I Was Mistaken as a Genius Mage in a Game

Morning broke.

As I stepped out of the tent, my feet sank into the damp, muddy ground.

The soldiers, standing alert with disciplined postures, were tidying up the campsite, and soon, we departed for the capital.

The journey lasted three more days, but fortunately, there were no further ambushes. Perhaps we had incinerated every Tauros in the area with that lightning strike.

"Take care, everyone."

"Next time we meet, I expect you all to be better soldiers."

To my farewell, Alter added a cold remark. He still had not forgiven the squad members for their disgraceful blunder.

At the entrance of the capital, I transferred to a carriage reserved for high-ranking officials and made my way into the absurdly massive castle.

After nearly two weeks of rough living, I had not slept properly. My first instinct upon arrival was to cleanse the filth from my body and collapse into a proper bed to recover.

"They are waiting for your report."

Before I could rid myself of the dirt and grime, a servant greeted me at the castle gate with those words.

...It seemed my reunion with the bed would have to wait.

The representatives of the various races awaited my report.

"Can this not wait?"

"...All four of them are waiting solely for you, Lord Bin."

As someone ranked at a three- or four-star level, I bore the responsibility of personally delivering reports to the leaders of the races.

And duties were not meant to be postponed.

"The Emperor, in particular, has high expectations. The dragon that settled in the granary region has exacerbated the food shortage."

Together with Alter and Lir, I followed the servant to the conference room.

For some reason, small chairs had been placed at intervals along the long corridor—likely installed during my two-week absence.

Thanks to this, I could rest whenever the arduous trek through the palace corridors became overwhelming, much like the exhausting expedition itself.

I despised how much I appreciated such thoughtful considerations.

After several stops to sit and stand repeatedly, we arrived at the conference room.

Per the servant's instructions, Alter and Lir remained outside while I entered alone.

"Ah, you've arrived."

The leaders of the races, seated around a round table, regarded me with varying expressions.

The Emperor welcomed me with a broad smile. The Great Chieftain furrowed his brow as he took in my frail frame and dirtied clothing. The Dwarven King, already half-drunk, slumped against the table, lifting his gaze to me. The Elves Queen, as always, observed me with her characteristic air of arrogance.

"Report. What happened to the dragon?"

"I killed it."

To the Elves Queen's inquiry, I responded concisely. Fatigue from the expedition weighed down my words, making them sound sharper than intended. Her brows twitched slightly in displeasure.

"And? Was there anything else of note?"

"I encountered a high-ranking demon at Enker Highlands."

"...What?"

My abrupt report left everyone stunned.

From "I killed the dragon" to "I encountered a high-ranking demon," the conversation had taken such a sharp turn that the leaders looked at me as if they had misheard.

I had never been one for structured military reports, and there was no helping it.

Unlike the other generals, I could not adhere to the principles of concise and orderly reporting. It was simply beyond me.

Unfortunately, as a high school dropout aspiring to be a composer, the only things I knew how to handle were MIDI and musical instruments.

Tough it out! You picked this parachute drop yourself!

"Hah... Are you telling an amusing tale to commemorate the dragon's defeat?"

The suddenness of my revelation led the leaders to briefly wonder if I was joking.

"...Well, I suppose I should explain properly. Listen carefully to what happened..."

Since I couldn't summarize events effectively, I simply recounted everything in exhaustive detail.

If I couldn't structure my report, then let the listeners sort it out in their heads.

...Again, you picked this parachute drop yourselves!

"Now that you've explained it thoroughly, I understand the situation. You suddenly encountered a high-ranking demon?"

After nearly twenty minutes of my lengthy, unstructured explanation, we arrived at the moment when we faced the high-ranking demon.

"You led only a single squad, yet you encountered a high-ranking demon? Most of them must have perished. At least you survived. What about Alter? Did he die?"

The Great Chieftain lowered his head slightly in respect for the fallen soldiers, speaking solemnly.

"No, there were no casualties."

"...What?"

The Great Chieftain lifted his head, his expression puzzled. He clearly had not expected my answer.

As the leaders continued to widen their eyes at my words, I wondered if I might be a natural storyteller.

Unexpected twists were said to captivate an audience, after all. I was sure I had seen a video once titled "The Art of Mesmerizing Conversations."

Why such a concept was relevant to military reports, I had no idea.

"There was a moment of carelessness during camp that could have spelled disaster, but in the end, we completed the expedition with zero casualties and zero injuries."

"You said you encountered a high-ranking demon, didn't you? How could there be no casualties, let alone injuries?"

The Dwarven King, previously half-slumped on the table, now looked at me keenly, intrigued.

"For some reason, the demon had no mutants accompanying it. Because of that, it seemed reluctant to fight me directly."

"...I see. If it was alone, that makes sense. With you and Alter Heindel in the expedition, even a high-ranking demon would have found the battle risky."

"You were fortunate. Or rather, was it misfortune to encounter a high-ranking demon in the first place?"

Great Chieftain, what kind of question is that?

Of course, it was bad luck.

Terrible luck, in fact.

"No mutants? Then with you and Heindel together, couldn't you have killed the demon? Why did you let it go?"

The Elves Queen, having listened in silence, posed the question.

Given their perception of me—a "genius mage who survived against a Grand Lord without learning magic"—it was understandable why they would think that way.

"The battlefield was unfavorable. Both Alter Heindel and I specialize in lightning magic. If we had fought there, the flames would have spread instantly, destroying most of the wheat fields."

"That is a reasonable explanation."

The emperor, who had been quietly listening, nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, the objective of your expedition was to slay the dragon in Enker Highlands, the continent’s largest granary, and reclaim our food supply. Choosing not to engage in battle was a sound decision."

The Great Chieftain also nodded, affirming that my judgment had not been wrong.

"...Couldn't you have just fought elsewhere? Even if it wasn’t a Grand Lord, killing a high-ranking demon would have been a great boon to all of humanity."

The Elves Queen, appearing displeased, seemed regretful that I had let a high-ranking demon escape.

Some were relieved that I had simply survived, while others berated me for not slaying the demon.

What exactly did they want from me?

"Of course, I didn’t let it go for nothing."

I pulled out a bracelet made from an infernal contract from my robe’s inner pocket. Seventy-two hours after the deal had been struck, the bracelet had naturally fallen from my wrist.

"That is…"

The leaders all leaned forward, puzzled.

"In exchange for sparing its life, I demanded the full withdrawal of all demons and mutants from the Akliptus Forest."

"Ho…"

For the first time, the Elves Queen’s lips curled into a faint smile as she gazed at me.

"A genius is certainly different from the rest."

...It seemed like a compliment, but her tone and expression made it difficult to take it that way.

"The Akliptus Forest serves as a key military zone connecting Valor Land, where the Sword Saint’s party is locked in battle, to the capital. With its rough terrain and ample cover, reclaiming it was nearly impossible…"

"An excellent choice! Ha, our dear Sword Saint certainly has an eye for talent!"

"Your voice is too loud, Dwarf. And right now, shouldn’t you be praising this kid instead of the Sword Saint?"

"Hah! Did I say our promising recruit did nothing well? Praise both of them! What’s your problem?"

I shook my head as I glanced at the emperor, wondering why the Elves Queen and the Dwarven King had been seated next to each other.

Shouldn’t they be kept as far apart as possible?

"Hah…"

The emperor could only offer a weary smile.

"Regardless, Akliptus Forest is now unoccupied. Once preparations are complete, I plan to lead troops there to establish an outpost."

The Spirit of Lightning sleeps within the Akliptus Forest.

By awakening and forming a bond with it, one could obtain a special reward impossible to acquire through normal means—something crucial to my unusual path as a mage.

If I wanted to continue fooling these leaders into believing I was a "once-in-a-lifetime genius," I had to keep improving myself.

"You intend to command the operation personally?"

The Great Chieftain asked, his tone tinged with concern.

Though my achievements were undeniable, entrusting an entire operation to me seemed worrisome.

Which was understandable.

Despite being acknowledged by the Sword Saint and instantly rising to a general’s rank… I lacked the leadership skills to match.

I had felt that shortcoming deeply during this expedition. When Alter raised his voice at the soldiers for their mistakes, I had said nothing.

"Of course not. I have no military experience, so I’d prefer a capable officer to be assigned alongside me."

Knowing one’s limits was essential for any parachute appointment.

Rather than stubbornly taking on everything myself, it was wiser to bring along a trustworthy deputy.

"I’ll draft the operation plan and set a departure date as soon as possible. I’ll also assign you a reliable second-in-command."

"Thank you."

With that, I bowed to the leaders of each race and left the conference room.

As I departed, I saw that they were already summoning their strategists and spreading out maps, deep in military discussion.

"Hah…"

The moment the large doors closed behind me, I exhaled a long sigh of relief.

I had hidden it well, but throughout the entire report, I had been tense, dreading the possibility of making a mistake. The accumulated exhaustion weighed heavily on me.

"Are you that tired?"

Lir, who had been waiting with Alter outside the chamber, asked with concern.

I was too drained to respond. I merely nodded and kept sighing.

"Should I carry you?"

A middle-aged servant carefully inquired, noticing my exhausted state.

Even so, getting a piggyback ride from a man in his fifties when I wasn’t even twenty yet…

"That sounds great."

It was wonderful.

Yes.

Absolutely wonderful.

"...Are you serious?"

Lir asked in disbelief, but I ignored her and surrendered my body to the middle-aged servant’s back.

"Well, I probably weigh less than Lir… so it should be fine, right?"

I was completely serious.

Lir might not realize it, but every time I saw my reflection in the mirror while showering, I was reminded that my physique resembled a skeleton with a thin layer of flesh.

Comparing me to an elf with a naturally elegant figure was simply unfair!

"I… just…"

Lir muttered something under her breath, blinking in exasperation, then pulled down the brim of her mud-stained hat and lowered her head.

"Have a good night."

Regardless, I waved to Alter and Lir as I was carried away on the servant’s back.

Being transported to my room without walking myself…

"I’ve made it."

Two weeks after joining the Sword Saint’s party, I had finally tasted true power.