From Trash to Villain Master of Card: With Harem of Evil women-Chapter 58: Day 3 - Minds at War (1)
Main Plaza — Day 3, Dawn
The stage had changed again.
This time, the center of the plaza housed something that looked like a massive war table—three meters in diameter, its polished wooden surface carved with a map representing generic terrain: mountains, rivers, forests, plains.
Around the map, hundreds of wooden figurines painted in four colors: blue for Adelheid, gold for Lilith, red for Naporia, black for Valeria.
Each army had an identical composition: one hundred infantry, thirty cavalry, twenty archers, ten elite units.
Gorman stood beside the table with a rulebook so thick it looked like a history textbook.
The crowd filled the stands, but this time the atmosphere was different. Quieter. Expectant. This wasn’t a spectacle of blood or words—it was large-scale military chess.
Kaito was in the judges’ box with three veteran military strategists who had agreed to serve as commentators for the public.
One of them, an elderly man named Werner who had served under three different kings, explained the rules in a voice that carried the authority of decades of experience.
"Full battle simulation. Four armies, four commanders. Neutral terrain with limited resources."
He pointed at the map.
"Each queen has limited information. They only see what their units can see. Fog of war."
"Objective: eliminate the other three armies or capture their bases."
"Maximum duration: four hours."
The crowd murmured with interest.
Gorman added.
"The queens cannot speak to each other during the simulation. They only give orders to referees who move the pieces."
"Simultaneous moves every fifteen minutes. Decisions are made in secret, revealed at the same time."
Werner continued.
"This isn’t just about strength. It’s about anticipating enemies, managing resources, adapting to the unexpected."
He looked toward where the four queens waited in separate stations, each with a personal referee.
"Here we’ll see how they truly think."
Kaito stood.
"Commanders, take your positions."
---
Command Stations
The four stations were arranged at cardinal points around the central map, separated by screens so they couldn’t see each other.
Each had their own small map that would update with the information their units revealed.
North Station - Adelheid
Adelheid sat with perfect posture despite the cane propped against her chair. Before her, her map was blank except for her initial base in the southwest corner.
Her referee—a young soldier named Henrik—waited for instructions.
Adelheid studied the visible terrain.
Mountains to the north. River to the east. Dense forest to the west. Central plain.
She touched her army’s figurines with precise fingers.
"Build fortifications here. And here." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
She pointed to natural defensive positions.
"Infantry divided: sixty on defense, forty on patrols."
"Cavalry in reserve, don’t move them yet."
"Archers in elevated positions overlooking the plain."
"Elite units... held back. I’ll need them later."
Henrik meticulously noted each order.
Adelheid wasn’t attacking. Wasn’t rushing.
She was building.
East Station - Lilith
Lilith sat with her legs elegantly crossed, studying her map with a thoughtful expression.
Her referee was a veteran woman named Greta who had served in intelligence.
"Interesting," Lilith murmured. "Limited information means I must reveal before deciding."
She touched her reconnaissance units.
"Send scouts in all directions. Small groups, three units each."
"Objective: map terrain and locate enemies. Do not engage."
"Main army... divide into three mobile groups. Here, here, here."
She pointed to positions forming a flexible triangle.
"I want options. If they attack from the north, I move south. If they attack west, I move east."
"Nothing committed yet. Everything fluid."
Greta nodded, impressed by the flexibility.
Lilith smiled.
"Battle is like conversation. First you listen. Then you respond."
South Station - Naporia
Naporia stared at the map as if it were a personal enemy.
Her referee, a large man named Otto, waited patiently.
"Commander?"
Naporia pointed forward.
"Everything in vanguard. Spear formation."
Otto blinked.
"Everything?"
"Everything. Infantry in front. Cavalry on the flanks. Archers behind but moving too."
"Elites at the spear’s tip."
"And base defenses?"
"Minimal. Ten units."
Otto hesitated.
"That’s... very aggressive."
Naporia looked at him.
"I don’t win by waiting. I win by attacking."
"Who are we attacking?"
Naporia studied the map.
"Whoever I find first."
Otto sighed and began writing orders.
West Station - Valeria
Valeria stood, motionless as a statue, staring at the map with empty eyes.
Her referee, an engineer named Klaus, waited.
Valeria spoke in a flat voice.
"Balanced distribution. Thirty-three units on base defense. Thirty-three on perimeter patrol. Thirty-three in mobile reserve."
"Archers distributed equally among the three divisions."
"Cavalry divided: ten defense, ten patrol, ten reserve."
"Elites: five defense, five reserve."
Klaus wrote, admiring the mathematical precision.
"Initial objective?"
"Establish defensive perimeter. Identify threats. Respond with appropriate force."
"Do not attack until full information is obtained."
Klaus nodded.
It was a perfectly balanced strategy.
Boring. But perfect.
---
Gorman rang a bell.
"First phase complete! Revealing initial positions."
The referees updated the central map.
The crowd leaned forward.
Werner began commenting for the public.
"Fascinating. Four completely different philosophies already visible."
He pointed to Adelheid’s blue positions.
"Adelheid built a fortress. Look at those positions—defense in depth, secured supply lines, interlocking fields of fire."
"It’s classical military doctrine. Strong on defense, patient on attack."
He moved his attention to Lilith’s gold positions.
"Lilith hasn’t committed to anything. Three mobile groups, scouts in all directions."
"She’s gathering information before deciding. Intelligent but risky—if she’s attacked now, her forces are divided."
Then to Naporia’s red positions.
"Naporia... gods. Everything in attack formation."
Werner laughed despite himself.
"It’s like watching someone play chess by moving all their pieces forward at the same time."
"Brilliant if it works. Suicidal if it doesn’t."
Finally, Valeria’s black positions.
"And Valeria is... perfectly balanced. Mathematically optimal."
"She has no obvious weaknesses. But no dramatic advantages either."
Another commentator, a woman named Helga, added.
"Balance is strength against an unknown opponent. But against specific opponents... it can be too reactive."
The bell rang again.
"Phase two! First movements."
---
South Station - Naporia
Her map had updated.
The scouts had revealed terrain to the north.
And... contact.
Black forces. Valeria.
Naporia smiled.
"There you are."
Otto asked nervously.
"Commander?"
"Full charge. Hammer formation. Strike their right flank."
"That will leave our base vulnerable."
"Doesn’t matter. If I destroy her army quickly, her base doesn’t matter."
Otto transmitted the orders.
On the central map, the red forces moved like a tide.
Direct. Brutal. Inexorable.
---
West Station - Valeria
Her map updated showing a red mass approaching.
Klaus whistled.
"That’s... a lot of force."
Valeria calculated coldly.
"Enemy forces: ninety units. Our forces in that position: thirty-three."
"Three-to-one disadvantage. Direct combat results in loss."
"So?"
"Tactical retreat. Draw the enemy toward unfavorable terrain. Use archers for attrition during retreat."
"Call reinforcements from reserve for counterattack when enemy is overextended."
Klaus transmitted the orders.
On the map, black forces began an orderly retreat.
---
East Station - Lilith
Her scouts had revealed two things.
One: Naporia and Valeria were clashing in the north.
Two: Adelheid was fortified in the southwest.
Lilith touched her lips thoughtfully.
"Naporia and Valeria will destroy each other. Perfect."
"And Adelheid?"
"Adelheid is waiting. Building strength."
Lilith smiled.
"But while she waits, she’s accumulating resources from control points."
She pointed at the map.
"Send this group here. A route that avoids her vision."
"We attack her base while she’s focused on defending the northern border."
Greta smiled.
"Surprise attack. I like it."
---
North Station - Adelheid
Her scout network was less extensive than Lilith’s.
But deeper.
Henrik reported.
"Movement detected to the east. Gold forces... they’re flanking."
Adelheid studied the pattern.
"They’re trying to outflank through the forest."
"How do you know?"
"Because it’s what I would do."
Adelheid moved pieces on her map.
"Ambush here. Elite units hidden in the forest."
"When they pass, we spring the trap."
Henrik transmitted the orders with growing admiration.
---
Central Map - Commentators
"Incredible! Look at this."
Werner pointed at the central map where everything was unfolding.
"Naporia attacked Valeria with everything. But Valeria retreats in an orderly fashion, using archers for attrition."
"Naporia is losing units but gaining ground. Valeria is losing ground but conserving strength."
Helga added.
"And look at Naporia’s supply lines. They’re stretching. Dangerously."
Werner nodded.
"If Valeria cuts those lines, Naporia’s army collapses from hunger before she can win through combat."
He shifted attention to the south.
"And here... Lilith is attempting a surprise attack against Adelheid."
"But... wait..."
The map updated.
Lilith’s gold forces entered the forest.
And blue forces emerged from the fog of war.
Surrounding them.
"Trap! Adelheid predicted the move!"
The crowd gasped.
---
East Station - Lilith
Greta updated the map with a somber expression.
"Commander... we’re surrounded."
Lilith stared at the blue forces blocking all escape routes.
"She knew."
"How?"
Lilith smiled bitterly.
"Because she knows me. She knows I look for shortcuts, unexpected moves."
"So she prepared a trap for exactly that."
She studied the map looking for an exit.
There was none.
"Orders?"
Lilith sighed.
