C26: Talents Only I Can Recognize. Hidden gems (9)

“He won……?”

When Hayna received the report of the victory, she began to tremble.

“It was a great victory, sweeping away five thousand troops. What’s more, the damage to our army was insignificant.”

“No way. It can’t be!”

Hayna was consumed by jealousy. If the general found out it would threaten her position. That was the first thought that popped into her head.

Erhin was an earl. Even though she was also an earl, there was a good chance that she would be forced out of her position.

If she were to be replaced by Erhin, whom she thought to be extremely incompetent, the Berghins would be the target of ridicule forever. That was absolutely unbearable. Not only that, but she couldn’t stand the fact that Erhin had disobeyed her orders and acted on his own.

Hayna was no longer concerned with victory. Her country was in danger, but she was oblivious to that and focused her attention on personal matters.

Erhin ignored the order of the chief of staff not to move from the supply base. He was the same earl, but his superior in the Royal Army was still her.  So, this was defiance of orders. The perfect name for his crime came to her mind and Hayna immediately called the soldiers.

“Immediately take the commander of the supply unit into custody for the crime of defying orders!”

* * *

The prison of Linon Castle.

I was imprisoned in the Linon Castle and my crime was ‘defiance of orders.’ Of course, it was chief of staff Hayna who created this situation.

When we returned to the garrison after winning the battle, the faces of the centurions and soldiers were still shining, but that was short-lived.

The situation quickly was reversed. When I reported the victory, soldiers came pouring in from Linon Castle.

The chief of staff, Hayna, is a very straightforward woman. Despite winning the battle, she summoned me to Linon Castle for disobeying her orders and then locked me up in a prison cell.

The centurions and the soldiers who stood by my side came forward to speak for me, but they were stopped by Hadan.

In fact, I was the one who created such a situation. I had a feeling that Hayna would treat me that way even if I won the battle.

In game time, it’s still very early right now. The main character didn’t start to play an active role until after the Lunan Kingdom’s fall.

I only saw the explanation about the war that destroyed the Lunan Kingdom. Therefore, I don’t know the details. However, I needed to use the facts that I knew.

The most important of those historical facts was that Ganen Castle will fall right about this time. And only one day after the fall of Ganen Castle, Linon Castle will also fall. This is what I know.

What is the best way to make Ganen Castle fall and then conquer Linon Castle overnight? It might have something to do with the surprise attack on the supply base. I couldn’t shake the thought.

The surprise attack had happened so openly. The enemy dared to send a scouting party to us. Yet, they did not immediately carry out or cancel the surprise attack but instead gave us time to prepare for it.

The surprise attack came a short time after our forces had completed all preparations. If this surprise attack had occurred when we captured the scouts, there would have been no other intentions.

The scouting party never returned. In other words, the enemy knew the fact that the scouts were captured, but they didn’t immediately carry out the surprise attack to give us more time. There was a risk that the operation would be leaked! That’s why I paid attention to the movements in Linon Castle at that time.

According to the story, the chief of staff, Hayna, had left her post after receiving the information about the surprise attack. What if this was precisely what the enemy wanted? What if the enemy’s real goal was not the supply troops but for Hayna to be absent from Linon Castle? Then the enemy’s plan would have been a success.

I still didn’t know what Hayna was planning to do after she made me leave Linon Castle. It’s not that the enemy attacked Linon Castle at that time. They were attacking Ganen Castle.

The answer to that question is right here in Linon Castle. If I stay here, it means I can know their strategy. Once I find out I can start fighting back.

The history of the game will be completely changed if I can protect Linon Castle. That was the reason why I was brought here so peacefully.

Reality is like a game. The idea of having that world in my hands was quite exciting. As a game lover, I couldn’t be happier.

Now that I have the system, I’m going to make this world mine! Of course, there was another reason why I was captured so peacefully. Hadan had sent my captives to Hayna. And as I came in here, I saw that prisoner, Zint.

If I could somehow persuade Zint, the success rate of this operation would increase dramatically, that’s why I’m in solitary confinement.

Aristocrats don’t go to the same prison as commoners. As a nobleman, I am enjoying the luxury of solitary confinement.

Zint is in the front room. I made sure of that beforehand. But before I go there, there is something I need to do. I need to level up.

I earned experience because I stopped the enemy’s surprise attack and won the battle.

[Experience gained.]

[Strategy Grade B x2]

[Grade D kills Grade B x3]]

The enemy general, called Hirina, had a military strength of 80. Thus, I gained three times as much experience.

The strategy grade for this time using the river was B. Thanks to that, I’m up to level 11.

[You have earned level-up points.]

[Points owned: 550.]

This time, I got 500 points.

My previous level was 8, so I got 100 points for achieving level 9. In addition, 200 points came in from level 10, so the total would be 500 points. The other 50 are my remaining points.

[Do you want to strengthen your martial force? Use 300 points].

I increased my martial force by 1 for now.

My current martial force is 61. It’s a weak value but if I keep raising it like this, I will get stronger someday.

For now, I left 250 points on the table. Considering the number of points I would need to spend to use my skill; I thought it would be better to keep them.

TL Note: Earl and Count are the same noble rank.