It wasn’t a future I had imagined, but I found it quite nice.

*

“Welcome back, Chief of Staff.”

From Dedorant’s fallen general to now the Count of the West, Paelus.

As he bowed his head, Kael treated him as a noble of his country.

“I’ve heard the news, Count Westpoint. Starting next week, the reconstruction efforts will commence in earnest.”

“Yes. First, we plan to repair the roads destroyed by the Dedorant army and rebuild the cities and towns.”

“The area that was the Dedorant royal capital…”

“After several meetings with the commanders of the occupation forces, we concluded that it has cleanly vanished to the point where there’s no need for evaluation. For now, we’re focusing on rebuilding the residential areas of the populace rather than the royal capital itself.”

There is no longer a royal capital in this land. Only the capital remains.

The people living here are no longer kingdom people; they are now citizens of the new imperial territory.

It may feel unfamiliar at first, but entering that boundary is the way to the future.

“By the way, I heard you held a wedding ceremony. I wanted to attend, but I was unable to due to the urgent matters here, and I apologize for that.”

“I already know from the letter I sent. You didn’t need to say that. If the Count of the West had come to the ceremony, I would have been the one asking why you were here.”

After exchanging some casual conversation, Kael and Paelus moved on to the real agenda.

“The empire is establishing a military academy. You’re aware, right?”

“Yes. I’ve heard that a few times from the legion commanders assigned to the occupied territories.”

“Then we can get to the point quickly. We intend to enroll individuals from this Dedorant occupied territory in that military academy.”

At Kael’s words, Paelus looked surprised.

Though Dedorant has been absorbed into the empire, it was a place that fought against it.

He might have some resistance to accepting those from an army that was once an enemy.

“May I ask why?”

“Of course. It’s a valid question. Even though it has been absorbed into the empire, not long ago we were enemies. That’s why it’s puzzling that we would accept them into the military academy.”

“To be frank, yes.”

Upon hearing Paelus’s words, Kael took a sip from the tea before him.

“Do you know, Count Westpoint? Those who are wary of others often block their path to advancement. They see it as the quickest and most effective shortcut to find peace of mind.”

“I understand.”

“However, conversely, when their path to advancement is blocked, they start to have different thoughts. What was once considered the best precaution against them becomes the worst reason instead.”

In fact, this idea also appeared among the opinions from within the empire, particularly from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

However, Kael, alongside the Chief of Staff and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, firmly opposed that notion.

If the worry is an outside threat, the best course of action isn’t to push them out into the cold.

It’s much better to bring them close, keep them warm by the fire, and watch over them instead.