The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 109

The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 109

As this party was a victory celebration, there were quite a few items on the agenda.

Before the ball began, an event as important as the main attraction started.

It was the awarding of merits.

“In this war, our Calliper army fought bravely and achieved victory.”

Due to the king’s health issues forcing him to rest, Duke Hellian was at the forefront. He proclaimed solemnly.

Gulp! Lynette, seemingly overwhelmed by the sight she was seeing for the first time, swallowed dry saliva.

“The soldiers and officers who participated in the battle, and even the workers who helped with supplies, are all heroes! But here, I want to speak of those who were the most outstanding among them.”

The full-fledged awarding of merits began.

“10th place in merit!”

Indeed, this was a national event. Unlike me who only announces up to 3rd place, they seem to generously announce up to 10th place.

The first name I recognized came in 5th place.

“5th place in merit! Ironheart Ranvers!”

“It’s an honor beyond my station! I don’t know where to put myself!”

Ironheart knelt on one knee before Duke Hellian. It seems he was given a valuable treasure as a reward.

“Next, 4th place in merit! Dorofei Grimwood!”

“Ah…!?”

Dorofei was so surprised that his mouth fell open. He trembled, unable to close his gaping mouth.

At this, a nearby nobleman whispered something and pushed Dorofei forward.

Dorofei staggered towards Hellian.

He did kneel on one knee, but in reality, he had fallen.

“Dorofei Grimwood. You took the initiative to lead your unit, and even after the battle, you took care of the wounded and distributed bonuses equally, showing a fair and just demeanor. There was high praise for your popularity among the officers who served with you. You have proven that you can succeed Dunan.”

“You, you flatter me. I have no talent for military strategy.”

“How modest of you.”

“That’s not what I meant…!”

“You may withdraw now. I will announce the next merit.”

“Ah…”

It seems there was a cadet premium attached to this merit awarding. Objectively, Ironheart’s achievements were higher, but the expectations were different.

Dorofei seems to have received high merit because he performed exceptionally well compared to those expectations.

‘Something seems off here.’

Dorofei in 4th place? I originally thought that cadets wouldn’t even be included in the merit awards. Their objective achievements were low after all. Even if they were included, I thought it would be Casper or me. And even then, I expected us to be in the lower or middle ranks.

But Dorofei in 4th place?

“Next, 3rd place in merit! Casper Millias, Ruan Chase!”

They should have been called here at the very least.

Suddenly, my stomach started to ache severely.

Casper and Ruan knelt with sour expressions. They seemed displeased not only with their rank but also with the joint award.

Still, the reaction from the surroundings was fervent.

“As expected of Millias the prodigy!”

“Ruan Chase is also amazing! It wasn’t an exaggeration that he was renowned for his martial arts talent from an early age!”

Polite applause erupted from here and there.

“It’s incredible…”

Lynette was looking at them with eyes full of admiration.

After all, peers of a similar age were shining as the main characters.

“Sir Elaine, you’re in the same class as them, right?”

“Well, that’s right.”

“Wow! To be able to hone your skills with such people, I’m envious.” Lynette’s gaze was fixed on Casper. “That person is him, right? Casper Millias… Wade!”

I didn’t have the presence of mind to answer that. Lynette, unaware of this, continued speaking.

“It’s amazing. He’s only two years older than me, yet he has such skills. Do you think he would respond if I tried to talk to him?”

“Yeah, well…”

“Sir Elaine? What’s wrong?”

“No, I just felt a bit dizzy for a moment.”

Then the 2nd place merit was announced. At this point, I almost wished my name had been called here.

“2nd place in merit! Delbadova Leguin!”

The deceased General Delbadova was ranked 2nd in merit. Delbadova’s son came forward to receive the award.

This caused murmurs to break out here and there.

“Delbadova in 2nd place?”

“Then who could be in 1st place?”

On the other hand, the quick-witted nobles were already eyeing me.

“I wonder who will be in 1st place?”

“…”

Lynette asked innocently with eyes full of expectation.

I decided to brace myself.

There was no surprise.

“1st place in merit! Ars Elaine! Step forward!”

The nobles who didn’t know much about me looked around in confusion, while those who knew me were gazing at me intently, as if appraising me.

“Ars Elaine… Eh!?” Lynette was shocked. It seems she knew I was a cadet but didn’t know what achievements I had made or what level I was at.

I held back a sigh that was about to burst out and headed towards Duke Hellian.

Everyone at the party was watching me.

My cadet classmates were watching me with complex gazes, and Erina had a worried expression.

“Mr. Platina…! That’s amazing!”

“It reminds me of the protagonist Wilson Camelot! So it was indeed based on yourself!”

“Congratulations!”

My fans shouted out congratulations.

At least they were better. They were treating me as an author. Some other young ladies were looking at me with sticky gazes, as if eyeing their prey.

Kneeling on one knee, I glared at Hellian with a resentful gaze.

“I thought you would downplay it somewhat?”

When I muttered so that only he could hear, Hellian grinned.

“I would if I could. You should have performed moderately.”

“Ugh.”

Hellian raised his voice again and shouted. “Ars Elaine. In the crisis at Kalon Mountains, you came up with a brilliant strategy that amazed all the officers. Unfortunately, that operation didn’t come to fruition, but in the subsequent battle at Delston Mountains, under Delbadova’s orders, you bypassed the battlefield. You killed the enemy unit’s commander Barret Enrolin and even killed Fischer Partin, who had killed Delbadova, achieving feats that are hard to believe for a cadet!”

Woah! Exclamations of admiration rang out loudly.

“Therefore, you are most suitable for the 1st place in merit! In high recognition of your achievements, I will grant you the small southern city of Mobrey.”

“…It’s an honor.”

Applause erupted.

I had wanted to stay as quiet as possible at the party.

Now that’s no longer possible.

* * *

I felt like I wanted to leave early if I could.

The ball that followed after the awards ceremony.

I became like a flower pig dropped in the savanna.

I could feel several predators eyeing me.

‘What should I do about this?’

As long as I have a partner, they won’t approach carelessly. But that’s only until we start dancing. Once I dance with a partner, they’ll pounce thinking it’s their chance.

But if I don’t dance, they’ll judge that I don’t like my partner and dance invitations will flood in.

An unguardable situation.

I decided to keep dancing with Lynette instead.

“Would you honor me with a dance, my lady?”

“Yes. Yes…” Lynette had been in a daze since earlier.

I led her and danced at a very slow tempo.

Lynette, nestled in my arms, whispered. “You’re an amazing person, Sir Elaine.”

“Huh?”

“Writing such an excellent book. And even taking first place in your major at an event like this.”

“No, first in my major is one thing, but it’s not an excellent book.”

“That’s not true! At least I was moved. The last scene where he leaves with the female knight was really good.”

Lynette seems to be on the female knight’s side. Eonia would like that.

So I danced and chatted with Lynette.

That’s when it happened.

“Oops.”

We almost bumped into another couple, so I quickly pulled Lynette in and changed direction.

I was about to nod apologetically to the other party, but they reacted first.

“…Hmph.”

It was Erina.

“Sir. You should be careful. It seems there are people dancing slooo-wly.”

A gaze full of jealousy.

Well, since I had never danced at parties before, it must look unkind to Erina.

Feeling a bit guilty, I decided to keep the promise I made.

“Lynette, if it’s alright, can I ask for some advice?”

“What kind of advice do you mean?”

“I want to give a gift to a girl I like, but I don’t know what to give.”

I thought this would put up a wall between Lynette and me.

“Hmm.”

Lynette thought seriously and answered. She seems to see me more as an extraordinary older brother rather than liking me romantically.

“I think she’d be happy with jewelry.”

“I guess that’s the safe choice.”

“Ah, but you should be careful depending on where the other person is from. In some northern regions, giving a raw gemstone expresses the desire to be together forever.”

“Hmm. I guess it’s similar everywhere.”

Even in modern times, diamond rings are used for proposals. It’s not strange.

“The music’s over. Shall we rest a bit?”

“Yes, we should.”

Lynette’s steps were shaky, probably from the tension.

Returning to our seats together, I planned to avoid dance requests for a while using the excuse of eating. After that, I could dance with Lynette again.

But then, an unexpected situation occurred.

“Ars Elaine. Come with me for a moment.”

“…?”

It seemed to be a royal guard.

“What’s the matter?”

“A summons from His Majesty the King. Follow without further words.”

A summons from the King.

I looked around in bewilderment.

The other nobles were vaguely assuming it was a separate commendation for being first in my major.

‘A summons from the King? Did he find out I’m Wade?’

No, if that were the case, they wouldn’t summon me like this.

I followed the guard through maze-like passages several times before we could arrive there.

‘Could this be… The King’s bedroom?’

I couldn’t hide my surprise at this unexpected situation.

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought him.”

“Send him in.”

The voice I heard didn’t seem particularly tired.

Following the guard’s guidance, I entered to find King Gareth busily searching through a bookshelf for something.

Soon, as if he found the book he was looking for, he dusted it off with a couple of taps.

Placing that book on the desk, he turned his gaze to me and stared intently at my face.

“Indeed, indeed you resemble her. You look just like Rizna…!”

“…!?”

The sudden mention of my birth mother’s name.

I barely managed to hide my agitation.

The King came close to me and stroked my face.

“Yes, looking closely, I can see Maios in you too.”

This time it was my birth father’s name.

“Tell me. Who are your father and mother?”

“My father is Berial Elaine and my mother is Claire Elaine.”

“Hmm. You haven’t heard the inside story? Well, if they just took in a child, those two probably didn’t know the details either.”

It was as if he knew everything.

However, rather than knowing that Crossing had annihilated the Fensillon restoration forces, it seems he deduced that I was adopted because the timing matched my age.

I couldn’t understand why he was so convinced of this simple guess, but King Gareth seemed to have already concluded that I was the prince of Fensillon.

I wondered if he had seen the necklace, but I had left it behind today as it didn’t match the tailcoat.

In other words, King Gareth had figured out the inside story to some extent just by seeing my face.

‘He must have known my birth parents well.’

It’s not strange. During the Fensillon Empire era, King Gareth was the head of the Asmond ducal family and served as prime minister.

He’s about 20 years older than even King Parain.

“I don’t understand what Your Majesty is saying.”

As I played dumb, the King nodded.

“You’ll naturally come to know everything someday. The whirlpool of fate seems to have already begun to move.”

“…”

Fate.

He soon began to tell me a story as if muttering to himself.

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