The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 297
To help Juras’ plan and draw attention, I gathered the eastern military forces once more and dispatched them to the south.
The commander of this army was to be Altior Saleon.
When that army arrived in Grancel, Altior, who was in the annex, revealed himself.
He looked at me with a complicated expression.
“Were you waiting until the very end?”
“I had to take charge of the great army’s command. I couldn’t not see you off.”
“Hmm….”
Altior alternately looks at me and Erina, then smiles faintly.
“Who would have thought that the little kid who came to receive butler training at our mansion would become king? One lives long enough to see many things.”
“Joan said the same thing multiple times.”
“Haha….”
He let out a hearty laugh.
“Please take good care of Erina, my granddaughter, from now on.”
To this, Erina bites her lip.
“Grandfather, don’t talk as if you’re about to die. I want you to see Lucius’s grown-up form.”
“Haha! Stay here for another 10 years? That might be difficult.”
“That’s why I’m telling you to stop saying such weak things!”
I decided to step away to let the family spend time together.
“Whew! With this, the reinforcement of troops is complete….”
Now what remained was planning the battle strategy.
I returned to my office alone and spread out the map, staring blankly at it.
Just then.
Knock knock! A timid knocking sound.
“Hm? Come in.”
But the door didn’t open.
The knocking sound comes again.
“I said come in!”
Still, the door remains unopened.
Wondering if someone was playing a prank, I went out and opened the door myself.
There, leaning against the door and whimpering, was Ryuna.
Next to her were the twin siblings Ernie and Ed.
“Ryuna! Where’s your mother!?”
“Hehe, I came alone!”
“Uh…!”
I was surprised not only that she came alone but that she brought the twins.
“It’s dangerous. What if bad people catch you?”
“No bad people.”
“Well, maybe, but….”
Ryuna excitedly entered my office.
Ernie and Ed also laugh and play around.
Ryuna immediately climbs onto my chair and heads towards the desk.
She seems to have come knowing that there are always premium cookies stored in my office.
“Ryuna, you came for cookies again? Come, sit on daddy’s lap and I’ll feed you.”
“Aw, I can sit by myself.”
As Ryuna leaves my embrace, Ernie and Ed pull at my sleeve, asking to be held.
While holding the twins and feeding them cookies, Ryuna begins playing with colors on the map.
It was cute, and I thought maybe she might inspire some ideas, so I left her be.
“This is Luden Mountain. Uncle Olaf is there now.”
“Red!”
Ryuna colors the Luden Mountain area red.
“Red… It might be dangerous if we’re hit with fire attacks. I should have them prepare for that.”
“And here?”
“This is Collin, a port city. Right now it’s occupied by enemy forces.”
“Hmm… Black!”
“Black? Why?”
“Just because!”
“Black is actually appropriate. It’s currently serving as the enemy’s main base.”
In that sense, it was also a target for this battle. While we occupy the Luden Mountain region, capturing Collin, which handles the enemy’s marine supplies, could significantly push back the enemy.
‘But Calvern must know this. He’ll likely use some other strategy.’
I was a bit frustrated not knowing what that strategy might be.
With Tetora Anistri, I could obtain some information through infiltrating internal spies, but not with Calvern.
‘Aggert is under Calvern’s command. If only I could make contact somehow.’
Just then.
“Dad, what’s this area?”
“This is Frixon, a plains area between mountains.”
“Hmm… Green!”
“Green? Why?”
“I’ll connect the mountains!”
“…!?”
Something clicked in my mind, and I looked at the map again.
Frixon wasn’t strategically very significant.
‘But if the opponent occupies it….’
From there, they could expand further southeast. The terrain, with mountains on both sides, would be advantageous for defense.
‘Could they be aiming not at Renova, but expanding further southeast?’
This would mean creating a long, thin battle line.
In this case, we could mobilize all our troops and potentially annihilate the south at once, but the enemy wouldn’t just stand by and watch.
Troops from the western front would immediately push in.
‘They might intend to diversify the battle lines.’
There were quite a few key points in the south for this purpose.
Moreover, the nobles of the old Bülang were positioned in the enemy camp.
Once they established themselves, they could potentially incite citizens and cause chaos.
“…Is anyone outside? Anyone will do.”
A special operations agent enters and bows.
“Please give me your orders.”
“Send a message to the scouts right now. Intensively investigate these three regions: Frixon, Datson, and Odinsson.”
“Yes!”
The messenger quickly departs.
As if passing the baton, Yumir and Eonia rush in.
“Young master!”
“The children are here.”
“Phew…!”
“I was surprised they found their way to my office.”
“I’m sorry. I looked away for just a moment….”
When her mother appears, Ryuna quickly gets down from the desk and sits in the chair, acting well-behaved.
“Still, thanks to Ryuna, I got a mood change, so don’t scold her.”
“Yes.”
Yumir, seeing that Ryuna’s hands were dirty, frowned in disgust and took her away.
Left alone, Eonia was gazing with a blissful smile at the twins sleeping in my arms.
“The kids really like their dad!”
“Is that so? Don’t twins usually not follow anyone easily?”
“It’s a bit different. The kids don’t just fall asleep in anyone’s arms. They’re comfortable because it’s Ars, so they’re sleeping peacefully.”
Eo looked around and then sat down next to me.
Then she rested her head on my shoulder.
When I remained unresponsive, she poked the top of my chin with a ‘boing’!
“What’s wrong?”
“…”
When I turned my head away, Eo, as if she had been waiting, also turned her head and came to kiss me.
“What are you doing in the office?”
“But…”
Eo continued to kiss me, whining as if she had been holding back for a long time, pecking like a bird gathering feed.
Just then.
“Ars! Can I have a moment!?”
Ilya, my master, burst through the door.
“Eup!?”
We were startled and pulled apart while kissing.
“Ilya! What are you doing without even knocking!”
Despite Eo’s reprimand, master paid no attention.
“What’s the matter?”
“Well… Master has come.”
Guderian Chester. He had suddenly appeared in Grancel, currently an enemy.
* * *
I had met Guderian in the past in Rainpol, but at that time, we weren’t particularly hostile.
But now it was different.
Guderian was already a key enemy commander who had been scoring victories against us in small-scale battles.
He had unexpectedly appeared in Grancel, the core area of our military.
I hurriedly prepared myself and headed to the reception room.
There, Guderian was playing with the baby Gawain with a kind grandfather-like smile.
“What is this…?”
Master Ilya said as if feeling dizzy.
“It seems he came to see how big Gawain has grown.”
“Even so….”
Entering right into the enemy’s camp.
He must have another intention.
Sure enough, as expected, Guderian changed his expression when he saw me.
“Long time no see, Ars. Has it been three years?”
“Yes, I believe so. I’m glad to see you’re in good health.”
“Huh, are you being sarcastic? That good health is killing Liande’s soldiers.”
“Not entirely without such meaning. Did you come today to see Gawain?”
“In addition to that, I’ve come to offer advice about the upcoming war.”
“Advice…? If you have insights about the operation, we would welcome that.”
Of course, it was hard to believe that entirely.
The other party might know the relationship between Guderian and Ilya and try to plant false information.
But that wasn’t the case.
What he was about to say was a kind of declaration of war.
“I’ve come to deliver Calvern’s message.”
“Calvern…!?”
“As expected, you know. The special military general who suddenly appeared in Svenner. He’s an extraordinary guy. Both in military power and charisma.”
Guderian lavished unrestrained praise on him.
“What did he have for me?”
“He said to show your qualifications.”
“Qualifications…?”
“Yes, to show the ability to integrate and harmonize the entire continent.”
“Is that his purpose?”
I had also been curious about the purpose of the cross-species hero Calvern cooperating with the mother goddess.
Guderian continued speaking.
“He is a contradictory man who is human yet resents humans.”
“I know that too. He led other species and waged war against humans.”
Since Guderian didn’t know much about Calvern either, he listened to our explanation and understood.
“He genuinely wants to destroy humans, yet on the other hand, he wants to be defeated. A true defeat, that is. Because only then can he resolve the contradiction he carries.”
By being defeated, he would prove that he was wrong, and since he himself was wrong, the contradiction would disappear. Calvern desires that.
For that purpose, he is genuinely waging war to destroy us.
“He said that if he wins the war, he would judge himself right and annihilate all humans. So make sure to win, he said.”
Calvern’s declaration of war. We couldn’t help but respond.
“Well, we were planning to win anyway. That part is no problem.”
“Huh, that’s how it should be.”
Guderian seemed to be slightly inclining towards our side.
He tried to persuade me to defect but to no avail.
“Ars, the beast people of our West will bring no help to the nation you lead. Our hatred towards humans will become a seed of discord that will trouble you for a long time.”
“…”
“Kill them all through war. That’s the only way.”
He smiled bitterly and stood up.
“If possible, kill me here. That would help in the war.”
“…I am a former general. Honestly, I do want to do that.”
Master Ilya widened her eyes and became restless at my words.
“But I can’t do that. You are like a father to Ilya and almost a grandfather to Gawain. I will capture you in the war and win. Afterwards, please put down your weapons and enjoy private happiness and live peacefully.”
Guderian looked bewildered by my response.
Soon he laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! Private happiness… Does that mean I still have room for that…. That sounds good. I’ll think about it positively.”
He let out a self-deprecating laugh, as if feeling something.
“Then see you on the battlefield, Ars, Ilya, my disciples.”
Guderian, who appeared suddenly, disappeared just as suddenly.
Master Ilya stood as if nailed down, blankly staring at his back.
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