From Trash to Villain Master of Card: With Harem of Evil women-Chapter 59: Day 3 - The Best Strategist (2)
"Fight to the end. Inflict maximum possible damage."
Greta transmitted the orders.
On the central map, the gold forces fought valiantly.
But within fifteen minutes, they were eliminated.
Gorman announced.
"First elimination! Lilith has been defeated."
The crowd roared.
Lilith exited her station, accepting the defeat with grace.
She approached the judges’ box.
Kaito looked at her.
"Good attempt."
Lilith smiled.
"Adelheid read me like an open book. I respect that."
She sat down to observe the rest.
---
Naporia vs Valeria Intensifies
Otto reported casualties.
"Commander, we’ve lost forty units."
"And Valeria?"
"Twenty-five."
Naporia grunted.
"But we’re gaining ground."
"Yes. But our supply lines..."
Otto pointed at the map.
"They’re overextended. If Valeria cuts them, the army runs out of resources."
Naporia studied the pattern.
Valeria had retreated toward her own supply lines.
Shortening them.
While Naporia’s stretched kilometer after kilometer.
"Damn. She planned this."
"Do we retreat?"
Naporia clenched her fists.
"No. We push harder. If I destroy her army before it matters..."
But she knew it was desperation.
Valeria’s Perspective:
Klaus was smiling now.
"It worked. Enemy overextended."
Valeria nodded.
"Cut supply lines here. Small cavalry force."
"Then counterattack against the main forces, already weakened by lack of resources."
Klaus transmitted.
On the map, black units attacked the red supply lines.
The effect was immediate.
Naporia’s forces began to weaken—not from combat, but from attrition.
Hunger. Fatigue. Morale collapsing.
---
Commentators:
"Brilliant from Valeria. She didn’t defeat Naporia with force."
"She defeated her with logistics."
Helga nodded.
"Ancient lesson: an army marches on its stomach."
Ten minutes later, the red forces collapsed.
Gorman announced.
"Second elimination! Naporia has been defeated."
Naporia slammed her fist on her table in frustration.
But she came out and sat beside Lilith.
"She got me."
Lilith smiled.
"Got me too. Just in different ways."
---
Final: Adelheid vs Valeria
Only two remained.
The crowd was completely silent.
Adelheid’s Perspective:
Henrik reported.
"Intact forces: seventy units. Base secure. Resources stable."
Adelheid studied the map showing Valeria’s black positions.
"Enemy forces: approximately sixty units. But well organized."
"Do we attack?"
"No. She wants us to attack. It’s a trap."
"Then?"
"Siege. Cut off her resources. Force her to move."
"That will take time."
"We have two hours. It’s enough."
---
Valeria’s Perspective:
Klaus reported the situation.
"Resources depleting. Adelheid has blocked control points."
Valeria calculated.
"Time until resource exhaustion: ninety minutes."
"Options?"
"Option one: direct attack. Probability of victory: thirty percent."
"Option two: sortie to secure resources. Probability of success: forty percent."
"Option three: wait and see if Adelheid makes a mistake. Probability: five percent."
Klaus waited.
"Option two. Sortie toward resources."
---
Commentators:
"Classic siege from Adelheid. Patient. Methodical."
"Valeria has to move or starve."
"But any movement risks unfavorable combat."
The battle became a game of patience.
Valeria attempted several sorties.
Adelheid blocked them all.
Not with massive force. With precise positioning.
Every time Valeria moved, Adelheid was already there.
As if she could predict every thought.
Because she could.
Valeria thought logically. Mathematically.
And Adelheid had studied military logic for years.
She knew every possible optimal move.
And prepared a counter-move for each one.
After an hour and a half, Valeria had ten units remaining.
Adelheid had fifty.
Klaus looked at Valeria.
"Commander... it’s mathematically impossible to win."
Valeria studied the map for thirty seconds.
"Correct. I surrender."
Klaus transmitted.
Gorman announced.
"Final victory! Adelheid von Eisenberg wins the strategy trial!"
The crowd exploded.
Standing. Cheering.
Adelheid exited her station with a small but genuine smile.
Werner declared with admiration.
"That was... masterful. A military academy teaching moment."
"She predicted Lilith. Avoided direct fighting with Naporia. Sieged Valeria into surrender."
"Three opponents, three different strategies. All defeated."
Kaito descended from the box.
He approached Adelheid.
"This is what you do best."
Adelheid nodded, visibly proud.
"Yes. This is what I do best."
---
Score Update
Gorman updated the public board.
Naporia: 1 (Combat)
Lilith: 1 (Oratory)
Adelheid: 1 (Strategy)
Valeria: 0
The crowd murmured excitedly.
Triple tie.
Everything would be decided tomorrow.
Kaito addressed the crowd.
"Three queens. Three victories. One trial remaining."
"Tomorrow: Connection with the People."
"The most unpredictable. The most personal."
He looked at the three tied queens.
"Tomorrow we’ll see who truly understands Neudämmerung."
---
Aria’s Office — That Night
The three tied queens were gathered.
Unusually, together.
Aria had a list of projects prepared.
"The final trial is different. You don’t fight each other."
"You compete against real problems."
She unfolded the list.
"Each of you will receive a community project. Something that directly benefits the people."
"No using supernatural powers. No commanding soldiers."
"Just you. Your ingenuity. Your manual labor. Your heart."
Adelheid frowned.
"What kind of projects?"
Aria smiled.
"They’ll be revealed tomorrow. But I’ll tell you this: they require more than intelligence."
"They require empathy. Creativity. Willingness to get your hands dirty."
Naporia grunted.
"Sounds problematic."
Lilith raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds... interesting." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
Aria looked at all of them.
"Tomorrow won’t be about who is strongest, smartest, or most strategic."
"It’ll be about who connects with the people they claim to want to serve."
The three processed that in silence.
Finally, they left.
Each to their room.
Each knowing that tomorrow everything would be decided.
And none sure what to expect.
---
Balcony — Same Night
Kaito was alone, looking at the sleeping kingdom.
Aria appeared with tea.
"You can’t sleep."
"No."
She sat beside him.
"Nervous about tomorrow?"
"No. But I’m worried."
"About what?"
Kaito sipped his tea.
"That no matter who wins, I’ll hurt two people who matter to me."
Aria touched his shoulder.
"Maybe. But you’ll also give one of them what they most desire."
"Does that compensate?"
"I don’t know. But it’s the best you can do."
Kaito nodded.
They drank in silence.
Watching the stars.
Tomorrow would be the final day.
And everything would change.
