I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist - Chapter 14

The banquet held at Marquis Robgon’s mansion in the capital had finally ended.

Everyone who had attended departed with smiles gracing their lips, exchanging polite goodbyes.

“….”

Yet among them, the First Prince, Gaius, was unable to do the same.

He barely managed to acknowledge the farewells of others, offering only the faintest nods in response.

Witnessing this, the gathered nobles instinctively sensed that something was amiss and kept their distance.

No matter how affable the prince might normally be, it was always wise to avoid him when his mood was clearly unsettled.

“Sigh.”

Even after stepping into his carriage, the prince’s expression remained clouded and unrelenting.

“Your Highness, do you remember the day the imperial legion, to which the princess and I belonged to, returned to the capital?”

The prince’s thoughts were still occupied by the conversation he had shared earlier with Kael.

“As Your Highness mentioned, my strategy allowed the imperial army to return without engaging in any major battles. Though morale was high, it would have been a stretch to declare, ‘We have triumphed!’”

“Yet despite this, the citizens of the Empire showered the returning legion with endless praise and cheers. Crowds gathered to sing songs, even composing lyrics to mock Norvogrod mercilessly.”

“The sight of it all felt as though our imperial army had fought a grand battle and emerged victorious. Perhaps they wanted to believe that such a triumph had indeed occurred, Your Highness.”

Looking back, it was true. The capital had been alight with excitement and celebration.

But it wasn’t because the Empire had achieved a victory without suffering losses.

Whether or not there had been losses, the key point was that they had achieved “victory.”

That was the essence of it. The Empire had fought countless wars and infinitely more battles.

There had been losses in skirmishes, of course. But in the end, every war had been won by the Empire.

When faced with an enemy, the Empire nearly always emerged victorious. And even if a defeat occurred, it was swiftly repaid with a decisive triumph.

Opponents might resist the imperial army for a time, even gain the upper hand, or win a battle.

But ultimate victory—true, conclusive victory—was something the Empire never relinquished.

To the citizens of the Empire, their nation was an unyielding sun, one that never set.

That was the belief deeply ingrained in their hearts.

“And so, I must ask, Your Highness. If, before such citizens, you were to declare, ‘We must put an end to war,’ and the opposing side were to invoke the ‘glory of the past,’ claiming that the moment the Empire retreats, all the enemies crushed under its weight would rise… what do you think would happen?”

Hearing this, the prince felt as if he had been struck by a sudden realization of his inadequacy.

Inevitably, it was the hearts of the people that decided everything. He had failed to consider this entirely.

“My chest feels heavy,” he thought.

It wasn’t merely the idea that the other side could twist the pro-peace faction’s arguments to their advantage.

Kael… He had already foreseen all of this. And he had graciously laid it out before him, as if granting him a favor.

It was as if Kael were saying, “No matter how you press your argument, I have already accounted for it.”

“Lastly, Your Highness, your proposal contains a critical flaw. Who can guarantee that, should the Empire extend its hand, they would take it?”

“If you believe that weighing benefits and losses will ensure such an outcome, then you are mistaken. The most decisive factor in any matter is, ultimately, people. No calculation can override the complexities of human nature.”

Just as the citizens of the Empire could not relinquish their pride in the radiant glory of the past and present—

To do so would be to abandon the very foundation of their belief that the Empire was superior—

So too might their enemies prefer the tension of a standoff to the humiliation of shaking hands.

After all they had endured at the hands of the Empire, to accept such a gesture would be to admit their inferiority.

The pride of believing, “We have lived well despite the Empire, without bowing to them,” would crumble.

It wasn’t simply about gains and losses. Emotions would override reason.

“…Even so…”

The thought of giving up without even trying felt unbearable. It stung his pride.

At the very least, he wanted to confirm it for himself—to see with his own eyes how the citizens of the Empire would react.

Who knows? Perhaps they, too, had grown more interested in prosperity and comfort than in endless conquests.

Yes, as Kael had said, one could never truly know the hearts of people. Perhaps the citizens of the Empire…

‘The timing is dreadful.’

Having claimed a symbolic victory over Norvogrod, the Empire was basking in the sentiment of “Once again, we’ve shown those arrogant demons their place!”

To proclaim, “The Empire must now seek dialogue,” in such an atmosphere—who would take that seriously?

‘Sir Kael… Just how far ahead are you truly looking?’

It was a shame. He absolutely needed to bring that man to his side, no matter the cost.

The prince could only sigh in frustration as regret gnawed at him.

“Sir Kael.”

The princess, who had been walking ahead of me, suddenly stopped and called my name.

I almost collided with her. Your Highness, you can’t just stop like that without a warning!

“Have you really been seeing that far ahead?”

“Your Highness?”

“I’ll be honest with you. For a moment, I faltered. My brother, the First Prince, and the pro-peace faction… I always thought of them as cowards. But I was wrong. They have their own reasons, their own justifications, and their own vision for the future.”

Was it because she had wavered, despite being a staunch supporter of the pro-war faction and the military?

Her frustration was evident, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

What a pure-hearted person she was. And yet, that purity was not a flaw. It was a strength.

It meant she could listen to the perspectives of those who opposed her.

“I barely managed to regain my composure, but I was already too caught up. If not for you, Sir Kael, I might have been swayed by their words.”

“It’s all right, Your Highness. If anything, it shows you are willing to consider the opinions of others.”

“…Doesn’t that make me a foolishly gullible person?”

“If you were truly so gullible, you wouldn’t have made it this far, Your Highness.”

Indeed, supporting a faction wasn’t a task simply anyone could undertake.

Nobles weren’t fools. Even those in the military weren’t indifferent to politics.

If the princess had any real flaws, would they have aligned themselves with her so readily?

“Rather, I was deeply impressed by how resolutely you stood your ground against the prince.”

“…Hearing that from a ‘genius’ like you is oddly comforting.”

How many times must I insist that I’m no genius?

I’m just someone who speaks whatever comes to mind, nothing more.

“Sir Kael, do you truly believe things will unfold the way you suggested?”

“Are you asking whether I believe the citizens of the Empire will act as I predicted?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know.”

“…What?”

The princess blinked in confusion, staring at me as if to confirm she had heard correctly.

“You… don’t know? What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly as I said. Whether the citizens of the Empire will prioritize economic reasons or their pride… I cannot say. My answer is simply, ‘I don’t know.’”

“B-but! Earlier, you spoke with such confidence!”

I shook my head. How could anyone claim certainty when it came to the human heart?

There’s a saying: one can know the depth of water but never the depth of a person’s mind.

At best, this was an educated guess, and I had used it to pressure the prince. Nothing more.

“So… when it comes to matters of the heart, there is no such thing as certainty.”

“Even in the most obvious situations, people may harbor doubts. And in situations where doubt is necessary, they may cling to belief. That is the nature of the human heart.”

“And yet… you used that uncertainty to speak so decisively to my brother and even sway him.”

The princess suddenly fixed her gaze on me.

Before I could ask why she was staring, she spoke again.

“You used the same understanding of human nature against Norvogrod, didn’t you? Manipulating their circumstances, pressuring them, and extracting the maximum advantage.”

“Well… yes. I suppose you could say that.”

But was it really the same? I wasn’t sure.

At the time, I had simply drawn from memories of my past life and followed what seemed like the closest approximation.

There had been no brilliance, no ability to read minds.

“Within days, the pro-peace faction will undoubtedly begin to move.”

“Indeed. They’ll likely use this moment, where we achieved victory through means other than war, as a foundation for change. The citizens of the Empire might even find it convincing.”

“Then align your moves with theirs, Your Highness. Sometimes, psychological factors can outweigh practical ones.”

The princess nodded, seemingly agreeing with the notion.

“Sir Kael, may I ask you something?”

“Please, ask.”

“Why, despite agreeing with much of my brother’s vision, do you still work to keep the pro-peace faction in check?”

What a simple question. Obviously, it was for the sake of my family.

The Bertie county, which had always been tied to the military, couldn’t afford for the pro-peace faction to gain power now.

Allowing that would spell the decline of my family’s influence, something I couldn’t bear to show my parents.

“Well—”

Of course, I couldn’t just say that outright.

Instead, I decided to offer an answer that suited my current image.

“His Highness’s plan is ahead of its time. Ideals must be built on a foundation of reality before they can take shape.”

“…If, hypothetically, your prediction turns out to be correct again, Sir Kael, then I might need you to accompany me somewhere.”

“Pardon?”

What was this now? Accompany her? Where? Surely she could at least explain the destination?

“Your Highness? Princess?”

Ah, perhaps I had overstepped my bounds.

I had only aided her because I believed supporting the pro-war faction was better for my family than letting the pro-peace faction thrive.

But now, with her abrupt declaration, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of worry.