I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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I was originally planning to immediately scold Kaya upon seeing her.

After all, it would be troublesome if rumors spread that our sweet younger sister was misbehaving.

But then the scene that unfolded left me frozen in place, unexpectedly.

“Stop being stupid. Just… stop talking.”

Kaya’s voice, cutting and icy, stumbled out.

It wasn’t just her voice that sent chills down my spine; the atmosphere shifted entirely.

Was that really my sister? I found myself confused as to whether she was indeed the same adorable girl.

It wasn’t just me, either. Everyone around us was equally petrified.

All were military personnel, most of whom had spent time in active service.

Veterans of the battlefield, who had faced the terrifying realities of war and bloodshed.

Yet, their reactions mirrored mine, meaning Kaya had become a force to be reckoned with.

‘This won’t do. I have to intervene before our sister causes a bigger incident.’

“Kaya!”

I worried she may have focused too much on the situation to hear my voice.

But my concerns were unfounded. True to her nature, she glanced around immediately.

“Wha?! Kael, big brother?!”

“Enough! Stop it. Got it?”

“Okay! I’ll stop!”

She flashed a playful grin as she dashed towards me like a whirlwind.

In an instant, she jumped into my arms, giggling just like she did when she was five.

“….”

“….”

Everyone’s eyes were glued to us siblings.

To be precise, they were fixated more on Kaya than on me.

It was no surprise that the once terrifying presence dissipated without a trace.

“Kael Clausewitz.”

Turning my head, I noticed a middle-aged man with an imposing demeanor calling me.

He certainly looked like someone of high standing, so I silently followed him inside.

Once we entered an office, he extended his hand for a handshake and spoke.

“I’m Eugene, the head of the War Planning Department at the Ministry of War.”

“Ah, you must be Head Eugene O’Negan. I remember your name. You’re quite close with my father.”

“Close? More like he kept making me work during my active service!”

He adjusted his glasses, giving off more of a civil servant vibe than a soldier.

Considering he was in charge of the War Planning Department, that vibe made sense.

“Is that Kaya Clausewitz over there?”

—Nod, nod—

Oh dear, Kaya. Why are you nodding when he’s a friend of our father?

Even though this is a fantasy world, maintaining decorum is the same everywhere.

Now, stop that misbehavior and answer politely!

“…Yes, that’s me.”

“A well-behaved younger sister who listens to her brother very well. I have a younger sister too, and from a young age, she was always eager to devour me. Even though she will turn 50 soon, she still hasn’t changed.”

Eugene seemed to be reminiscing, with no clue that we were siblings.

As I listened to his grumbling for about four minutes, he finally wrapped up.

“Hmph. I didn’t mean to sound peculiar. Anyway, the Duke of Bertier Empire has been continually insisting that Kaya Clausewitz not be allowed to join the military.”

“My father made a promise with me!”

“Right, right. So that’s his permission as a father. But as a Duke, he needs to weigh the Empire’s interests differently.”

Eugene suddenly turned towards me.

“What do you think, Prince Kael? It seems you’re better at persuading her.”

“…Me?”

Why am I suddenly the one explaining things? Is it because of that infamous genius strategist title again?

No, at the very least, I should know what direction to take!

“Don’t let the fact that you’re her brother cloud your judgment. Sometimes, you must speak with cold logic.”

“…”

Instead of complying, I just stared at Eugene.

It wasn’t rebellion; I just genuinely didn’t understand and needed more explanation.

However, it seemed our director interpreted my glance differently.

“No, no. No matter how you look at it, this is a bit too much.”

“…”

“Isn’t it wonderful that you and your sister have a good relationship? Then why send her to the battlefield?”

“…”

“Come on! Sending a mere fifteen-year-old girl to the front lines? Anyone would think the Empire is that desperate for soldiers!”

Ah, I see! That was the issue! I just figured it out!

It’s true that when you don’t know what to say, staying quiet is the best policy.

The old saying that sitting still can get half the job done is not without reason.

“However, sir, Kaya has already proven herself. If she displays her strength later on, it could even work in our favor.”

“Hey, weren’t you just trying to stop your sister? And that girl… Hmph. I suspect that Duke sent her for precisely that reason?”

Of course, my father had asked me to send her home.

But would our Kaya quietly return like that?

I knew her well enough to say no.

She had an incredibly strong will.

She must always do what she wants to feel satisfied.

While she might relent slightly with family matters, that’s where it ends.

“So, the crux of the issue remains that it’s a bit concerning for Kaya to be in a high-profile position, correct?”

“Exactly.”

“No doubt that if we send her back like this, Kaya might sneak away anyway. So why not take her with me?”

“…You?”

“Yes. I think it could work if I make her my escort?”

Kaya was worried as I kept heading toward the battlefield.

And my father was anxious that Kaya might get hurt.

Lastly, the Empire feared losing face over unnecessary gossip.

So if you added it all up, making her my escort was the best approach.

From Kaya’s perspective, being by my side would assure her.

And since I wouldn’t be swinging my sword on the frontline, there would be no reason for her to step out either.

Thus, any concerns my father and the Empire had would be well covered.

“Even so, having a fifteen-year-old girl as an escort is still…”

“You could show that the young girl had already bested seasoned knights back then.”

Being an escort rather than joining the Imperial Army outright offers a graceful solution.

This implies that any troubles arising from Kaya would fall on our family.

I thought that with this strategy, the Ministry of War could lessen its burden.

And as I had expected.

“Hmmm.”

The director muttered, “If we do that, the conversation could indeed change.”

He stepped away from us siblings briefly to summon someone and discuss.

Then muttered to himself, “Roserion seems to have agreed.”

“Excellent.”

Finally settling on a conclusion, the director looked at me and continued.

“If it’s as an escort you’re taking her, the Ministry of War will no longer raise concerns. Additionally, you could help alleviate Duke’s concerns as well.”

“That’s wonderful news. Now, Kaya, you can go with your brother!”

“Really? You’re not lying, are you?!”

Kaya jumped up and down, beaming with joy. I wondered why she was so happy.

“However, you must stay quiet next to me. And you can’t complain about discomfort compared to living in the family. If you can’t stand it, I’ll send you back immediately.”

“I understand! I promise!”

“Seems she has agreed, Director.”

Upon my words, the director nodded, saying he understood, but murmured something to himself.

Let’s see… Hmm… Is he worried that Arthur will complain again?

He was begging for support on that front, but now he’s worried about being swayed by the kids?

Well, there is a solid chance of that happening. Sorry, sir. Please bear with it for a bit.

“So, let’s plan to include her in the second military force moving to the eastern front soon…”

—[Kwang!]

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a man barged in.

Both I and the director were startled. Oh, but Kaya remained unfazed.

“What’s going on? Why didn’t you knock first?”

“Sorry, Director! But this is urgent news!”

“What is it? Did the Minister raise an issue with the joint initiative?”

The man offered something to the director, claiming it to be preferable to that.

It looked like a report. What was it that made him so agitated?

“…Hey.”

In the meantime, the director examined the document in his hands as he called for the man.

However, I noticed a slight quiver in the director’s voice. Was it my imagination?

“Is this… right now? Am I misreading something?”

“I wish I were.”

“If you’re not wrong, then why does it state that the 7th Legion at the eastern front has suffered a defeat and retreated?”

…Wait, what? Hold on. Who has retreated? The 7th Legion?

“We just received news that our 7th Legion has successfully passed through this area and has reached their intended destination.”

It was about the Pavilion Campaign where I was previously involved. The commander of the 12th Legion had claimed the 7th Legion was able to clear a path for them, which they were glad about.

If this continued, we would be able to pressure and advance against the Triple Alliance right away.

The so-called elite 12th Legion recognized the 7th Legion as being legendary.

But the 7th Legion was defeated? What on earth happened?!

I was flustered and panicking. Still, I needed to do my job.

Glancing at the director’s increasingly pale face, I quickly covered Kaya’s ears with my hands.

I could roughly predict what would unfold next.

“Damn it! What the hell! Is this real? Are you sure?!”

“Surely, there’s no way this could be a false report!”

“Then that’s even worse! Dammit! We secured a significant victory at the Pavilion Campaign! What could have possibly happened to force a retreat?! This is insanity!!”

The director was furious, and the man hurriedly provided more context on the situation.

While the 12th Legion managed to fortify the Pavilion Campaign, the 7th Legion pressed on with rapid advances.

They successfully reached the very front of Burgai, the main player of the alliance.

Now was the time to attack when the enemy was confused and unprepared.

However, the complication was that the alliance’s division had only visibly affected the Pavilion Campaign.

The troops they faced were mainly Burgai, with barely any forces from Polrand.

And as the Imperial Army approached, the alliance felt an extreme sense of urgency.

In crisis situations, they could sometimes collapse, but at times, they could also unite.

Pavilion saw the former, while the situation with the 7th Legion became the latter.

The alliance fought vehemently, forcing the Imperial 7th Legion to retreat.

“No matter how you look at it, this isn’t just a couple of skirmishes lost…”

The director buried his head in his hands, exhaling repeatedly.

As one from the War Planning Department, it was only natural to feel overwhelmed.

“Prince Kael. It seems you have work lined up as soon as you return.”

“Eh?”

“The commander of the 12th Legion recommended you, saying you could help organize the situation with the 7th Legion. When you return to the eastern front, you should assist them.”

Wait, wait a moment?

“Just a second, sir. Why me out of nowhere? I’m not even a commander! If the Legion has retreated, those commanding officers should sort it out, not me…”

“They probably wish for someone beyond just their ranks. Didn’t that meteor fall and inspire morale? I’ve heard that tale was quite impressive.”

“…”

Damn it. This is just like that, isn’t it? It’s turning into the kind of situation where you’re supposed to have some grand strategy to overturn unfavorable conditions!

Do you really believe I’m that capable?!

No! I’m just an ordinary guy! Don’t give me these crazy assignments!!