Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy

Upon arriving at the royal palace, I found that the generals stationed at Valharat Castle—including Airen—were already gathering.
I exchanged a brief nod with her before finding a seat and waiting for the rest to assemble.

Not long after, once everyone who needed to be present had arrived, Yuri, seated on the throne, spoke in a serious tone.
"I apologize for calling you all so suddenly in the middle of your duties. You’ve probably heard the news on your way here, so let’s skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point."
She closed her eyes for a moment before slowly opening them and speaking again.

"The Serpina Army has invaded Zelstrom Castle with a force of seventy thousand troops."
Zelstrom was a fortress to the north of Valharat, formerly the capital of the Charam Army’s territory.
It was currently being defended by Epinnel, who had been appointed as its lord.

Based on Yuri’s summary, Zelstrom Castle held approximately fifty-three thousand soldiers.
Valharat had sixty thousand, while Raklein Castle had sixty-nine thousand troops stationed.
"This is the situation. Now, here’s what I think. Losing Zelstrom Castle would put us in a difficult position. We went through a lot of effort to expand our territory, so I’d prefer to keep it. That’s why I’m considering sending reinforcements. What do you all think?"

At her words, Jinor bowed his head slightly before responding.
"It may be possible to defend the castle, but I am more concerned about what comes afterward."
"Afterward?"

"If we divert forces to reinforce Zelstrom, Serpina’s army may immediately deploy additional troops to attack another location."
"Well, that wouldn’t be too bad, right? They can’t attack all three fortresses at once."
"That is true… but if we continue to deplete our forces in this manner, we may find ourselves at a serious disadvantage before long."

"So, Jinor, what’s your opinion?"
"Surrendering Zelstrom Castle may be the best course of action."
"Surrender…?"

As Yuri lowered her head slightly in contemplation, Jinor explained his reasoning.
"The Serpina Army is a major power. Managing three separate frontlines against them would be an enormous strain on our forces. Our troops are not endless, and given that reality, it would be wiser to consolidate our forces at Valharat Castle and the forward base at Raklein.
By doing so, we can fortify these locations to make it impossible for Serpina’s forces to advance further."
"But wouldn’t that be a waste? We’d be handing over a fortress without even putting up a fight."

"If we must relinquish a castle, then it is far better to give up Zelstrom—located in the north and difficult to defend—rather than Raklein, which is strategically vital to our defenses."
"And what comes after? We can’t just sit back and defend forever, can we?"
"An alliance with the Hesna Army—at least temporarily—could be a viable option."

"An alliance?"
"Yes. If not the Hesna Army, then the Roland Army.
The threat of Serpina’s conquest looms over them just as it does over us.

Fortunately, from their perspective, we are not an immediate threat. If we form a defensive pact with them, even Serpina’s forces would hesitate before taking any reckless actions.
And if, in the meantime, the Brans Army moves, it would be even more beneficial to us."
No matter how powerful the Serpina Army was—

If multiple nations joined forces against them, it would put them in an extremely difficult position.
Jinor’s plan was, in many ways, the most optimal strategy we had available at the moment.
If I had been in Yuri’s position, I likely would have made the same choice: evacuate soldiers, commanders, and supplies from Zelstrom, then reinforce Valharat and Raklein to create an impenetrable defensive line.

Distributing the fifty thousand troops from Zelstrom equally between the two remaining castles would mean around eighty to ninety thousand troops defending each, creating an extremely formidable barrier.
While losing territory was unpleasant in the short term, in the long run, this was a far more sustainable approach.
It might seem frustrating, but without strategies like this, a weaker nation could never hope to survive against a greater power.

The key to victory was endurance—persevering through whatever dirty or underhanded tactics were necessary until the opportunity for a decisive strike finally arrived.
Jinor’s strategy of abandoning the castle aligned with my own thoughts.
However—

"Please wait a moment, my lord."
A voice interrupted from the side.
The speaker was a young officer—one whose face I had seen before but whose name I hadn’t remembered.

"Glenn, go ahead and explain."
So his name was Glenn.
The young man with brown hair spoke passionately, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

"Recapturing a lost fortress is an incredibly difficult task. The more territory we control, the greater our population, and the stronger our national power becomes.
As the Aishus Army, we can’t afford to surrender a single fortress without a fight. No matter how sound the strategist’s reasoning may be, I cannot accept the idea of simply abandoning Zelstrom without resistance.
And more importantly—"

Glenn pounded his fist against his chest as he continued.
"Who are we? We are the Aishus Army, bound by blood under the crimson banner.
Right now, Zelstrom is being defended by none other than Epinnel Rosenkross, our most capable general.

And by her side is Emma Adlen.
No matter how great the numerical disadvantage, if Epinnel and Emma are leading the defense, it will not be easy for Serpina to take the castle."
The numerical difference was seventeen thousand troops.

With fifty thousand on the defensive and seventy thousand on the offensive, the gap was not insurmountable.
In battles like this, the abilities of commanding officers often determined the outcome more than sheer numbers.
And Glenn was right—Epinnel and Emma were both SS-ranked generals.

It was entirely possible that they could hold their ground.
"As the strategist pointed out, sending reinforcements may weaken our other castles. And yes, I acknowledge that our resources are limited.
But let me remind you—Serpina’s forces are not unlimited either.

Furthermore, they are still engaged in hostilities with the Brans Army.
Given the circumstances, I strongly believe that we should not surrender Zelstrom so easily."
"So, you’re suggesting that we send reinforcements?"

At Yuri’s question, Glenn shook his head.
"No. I don’t think reinforcements are necessary.
Even without additional support, Epinnel, Emma, and the Aishus Army’s forces at Zelstrom should be able to hold the line.

Instead of stretching ourselves thin, we should place our trust in Epinnel and give her full authority over the decision. That is my sincere recommendation."
"…Hmm."
Given Epinnel’s nature, she was unlikely to retreat. If she was given full authority over the situation, she would almost certainly choose to hold the fortress.

While Yuri remained deep in thought, I took the time to organize the two arguments in my head.
Jinor’s proposal: Withdraw troops from the castle and strengthen our defensive lines here. I personally leaned towards this option—it made the most sense strategically.
Glenn’s proposal: Trust in Epinnel’s abilities. If it were anyone else, I might have dismissed the idea, but with both Epinnel and Emma there, it wasn’t an entirely unreasonable stance.

Well—
These were just the opinions of others.
Now, it was time to determine my own correct answer.

I could have simply let the discussion play out, but Yuri had clearly stated before this meeting:
"I’m considering sending reinforcements to fight. What do you all think?"
Since the question had been asked, I could seek an answer.

I processed the question directly in my mind.
"Is fighting the Serpina Army the right choice?"
The answer came almost immediately, faster than I had expected.

[You will win—at least for now.]
"…Huh?"
What?

We will win?
That was unexpected.
Given Epinnel and Emma’s exceptional command abilities, I could see how we might pull off a victory.

But if that were the case, shouldn’t the answer simply be "You will win"?
Why the qualifier—"at least for now"?*
That phrasing suggested that there was something else at play beyond just the battle itself.

"…Wen?"
No—think about it in reverse.
In what kind of situations do we say, "at least we succeeded"?

When success isn’t the full story—when the outcome isn’t necessarily ideal.
"Does that mean… this method is inefficient?"
"Swen?"

At that moment—
Someone lightly touched my waist.
"…Swen."

"…Ah."
The one who pulled me out of my thoughts was Airen, standing at my side.
When I came back to my senses, I realized that Yuri was watching me closely.

"Something wrong? You don’t look well."
"No… It’s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment. I apologize."
"Swen, I asked for your opinion. I want to hear what you think."

"My opinion?"
"Yes. Back at the fortress, you were the one who detected the enemy’s ambush. I trust your judgment. What do you think?"
"You mean—whether we should defend Zelstrom Castle or not?"

"That’s right."
"……."
The answer had already been given to me.

We would win.
So, technically, there was no reason to retreat.
And yet—

Something told me this wasn’t the ultimate answer.
That lingering doubt found its way into my words before I even realized it.
"Well… the strategist’s reasoning is certainly valid. But Glenn is also correct—we will win. Epinnel and Emma are highly skilled commanders, after all."

"Ohh! So you agree with me!"
Glenn beamed at me, clearly pleased.
However, Yuri picked up on something in my tone, her expression shifting as she pressed further.

"You will win? What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is… well, Epinnel will… hold the fortress. She will stop the enemy advance."
"…?"

I struggled to find the right words.
Then—
Unexpectedly, someone threw me a lifeline.

"Swen, are you saying there might be another option?"
"…Excuse me?"
This time, it was Jinor who spoke, sitting beside Yuri.

"Another option?"
"Yes. Are you thinking there might be a more efficient way?"
"…Ah!"

As soon as Jinor phrased it like that, I finally understood the source of my unease.
Yes.
"You will win—for now" meant "You will win, but this is not the most efficient method."

Which meant—there had to be a better way.
Jinor had unknowingly asked the exact question I needed.
Because of him, I could now refine my own.

"Is it true that, despite winning, Jinor’s suggestion of withdrawing troops is actually the more efficient approach?"
Well, there was only one way to find out.
I quickly processed the new question in my mind.

"Is there a more efficient strategy than defending Zelstrom Castle?"
The response came instantly, with no hesitation.
[The most efficient strategy is for you to personally negotiate with Serpina.]

"……."
The room was silent.
The weight of the gathered officers' gazes pressed down on me as they waited for my answer.

And once again—
I found myself clutching an unfailing compass, yet thrown into the vast, uncertain ocean of "What the hell does that even mean?"