Chapter 72

Finding Jinoru wasn’t all that difficult.

He was up on the fortress wall, surveying the surroundings while occasionally letting out a sigh.

“Jinoru.”

“Hm? Is that you, Swoen? What is it?”

I stood beside him and spoke calmly.

“Are you really planning to let things proceed with a straightforward battle?”

“…What do you mean?”

“If my words sound too bold, I apologize. But I simply wanted to ask if you truly believe following Epinal’s advice is the right move.”

“…Hmm.”

Jinoru let out a long sigh before speaking.

“Epinal’s argument isn’t entirely without merit. If we lose this fortress, we’d just end up back where we started. It might indeed be correct to face them head-on.”

“Hmm… I see things differently.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

I replied seriously.

“Jinoru, imagine for a moment that you were Brance Army’s strategist. Would you send troops here?”

“Surely 50,000 men wouldn’t be enough. But this isn’t just any castle—it’s a fortress. Even so, there’s no reason not to invade with a vanguard force of around 20,000 or 30,000 more soldiers… though invading itself isn’t entirely absurd.”

“Even with me here?”

“…?”

He looked at me, confused by my words, then stared into my eyes.

Then, after a moment…

Ah, he slowly nodded.

“…You don’t mean…”

“If I were Brance Army’s strategist, regardless of numbers, I wouldn’t attempt an all-out attack against this fortress—not with ‘Swoen’ likely present.”

He nodded again, stroking his beard.

After a short pause, he seemed to have pieced something together and asked me directly.

“…However, wasn’t it said that what you possess isn’t freely usable magic? Surely they know this fact as well, especially given your past association with them.”

Jinoru had heard the most about my abilities from Aishias Army. Since I couldn’t tell outright lies that couldn’t be covered, I had already confessed to him that I couldn’t use it at will.

But…

I’ve never revealed all my cards to anyone.

“It’s not magic… but there is something I haven’t fully disclosed.”

“Something undisclosed?”

“When I last explained, I mentioned I had no control over it and could only read the flow of heaven. But that’s not entirely true.”

If Aishias Army falls here…

If Falaharte Castle is taken…

I’ll die. And surely Iren won’t escape unscathed either.

So here, I must once again stake my life and brazenly lie.

“Through deeper communication… I can interfere with the flow of heaven.”

“…!!!”

Jinoru’s eyes widened like saucers as he stared at me, then finally spoke.

“Why did you hide this?”

“Simple. The cost is my lifespan.”

“My lifespan?”

“To manipulate the will of heaven requires absurd amounts of mana. The strain on my body would be immense. That’s why I couldn’t speak of it lightly.”

“Hmm…”

Jinoru furrowed his brow in thought, then carefully asked.

“I’m curious why you’re revealing this now. If you value your life, shouldn’t you keep this secret?”

“Well, staying idle will cost me my life anyway.”

“…What does that mean?”

I glanced around, then met his gaze.

“An ambush, Jinoru.”

“!!!”

“The goal of the Brance Army isn’t this fortress. The soldiers here are bait. Their real target is Falaharte Castle, which is currently vulnerable due to Alepel Army’s absence. If Falaharte falls, our entire army will become prisoners of the Brance Army, and I’ll definitely perish.”

“Proof?”

“Let me explain again. If I were the strategist of the Brance Army, knowing I’m here, I wouldn’t send troops. Especially since members of the Brance Army who’ve seen me firsthand exist. Jinoru, do you know who the strategist of the Brance Army is?”

“Parphale, certainly.”

“Good. Do you think Parphale would blindly advance here without noticing facts even I can discern?”

“…No, she wouldn’t. From what I’ve seen, she’s very intelligent.”

“You seem to have some history with her?”

“She was once my student.”

Oh? This was information even I didn’t know. Despite being one of the wisest men on the continent, Jinoru clearly left a deep impression.

I decided to scratch Jinoru’s itch.

“Of course, even if a strategist says the right thing, it’s meaningless if the commander doesn’t listen.”

At these words, Jinoru’s eyebrows twitched. Maybe I should stop scratching, but this much will do.

“The current commander of the Brance Army is Chel Brance. He may be somewhat arrogant and reckless in combat, but he’s not stupid enough to ignore the strategist’s advice. His title as ‘The Greatest Swordsman’ and his reputation prove that. And recently, I was part of the Brance Army. Parphale is highly trusted within their ranks. The monarch Lin treats her specially. Under the rule of Brance Army, where the monarch’s influence is strong, her opinions carry nearly as much weight as Lin Brance’s own. It’s unimaginable that Chel would disregard her advice.”

“…”

Afterward, I continued to persuade Jinoru with every logical argument I could muster. From why the number of soldiers was precisely 50,000 to how time is running out for them unless they ambush.

Jinoru didn’t respond, but it was clear he was listening intently.

“The only option we have now is to counter their plan by withdrawing forces from the fortress and targeting Falaharte Castle. This is the sole strategy for our survival.”

“…Hmm.”

Jinoru gazed silently at the horizon, lost in thought, then turned to me.

“Saying this to me means…”

“Yes. I believe you’re the only one who can convince Epinal.”

Well, as a newcomer, no matter how hard I try to persuade her, she won’t listen. Ultimately, the only person with a chance to sway her is Jinoru, the Nation’s Strategist.

…Or so I thought.

But Jinoru surprised me with an unexpected response.

“…I see. You’ve learned about my situation despite being here for such a short time.”

“?!”

His words carried great significance… but honestly, I had no idea what he meant. However, my instincts screamed loudly. This was a turning point.

I nodded and maintained a calm tone.

“As you suspected.”

“Indeed.”

Alright.

Though there was a slight delay in my answer… it seems I managed to get away with it. Whatever Jinoru’s situation is, I can’t afford not to use it to my advantage.

“After all, when you can only predict, you must use whatever tools come your way.”

“Understood. Let me try persuading her again.”

“I’ll assist.”

“However, I have a favor to ask.”

Huh?

A favor?

“What kind of favor?”

“If things go well, I’d appreciate it if you’d grant me one request.”

“A request? That’s sudden.”

“I promise it won’t burden or inconvenience you.”

A request from Jinoru that wouldn’t inconvenience me?

Nothing specific came to mind… but frankly, I don’t have much choice in the matter. Still, it’s better to play safe.

“If it’s something I absolutely can’t do, I won’t be able to help, but if that’s alright with you…”

“Do as you please. My request isn’t of that nature.”

“In that case, I see no reason to refuse.”

With that, our conversation ended. Jinoru and I headed straight to where Epinal was. She was busily training the soldiers. As we approached, she noticed us and tilted her head in curiosity.

“Strategist? And Swoen, you’re here too. What is it?”

“General Epinal, I’d like to discuss matters with you again.”

“Discuss?”

“Yes.”

Thereafter, Jinoru relayed everything I told him to her. The possibility that the deployed soldiers were bait, the true target being Falaharte Castle, and the imminent ambush necessitated withdrawing troops. Jinoru even included my story about risking my lifespan to break through the heavens.

Certainly a smart man—his ability to explain things clearly was impressive.

“Hmm… An ambush, you say…”

Epinal pondered for a moment, then looked at me and spoke.

“If we withdraw troops and there’s no ambush, this fortress will surely fall to 50,000 soldiers… In that case…”

“As I mentioned, I’ll risk my life to pierce through the heavens.”

“Hmm…”

Epinal deliberated for a long time, then stared directly into my eyes.

“Swoen, I don’t want to put undue strain on you by risking your life unnecessarily.”

“Excuse me…?”

“No, don’t misunderstand. I literally mean I don’t want to burden you.”

“But if we don’t act this way, everyone is in danger.”

“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll send out scouts specifically. If the Brance Army plans to split their forces, the scouts will confirm it. We can decide our next move based on that. No need to rush.”

‘Time is something we can’t waste…’

Given my Divinity 100 prediction, things will turn out as I said, so there’s no need for such excessive caution. On the contrary, dragging this out risks missing the perfect timing, leading to catastrophic consequences. Though Epinal obviously doesn’t know my predicament, her over-cautiousness feels dangerous.

“Um… but…”

I considered telling her that if I’m wrong, feel free to cut off my head. But I realized my previous success in ‘arguing’ was possible only because the monarch was Luna. There’s no way I can persuade her now.

“Anyway, we can’t withdraw troops immediately. I’ve already sent a messenger to Emma, who has departed to capture Alepel Army. If necessary, her forces can protect Falaharte Castle. Our Aishias Army has always overcome such crises through perseverance and courage.”

“But there’s no guarantee Emma will return to Falaharte Castle in time—”

“I trust Emma’s judgment. Swoen, you might not know this, but she’s a remarkable warrior who turns impossibilities into possibilities. I, Epinal, guarantee it. Perhaps you should witness her prowess this time.”

Epinal tapped her chest confidently. Was this the pride built through years of camaraderie with her comrades?

Pride is good, but trusting her allies above all else felt questionable.

“Strategist, please focus less on worrying and prepare for battle.”

‘Haa.’

I still don’t understand why she’s so fixated on holding the fortress… but ultimately, bringing Jinoru along failed to change her stance. I guessed this might happen since the first proposal—”Withdraw all troops to Falaharte Castle”—was rejected, but it’s disappointing to see it unfold this way.

‘Should I sneak away with Iren during the night?’

Realistically, the downfall of Aishias Army isn’t my concern. Although fleeing mid-conflict would spread rumors about us, aren’t we already branded as traitors? Securing our lives decisively wouldn’t be a bad idea. Just as I thought this…

Jinoru spoke seriously.

“General, please withdraw the troops immediately to prepare for the ambush. If, as you say, there’s no ambush and we lose the fortress, I’ll step down as the Nation’s Strategist.”

“!!!”

At that moment.

Epinal, who until now resisted persuasion by any means, was visibly shocked as she looked at Jinoru.

“Stepping down as the Nation’s Strategist?”

Does that condition appeal so strongly to her?

As I wondered this, Jinoru casually continued his explanation.

And upon hearing the next part…

I finally understood the “situation” Jinoru mentioned earlier.

“And I’ll transfer this position to Anima, the original Nation’s Strategist.”