Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy

The moment I said, ‘Returning is the correct answer,’ the room stirred.

To any observer, Serpina’s forces were overwhelmingly dominant.
Brans Army was floundering, and while Aishus Army still appeared formidable on the surface, it seemed like a matter of time before they were crushed under sheer numbers.
Well, if we ignored the losses on our side and simply kept pressing forward, that might actually be true. But it would take time.

Advancing into the central continent was undoubtedly a long-cherished goal for Serpina’s army.
Most of the officers serving under her likely saw the current situation as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It wasn’t strange for them to resist the idea of pulling back when victory seemed within reach.
So, I understood their reactions.

But that didn’t mean I planned to accept them.
The only person I needed to convince was Serpina.
Her expression remained unchanged as she responded in the same detached tone she had used with the others.

"I want to hear your reasoning."
"Successfully breaking into the central continent is certainly a significant achievement, but given the repeated battles, I believe our soldiers’ fatigue must have accumulated considerably.
Right now, rather than expanding further, I believe the priority should be solidifying the borders of our newly acquired territories."

"So, the only reason you’re giving me is that the soldiers are tired?"
Of course not.
If that was all, I wouldn’t have said anything at all.

"If the benefits of continued invasion outweighed the drawbacks, I would recommend pressing forward.
But currently, we only have two viable options:
Brans Army or Aishus Army.

We’ve already discussed with General Irian why attacking Zelstrom Castle is the only feasible option and why we can’t actually take it right now."
"I see. But I would prefer to hear it from you directly."
I had hoped to move past this, but Serpina pressed me further.
Another test.

Since we had already covered the topic, I kept my answer succinct.
"If we take Laccline Castle, our frontlines will stretch further. That makes Zelstrom Castle the logical target.
However, we ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) currently lack a guaranteed method to breach Zelstrom Castle."

"I see. Thank you for summarizing it again."
Serpina gave a faint smile.
It wasn’t an arrogant smirk.

It wasn’t the expression of someone reveling in their power over others.
It was…
The smile of someone who already knew how things would unfold and was merely reaffirming it.

Among all the rulers I had met, she was the hardest to read.
"And then there’s Brans Army."
I continued.

**"We’ve already concluded that leaving Brans Army untouched is the better option.
Therefore, the logical choice is to abandon any plans for further territorial expansion."**
"Then let me ask you one more thing."

"What is it?"
**"Wouldn’t it be possible to seize territories belonging to Brans Army that are not adjacent to another nation?
By refusing to subjugate Brans Army completely, aren’t we leaving behind a future threat?

Even if full conquest is impossible, don’t you think we have enough resources to at least take one or two more regions?"**
I had to suppress a sigh.
I could tell she wasn’t asking this because she truly believed it.

She was testing me.
She wanted to see what answer I would give.
"No. If anything, we need to refrain from taking more of Brans Army’s land."

"And why is that?"
"Brans Army has already exhausted most of its young population capable of being drafted.
For the time being, their ability to recruit new soldiers will be extremely limited.

If we were to compress their territory even further, it could actually provide them with a foundation for recovery."
"In other words, their current holdings are too large for them to govern effectively, so leaving them as they are is the most advantageous choice?"
"My lord, you already know this to be true."

This was already Serpina Army’s standard approach.
She was asking while fully aware of the answer.
As I slightly lowered my head, she let out a cold chuckle.

Strangely enough…
Even though it was undoubtedly a mocking laugh, it didn’t leave an unpleasant feeling.
If Lyn Brans had laughed at me in the same way, I would have found it annoying.

"Then let’s summarize. Swen, you are saying that the most efficient course of action is to cease further invasions and return to the capital, Eingart Castle."
"Yes. That is my conclusion."
That was as far as I could go based purely on my own judgment.

It was the logical course of action if I were Serpina.
I believed this was the right answer—
But now, it was time to check.

‘Is halting the invasion and returning to the capital the most efficient strategy?’
The moment I entered the question, the response appeared without hesitation.
[Yes.]

"Hah…"
I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
It seemed my instincts hadn’t dulled.

If I had received an unexpected result, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to convince Serpina to accept my reasoning.
Through my conversations with Irian al Kasky and the other officers, I had realized something—
Serpina would never be swayed by an argument that lacked clear evidence.

If something wasn’t backed by solid logic, she simply wouldn’t listen.
This translation is the intellectual property of .
A vague statement like "I just have a feeling this is the right choice" would hold no weight with her.

For now, until Luna raised her flag in rebellion, I needed to ensure my survival.
And the safest way to do that—
Was to prove to Serpina that I was useful.

"I am certain of it."
"Oh? So you're certain?"
"Yes. I’m certain. Even beyond the reasoning I’ve provided, when considering all factors, I believe this is the only correct answer."

As I spoke with unwavering confidence, Serpina smirked, amused.
There was no reason to hesitate.
After all, the prediction had already confirmed it—[Yes.]

What did I have to fear?
If anything, this was the perfect opportunity to imprint upon her the idea that my words were always correct.
At that moment, Serpina rose from her seat and addressed the room.

"You’ve all heard the discussion. I understand your desire to continue fighting, but this is not the time.
Winning a war is not simply about conquering more land.
For now, we must pull back from battle and focus on reorganizing our forces."

With that, she turned to look at me and extended a hand—her pale, elegant hand reaching forward.
For a brief moment, I found myself thinking something ridiculous—
That her posture, the way she looked down at me from above, resembled a goddess bestowing her blessing.

"Swen."
Her voice, quiet but absolute.
**"You are the first to voice an opinion that aligns completely with my own.

I want to express my gratitude for saying what needed to be said."**
So, in the end—
Serpina had already intended to withdraw her forces from the start.

With my 100 Intelligence telling me this was the correct answer, it was only natural that Serpina—who was far from a fool—would reach the same conclusion.
In fact, Serpina was an exceptional figure, her stats across all fields balanced at an elite level.
Her only notable weakness was politics, but aside from that, she was a true prodigy.

When controlled by the AI, it might not have been as obvious—
But when a player took control of Serpina, even a beginner could quickly lead her to unify the entire continent.
I now understood why.

"And one more thing."
Serpina’s golden eyes shifted from me to the rest of the assembled officers.
"I am not one to pry into the pasts of those who are willing to offer me their honest counsel."

"……!!"
Only then did I realize the true purpose of this ‘test.’
"You all know that the rightful ruler of this nation—

*No, of this continent—is none other than Serpina von Eingart, bearer of Eingart’s blood.
My will is the will of this country."**
"And right now, I am stating, with my own voice, that I do not concern myself with the past."

The room fell into an eerie silence.
No one dared to speak.
Everyone was frozen under the weight of her words.

**"This does not apply solely to Swen.
Regardless of who you are—**
As long as you stand at my side from this moment forward, I will never turn my back on you.

Surely, no one here is foolish enough to misunderstand my meaning?"
Serpina—
…had been protecting me all along.

She had publicly questioned me, forcing me to defend myself before everyone, so that I could maintain my dignity.
And then, by declaring that she did not care about past allegiances, she had personally ensured that no one would hold my history against me.
It was undeniable.

I had already changed rulers three times.
My time under Lunarian didn’t count, since her kingdom had been destroyed.
But I had betrayed Lyn Brans.

And even though Yuri had abandoned me first, the fact remained that I had chosen to abandon her in turn.
From an outsider’s perspective, both I and Airen must have looked like faithless officers, switching allegiances whenever it suited us.
No wonder their gazes toward us had been so peculiar.

They weren’t just wary of a newcomer—
They already viewed us with suspicion.
And Serpina had undoubtedly noticed it.

Her golden eyes locked onto mine.
Despite her expressionless face, I felt an unexpected warmth.
I understood.

She was telling me—
‘I will protect you and Airen.’
"Hah."

A short breath escaped me.
And at last, I admitted it to myself.
Among all the rulers I had served, only Luna had ever truly treated me well.

And now, Serpina’s actions…
I had to acknowledge it.
Even if her motives were purely calculated—

Even if all of this was just politics—
I couldn’t ignore the way it unsettled me.
"Swen, I cannot ignore it… the way you look at me."

"The way I… look at her?"
Even if everything was a calculated move, I felt something shift inside me.
"I need to get a grip."

This wasn’t where I belonged.
I had to stand beside Lunarian Iniang.
I had already promised her.

And as long as my predictions remained unchanged—
That would never change.
It had to be that way.

*
Just as I was adjusting to life in the annex, Serpina suddenly entered my room.
"Welcome, my lord."

She didn’t immediately respond.
In another situation, being ignored like this might have felt like an insult—
But strangely, it didn’t bother me at all.

Perhaps this was simply Serpina’s natural charisma.
Or maybe it was because her charm stat was absurdly high.
"Prepare to depart."

"We’re leaving today?"
"Yes."
I didn’t have much to pack.

The 7,900 gold I had brought for diplomatic purposes, along with the carriage and the minimal escort force, had already returned to Balharat Castle with Anima.
"Just to confirm—"
"Where exactly am I going?"

When I asked, Serpina met my eyes and answered without hesitation.
"You will accompany me to Eingart Castle."