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A fire has fallen on my feet.

There couldn’t be a more fitting metaphor for the situation in Dedorant.

At the onset of the war with the Empire, their plans were nothing short of perfect.

While they stripped DeGale of everything, the Empire did not mirror their actions.

Even after conducting the war, they only seized authority with little gain otherwise.

In other words, if the war kept dragging on, even the Empire would find it hard to endure.

Signs of this were evident from the very beginning. The Imperial Army acted with considerable urgency.

On our end, the bait worked well, but they were eager to conclude the war swiftly on their own accord.

Whether it was a blunder born from the anxiety that this could be the last war,

or a fear that the Empire might stumble, it didn’t matter where it originated.

The important thing was only one: they moved as desired.

Luring them into Dedorant. And a decisive defeat.

We would inflict substantial damage to increase the Empire’s burden.

After all, weren’t legions continually mobilized in this ongoing war?

A prolonged conflict was burdensome for Dedorant. But there were still sources to draw from.

Having devoured DeGale, they had forces to rely on.

What else was there to do? For those who lost in war, only suffering remained.

They knew they couldn’t defeat the Empire. But their goal was not victory.

All they needed to do was endure this war. The Empire had to recognize Dedorant.

Thus, they would unify the West, and for a time, they would bow low before the Empire.

Taking a breath, preparing. Until the time finally arrived to be called an Empire, after a long wait.

“Not a chance.”

Thus, the grand aspirations of Dedorant shattered from the moment after the great offensive.

It all began to waver with the presence of an Imperial strategist.

Originally, they intended to crush the Western Legion, the sharp end of the Imperial Army.

After that, the plan was to strike the gate and sweep through the rear areas.

For that, Prince Georg and the elites personally moved into action.

No matter how powerful the Empire might be, no matter how wealthy they were,

mobilizing everything for war would require reorganization in the rear.

If the place in charge of that was destroyed, reorganization would become even tougher.

Dedorant effectively threatened the Empire.

“Hey, if you want to kill us, be prepared to lose a great deal as well.”

When you bleed, will the entire continent just stand by silently?

Realizing that, the Empire would have no choice but to opt for a brief truce.

And yet, the breakthrough at the gate that should have kickstarted it all was blocked.

Before the great victory of Dedorant. Within the Empire’s gruesome defeat.

The Empire’s strategist seized a fleeting opportunity and counterattacked.

“So, with the gate this wide open and the door unlocked, what are you doing not coming in?”

Luckily, there stood Prince Georg III.

A figure even Dedorant’s commanders respected, thus he did not fall into any traps.

If it had been someone else, they would have rushed in and ruined the momentum of victory.

People were claiming it was an empty castle. That there was nothing at all.

But the atmosphere in Dedorant was one of skepticism towards those claims.

Honestly, does that even make sense? It’s an act I’m putting my reputation, fame, and life on the line for, after all.

Especially since the one who has never lost an advantage, the one skilled in creating advantages, was involved?

They avoided the trap, but the next step was the issue.

Once one was blocked, the next was obstructed, and then the following tangled up.

Their plans were undeniably perfect. At least, it looked that way.

But that perfection became a poison once the situation turned bizarre.

At that very moment, Prince Georg and the Dedorant Command thought similarly.

Could it be that this very thing was their intention? Was this the outcome the strategist desired?

To be hindered by their own plans, ultimately tripping over themselves in a state of confusion?

“Atria is urgently requesting support!”

“A message from the 5th Legion stationed at Benito, saying they must prepare for contingencies!”

“According to reports from the rear scouts, an enormous army is moving towards the Imperial 1st Legion…!”

What in the world is happening now? I can’t even discern what’s going on.

The Empire decided, seemingly out of nowhere, to eliminate Dedorant.

Regardless of how much damage they’d sustain or losses they would incur.

At this point, it was now Dedorant’s turn to bring about a swift resolution.

Like something out of a ghost story, Dedorant was slowly sinking into a swamp.

*

“…Things are going smoothly.”

Yeah, this is going well enough.

There’s nothing difficult about it. Since our command staff failed, I just have to do the opposite.

Let’s not rush judgments or actions in haste. Ease into it, and make sure to do things one by one.

Fortuitously, I have a suitable cautionary tale to follow closely.

Naturally, when it comes to size, the Empire is larger than Dedorant.

The problem, however, was that having always been larger, they unknowingly faced constant checks.

Now, even if everyone aside from the west keeps their heads down, if the Empire stumbles,

who knows when they might suddenly shift to, “We’ve been patient for too long?”

The War Ministry knew this, and the command staff understood as well.

And it seemed Dedorant had a rough idea of such matters too.

That was why our higher-ups aimed to land a fatal blow quickly and end the war.

Dedorant took advantage of this, drawing them in before launching a substantial counterattack.

Had my tearful Lute Show not occurred, the damage could have been even more significant.

If the rear was swept away, it would have taken at least half a year to reorganize.

“They surely thought we would catch our breath. They must have believed they would reorganize quicker than us.”

After the command staff changed, I immediately expressed my intentions firmly.

This war won’t end easily. Everyone must prepare for a prolonged battle.

I know it’s costly and wasteful of taxes. But right now, it’s not the time to save!

Until now, we shocked them by showcasing the Empire’s might in a short period.

And now, let’s turn the tables and pressurize them by revealing everything about the Empire!

It goes without saying, but the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Internal Affairs showed their discontent.

Already, two years had passed since skirmishes in the north, and there were subsequent military expenditures across the east and south.

Additionally, various internal issues arose due to the war.

But now, suggesting a full-scale prolonged battle worried them afterwards.

The Empire is a vast country. It possesses the strength to withstand any external storms.

Ironically, however, being a large nation also means it can fall apart at any moment from internal problems.

That our upper management harbors genuine concerns isn’t mere exaggeration or paranoia.

But what can be done? The command staff pushed hard and thus fell into this predicament.

Once politics meddled in war, it leads to such a scenario. The urgency escalates and focuses solely ahead.

Thus, I decided to utilize my backing appropriately.

“The Imperial Chief of Staff is currently the Chief of Staff for the 1st Army, overseeing everything on the frontline. It’s better to heed his advice this time.”

One notable difference from my past life. Here, it’s an emperor, not a president.

A being with absolute power, not someone who can be ousted by a vote.

And I am receiving total support and trust from that emperor.

Finally, upon receiving the emperor’s permission, I began to move in earnest.

For starters, I employed the Magical Corps, which had only been used in large-scale battles.

The complaints of the wizards? Those were silenced with more substantial support.

Indeed, nothing beats having more money.

I didn’t rush the recovery of the Western Legion. Dedorant wouldn’t have any leeway anyway.

What’s the point in reorganizing first? When support needs to go everywhere?

As the frontlines expand, not only troop strength but also reconnaissance units must spread out.

Naturally, this increases the likelihood of creating gaps in their information network, achieving double the effect.

Not a new strategy, you say? What, is this some genius strategist scheme?

I’ve said it before. Whether a strategist or not, I’m truly no genius.

What I know is simply to avoid trailing failure.

Following the victory formula proposed beforehand is all there is to it.

It’s no wonder they labeled me a lucky fool. I genuinely am lucky!

“Commander, news from the South.”

“What does it say?”

“The Southern Kingdom’s forces and the 4th Legion are pressing upon Benito. The stationed Dedorant Army remains predictably inactive there.”

“That’s good news.”

“Yes. It seems the Ghost Army, established upon your recommendation, is making its mark.”

Although the Empire has a large population, it’s not a nation that blindly drafts and churns out troops like vodka.

If they were to waste so carelessly, they might stagger even after winning a war.

Yet, threats and deceptions against the enemy are crucial. Those can only be achieved through sheer manpower.

Hence, I sought help once more from my recollection of the past life.

The Ghost Army. The strategy used by the world’s strongest nation against the octopus.

Troops deployed to deceive and confuse about the scale and movement of friendly forces.

Luckily, the Empire had various cultural pursuits flourishing.

Plenty of experts available to draw from my knowledge base.

And the results soon began to flow in through reports.

[ Confirmed that the Dedorant 5th Army stationed at Benito has fallen for the ruse. ]

[ Some Dedorant troops confirmed moving towards the southern border. ]

You think you’re the only ones who can lure, deceive, and trick?

We can do such things too, you know!

Long live the Empire! I’m truly grateful to have been born in the Empire!!

 

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