Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100\% Accuracy-Chapter 227: Because I Never Forgot, Not Even for a Moment

The war council chamber inside Valharat Castle.

For the first time in a long while, the five great figures of the Aishus Army—Yuri, Epinnel, Hernandorf, Emma, and Anima—were gathered in one place.

The first to speak was Emma.

Since the expansion of their territories, she had been primarily engaged in external operations, so even for her, this was a rare opportunity to meet Yuri face-to-face.

"Yuri. If you’ve gathered all of us here, that means you’ve made a decision, haven’t you?"

"Yes."

Seeing Yuri nod, Emma smiled as if amused.

"I see. Looking at the map, even I can tell that the time is right. But things have been too quiet. Not even a word from Epinnel or Anima."

"So, where are we going?"

Hernandorf, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

Before answering, Yuri took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"Before I share my own thoughts, I want to hear everyone’s opinions first."

"We should target Serpina’s territory."

The moment Yuri finished speaking, Epinnel raised a hand and stated her opinion.

"Why?"

"Because if we go to war with Serpina’s forces, Brans Army gains nothing from it. No, actually..."

She rested her chin on her hand, speaking in a detached tone.

"Technically, the ones bordering us would be Chel’s forces or Carlints’ forces, wouldn’t they?"

Brans Army had collapsed and split into three factions.

And with them still unable to reach a conclusion, it meant that if they initiated a war against Serpina’s forces now, Brans Army wouldn’t be able to intervene.

In other words, now was the perfect time to strike against Serpina’s army—that was the essence of Epinnel’s argument.

"What about the Hesna Army?"

"Hesna? Ha..."

At Emma’s question, Epinnel shook her head.

"If they were capable of doing anything, they would have acted already. More likely, they’re just sitting around watching Ohana and Roland, too afraid to move. They can’t even manage the territory they took from Brans Army properly."

"Hmm..."

"Any other opinions?"

This time, it was Anima who answered.

"I think we should attack the Hesna Army instead."

"...What?"

Attack the Hesna Army?

Everyone turned to Anima, their expressions puzzled by her completely unexpected suggestion.

"Serpina’s army hasn’t made any notable moves so far. We don’t know the full details, but it seems like there are internal complications. So isn’t now the right time to conquer the southern continent first? If we subjugate the Hesna Army, we can also take control of Chel’s and Carlints’ forces. That would secure our dominance over the central continent."

If they spent too much time competing with Serpina’s army in the north, the chaos in the southern continent might resolve itself.

Anima’s proposal as the national strategist was to seize control of that instability first and claim dominance over the south-central continent.

"What if Serpina’s forces move south in the meantime? You're assuming their 'internal complications' are enough to keep them occupied, but that's just speculation."

"But we can’t rule out the possibility of another nation taking advantage of the chaos if we focus too much on Serpina. To be blunt, with Brans Army divided into three factions, there’s currently no force in the south capable of opposing us. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Anima spread out the map and, using her remaining arm, pointed out the key regions as she explained.

"If we let those four southern nations stabilize, they’ll eventually grow stronger than us. That’s why we need to strike first."

"In my opinion, even if we go to war with Serpina’s forces, the chaos in the south isn’t going to resolve itself that easily. If it were going to settle, it would have done so already. The same goes for the southern continent—countries there have been locked in endless skirmishes and power struggles. Unless a few of them decide to unite, I don’t see them stabilizing anytime soon."

"I get what you're saying, Epinnel, but... the south is already fracturing."

"Fracturing?"

"The rebels. The faction that broke away from Karelia, backed by Kyle von Eingart."

"Hmm... I’m not sure if I’d call that a fracture. It just seems like a dying royal making one last move before he fades away."

Epinnel remained unconvinced, but Anima shook her head and spoke with a firm, serious tone.

"No. The fact that this rebellion happened in Karelia of all places, and the fact that the usually uneventful southern continent is now experiencing its first major upheaval—this suggests that the rebellion might have more significant consequences than we think."

"You’re overreacting. There's hardly any evidence to back that up."

"..."

Realizing that even she couldn’t provide concrete proof, Anima fell silent and turned to Yuri.

"Yuri."

"Hm?"

Hernandorf, who had been listening quietly all this time, spoke up again, prompting Yuri for a decision.

"What’s your plan? I’ll follow whatever you decide."

"..."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The moment he finished speaking, all eyes in the room turned to Yuri.

Their opinions might differ, but they all conveyed the same unspoken message:

"No matter what you decide, we will follow."

The final decision rested in the hands of Yuri, the ruler of the Aishus Army.

"I..."

Yuri stared at the map for a long while, deep in thought.

Then, at last, she parted her lips and spoke.

***

A Memory That Can Never Fade, Never Be Forgotten

Several months had passed since Fibiola Academy had been erased from existence.

"Yuri."

As Yuri sat there, staring blankly into the void, haunted by the images of her fallen comrades, a voice called out to her.

It was Anima—her arm /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ lost, yet still standing.

"Anima..."

The moment Yuri saw her face, the tears she thought had long dried began to well up again.

"Haa..."

Anima let out a deep sigh and stopped Yuri before she could speak.

"We’re done with that conversation. That’s not what’s important right now."

"But... but..."

"Stop crying, Yuri!"

"Hic...!"

"You are going to be a ruler. If you fall apart like this, what do you expect to happen?"

"But, but..."

"Tonight, we’re taking Valharat Castle."

"...!!!"

"Epinnel—no, Professor Epinnel—used every last bit of our funds to secure mercenaries. If we can just wipe out the bandits currently occupying the castle, then we can really establish a nation of our own." freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Ever since the empire fractured, governance had crumbled.

Most territories had fallen under the control of wandering bandits, and the one Yuri and her companions had chosen as their foothold was Valharat Castle.

"So brace yourself. Even if only to take revenge on the imperial bastards... understand?"

"Do you... really think I can do it?"

"Of course."

Anima took Yuri’s trembling hand in her remaining one.

Her touch was warm. The blood in her veins still pulsed, still flowed—still lived.

"We will... you will. Got it?"

***

Why was that memory surfacing now?

No—Yuri already knew the answer.

She could no longer sit idly by and watch a tyrant bathe the world in blood simply to hoard the power of the Eingart dynasty for herself.

"...We will invade Serpina’s army."

Yuri made her declaration, then turned to Anima.

"Anima, your argument makes sense. This may very well be our opportunity to take control of the south-central continent. But Serpina’s forces won’t stay still. If we move our troops, and Serpina decides to strike at our territory, we won’t have the strength to hold them back. On the other hand, if Hesna makes a move while we’re engaged with Serpina, defending against them would be far easier than stopping a full-on assault from Serpina’s army."

"..."

"And besides... I still remember everything we talked about back then. That’s why this time, I’m going with Epinnel’s plan. In fact, that was my decision from the start."

At Yuri’s words, Anima slowly lowered her head.

"...I am merely a strategist. I do not stand above my ruler. If this is your will, then I will follow it."

"Thank you for understanding."

Yuri then turned to Epinnel.

"Gather every soldier we can mobilize. We’re invading Serpina’s lands immediately."

"We’re already prepared."

"Emma. Pull all remaining troops from the rear lines. Understood?"

"Leave it to me!"

"Good. Everyone... this time, we will finally have our revenge on that wretched woman."

Yuri’s voice, filled with conviction, no longer wavered.

After all, why did the Aishus Army raise its banner in the first place?

At this moment, standing against Serpina wasn’t just a decision—it felt like fate itself.

"If we can crush Serpina’s army, uniting the continent will no longer be a mere dream. Do you all understand?"

At her words, the four founding warriors of Aishus knelt as one.

The five of them.

Because not once—not for a single moment—had they forgotten the blood that stained Fibiola Academy as the Eingart Empire trampled it underfoot.

Yuri stepped forward, drawing the sword from her waist and raising it high toward the heavens.

"Once we win this war, we will bring order to the south at our leisure... and we will paint this sky in our own deep, crimson red—with our blood, and theirs!"

Long after the battle that nearly took Anima’s life—

The Aishus Army once again bared its fangs at Serpina’s forces.