The Name Anima
It wasn't the first time I'd heard this name.
'Right. I'm pretty sure there was definitely a strategist-type general named Anima.'
I remembered her as a decent female character with good stats, quite usable.
Of course, she wasn't a character who appeared as an independent general, but rather someone who always belonged to the Aishers army in every scenario.
That's right.
The strategist of the Aishers army was almost always Anima.
For some reason, Ginor now held that position, though he originally used to appear as an independent general.
Now that I added Anima to the equation, Epinel's strangely stubborn behavior started to make sense.
Could it be...
'Was Epinel upset that Anima was pushed out of the strategist position?'
Good grief.
Even in the Aishers army where positions were determined by seniority, if you considered intelligence—practically the most important virtue for a strategist—Ginor would clearly be the better choice.
Besides, this wasn't a game but the real world, so in Ginor's case, unlike me who made predictions and pieced things together, the actual person must be incredibly intelligent and wise.
Yet she still had complaints about it?
If the "original members" were that important, why bother recruiting new talent at all?
"..."
After listening to Ginor's words, Epinel thought for a moment.
Then she looked at me.
"Swen. Your words, they're certain?"
"Me, sir?"
"That it's possible to somehow create a miracle by betting your lifespan. If the surprise attack doesn't come, won't this fortress be in a precarious state without troops? It would be quite troublesome if your ability doesn't activate."
"...It's possible. If this fortress falls immediately, I would certainly become a prisoner of the Brands army. And from the Brands army's perspective, I'm a traitor. Why would I risk my life to tell a lie?"
I brazenly told the lie without changing my expression.
Well, according to my prediction, there would be a surprise attack, so I had nothing to fear.
"..."
Epinel pondered my words for a long time, then looked at Ginor and said:
"Strategist. I hope you won't be too angry. I just want you to understand that for our Aishers army, Anima is an extremely important figure. We received a lot of help from her when we had nothing. She certainly doesn't deserve to be treated so poorly. I'm absolutely not criticizing you, but..."
"I understand, General."
"Then I'm glad."
Epinel nodded.
"I will withdraw troops from the fortress to prepare for the surprise attack on Balhart Castle."
"Lady Epinel."
I took a map from my pocket and handed it to her.
It was a map where I had just marked the expected locations of the surprise attack.
Epinel received it and said with slight surprise:
"This... Swen, did you prepare all this?"
"Yes, I did."
"Hmm... I thought you only had the talent to pray to the heavens, but it seems you're quite capable in tactics as well."
Let me say this once more: I don't know the first thing about tactics.
I barely understand even the basic concept of the "hammer and anvil" strategy that's commonly known.
I just played this game for 10,000 hours, so I know roughly how surprise attacks tend to happen.
"Anyway, just in case, you should prepare for the ritual from now on. I'll assign a few soldiers to you."
"I will follow your orders."
"If that's settled, let's hurry now."
Having somehow succeeded in persuading Epinel,
I asked Ginor a question as he was leaving.
"Where is Lady Anima now?"
I couldn't remember seeing her face during the meeting.
In my memory, she had short light brown hair, but there was no such woman there.
"She's gone on a training journey."
"Training?"
"...She thought her inadequacy was why she was replaced by me, so she left for somewhere within our territory for training."
"What...? Did our Lord allow this?"
It might sound nice to call it training, but isn't this just insubordination?
It's practically the same as running away saying, 'If you won't make me strategist, I won't do anything.'
"The current Lord Yuuri and the core contributors of the Aishers army are bound by extremely tight bonds. It seems they somehow maintain contact even during her training."
"I see..."
I carefully looked at Ginor.
After reading the emotions on his face, I judged it would be okay to ask this much.
"Why are you with the Aishers army, Lord Ginor?"
At my words, Ginor's eyebrows twitched momentarily.
But as I expected, he didn't seem too displeased and let out a short sigh.
"That's quite a bold question. ...Well, I suppose it might appear that way from a newcomer's perspective."
Someone of Ginor's caliber would clearly be respected anywhere.
He must be known as the wisest person on the continent.
The implication was that he wasn't someone who should be treated this way just for securing the strategist position.
"This country certainly has strong influence from its founding contributors, but fortunately, all those contributors are generals with outstanding abilities. General Epinel, General Emma, General Erinandorf, and the former strategist Anima—all of them. They all have some stubbornness, but none are foolish or wicked. They're all people who sincerely strive for peace on the continent. Of course, our Lord Yuuri is also much more suitable as a ruler compared to people like Lynn Brands or Navidos Ohana."
Navidos Ohana.
That referred to the ruler of the Ohana army, which bordered the Karelia army in the south.
"After the empire collapsed, I realized that a ruler who merely 'reigns' like the past imperial rulers cannot bring true peace to this continent. Isn't the fact that the entire continent is now torn apart by feudal lords proof of that? I believe that someone like Lord Yuuri needs to unify the continent for peace to come."
"In terms of not just reigning, isn't there also Karelia?"
"You mean Lady Makana Karelia. I had the opportunity to speak with her when she was still young, during the time when the empire was intact. Certainly, in terms of leadership ability, even Lord Yuuri would have to concede to her... but she's too kind, and that's the problem."
After saying this, he sighed deeply, like a father worried about his daughter.
"She lacks the charisma to control this chaotic world. Lord Yuuri has founding contributors to compensate for that aspect, but she doesn't even have such figures. The generals who have shared life and death with Lord Yuuri are filling in for her shortcomings."
Ginor clicked his tongue softly and said:
"It would be nice if there were an ideal ruler with clear self-discipline who isn't swayed by those around them, and who tries to lead everyone with virtue rather than power... but reality isn't like that. You'll come to understand my words someday."
Amusingly, as I listened to Ginor's story, her face came to mind.
Lunarienne Iniang.
'If we're talking about someone who "has clear self-discipline and isn't swayed by those around them" and "tries to lead everyone with virtue rather than power"... wouldn't Luna be perfect?'
During my time with her, she trusted me completely, but it wasn't because she listened to what someone else said.
Rather, Tifa and Kein, who seemed to have been with her for a long time, expressed reluctance at my incomprehensible instructions.
She unilaterally supported a strategist who had only been there for a few days based on her own judgment, which clearly differentiated her from Yuuri.
Moreover, she was incredibly lucky.
The person she decided to trust completely—me—had an intelligence of 100.
Trusting me completely meant she would only make correct decisions.
It was quite embarrassing to say this about myself, but what could I do if it was the truth?
'Perhaps I might be able to bring Ginor over to our side as a general later...'
At that moment,
Ginor turned his head toward me.
"I've talked too much."
"Thank you for helping with the persuasion today."
"Well, it's all for Lord Yuuri's victory, isn't it?"
Right.
For now, the Aishers army needed to win for my sake as well.
It would be dangerous in many ways to further strengthen the Brands army, which had become my enemy.
"Then, I'll take my leave."
After parting with Ginor, I headed to that place.
To where she would be waiting for me.
*
"A ritual...? But, Swen. If you do that, your life—"
"Don't worry, Lady Irene. I won't even have the chance to pray to the heavens."
I explained the current situation to Irene in detail.
The Brands army's plan as I predicted it, what happened with Ginor, and everything that happened with Epinel.
"A surprise attack...? Yes, a surprise attack... It wouldn't be Chel's idea, but it's quite convincing if it's something Farfalle would come up with."
"She's probably afraid of me. She's practically one of the people who observed my abilities up close. After all, it was I who shattered the plan the Aishers army had originally established. So there won't be any need for me to risk my life, so please don't worry too much."
"...If that's the case, then I'm relieved..."
At that moment,
Irene looked straight into my eyes.
Was it my imagination?
I felt like the focus in her eyes disappeared slightly...
"Even if, by any chance, there is no surprise attack... I won't just stand by and watch you perform a ritual that risks your lifespan. I stake my life on it, absolutely."
...Gulp.
I unconsciously swallowed dry saliva.
It was the first time I had felt such an overwhelming spirit from Irene.
"...Don't worry. How could I lie to you, Lady Irene? A surprise attack is the only thing I can think of."
"I trust you too, Swen, but... as I just said, you are the most important thing to me, more valuable than anything else. I have no intention of standing by and watching you risk your lifespan as you please... no matter what happens."
Somehow, I felt a chill from her, but
since my predictions were 100% accurate, the surprise attack was inevitable, so I wasn't particularly worried.
'...Once this battle is over, a bloodbath will sweep through the central continent.'
The balance that had never wavered since the Brands army occupied the central continent.
Thinking about the moment it would collapse, I began my own preparations.
*
The vanguard commander for defending against the surprise attack was Irene's role.
With Emma and Erinandorf deployed to other battlefields and Epinel remaining at the fortress, it was natural for her, an excellent general, to be dispatched.
Although I wanted to stay by Irene's side if possible—
since I had already said "I will perform the ritual if there is no surprise attack," I had to remain at the fortress.
'Lady Irene. Please just stay alive.'
Since we were preventing a surprise attack, it was an overwhelmingly advantageous battle for our side, but nevertheless, sending her to the battlefield wasn't particularly pleasant.
At first, I had approached her simply thinking she might be helpful to the Lunarienne army...
but somehow she had become too important to me.
'It's okay. My predictions are always right. She won't be in danger.'
I calmed my mind and spent time preparing for a ritual I wouldn't actually perform.
Now, it was literally up to the will of heaven.
* * *
In the forest surrounding Balhart Castle.
Irene, who had taken on the role of vanguard commander or commander of the troops prepared for the surprise attack, positioned soldiers at various points where the surprise attack might come in, and was quietly waiting for it.
'Swen said the surprise attack would likely happen at night.'
Usually, battles rarely took place in the dark of night.
Even for the attacking side, fighting at night would be incredibly troublesome.
But surprise attacks were different. Wasn't a surprise attack about striking when the opponent least expected it?
'It's okay. Just do as Swen said.'
After spending some time quietly in the night forest, how much time had passed?
Soldiers were confirmed to be coming in exactly along the route Swen had pointed out.
It seemed the correct answer was to have planted soldiers in the forest between those routes in advance.
'Now!'
Irene shouted as loudly as she could.
"Everyone, charge! Eliminate any soldiers not identified as allies!"
And, as soon as her voice was heard—
the Aishers army soldiers who had been lurking in the darkness everywhere revealed themselves in an instant.
"What, what's going on?!"
"Enemy! Battle!"
Indeed, exactly as Swen had predicted—
the Brands army was launching a surprise attack on Balhart Castle, not the fortress.
Irene, who had been with Swen longer than anyone else in the Aishers army, couldn't help but think once again.
That his words had all been correct, again.