Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100\% Accuracy-Chapter 258: The Second Magician (4)

Jinor’s shocking claim didn’t just surprise Luna, the ruler of Lunarian’s Army.

"...Wait a moment. You’re telling me, old man, that we should minimize the forces to defend the castle? Are you asking to send out all the intercepting units?"

"Yes."

Tifa shook her head as if she couldn’t understand and spoke.

"Do you realize what you're saying? We're talking about 90,000 against 200,000. For this battle to even have a chance, we need the condition of a strong defense. However, since the enemy is bringing siege weapons, we can’t afford to use all 90,000 for defense; we must target the siege weapons. That's why we're sending out 30,000!"

"I understand what General Tifa is saying. But, I’d like to ask you one thing. Can you guarantee that 30,000 men will be able to target only the enemy's siege weapons?"

"I’m here, and Luna’s here. What’s stopping us from doing it?"

"This isn't about whether it’s possible. It’s a matter of certainty—whether we can do it or not!"

Jinor stared intently at Tifa, asking with a tone as if scolding her.

"Can you do it or not? Answer me clearly!"

"...Well, if we’re talking about certainty on the battlefield..."

"Probably not. It’s not that General Tifa or you, Luna, lack the ability. It’s just that, realistically, 30,000 soldiers cannot defeat 200,000. It’s a very basic prediction based on common sense."

"Tch..."

Tifa seemed dissatisfied but ultimately didn’t retort.

Even someone like her, who didn’t think too deeply, could understand.

Right now, she might be saying things like "I’ll definitely make it happen" with confidence, but as Jinor said, unless a miracle occurred, it would be impossible to win—essentially, they would be walking into a suicide mission.

Of course, she wasn’t afraid of dying. If she had cared about her life, she wouldn’t have followed that reckless childhood friend to Zeilant Castle to establish a nation.

Jinor slowly looked at Tifa’s face before turning his gaze to Luna.

"Milady, I must ask again. Do you think we can win this battle?"

At the question, the room briefly stirred in confusion, but Luna remained completely calm and answered in a steady tone.

"Yes. We will definitely win this battle against Karelia's army."

"Then, I offer you this advice with my life riding on your certainty. We must form as many intercepting units as possible. Leave only a minimal force to defend the castle."

"..."

Luna paused for a moment, then turned to Jinor, her tone becoming serious.

"What is the basis for this?"

"Your statement, 'We will win the battle.'"

'...!'

Luna was slightly surprised and looked at Jinor.

He... trusted her. Specifically, he trusted the reason behind her certainty—trust in Swen.

Realizing what Jinor meant, Luna slowly nodded and replied.

"Understood. I will do as you suggest, Jinor."

"Tch, Luna! Are you out of your mind?"

Hearing Luna's declaration, Tifa was shocked and immediately questioned her, but Luna’s expression remained calm, unwavering.

"Don’t worry, Tifa... The strategist would never be wrong, would he?"

"What do you mean, 'worried' and 'whatever'...?"

What?

Tifa mulled over the last words Luna had spoken.

That the strategist couldn’t be wrong.

As Luna’s closest companion, Tifa knew well that Luna referred to only one person as "the strategist."

Although she didn’t know all the details, if Luna trusted this person’s decision above all others, then this decision, for Luna, was effectively "the strategist’s decision."

"...Alright. I was planning on doing what you said anyway, but... sigh."

Though Tifa said this, she couldn’t deny the sense of déjà vu. It wasn’t exactly a bad feeling.

It was the same back when she had followed Swen’s plans, feeling a strange mix of incredulity and excitement—though it had always worked out.

Anyway—

The major decisions were made.

Luna quietly surveyed the faces of those gathered.

The comrades who had followed her this far, who believed in her.

Though the weight of half the hope for victory against Karelia rested on her shoulders, Luna felt she wouldn’t be burdened more than Swen had been under the cruel witch Serpina.

"...I ask for your cooperation, everyone."

Luna bowed deeply, with her back at a 90-degree angle, thanking them all.

‘If Swen were here, he’d probably scold me for acting so unbecoming of a ruler...’

As this thought crossed her mind, Luna felt her internal tension slightly ease.

He had always been a guiding light for her. Every time she stood at a crossroads, he had been there, offering a path forward with quiet confidence.

The memories of him and his presence, always steady, never faded, even now.

In this battle, many lives would be lost.

That didn’t matter. She could bear it.

She’d do anything to meet him again. Anything, if it meant bringing an end to the suffering he had to endure under Serpina’s forces.

So, just a little longer... she thought.

‘Wait for me, Swen. My one and only strategist.’

Lunarian Iniang, the woman who would become a powerful ruler, was about to fully reveal herself to the continent.

***

In the now empty royal castle—

"Now, can you explain it to us?"

At Luna's words, Jinor slowly nodded and began to speak.

"...Assuming Luna's statement is correct, let's start with a discussion on how our army can win this battle."

***

At the top of the castle walls.

Looking down below... there were countless soldiers all gazing up at her.

The gaze of the ruler. The view only a true ruler can have, where the collective wishes and hopes of so many people are directed toward one absolute being.

Lunarian Iniang, the ruler of Lunarian’s Army, slowly surveyed all those gazes.

Taking a deep breath, she recalled her speech back when she had fled Zeilant, leaving Swen behind.

It felt like just yesterday when she had poured her heart out in front of 3,000 soldiers... and now, there were so many people she had to protect.

But she would not run away.

Luna closed her eyes slightly.

Strangely enough, just closing her eyes made her feel as if Swen was standing beside her.

He had always been by her side, protecting her.

Even now, if she were with Swen... she believed she could do anything.

Slowly opening her eyes, she shouted.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Everyone! The battle will begin in a few days. As you know, our army is in a very disadvantageous situation. Karelia’s army is marching toward us, ready to crush us."

The entire assembly listened quietly, their breaths collectively held, focused solely on Luna's words.

"But we will win this battle. I, Lunarian Iniang, will fight alongside you on the front lines until the end, putting my life on the line. It will not be us who disappear from history—it will be the wretched Macana Karelia, who has become nothing but a puppet for the cruel Vanessa! So, I ask you to support me until the very end! And... please, survive until the end. In the new world I will create, there will be a place for you and your families!"

――Waaaaaaa!!!

A roar so loud that it seemed to shake the very walls of Teffelo Castle.

As Luna stood alone, receiving all of it with her back to the crowd, Jinor, who had been standing far behind, felt he finally understood something his friend Kyle had once said.

"You'll probably understand soon enough. Our commander is destined for greatness."

Adding to the odd certainty that they would win, it was clear—

Lunarian Iniang was a truly remarkable person, someone whose greatness could not be discerned just by looking at her.

***

"I'm so bored. Can we pick up the pace?"

At the front, riding a horse, Sad's voice broke the silence.

Next to him, Vanessa, who was riding beside him, responded.

"I’ve told you several times already. Leading an army of 200,000, we must advance slowly. You should know this by now."

"Well, can’t you do something about it? You’re a strategist, aren’t you? Come up with some brilliant plan or something."

"Don’t spout nonsense."

Sad scoffed, clearly amused.

"Heh, still the same. You’ve got no charm, whether back then or now. You’re cute enough, but your words are always filthy, aren’t they?"

"Your filthy tongue hasn’t changed either, has it? Still as crude as ever."

"Ha! You haven’t lost your sharp tongue, have you? Damn woman."

Sad laughed loudly, but Vanessa didn’t flinch.

Despite his crude behavior, Sad was indeed the best card they had right now.

Bringing him into the army came with one simple condition.

'At that time, it wasn’t Lord Karelia who decided, but Sad himself. Karelia recognized his decision.'

Sad was exiled because he had pillaged local people during supply operations, which was unacceptable to the ideals of Karelia, even though it had been ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the best decision from a strategic standpoint at the time.

Vanessa, however, was more concerned about the silence coming from Cecile, who had been unusually quiet, offering no words.

"..."

"Cecile. The battle is near. You should get your head together."

"Ah... Miss... the strategist..."

This wasn’t a new issue with Cecile.

After the betrayal at Teffelo Castle, Cecile had refused to eat or even properly converse with anyone.

Though she was excellent in logistics, seeing her wasting away like this troubled Vanessa, and thus she had to keep an eye on her, helping her regain her focus.

"Forget the past. The important thing now is the present. Believing in people was not a crime. You don’t need to live like a sinner."

"I suppose..."

Cecile sighed deeply, overwhelmed with emotion.

In her heart, Luna was someone she knew would never betray them.

And having been so close to Luna, the shock she had received was naturally comparable to, if not greater than, the shock felt by their commander, Karelia.

"..."

Vanessa thought about whether to say more, but the time was not right.

She slowly moved away from Cecile and reflected on her thoughts.

‘Lunarian Iniang...!’

In Vanessa’s eyes, there was no one on the continent who could replace Karelia.

And the same went for Luna. Seeing her take the place of Karelia as the ruler of the land was something Vanessa could never bear to witness.

She was determined to take Luna’s life, whatever it took. Her own life was of no value. After all, it had been discarded long ago, just reluctantly salvaged by Karelia.

She would take that wretched woman’s head and hang it from the walls of Madralen Castle.

Suppressing the rising anger, Vanessa marched forward toward Teffelo Castle.