I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist - Chapter 17

A grand sound of trumpets.

 

Knights clad in resplendent armor filled the surroundings.

 

Amidst them, a lion strode forth, his voice booming as he announced.

 

“Count Clauwitz, Count of Bertie, your son has been summoned!”

 

…Such an event did not occur. Apologies. This was all merely a figment of my imagination.

 

As I anticipated, someone had indeed come from the court. More precisely, from the royal family.

 

Yet what I witnessed was a single knight, courteously delivering a message.

 

And my father, upon receiving it, promptly promised a response.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Having first perused the letter, my father shared its contents with the family.

 

“…Her Highness, the Second Princess, wishes to see you, Kael.”

 

“The Second Princess, wishes to see me?”

 

“For now, that is the case.”

 

For now, that is the case. It was evident enough.

 

An expectation arose. The choice of the Second Princess was made to impose the least burden possible.

 

She would never be so rude as to summon someone who had just returned home.

 

Yet, if it was in the name of the Second Princess, there could be but one reason.

 

‘In truth, a person of much higher stature seeks me, but wishes to keep it a secret for appearances’ sake.’

 

This was an obligation I could not refuse, and if it were indeed true, I had to go without fail.

 

I considered departing immediately, but perhaps out of consideration, the letter included the phrase, “Come slowly.”

 

It was not a request to arrive leisurely. It signified that I should set off the day after receiving the letter.

 

“I must depart early tomorrow morning, then. Kael.”

 

“I will have Alexei summoned back here.”

 

“Yes. I would appreciate that. Father, Mother.”

 

At this moment, I needed to soothe the one most dissatisfied with the current situation.

 

****

 

How long had it been since returning home, only to be called back to the court?

 

Though my parents seemed to understand, Kaya was another matter entirely.

 

“This is unacceptable! You just arrived yesterday; don’t they know?!”

 

Kaya sat on a garden bench, voicing her grievances, struggling to accept the situation.

 

At least she wasn’t stubbornly insisting that I not go, as she might have in her younger days.

 

“They know. But what can be done? There must be an urgent matter.”

 

“Father said there is nothing more important than rest. You need to relax at home right now!”

 

“Can’t I rest again after returning from the court?”

 

At my question, Kaya glanced at me and shook her head.

 

“I don’t think that will be possible, brother.”

 

“Hmm….”

 

To be honest, I felt the same. It didn’t seem like the type of matter to conclude swiftly.

 

When departing for the court, I encountered several nobles and exchanged pleasantries.

 

Thus, it would be impossible for the palace not to know of my impending departure.

 

Calculating the time roughly, it was not difficult to ascertain the expected arrival date.

 

Yet, the very act of sending someone meant there was something urgent at hand.

 

“I feel uneasy, brother.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s not Father being summoned, but rather you specifically. A command from the palace? They called someone without a title.”

 

“Perhaps they intend to bestow some grand reward.”

 

“Or perhaps they’re assigning a significant task?”

 

“….”

 

I felt a twinge of concern about my sister’s sharp intellect in moments like these.

 

If only I could offer comforting lies, it would make things flow easier.

 

However, I suspected it would be challenging to maintain that facade for long.

 

“Kaya.”

 

“….”

 

“Brother needs to start preparing. If I’m late, it could be problematic. It’s a royal command.”

 

“Just five more minutes.”

 

Kaya clung to my side, refusing to let go.

 

Anyone observing might think we were a couple, sweetly entwined.

 

I couldn’t let any strange rumors circulate that might affect her future.

 

“I intended to keep it secret until tomorrow….”

 

“Hmm? Kaya, what did you just say?”

 

As I hadn’t heard her clearly, I asked again, and she mumbled softly.

 

“I… defeated them all.”

 

“Defeated them all?”

 

“Our family’s knights.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I fought one-on-one and defeated everyone except the captain.”

 

For a moment, I thought I had misheard. Kaya defeated whom?

 

“Did you genuinely defeat all our family’s knights?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Excluding the captain… wait a moment. You mean you even defeated the deputy captain?”

 

—Nods

 

Without a hint of hesitation, Kaya affirmed her words.

 

Surely, she wouldn’t lie to me. That was utterly improbable.

 

Thus, I was all the more astonished. I was so surprised I could hardly find my words.

 

I knew she had devoted herself to martial training, claiming she would protect me.

 

Her achievements were indeed remarkable compared to my lack of physical prowess.

 

I had witnessed knights applauding her as she wielded a spear in her youth.

 

Yet Kaya was merely fifteen years old, still just a girl.

 

She had yet to even reach adulthood, let alone join a battle.

 

And yet, this girl claimed to have bested all our family’s knights?

 

Had she truly matched the captain or even bested the deputy captain?

 

“Is it truly so? Did you really defeat the knights, including the deputy captain?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Perhaps—”

 

“They wouldn’t have gone easy on me, brother.”

 

Indeed. The knights who had fought alongside Father were no ordinary men.

 

Even for Kaya, as the daughter of their count, they would not have held back.

 

It would be far more appropriate for them to provide guidance after defeating her.

 

“That’s astonishing….”

 

“Is that all?”

 

Kaya rolled her eyes. Naturally, this couldn’t be the end.

 

A fifteen-year-old girl defeating seasoned knights was no trivial matter.

 

“Our Kaya is a genius. A prodigy.”

 

“Hehehe.”

 

As I ruffled her hair, she instantly melted into a puddle of joy.

 

She resembled a puppy, or perhaps more like a cat that followed me around?

 

Ah, but let me clarify, I am not treating my sister like a pet.

 

“Isn’t it possible you could become the Empire’s greatest knight?”

 

“Hmm! If I’m to assist my brother, who will one day be a count, I must be that accomplished.”

 

“Kaya, just being by my side is already a tremendous help.”

 

Indeed. Family need only be present to be of support.

 

I hadn’t been able to do so in my past life, but this time would be different. I could change that.

 

They were not the ones sacrificing for me; it was I who wished to protect them.

 

To achieve that, I could be anything from a genius strategist to more.

 

****

 

“Let’s head inside, Kaya. If we’re to move early tomorrow morning….”

 

“Brother, you go in first. I’ll stay out a little longer.”

 

With a radiant smile, Kaya gently nudged my back.

 

For a moment, I hesitated at her words but soon nodded in agreement.

 

She was no longer a five-year-old; at fifteen, admonishing her to sleep early was mere nagging.

 

She would manage just fine. She was of an age where that was expected.

 

Still, as the night air grew chilly, I urged her to come inside, and I entered first.

 

“….”

 

Kaya, gazing intently at my retreating figure, turned her eyes to the night sky.

 

“Ah.”

 

Her heart felt unsettled. The weight of the lie she had told pressed heavily upon her.

 

Not to just anyone, but to Kael. The one she loved most in the world.

 

She should not have done that. It would have been far better to speak honestly.

 

It was true that she had bested our family’s knights. And she had indeed defeated the deputy captain.

 

Yet, she had stopped there. There was more to say and also parts she should have denied.

 

“The Empire’s greatest knight….”

 

She murmured the words Kael had spoken moments earlier.

 

“Milady. How on earth did you become so strong?”

 

After defeating the deputy captain, Kaya had secretly sparred with the captain of the knights.

 

The final result was a victory for the captain. Yet, from his perspective, it felt like a defeat.

 

After all, he had sparred with someone much younger and less experienced than himself.

 

Moreover, she had chosen to use a spear instead of her true weapon.

 

“Remarkable. To possess such skill at the age of fifteen is truly unbelievable.”

 

“I assure you, I did not hold back. I truly gave it my all.”

 

“Yet, milady, why do you insist on using a spear?”

 

“If I had not used a spear, I would have surely lost the match.”

 

“Isn’t your true strength in swordsmanship?”

 

Indeed. Kaya Clauwitz. Before her brother, she wielded a spear.

 

Yet her true prowess lay not in the spear but in her swordsmanship. It was formidable enough to best anyone.

 

Few were aware of this truth. Only two in the Bertie county knew.

 

One was the knight captain who had sparred with Kaya, and the other was the Count of Bertie himself.

 

So why conceal this fact? Why showcase her spear skills to Kael?

 

‘Since Brother has decent skills with a sword, I never want to overshadow his strengths.’

 

The Clauwitz family, long associated with the military, possessed extraordinary physical abilities.

 

In contrast, Kael had only slightly above-average physical capabilities.

 

He was neither weak nor overwhelmingly strong. His martial skills hovered around average.

 

Yet, his swordsmanship was quite exceptional. He took pride in that aspect.

 

Kaya had witnessed this firsthand and wished not to diminish his swordsmanship.

 

Thus, she wielded a spear instead. It sufficed to protect Kael’s side.

 

‘Whether it be a sword or a spear, it matters not. If it’s for Brother Kael, anything is acceptable.’

 

As she gazed at the moon and stars shining in the distance, Kaya smiled faintly.

 

****

 

“Everything is ready, young master!”

 

“Good. But is everything alright? Alexei? You haven’t had a moment’s rest since you arrived.”

 

“I’m fine. It’s rather the palace that has my heart racing. Hahaha!”

 

Indeed, I felt the same. My heart raced as if it would burst.

 

How long had it been since returning to my family, only to head back to the court again?

 

The only difference was that my ultimate destination was the palace.