I Became the Strategist the Monarchs Obsess Over

Chapter 27

Wailing sounds can be heard from everywhere.

Moaning in pain and crying sounds.

It was a completely different sight compared to yesterday when they marched with grandeur.

Many soldiers suffered severe injuries from swords, spears, or arrows.

Even the relatively uninjured soldiers slowed down the march considerably as they helped the wounded.

Meanwhile, there was only one unscathed unit. It was the company ambushed in the forest with Charles.

Gabriel mumbled as he looked at the injured people.

"It's truly horrifying. Just imagining that we could have ended up like that if we had taken one wrong step..."

The other soldiers nodded their heads.

"Strategist, we really owe you. To be honest, my son was born two months ago. If you weren't here, we could have ended up as fish feed in that river."

That wasn't wrong. If Charles hadn't submitted the operational plan, they would have had a high probability of dying.

As Charles nodded, a messenger approached from afar. Having not participated in the battle, the relatively uninjured messenger shouted to Charles.

"Charles Jean Rochefort! Is Charles Jean Rochefort here?"

"That's me."

"It's an order from Dian. Follow me."

Dian's order! Charles was shocked to hear that. He heard Dian was gravely injured, but was he already conscious?

Following the messenger, Charles found Dian lying on a stretcher, looking up at him. Seeing the always gallant Dian de Balboa professor in such a state left Charles feeling uneasy.

"General."

In consideration of the people watching, Charles addressed him as "General" instead of "Professor" and bowed his head. Normally, kneeling would have been appropriate, but being on horseback, he had no choice.

"Charles."

Dian inclined his head in response to the greeting.

"I heard the situation. Thanks to you securing the retreat route, the soldiers survived."

"Yes."

"Well done. Without you, the damage would have been much worse. Thanks to you, His Highness the Crown Prince has preserved much of his forces."

"I only did what had to be done."

However, Dian shook his head vigorously.

"No, you've done much more than what you were required to do. While we all rushed down the wrong path, you alone figured out the right direction. As an adult, all I feel is shame."

Charles neither affirmed nor denied it. While it was true, admitting it in front of everyone would make them feel like fools. The usual Dian would never have said something like this in public, but it seemed his illness had made him more candid.

"Charles Jean Rochefort."

"Yes."

"From now on, I entrust you with full command of the Valboa Army. Until I recover my strength and can lead again, you are the head of the Valboa Army. Support His Highness the Crown Prince well."

At those words, Charles was shocked. Dian had several knights under him. Yet Dian bypassed all those knights and handed over the command to Charles!

Of course, Charles had indeed performed worthy deeds. Saving thousands with merely a thousand soldiers wasn't a small feat. Nonetheless, it was an exceptional appointment. Handing over the command of the entire army to a temporary strategist from Arcadia Academy! In normal times, it would have been unthinkable. And Charles wasn't the only one who thought this way.

"General! This is outrageous! How can you entrust the command of the entire army to this rookie? The war isn't over yet! The Northern Army will push in further! Do you think this rookie can stop the enemy?"

It was Paul, who had been serving under Charles, shouting.

'That guy is at it again...'

Even when he first came, he had been full of sarcasm, and now he was even raising his voice against the professor.

"Charles is reliable. The one who was wrong was me... Urgh."

The next moment, Dian lost consciousness. Alarmed, the knights called out to him, but the doctor, after a brief examination, said he had only fainted. Meanwhile, the knights under the Valboa Army were in an awkward situation. Just before losing consciousness, Dian de Balboa had ordered them to follow Charles.

"Haha, what should we do now..."

Although Charles had earned merit twice, he was still just a cadet of Arcadia Academy. This was likely the first time he was commanding a real army, let alone one of this scale. Many were uneasy about entrusting the army's fate to such a rookie.

With such pressure weighing on him, Charles took on the role of acting supreme commander.

-----

They entered a castle named Talin, located in the rear. Two days after entering, when they counted the remaining soldiers, there were about 15,000. Considering there had been 35,000 soldiers before the battle, the extent of the damage was clear. More than half had died or disappeared.

The damage was particularly severe for Dian de Balboa's army. Originally commanding 5,000 troops, only 3,000 remained after this battle.

Until Dian recovered, Charles had to manage the 3,000 troops.

'Three thousand—it's a large number if you think about it that way, but small if you don't.'

Too many to ignore, yet too few to turn the tide of the situation. Charles had to make the most of this 3,000.

'The best way to utilize this 3,000 would be...'

It was to gain independent command authority. Moving under the Crown Prince wouldn't allow him to achieve proper merits. That was because the Crown Prince was an incompetent strategist. To achieve merit, Charles thought he must directly lead the army himself.

And the next day, the Crown Prince summoned his subordinate generals.

Dian de Balboa was supposed to attend this meeting, but since Dian had fainted, his deputy, Charles, attended instead.

When Charles sat at the meeting table, other nobles began murmuring.

Just as one noble was about to speak to Charles, the Crown Prince entered.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Charles immediately noticed how much he resembled Princess Leonia. While Leonia far surpassed him in ability, he shared a striking resemblance to her in appearance.

In other words, the Crown Prince was extraordinarily handsome. Since Princess Leonia was an incredible beauty, it was only natural.

As the Crown Prince appeared, the orchestra began to play. The attendees in the conference room stood and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince. Charles did the same.

Once seated, the Crown Prince spoke.

"Thank you all for coming. However, I see an unfamiliar face here."

The Crown Prince looked at Charles, and Charles responded.

"I am here in place of Dian de Balboa. I have been entrusted with command until he awakens."

"So, you're the temporary strategist who secured the retreat route."

"Yes."

Murmurs began again from the surroundings. The story of securing the retreat route had evidently spread.

However, the Crown Prince said nothing more. He neither praised Charles's achievements nor acknowledged his insight. Perhaps it was because Charles hailed from a local fallen noble family. The Crown Prince judged people not by their abilities, but by their lineage. Unlike Princess Leonia.

"Well then, let's begin the military council."

Thus, the official military council began.

"Liam, report the situation."

"Yes. The Chronor Army of 10,000 has crossed the Crothea Peninsula and arrived at Seiz Castle. Baron Albon, the lord of Seiz Castle, defected to the enemy upon hearing of our defeat. As a result, Seiz Castle has fallen into enemy hands, isolating Crothea Castle located in the front."

It sounded complicated at first, but the situation could be summarized as follows.

On the far right side of the map, there was a castle called Crothea. To its left was Seiz Castle, and further left was Talin Castle.

Crothea Castle guarded the remote Crothea Peninsula, and Talin Castle guarded the gateway to the empire's mainland. Then what about Seiz Castle? It served as a bridge connecting the Crothea Peninsula and Talin Castle.

The empire's northern defenses had been interconnected in this manner, but the centrally located Seiz Castle had fallen into enemy hands.

On the map, it looked something like this.

---------------Mountain----------------

----------Seiz Castle------------

Talin Castle-----Sea-----Crothea Castle

In other words, the bridge connecting Talin Castle and Crothea Castle had been severed, isolating Crothea Castle.

"The Chronor Army of 10,000 is defending Seiz Castle, while 3,000 are laying siege to Crothea Castle. Sir Juan is requesting reinforcements to protect Crothea Castle. However, as you know, in front of Crothea Castle is Seiz Castle, and its lord..."

"Defected to the enemy."

"Yes. Unfortunately, the central bridge connecting the two has betrayed us. At this rate, our front and rear forces will be divided, and Crothea Castle will fall into enemy hands."

Additionally, Crothea Castle was Dian de Balboa's territory. Knowing his castle had fallen would devastate Dian when he regained consciousness.

"Does anyone here have a plan to recapture Seiz Castle and protect Crothea Castle?"

However, no one raised their hand. Understandably so, as the intact friendly forces numbered 15,000, and even they were demoralized after a crushing defeat. How could they possibly defeat the Northern Army?

Except for one person.

"I have a strategy."

Only Charles Jean Rochefort quietly raised his hand.