Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy

Chapter 18

Having concluded the negotiations with Lyn and left the royal castle, I glanced around to ensure no one was nearby before letting out a short sigh.

"I survived..."

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

I had been confident in my predictions. Once the outcome of a "ceasefire agreement" was decided, I knew it would be achieved no matter what.
And yet, the moment a blade was at my throat, fear was inevitable.
Imagining the prospect of death and actually facing it were entirely different experiences.

Even so, I couldn’t afford to show any weakness.
If I faltered, I would lose control of the negotiations.
Having committed to this gamble, I clung to my composure with all my might. It seemed my gamble had paid off.

"Envoys operate under more pressure than I’d thought."

In the game, diplomacy was a simple matter of clicking the "diplomacy" and "execute" buttons.
But each envoy was like a lone away-team player stepping onto an opponent's home turf.
Especially for an envoy to an enemy nation during wartime, the pressure must have been overwhelming—just like what I’d experienced.

At that moment, a soldier approached me.

"Are you the envoy from Luna’s Army?"

"Yes, I am."

The soldier handed me a pouch.
It felt quite heavy in my hand. There was no doubt this was the 3,000 gold.

"Normally, we would transport this by carriage, but given the urgency, both you and I should ride on horseback to deliver the news quickly. Would that be acceptable?"

"Not only acceptable, it’s preferable."

I, too, needed to return as swiftly as possible.

"In that case, follow me. We’ll depart immediately."

I followed the soldier without hesitation.

"Just a little longer, everyone. I’ll be back soon."

For now, it was time to end the war.

*

Zeilant Castle
At the eastern gate, Tifa and Airen were locked in a fierce duel.

Though by this point, the victor was becoming clear.

"Hah... Huff...!"

Tifa, bleeding from multiple wounds, leaned heavily on the axe she had driven into the ground to keep herself standing.
She had already been thrown from her horse. The fact that she hadn’t sustained serious injuries from the fall was a small mercy.
If only she had retreated when she had the chance, things wouldn’t have escalated this far. Instead, she stubbornly chose to face Airen to the end.

But Airen showed no mercy.
Mounted and holding the high ground, she dominated the battle.
Both in skill and in position, Airen held every advantage.

From her saddle, Airen gazed down at Tifa and spoke.

"Listen, I’m telling you this for your own good: if you don’t want to die, you’d better surrender."

"...Shut up... you damned bitch!"

Even as she spat curses, Tifa’s words didn’t faze Airen.
She simply shook her head and spoke with calm detachment.

"Recklessness is not bravery, my friend. It’s a shame. If you were on my side, I could have taught you so much more."

Tifa, panting heavily, struggled to catch her breath.
After spitting blood to the side, she barely steadied herself enough to raise her axe toward Airen and growled through gritted teeth.

"Why... are you talking so much...? Come at me already, you bastard...!"

Airen surveyed her surroundings.
Arrows rained down from the castle walls, though their frequency had diminished. A catapult had been destroyed, but most of the soldiers who had joined Tifa in defending the gate had already been dealt with.

"The tide of battle is in our favor."

Even if the duel consumed some time, it seemed unlikely that Luna’s forces could turn the situation around.
In that case, capturing the opposing commander would only further demoralize the enemy.

Resolute, Airen turned back to Tifa and spoke in a measured tone.

"...I’ll give you my full effort until the very end."

"Bring it on!"

Just as Tifa prepared to charge—

"...?!"

Sensing movement, Airen quickly turned her horse and parried the sudden attack.

Clang!

"Strong!"

From the force of the clash alone, Airen immediately realized it.
The person who had just struck her was far stronger than Tifa.

Quickly assessing her opponent, Airen’s eyes fell on a rider.
With short cream-colored hair and vivid red eyes, there stood Luna, the lord of Zeilant Castle and ruler of the minor nation Luna’s Army.

It wasn’t difficult for Airen to deduce her identity.
She had heard the rumors, but seeing those ruby-like eyes shimmering before her made it all the more real.

"So, you’re Lunarian Iniang."

"Luna..."

"Tifa. Get back inside the castle. I’m sorry I’m late. I wanted to come sooner, but the situation didn’t allow it."

"But..."

"This is an order! Now, go!"

"...!"

After sending Tifa away, Luna turned her gaze toward Airen.

Airen, studying Luna, spoke.
"I am Airen Juliet. Lady Lunarian, as a leader yourself, you must understand. There comes a time when one must lower their flag to prevent greater harm. Surely you don’t wish to go down in history as the incompetent ruler who let Zeilant Castle be razed by war."

"Zeilant Castle will not fall. Your forces cannot defeat us."

"Oh? I’ll admit, baseless confidence is a leader’s virtue. But don’t you think now is the time for a different kind of virtue?"

Airen’s tone grew heavier, her words carrying weight.

"Surrender to us. If you do, the damage to your people will be minimized. As a leader, I ask you to make the right decision."

Her suggestion to surrender was not laced with mockery—it was sincere.
Airen was not the type to mercilessly crush a defeated opponent. She didn’t take pleasure in tormenting the weak.

To her, this was a rational proposal.
If Luna resisted, the casualties would only increase, and the eventual fall of Zeilant Castle and Luna’s Army would remain inevitable.

"But."

"Lady Airen, I appreciate your words, but I cannot surrender."

"May I ask why?"

Luna’s expression grew heavy as she responded.

"...Because I cannot entrust this world to Serpina von Eingart."

"Oh?"

"And," Luna continued, meeting Airen’s gaze directly, "I cannot entrust it to Lyn Brans either."

"...!"
Airen’s eyes widened in surprise.
From this small figure radiated an aura of overwhelming resolve.
It was something akin to the commanding presence of a sovereign—something Airen thought only her own master, Lyn Brans, possessed.
And yet, here it was, emanating from the ruler of a minor nation.

"No one else is any different. I will not entrust this world to any ruler. I will bring peace to the continent. And that... is my duty alone."

It was strange.
The woman standing before her was undeniably formidable for her size, yet she was merely a leader of a minor nation, fighting a desperate last stand against overwhelming odds.
Even so, there wasn’t a shred of arrogance in her words.
It was as if Luna was stating a truth that had already been decided—that she would unite the continent and claim the world as her own.

For a moment, Airen felt herself nearly overwhelmed by Luna’s presence.
But she quickly recovered, drawing her sword and pointing it at her opponent.

"...Your resolve is admirable. But the world belongs to my lord, Lyn Brans. It is not for you to decide."

"..."

After a brief silence, Airen lunged forward, sword aimed directly at Luna.

"...!!!"

Clang!

The sound of clashing blades rang out.
Just as the battle between the two was about to escalate—

"Lady Airen!!!"

A soldier on horseback came galloping toward Airen at full speed.

"This is dangerous! Fall back!"

Despite Airen’s shouted warning, the soldier did not halt.
A more ruthless general might have punished such insubordination on the spot, but Airen instead surveyed her surroundings, trying to discern the reason for the soldier’s urgency.

The enemy’s numbers had noticeably dwindled.
Though their forces had sustained damage, the Brans Army still held a clear advantage.

"The battle is... undeniably in our favor. Given a little more time, Zeilant Castle would be ours."

So why?
Why was the soldier racing toward her with such desperation?

"What is it?!"

The soldier, pale-faced, dismounted as soon as he reached her and shouted:

"We must retreat, General! A full retreat is necessary!"

"...What?!"

"!!"

Both Airen and Luna stared at the soldier in shock, their gazes demanding an explanation.
Though the intensity of their stares was intimidating, the soldier knew his duty and delivered the urgent message.

"Orders from our lord! All operations against Luna’s Army are to cease immediately! We must move our forces to Kelstein Castle as quickly as possible!"

"Kelstein Castle?"

Kelstein Castle was in danger?

"Could it be...?"

Airen needed no further explanation.
Only one nation bordered Kelstein Castle.

"Serpina’s forces... have moved!"

"General! Please give the order to retreat!"

"Damn it!"

Just a few more days.
No, even one more day, and Zeilant Castle would have been theirs!

But if trouble had arisen in the north, Airen knew they couldn’t afford to waste any more time here.

Airen turned to Luna and said, "Count yourself lucky, Lady Luna."

"...!"

Without waiting for a reply, Airen wheeled her horse around.
In a matter of moments, the unstoppable advance of the Brans Army came to an abrupt halt.

Luna dismounted, her feet touching the ground as she surveyed the scene.

"It’s over?"
"The Brans soldiers... they’re retreating?"

The soldiers of Luna’s Army murmured amongst themselves as they noticed the change.
It was then that the soldier’s earlier words echoed in Luna’s mind.

"Wait. If the war is over..."

At that moment—
From the same direction as the retreating soldier, another figure on horseback approached.

A man with white hair, clad in simple clothes.
The man who had been the first to respond to her desperate pleas for aid when no one else would.
The man who had promised to end this war if she could just hold on.

Swen was riding toward her.

"Swen...!"

As Swen reached her, he dismounted and approached Luna with a calm, serious expression.

"Lady Luna, there’s no need to send out pursuit forces. Let them retreat unharmed. They won’t interfere with us further."

"S-Swen... does that mean...?"

"Yes."

Swen nodded, his face breaking into a confident smile.

"I successfully negotiated a ceasefire agreement."

"...!!"

"Didn’t I tell you? I would stop this war. You just needed to hold on for a little longer."

Hearing his words, tears welled up in Luna’s eyes and streamed down her face.

Then—

"...!"

She threw herself into Swen’s arms, clutching him tightly.

"Thank you... Thank you, Swen... truly, thank you..."

"..."

Luna had long questioned whether she was truly suited for the position of leadership.
Yet she had resolved to bring peace to the continent, no matter how ill-fitting the role felt.
She had vowed never to turn her back on the task she had been given.

Still, even a leader needed someone to rely on.

Whether Swen understood her burdens or simply felt pity for her, he said nothing.
He merely looked down at the woman in his arms, then gently placed a reassuring hand on her back.

"This is our victory, Lady Luna."