I Became the Strategist the Monarchs Obsess Over

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 9

After washing my face and stepping out, Glasia was waiting for me.

“Let’s go.”

Saying that, we headed back to the testing grounds, and Glasia spoke again.

“Have you been hiding your strength?”

“Pardon? No, not at all.”

I said so, but Glasia didn’t seem convinced. Not only the Third Princess, but even Glasia seemed to think I was some kind of hidden powerhouse.

When we returned, the tournament was still ongoing. Before long, it was my turn again. My opponent for the second round was someone with a B-rank leadership potential and decent skills. As a playable character for users, he had enough ability to aim for the semifinals if the matchups were favorable.

Unfortunately for him, he ran into me in the mere second round, and I utterly crushed him, leaving him slumped in an OTL position, unable to get up for a while. Only after his comrades helped him did he regain his senses and leave. I watched his retreating figure with a tinge of pity.

The third and fourth rounds weren’t particularly difficult either. As always, I set up camp in the mountains, and the enemies either died trying to find my supply lines or perished charging up the mountain.

And then came the much-anticipated fifth round. I was finally up against a named character—Yuria Russell. She was the Guard Knight of the Princess and a promising general in the making.

Before the match against Yuria began, she spoke.

“You’ve had easy opponents so far. But it won’t be easy from now on.”

Yuria’s expression burned with competitive spirit as she said that. Honestly, I had somewhat expected this. If the Princess had a talent obsession, unable to resist capable individuals, then Yuria Russell had a “loyal dog syndrome,” wanting her master’s attention solely on her.

The mock battle began. Yuria’s roster consisted of 30% light cavalry, 10% heavy cavalry, and the rest made up of infantry and archers.

‘As expected, she’s going with a textbook approach.’

Her strategy was to use the fastest unit available in the mock battle, the light cavalry, to penetrate my rear lines.

I barely restrained myself from clapping. Unlike my previous opponents, Yuria was undoubtedly the smartest. Breaking through my formation head-on was impossible, as it was entirely focused on defense. Targeting the rear was a commendable strategy.

But there was something Yuria didn’t know—that I was an authority on the Modified Dupplin Tactic. I had no intention of leaving my back exposed so easily.

Meanwhile, Yuria Russell was determined to take down Charles.

A tactician should never relinquish control of the battlefield, driving the enemy into a corner without pause.

She believed it was her turn to deliver a crushing blow to someone who had been thriving with such underhanded methods.

Thus, the tactic Yuria Russell employed was the Woodpecker Tactic.

Inspired by how a woodpecker strikes the back of a tree to force insects out the other side, it was a strategy designed to disrupt the enemy’s supply lines and encircle them.

Against an opponent entrenched in the mountains, waiting endlessly for the enemy to approach, this was one of the best strategies available.

On the other hand, Charles had already predicted Yuria’s strategy.

While Yuria Russell knew nothing about Charles, he knew her all too well.

“Should I thoroughly crush her to earn her recognition? Or should I go easy on her to spare her pride?”

After a moment of deliberation, Charles made his decision.

“Alright. Let’s crush her thoroughly.”

With that resolve, Charles recalled all his scouts.

Instead of reading the enemy’s movements, he focused on reading their psychology.

Yuria, puzzled by the lack of skirmishes between scouts, came to a conclusion.

“He’s so entrenched in the mountains that he doesn’t even see the need for scouts?”

Disappointed by her assumption of Charles’ mindset, Yuria felt confident about her easy victory.

She detached her light and heavy cavalry to form a special unit while positioning the main force just outside the enemy’s line of sight.

“If enemy scouts appear, we’ll quickly neutralize them with our own. I won’t let my strategy be exposed.”

At that moment, rain began to pour.

“Ugh, what’s this!”

“Everyone, head indoors! There are monitors inside.”

The students watching the outdoor monitors quickly moved indoors under the guidance of the staff.

However, Yuria and Charles, in the middle of their test, ended up drenched like wet rats.

Yuria, soaked to the bone, laughed heartily.

“The heavens are on my side.”

Just then, one of the wooden puppets sent for reconnaissance came rushing back.

The summoner controlling the puppet shouted urgently.

“Enemy sighted ahead of our forces! Approximately 100 of them!”

“What?”

For a moment, Yuria was dumbfounded, unable to grasp the meaning of the report.

“What do you mean, enemy forces ahead of us?”

“Exactly as I said! The enemy is in front of us!”

“How far ahead?”

“1000 feet!”

At roughly 300 meters, that distance in a battle between armies was…

“Practically right in front of us!”

As soon as those words were spoken, the enemy’s shadows began to emerge through the rain.

“Why…?”

Why had Charles, who had been holed up in the mountains waiting for the enemy, suddenly led his entire army down?

Of course, Charles had acted on the assumption that Yuria would deploy a special unit, but Yuria had no way of knowing this.

However, there was something more urgent to address.

“At this rate, the battle will begin! What are your orders? Do we fight or retreat?”

Snapping back to her senses, Yuria realized the situation.

“Damn it, neither option works!”

Clicking her tongue in frustration, Yuria shouted.

“Everyone, form a battle formation! Stall them as much as possible!”

“Hold your ground, no matter what!”

Yuria could only groan as she waited for the enemy to approach.

One minute later…

-Boom!

-Thud!

The wooden puppets at the forefront of both armies clashed.