The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 81

The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 81

Delbadova’s teaching method was different from Dunan’s.

It was the difference of being directly under the royal family.

Unlike Dunan, who had only been active in the military since childhood as an elite officer, Delbadova had received diverse and in-depth education because he needed cultivation to serve the royal family.

Among the cadets, there are even jokes that he went bald because of the heat in his head from all that education.

Delbadova wanted the cadets to have such experiences too.

“You all must have gained invaluable experience through the recent war. I don’t deny that. It’s become meaningless to have military science classes at desks now. What you need now is not knowledge about how to command troops or military tactics, but the thinking ability to apply them efficiently according to the situation.”

He then gave examples from the past.

“What an officer needs is not just the ability to conduct war. In the past, Lansia Galeron, a founding contributor of Fensillon and a legendary general, was skilled in musical instruments, and Todoram, called the guardian deity of the Erebonia Kingdom, was so good at dancing that he was called the Emperor of the Night. Such abilities sometimes allow you to see war more broadly. Lansia induced surrender by playing sad music to cornered enemies, and Todoram gained diplomatic favor and led to alliances by showcasing excellent dance at enemy kingdom parties.”

He emphasized.

“You are not weapons. You need to know what kind of person you are. And you need to know what kind of people you will be killing. Without such humanity, the war you wage will be nothing but slaughter. So, look broadly. Experience more.”

After finishing his introduction, he explained about the liberal arts classes they would participate in the afternoon.

The liberal arts classes were narrowed down to five: literature, music, dance, art, and chess.

“Choose the field you want. Ah, and one more thing. You’ll be taking these liberal arts classes together with the general course students.”

At the mention of joint classes with general course students, the cadets tilted their heads. They had almost no contact with general course students until now.

‘Not bad.’

I seemed to understand his intention.

As he said, it was to give the cadets various experiences, but above all, it was to protect students who didn’t belong to factions.

By making them interact with general course students like this, students who don’t belong to factions can also catch their breath.

As the faction kids flocked towards dance and chess, which were the most popular, the non-faction kids headed to other classes to avoid them.

I was the same.

‘Which one should I choose?’

Excluding chess and dance, only art, literature, and music remained.

“Hey, Ars. What are you going to do?” Bannings asked.

“Well, what about you?”

“I’m going for dance. I need to mingle with the faction kids a bit more.”

“You’re working hard too. I think I’ll go for literature.”

I thought I could pass the time quickly by quietly reading books.

However, I soon realized how naive that thought was.

The number of students participating in the literature class was about 20.

I felt something was wrong when I saw the gender ratio of the class.

“Haha…” Dorofei, who was going to take the literature class with me, laughed bitterly. “It seems like you and I are the only guys, Ars.”

“Yeah.”

I could feel the gazes pouring on Dorofei and me. In a sense, they were predatory gazes.

I thought it might be okay if we just sat and read books, but this wasn’t that kind of place.

This literature class had a set curriculum.

First, they hold a book appreciation meeting where they read a book, exchange opinions, and listen to the teacher’s commentary.

And from the next class, based on that, they write similar texts themselves.

Today was the day for the book appreciation meeting, and usually, the teacher would select the books, but today there seemed to be a special guest.

“Excuse me.” It was Erina, appearing with an armful of books.

“Lady Erina?”

“Why are you here… Weren’t you taking art classes?”

To the noble ladies’ questions, Erina smiles broadly.

“I’ve been specially allowed to join today with the teacher’s permission.”

The teacher shrugs with an expression that says, ‘How could I refuse the request of a duke’s daughter?’

“To repay such kindness, I brought books today. Is that okay?”

“Of course!”

“If it’s Lady Erina’s recommendation, we’d love to read it!”

A bad feeling.

The what if, turned out to be true.

Erina presented my books that she had bought in bulk at that time.

It seems this is what she meant by promoting it herself.

“Their circumstances…? Lady Erina? What kind of novel is this?”

Everyone showed strong curiosity as it was recommended by Erina. Erina speaks, puffing out her chest as if she had written it herself.

“It’s a work that was just published recently. It seemed interesting, so I brought it to share opinions with everyone.”

“I see. Then can we read it right away?”

“Of course. Ah, before that. There’s one point I’d like you to pay attention to. I’d like to hear your impressions of a character named Irina Paleon who appears in the work.”

“So Lady Erina has already read it.”

“Oh, no… It’s not like that. I heard such things from someone who read it first. That she’s a very delicate and beautiful character.”

A delicate and beautiful character.

‘Don’t tell me she hasn’t read it yet?’

The character Irina Paleon had already been transformed into a half-villain by Estelle’s editing. Unaware of this fact, Erina seems to have misunderstood that the previous content we collaborated on was published as a book.

“Then everyone. Please be quiet.”

Afterwards, reading began in a suffocating silence. Most were noble ladies, so their manners were impeccable.

Dorofei was also reading my novel with a serious expression.

It’s embarrassing to have so many people reading my work. Erina, who had helped, seemed to feel the same way, as she was busy observing others rather than reading the book properly.

After about an hour had passed.

Someone shouted.

“What is this! This villainess!”

“She’s terrible!”

“How can there be such a woman?”

A burst of criticism erupted all at once. Since they started reading at similar times, everyone seemed to be reading the same part.

It was the court party scene, where Irina traps Ertel, making her lost, and dances with the protagonist in Ertel’s place.

“W-What is this…?” Erina was visibly perplexed.

Finally, as the reading ended, a discussion about Irina followed.

“If Irina hadn’t interfered, the protagonist would surely have ended up with Ertel. Irina, that wicked woman!”

“I can understand the protagonist’s feelings too. Going back to the battlefield for Ertel’s happiness…”

“So in the end, did the protagonist end up with the female knight?”

“We don’t know that yet. It seems to be what they call an open ending.”

“Oh my, that’s what I hate the most!”

“Me too. Maybe there might be a sequel.”

There were many negative reviews, but overall it was well-received.

‘I’m glad the response is good.’

Although it unintentionally became a female-oriented novel, it seemed that the response was good because of that.

Once this work becomes somewhat popular, I can release a pirated version with added explicit scenes.

In fact, since Olaf’s recruitment was successful, it didn’t really matter whether the pirated version was successful or not. I thought circus and dancing troupes were more effective than this anyway.

Now I don’t have to write novels anymore.

I closed the book with satisfaction, feeling liberated, but Erina glared at me and shouted. “Sir Ars! What is this! Why is Irina like this…!”

She soon laughs hollowly as if she understood everything.”…I see. So that’s why she stopped me from reading the book then…. Hehe… Hehehe! You got me. Not bad, Estelle…!”

Others were puzzled by Erina’s fuming.

“L-Lady Erina? Why are you suddenly angry at this person…?”

“Ah…!” Erina seemed to realize her mistake, but she had to explain to cover up her recent behavior.

Erina slightly sought agreement with her eyes and said, “A-Ahem! It’s because the one who wrote Their Circumstances is this person here.”

“Really!? Then Platina is…”

“Yes, it’s Sir Ars Elaine.”

Then people’s gazes towards me changed strangely.

Regardless, Erina strongly urged. “Sir Elaine. Pick up your pen right now.”

“Why suddenly a pen…”

“You need to write a sequel!”

“Out of the blue!?”

“Originally, the purpose of this class is to read a book and write something similar. So there’s nothing strange about it.”

Seeing her fiery gaze, I couldn’t find words to refuse.

And so, I had to start writing an unexpected sequel.

* * *

Erina began writing the sequel, pressuring Ars.

Casper, who had finished his chess lesson and was looking for Erina, gritted his teeth upon seeing this scene.

“That bastard…!!”

Despite the warning, he dared to approach his Erina.

In fact, he knew. It wasn’t Ars approaching, but Erina approaching him. Even in this liberal arts class, it was clear that Erina deliberately skipped her major art class to attend the literature class.

However, he thought it was just a childhood crush, nothing significant. Looking at their families, there was never a possibility of Erina and Ars being together anyway.

He believed that she must eventually be matched with a family of high nobility like his own.

‘This requires some action.’

He soon summoned Denian Geglish, one of the faction members.

Denian was the one who had threatened Ars at the victory party in the past, the second son of Viscount Geglish, a core member of the Saleon faction.

Casper explained the situation and demanded that Ars be driven away, but Denian was perplexed.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“Why?”

“Lord Gilbert said that Elaine guy is okay.”

“What!? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know the details either.”

“Argh!”

For a moment, Casper was so furious that his vision went white.

He immediately went to confront Gilbert.

Gilbert frowned and answered, “Why are you making such a fuss about this? Are you saying Erina shouldn’t be friends with any man?”

“Of course! Because she’s my fiancée!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Erina’s fiancé hasn’t been decided yet.”

“Didn’t you say you would choose me!”

Gilbert clicked his tongue at this insolent attitude.

‘What a fool.’

He doesn’t even think about winning Erina’s heart himself, just clinging to others.

‘Is this why they say geniuses who are put on a pedestal can’t rise high?’

His approach to everything was wrong because he had only walked paths made by others.

‘Or maybe he wasn’t a genius to begin with.’

Gilbert hid these inner thoughts and said, “Casper. To grasp what you want, you need to prove yourself. Yourself, not the fake Wade. Or did you intend to be with Erina as the fake Wade who might be exposed at any time?”

“You said you would take care of that…”

“I’m using my power, but I don’t know when it will reach its limit.”

In fact, Gilbert wasn’t doing anything to hide Casper’s identity. Rather, he was hoping for it to be exposed.

However, due to the Duke of Hellian’s counter-operation to hide Ars, there were no signs of exposure. Instead, the theory of Casper being Wade was gaining more traction within the kingdom.

“That’s why you need to build up achievements too.”

“Achievements…”

“In that sense, this might be a good opportunity. Both you and Elaine will be participating in this matter.”

“When you say this matter…”

“You’ll find out soon.” Gilbert smiled meaningfully. Casper trembled with an inexplicable unease.

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