I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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The 4th Legion of the Empire finally entered the Holy Kingdom.

The Southern Kingdoms, which had been blocking the roads, retreated in response to the Empire’s sincerity.

Moreover, the Benito army had already retreated, so there was no significant engagement.

—Ding! Dong!

The heart of the Holy Kingdom. The sound of bells magnificently echoed from the sanctuary, the residence of the Pope.

At the same time, the people of the Kingdom rushed to the streets, welcoming the Legion with flower confetti.

And Isabelle, leading a few dignitaries, was on her way to meet the Pope.

“Welcome. Your Highness the Princess. We are glad to have you in the Holy Kingdom.”

Ordinarily, it would be the Archbishop who welcomes guests first before going to the Pope.

However, given the situation, the Pope personally came out to greet Isabelle.

It was only natural for the Imperial dignitaries to smile at the expected display of humility.

“First and foremost, I extend my boundless gratitude to His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire. We almost faced the prospect of our Holy Kingdom being trampled and defiled by that vile Benito.”

“His Majesty the Emperor will surely be pleased to hear your words.”

“I would also like to express my gratitude to the Princess and everyone here from the Legion. You are the saviors of this Holy Kingdom.”

“No, Your Holiness. As believers of the same doctrine of light, it is only natural for us to have acted. Please refrain from such embarrassing remarks.”

In truth, the relationship between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom was far from good.

The Empire was the very first to strip away the privileges of religious powers on the continent.

Even now, a mere Archbishop holds a clearly subordinate status compared to the nobles in the Empire.

However, due to social standing, the nobles continue to bestow respect upon them.

Nevertheless, that aside, both nations took a step back for now.

One for immediate safety and future concerns. The other for future justifications.

Such is the nature of state relations, so there was nothing more to say.

“The 4th Legion and the 15th Legion will remain in the Holy Kingdom for the time being. They won’t be stationed indefinitely, and rest assured, they will return to the Empire without delay once the situation around the Kingdom and the South stabilizes.”

“I sincerely hope that’s the case. Though the Holy Kingdom has been liberated, anxiety and chaos still persist. Mere prayers alone won’t see us through this crisis; the Empire’s help is greatly needed.”

At the Pope’s words, Isabelle smiled inwardly.

Despite the flowery rhetoric, the Holy Kingdom’s true sentiment was simple.

They were fearful that the Empire might withdraw immediately.

‘It makes sense. Even without Benito, other Southern Kingdoms could swallow the Holy Kingdom.’

The Holy Kingdom’s military incompetence had already been laid bare for all to see.

Their ability to exert order in the South was not based on strength like the Empire’s.

They had merely relied on the prestige of religion.

And now, the world knew this, so the Holy Kingdom had to worry about its future immediately.

Thus, it was all the more necessary for the Empire’s Legion to stay in the Holy Kingdom.

To avoid sending any strange messages to other kingdoms.

The Empire did not wish to see the order of the South change and warned them to behave accordingly.

Being aligned with Benito would not be pursued any further, so they should be cautious moving forward.

“In the future, the Holy Kingdom will aid the Empire in punishing those vile fiends.”

“Hohoho. I’m grateful for your words. However, Your Highness, shouldn’t the stability of the Holy Kingdom come first? The Kingdom nearly fell under Benito’s feet; internal organization should take precedence for now.”

“If all you do is ask, you’ll be able to shout for a holy war even louder and provide a bigger justification. How about it? Should I do that for you?”

“Please, enough with your ploys. Do you think I wouldn’t catch on to your strategy to inflate your worth now? Our Kingdom’s reputation has been tarnished, and you wish to use the Empire to erase that? Dream on. Just remain silent and pretend to be dead.”

Amidst this, conversations filled with mutual hidden intentions unfolded.

The Pope, wanting to ride on the Empire’s might to seize control of the South.

Isabelle and the Emperor, having saved the Holy Kingdom but wishing to deny them any justification.

If Kael had seen this, he would’ve exclaimed, “Politics is the worst!”

Isabelle had already contacted the Emperor directly to discuss future strategies.

Maintain the existing order of the South but absolutely do not give the Holy Kingdom more power.

They must remain a thorn in the side of the Southern Kingdoms indefinitely.

Only then would the Empire manage to maintain a balance between the Holy Kingdom and the Southern Kingdoms.

“Your Highness the Princess. Personnel from the Ministry of the Palace, Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance have arrived from the Empire.”

They would be used to woo the Southern Kingdoms. As Kael would say, it seems they came for the “friendship fee” issue.

Having wrapped up her meeting with the Pope, Isabelle headed to meet them immediately.

Needless to say, the Empire had no intention of making empty promises.

They had indeed agreed to the friendship fee, and what was promised must be delivered.

However, due to various issues, half would be paid as an advance, and the other half later.

This serves as a sort of guarantee but also a form of intimidation.

A warning that should they turn their backs after taking this much, they must face the consequences.

Thus, the Southern Kingdoms near the Holy Kingdom would be more cooperative to this.

They received half of the promised amount, so the remaining half would need to be collected.

To ensure the friendship fee doesn’t turn into a funeral expense.

‘It seems the situation in the Holy Kingdom and the surrounding area is roughly organized now.’

As Isabelle took her steps, she suddenly turned her head as if recalling something.

It felt strange to be apart from Kael, who always stuck by her side.

At times, curiosity would arise, while at other moments, fear would grip her.

“I’m doing my best, Kael.”

“You’re doing well too, right? Yes, you must be.”

You are the genius strategist of the Empire; you wouldn’t fall behind me.

“….”

“Suddenly, I miss you.” Isabelle said, flashing an awkward smile.

*

Meanwhile, at the command tent of the 6th Legion of the Empire.

“…Legion Commander?”

“Is this really the right choice?”

The gathered staff officers and field commanders leading the Legion’s soldiers were all taken aback upon hearing the map and the subsequent deployment plans presented by the Legion Commander.

“Legion Commander, please reconsider.”

“Even if it’s Benito, they have over 50,000 troops!”

“Indeed. Furthermore, their level of training is reasonably competent. This has been cross-verified, so it must be accurate.”

In unison, everyone expressed their dissent towards the operation.

The once exceptionally confident members of the Legion were filled with concern.

And it wasn’t unfounded; the formation the 6th Legion was about to adopt posed a significant problem.

“Positioning ourselves with the river at our backs is simply unacceptable.”

Positioning an army with their back to the river, known as a ‘waterless formation.’

Anyone with even a slight understanding of tactics would never attempt such an action.

And yet, the Legion Commander was suggesting it.

Thus, it was only natural for everyone to stare at the Legion Commander in confusion.

“This isn’t just my personal opinion.”

However, the reactions of the staff officers and field commanders changed slightly with the Legion Commander’s words.

“The strategy was proposed by Prince Kael, a staff officer. After hearing the plan in detail, I also believe this formation has more to gain than one might expect.”

“Nevertheless… positioning our backs to the river…”

“Hmm…”

A waterless formation.

While it is not without its advantages, certain aspects of the current situation provide some usefulness.

Immediately, the 6th Legion stands in the way of Benito’s returning army.

For them to return safely, they must pass through the Legion’s path.

Thus, engagement is unavoidable. They must have at least one encounter.

However, the opponent boasts an army of over 50,000 soldiers. The 6th Legion, on the other hand, barely has under 20,000.

There may be differences in elite status and training, but numerical superiority cannot be overlooked.

Confronting a force that vastly outnumbers them two-fold or even three-fold is no easy feat.

Thus, with the river behind them, they prevent the enemy from targeting their rear or flanks.

In a head-on fight, the far more elite 6th Legion should be able to triumph over them.

And if the enemy tries to avoid engagement while simply circling around to stall for time, what then?

Absolutely impossible. The one under pressure would be Benito’s forces. The 13th Legion is already at Benito’s borders.

The forces remaining in Benito are, at best, second-rate.

Thus, these must return quickly, being the only competent army that can be mobilized.

‘Positioning with the river at our backs may not be devoid of certain advantages under various aspects. However…’

‘In the worst-case scenario, should something happen, there would be no chance for retreat.’

The disadvantages are clear. There is no escape route. If things go wrong, everyone faces either death or capture.

Utilizing reserves is also impossible. There’s simply no room for that.

When two forces meet, the ‘space’ is crucial above all else.

Maintaining a certain distance in the army is not merely for show.

That distance ensures that when I engage, I won’t be hindered and can exert my full strength.

However, adopting such a formation makes it incredibly difficult to maintain that distance.

“There’s no need for concern, everyone.”

At that moment, Kael steps into the command tent.

He greeted the Legion Commander and subordinate commanders as he approached the map.

“Positioning ourselves with the river at our backs has more disadvantages than advantages, would you not agree?”

“….”

“Feel free to speak openly. I’m just a staff officer. My role is to gather your opinions, and then present my own to find the most suitable conclusion for battle.”

At Kael’s words, some individuals cautiously nodded.

After all, positioning the river at their backs could indeed heighten the soldiers’ feelings of unease.

In a desperate situation, anyone could feel such a way.

“That’s precisely it.”

Yet Kael was addressing that very point.

“What we know, the commander and field leaders of the approaching Benito army cannot possibly be unaware.”

“….”

“Now, let’s think. With the urgency to return, the road blocked, while they must pass directly through the waterless formation, how do you suppose the enemy will react?”

With a chilling smile, the conversation continued.

“Shall we leave a few troops here and move out, with blades at our backs? Or shall we spare no effort to annihilate the Empire’s Legion during this opportunity?”

On the map lay the 6th Legion’s forces; ahead of them approached the Benito army.

The moment those two met, the strategist smiled and swept away the Benito forces with a different troop.