Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy

Some time later.
A large-scale purge of the rebel forces took place.
Originally, it would have been entirely possible to accuse Jаnis of treason based on circumstantial evidence—he had frequently mingled with the rebels, and despite recognizing their intentions, he had failed to report them immediately. Given these factors, the Al Kasky family could have faced complete annihilation.

However—
Considering the decisive evidence he provided in this incident, the family was able to avoid extinction. Instead, the punishment was reduced to three months of imprisonment for Jаnis himself.
From Serpina’s perspective, who never forgave even the slightest connection to treason, a mere three-month confinement could hardly be considered a real punishment. That was likely why Jаnis did not object and instead accepted his fate with a calm demeanor.

In a way, I had altered the predetermined future.
And so, after he was taken to prison—
"Thank you, truly, Swen."

"I should be the one expressing gratitude. If not for you, I would have suffered a great loss."
In front of the Al Kasky family’s estate, Airen, Reika, and I received repeated words of thanks from Irian and Ioline.
"As I said before, I am simply satisfied that we were able to root out the rebellion. There is no need for you to concern yourselves too much."

"No, that won’t do. I owe a great debt, and I do not know how I will ever repay it… Airen, I am especially grateful to you. I will never forget this favor."
As Irian bowed repeatedly toward her, Airen responded in a detached tone.
"As Swen said, there is no need to concern yourself. We only did what had to be done."

"I understand that it was your duty, but it does not change the fact that it became a blessing for us. My father always taught me never to betray a favor."
From Irian’s perspective, he must have wanted to express his gratitude over and over again.
Even if it had not been intentional on Jаnis’ part, the Al Kasky family would have been wiped out due to his younger brother’s foolish actions.

At any rate, this confirmed that the reason I did not remember them in my past knowledge was simply because they had ceased to exist.
"I will never forget this debt. Please take care."
"Stay well, Swen."
After exchanging our final farewells with Irian and Ioline, I turned to Airen as we walked back.

"When do you think we’ll be able to enter the ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) estate?"
"It should be soon. All the necessary procedures are complete."
"Really? Then it won’t be long before we’re living together again."

"…Yeah."
Blushing slightly, Airen gave a small nod.
Beside us, Reika, who had been walking quietly, smiled as she looked at me.

"I’m happy to be living together too… hehe…"
I see.
So Reika would be living with us as well.

The estate was spacious, and we would each have our own rooms, but still… The three of us would be sharing a residence.
‘We’ve been apart for too long, so it’s about time we had a real conversation.’
Among them, Reika was the only one with whom a formal marriage discussion had taken place.

Although I hadn’t been able to contact her father, Jinor, lately… it had been him who first proposed the engagement in the first place.
Given how he had entrusted Reika to me, his intentions were clear even without asking.
Now, all that remained was Reika’s decision.

If Reika wished to marry me—
‘Then perhaps I should propose to Airen first.’
It wasn’t that I disliked Reika.

But if I had to choose, I wanted Airen to be my first wife.
She was the first person to make me think about marriage in the first place.
No matter the circumstances, she had placed her unwavering trust in me—overthrowing two sovereigns just to follow me.

For now, I would remain with Serpina’s forces, and when Luna finally raised her banner once more, I would move to her side.
With Jаnis’ situation resolved, I couldn’t think of a better plan for my future.
At some point, Airen would have to take the field as a Deputy Commander of the occupation forces.

But as long as my predictions remained flawless, I was confident that I could keep her alive.
And besides—compared to my previous lords, Lyn Brans and Yuri Aishus, Serpina actually listened to my advice.
…Though, lately, she had been exhibiting a level of obsession that went beyond just heeding my words.

Still, as a strategist, it was far better to have a ruler who was fixated on me than one who was constantly at odds with me.
"Alright, I’ll send someone soon."
"Alright. I’ll be waiting. I need time to settle my lodging situation anyway."

"Okay. Then… I’ll wait for that day. Be careful, Swen."
"See you again, Swen!"
After exchanging goodbyes with the two women, I returned to my lodging.

When I stepped inside my room, the sight of the empty space and the bunk bed gave me an odd sense of loneliness.
The time I had spent with Jаnis and Ioline hadn’t been bad.
This translation is the intellectual property of .

Eventually, I would leave Serpina’s forces behind—saving someone like Irian was a move that would surely benefit her in the future.
He wasn’t a general capable of overturning the entire battlefield, but he had certainly achieved military merit in the war against Brans Army.
This much was enough to ensure that I wouldn’t feel indebted to Serpina anymore.

At that moment—
‘…Huh?’
I suddenly noticed a piece of paper stuck near the door.

Picking it up, I checked its contents—
***
[A summons from your lord. Swen, please proceed to the royal palace immediately upon reading this message.]

‘What now?’
Having traveled back and forth so many times, the road from my lodging to Eingart’s royal palace had become quite familiar.
As I walked, I tried to deduce the reason behind her summons.

‘Is she seeking my advice on how to deal with the remaining rebels?’
But that hardly required deliberation.
For the sake of maintaining order, the only real option was to continue executing anyone connected to the rebellion, just as she had done up until now. Given the frequency of these uprisings, any attempt at leniency would likely fail to resolve the problem.

I didn’t know the full extent of it, but Serpina carried a heavy burden—one that had shaped her into the tyrant she had become.
Even though she was managing the country fairly well, ensuring that each of her generals was utilized effectively, rebellions continued to break out. That only reinforced my suspicion that her past weighed on her more than she let on.
‘Whatever the case, it’s in my best interest to side with her.’

If I wanted the freedom to act within Serpina’s army, I needed her trust above all else.
I could tell that her attachment to me was growing stronger, but…
As I had thought earlier, compared to Yuri, who never fully made use of me, it was far more advantageous to have a ruler who both relied on and obsessed over me.

With that in mind, I arrived at the gates of the palace.
The moment a soldier saw me, he saluted and asked,
"Are you Swen?"

"Yes, I am."
"The lord has requested your presence in the villa’s reception hall. She said you would understand once I told you that."
The villa—

The place she often called me to.
‘She seems to like that location a lot.’
To me, it was nothing more than a dreary old mansion with a somber atmosphere.

Was there some special significance to it for her?
After giving the soldier a brief nod, I headed toward the villa.
*

Upon arriving, I opened the door and made my way to the reception hall.
"You’re here, Swen. Come, sit."
Serpina greeted me with a smile.

Her tone, the faint blush on her face—something about her seemed different from usual.
It wasn’t difficult to figure out why.
A wine glass filled with deep red wine sat on the table in front of her.

"My lord, if I may be so bold, excessive drinking is harmful to your health."
"Do you think a few drinks would be enough to bring me down?"
"…Forgive me."

I took a seat across from Serpina, my gaze naturally falling upon her lips.
‘…’
The taste of citrus.

My first kiss.
Since then, neither of us had brought up the matter, so I had simply gone along with pretending it never happened.
But just because we hadn’t acknowledged it didn’t mean it had never occurred.

We had kissed.
She had said something close to a marriage proposal.
And now, seeing her slightly intoxicated, looking more at ease than usual—those memories stirred within me again, leaving me strangely restless.

At times like this, it was best to change the subject.
"What is the reason for my summons?"
"Must a ruler always have a reason to call upon their vassal?"

"Not necessarily, but we are here primarily to serve you—"
"I simply…"
Serpina cut me off, her crimson eyes locking onto mine.

Her voice carried no jest, no trace of mischief—just quiet sincerity.
"I simply wanted to see you, Swen."
"…!"

"That’s all. I wanted to see you, so I called you here."
There was something profoundly lonely about the way she said it.
She wasn’t playing games.

She wasn’t trying to mock me.
She had truly… called me here just because she wanted to see me?
My thoughts drifted back to the conversation we had a few days ago. The words she had spoken then.

As always—Serpina remained an enigma, a woman whose true feelings were impossible to read.
Silently, I reached for a glass from the cupboard, taking a seat across from her before speaking.
"My lord. I do not know what troubles you, but for tonight, I can at least keep you company over drinks. If there is something on your mind, I will listen."

"…Is it just drinks that you can offer me?"
"Of course not. It is my duty to follow my lord’s commands."
"A pleasant response. I have little patience for those who speak prettily but do nothing. I hope you are prepared for what that entails."

Hearing her say that with a slight smile—somehow, it put me at ease.
"Naturally."
But then—

Without hesitation, she spoke words that I could have never predicted.
"Is that so? Then I suppose I must put you to the test."
Serpina traced a finger across her lips, her voice suddenly shifting—no longer the voice of a ruler, but that of a woman.

A dangerously seductive whisper.
"Swen. Stay with me tonight."