Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy

A short while later.
A woman with short purple hair strode confidently across the red carpet of the audience chamber. Soldiers stood in formation on either side, yet she showed no sign of intimidation as she walked toward the throne where Yuri was seated.

And then—
Upon reaching Yuri, the woman knelt down, lowered her head, and spoke.
"Greetings. I have come today to deliver a message from our sovereign, Lady Serpina."

"……."
Yuri remained silent for a moment, looking down at the envoy. She had thought she was prepared for this encounter before allowing her inside.
But now, standing face to face with an emissary from the Serpina Army, memories of the past—of everything she had lost—resurfaced on their own.

The memories of Fibiola Academy, ones she could never forget.
The soldiers who stormed the academy that day had been clad in armor adorned with the emblem of the Eingart Empire. She later learned that, following the emperor’s sudden death, a brutal conflict had erupted among his children for control of the empire—a decisive battle to claim power.
And the one who had survived that battle—the one this envoy now served—was none other than Serpina von Eingart.

The conqueror of the north. The ruthless tyrant. A woman who carved history in blood—Serpina von Eingart.
She was, without a doubt, the greatest enemy of the Aishus Army.
Yuri never outwardly revealed her true thoughts as a ruler, but that didn’t mean she had forgotten.

Who had taken everything from them?
Who had they raised the crimson banner to overthrow?
"Yuri?"
The envoy’s voice brought Yuri back to the present. She gave a small nod, her voice composed.

"Speak. I will listen to your message."
"……."
The purple-haired woman studied Yuri’s face for a long moment.

Then, in a flat, emotionless voice, she spoke words that carried an undeniable weight.
"Lady Yuri, the outcome has already been decided. We ask that you make the rational choice for the sake of your people. That is the will of our sovereign, Lady Serpina."
"……What?"
"It is exactly as I have stated, Lady Yuri."

The envoy bowed her head as she finished speaking.
The outcome has already been decided.
Make the rational choice for the sake of your people.
It was not difficult for Yuri to grasp the true meaning hidden in those words.

Surrender.
Surrender and join the Serpina Army.
The very moment their borders touched, Serpina wasted no time sending an envoy with these words.
"You… came all this way just to say that to me?"

Yuri swallowed the fury rising within her and kept her voice measured.
The envoy, however, responded as if this were the most trivial of matters—her tone as indifferent as one might use when tossing away garbage.
"Yes. We ask that you make the wise decision."

"……."
Crack.
Unconsciously, Yuri’s grip tightened around the armrest of her throne.

It wasn’t the demand for surrender that enraged her the most.
It was the fact that she could tell—without a shred of doubt—that Serpina had not sent this envoy to mock her.
To Serpina, this was simply the most logical course of action.

Even with four fortresses under their control, the Aishus Army was still insignificant compared to Serpina’s forces. Rather than waste soldiers tracking down and subduing them one by one, wouldn’t it be far more efficient if they simply surrendered?
An unnecessary war.
To Serpina, the conquest of the Aishus Army was nothing more than an unnecessary war.

That was why she dared to make such an offer.
Instead of shouting in rage, Yuri spoke in a low, firm voice, her heterochromatic eyes narrowing as she delivered her response—not as an individual, but as the ruler of the Aishus Army.
"Go back and tell Serpina this—
We have no intention of surrendering, nor do we intend to share the same sky with her."

"……."
The envoy nodded, then rose to her feet.
"I will deliver your words exactly as you have spoken them. Farewell."

With that, she turned and left the chamber.
As the doors shut behind her, Jinor—who had been standing beside Yuri—spoke in a careful tone.
"What will you do now?"

"What do you mean?"
Yuri’s reply was unusually sharp, but Jinor remained undeterred.
"Rejecting their surrender offer was the right choice. I would have done the same. However… was it really necessary to say, ‘We have no intention of sharing the same sky with her’?"

"……."
Jinor was right.
Even if the envoy had provoked them first, it was never wise for a smaller nation to openly antagonize a larger power.

Swallowing one’s pride and letting insults pass was often the key to survival in times of turmoil.
Yuri knew that.
And yet—

I refuse to lose to her.
Not to Serpina von Eingart.
Her voice was unwavering as she responded to Jinor.
"I know. But… no."

"? "
"Jinor, you wouldn’t understand."
You wouldn’t understand, no matter how much I explain.

Jinor felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
Even as the nation’s chief strategist, there were things beyond his reach.
He did not press further.

Instead, he simply looked at Yuri’s profile.
And in her eyes, he saw the fire of vengeance burning bright.
"……."

When she had faced the Brans Army, Yuri had been colder and more calculating than anyone else.
But the moment she had to confront the Serpina Army… she began to resemble the very founding retainers who had sworn loyalty to her cause.
Jinor found this shift concerning.

"It’s fine. The Brans Army hasn’t completely fallen yet, and the southern forces won’t just sit idle forever. Serpina’s army won’t be able to stretch their borders indefinitely."
For now, strengthening their internal foundation in the newly acquired territory was the priority.
Instead of sighing, Jinor focused on the future he could shape within his own means.

***
"Is that so?"
"Yes. They have no intention of surrendering."

Kneeling before Serpina, Erin Rize—the envoy sent to the Aishus Army—delivered her report.
A woman with short purple hair.
She had been Serpina’s academy peer in their younger days and had served her ever since. Had it not been for Jenna’s presence, Erin might have held the position of chief strategist, given her remarkable intelligence.

"They also said they had no intention of sharing the same sky with us."
"Is that so? How amusing."
Serpina responded with apparent boredom, resting her chin on her hand.

The Aishus Army.
A small nation in the eastern part of the continent, led by Baranga Yuri Aishus.
It wasn’t completely powerless like some of the weaker states, but compared to her own empire, which had unified the north, Aishus was nothing more than an insignificant, unimpressive territory.

In truth, Serpina didn’t even consider them a rival.
Aside from the Brans Army and the four nations in the south, there was no force on the continent she deemed worthy of direct opposition.
From the very beginning of her northern conquests, she had always issued surrender ultimatums to minor states before striking.

This was simply another instance of that.
Yes, the Aishus Army had absorbed Charam and Aleffel, but that only meant she had to send one envoy instead of three. Their actions held no real significance to Serpina’s grander ambitions.
"So, must bloodshed be inevitable?"

If they refused to surrender, so be it.
And judging by their choice of words—*"We have no intention of sharing the same sky"—*there was no doubt that Yuri harbored a personal grudge against her.
"…How predictable."

She was accustomed to being hated.
From the moment she accepted the name of Eingart, being despised had become a part of her very existence.
Now, the time had come to crush the Aishus Army.

With their successive victories against the Brans Army, the morale of Serpina’s forces was at an all-time high.
If they pushed forward now, conquering Aishus would be a simple task.
"You’ve done well, Erin. You may leave."

"Yes, my lord. Then, I take my leave."
After Erin departed, Serpina fell into momentary thought.
Then—

Jenna, standing beside her, hesitantly spoke.
"My lord. Taking on the Aishus Army while still dealing with the Brans Army would be too much. Even with our superior numbers, doubling the length of our borders could lead to… complications."
Serpina turned to Jenna and asked,

"Jenna. That’s unlike you. Have you been neglecting your studies?"
"…What? I don’t quite understand—"
"It means I have no intention of attacking the Brans Army for the time being."

"……?"
Jenna tilted her head in confusion.
Serpina, seeing her puzzled expression, explained further.

"You must have heard the recent report that Carlints Brans and Chel Brans—the Brans Army’s top frontline commanders—have withdrawn."
"Yes, I have. But their forces haven’t completely retreated, so—"
"That is exactly why I will not attack."

"…I apologize. My knowledge is lacking, and I do not fully grasp your meaning."
"It’s simple. Why do you think they pulled back their troops instead of reinforcing their frontlines?"
"Well… wasn’t it to prevent the loss of Arnel Castle?"

"Exactly. Now do you see what I mean?"
"Wait… does that mean—Ah."
Jenna’s eyes widened as she finally understood Serpina’s reasoning.

"Whoever made that decision, it was a wise one. They assessed their strength objectively and chose to protect what they could. A leader must be willing to sacrifice land they cannot hold in order to secure the future.
If this was Lyn Brans’ decision, then she has, at the very least, upheld the Brans family’s name."
Serpina’s golden eyes gleamed as she continued.

"But what if I stop advancing? What will happen to the commanders and soldiers left to defend their borders?"
"…You intend to incite internal strife?"
"If it can be resolved without direct intervention, then why not?"

Jenna nodded.
"That is a sound strategy. Even if you leave their territory alone, they are unlikely to reinforce their ranks anytime soon. If they had the means to do so, they would have already done it before engaging us in battle.
If they are forced to conscript soldiers now, the newly recruited forces will be weak and disorganized.

As expected of you, Lady Serpina."
"Jenna. Spare me the unnecessary flattery."
"Understood."

Whether things would unfold exactly as she planned remained to be seen.
"But in the meantime, the Aishus Army will—Ah."
Jenna cut herself off mid-sentence.

She had already realized what Serpina intended to do next.
"That’s right."
Serpina’s golden eyes gleamed, and a small, chilling smile curved her lips.

Regardless of her words, anyone who saw that expression would find themselves captivated by her sheer presence—compelled to revere her from the depths of their souls.
"In the meantime, we will crush the Aishus Army."