I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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Nobogord, the Council of the Demon Tribe. The council members gathered there couldn’t hide their solemn expressions.

To be precise, it was only the moderate faction members who were genuinely solemn, while the hardliners were merely pretending.

“Is this even a real thing? This incident has clearly crossed the line.”

“They disturbed the rest of the deceased! Is this really something our kind could do?”

“This was something even the Empire, which fought against us in the past, wouldn’t do! They deserve a punishment of despair!”

“It’s utterly disgraceful! This cannot be overlooked, not for a moment!”

In the past, this individual had been the leader of the moderates; they were a revered figure, even regarded as a celebrity among ordinary demons.

Their grave was uprooted by madmen, alongside the accusations of betraying our kin to the Empire.

The ones responsible for this act were known as the Menwa Tribe, the most extreme faction among the hardliners.

Literally “ultra-hardline,” they constantly called for a decisive conflict with the Empire.

True, the Empire was massive, but that was when you considered it as a whole.

If limited to the North, it was a fight that could very well be attempted. There existed a chance for victory.

After all, our demon tribe had always been seasoned fighters from the start.

Why do we choose to bow our heads to them, trembling in fear of the Empire!

—This was their main argument.

“Such madmen! Do they truly think this is possible?!”

Those who understood the gap between the Empire and Nobogord naturally opposed this.

However, the problem lay in the fact that such reasoning could persuade the average demons.

While the moderates had control over the political scene, they didn’t unify all of Nobogord.

In fact, many demons took pride in their inaction.

They thought they could manage a direct confrontation with the Empire.

Of course, such claims made the moderates jump in horror.

“Madmen! What will we do if the Empire seriously shifts their legions to the North?!”

“Can they really be this foolish?! Do they not have a single thought for what might happen?!”

The reason the Empire walked alongside Nobogord at a reasonable distance.

It’s because there’s no need to spill much blood to seize this place.

Their actions stemmed from the calculation that they would lose more than they would gain.

However, that only held true as long as the pride of that colossus, the Empire, was preserved.

Once their authority was damaged, neighboring nations would constantly test the Empire.

To prevent that, the Empire had never let their authority be crossed.

As proof, the three kingdoms of the East were torn apart under the guise of alliance!

“Gather the leaders of the Menwa Tribe immediately! We must strongly condemn them!”

“C-Come on, let’s calm down first—”

“Calm down? What do you mean ‘calm down’?! Are we really going to protect those of the same faction?!”

“Hey now! To protect them? We’re just a bit too excited, that’s all!”

For the hardliners, this matter was also quite perplexing.

Surely, they never thought madness would extend to disturbing a grave.

They probably thought they’d benefit by gathering more extreme elements to their cause.

Yet, for other hardliners, it was an utterly draining endeavor.

Would they want to hand over power to the moderates?

This time, they were in a better position, so they minimized the damage and passed it on.

After all, depending on the continental situation, they could easily reclaim it.

But when the Menwa Tribe could no longer contain themselves and exploded alone, it would only serve to give legitimacy to the moderates.

The issue was that even if they wanted to support moderates to quell the Menwa Tribe, it was a bit problematic.

Firstly, quite a number of common demons agreed with their claims.

Secondly, a precedent that removes a faction through force would have to be worried about afterward.

This precedent meant sweeping away opposing factions by ‘force.’

“This incident was caused by a few deranged individuals. We cannot punish the entire tribe for that. Such laws don’t even exist in our Nobogord!”

“You may not know, but the Menwa Tribe has historically been in charge of our Nobogord army. Surely you’re not planning to dismiss all those exceptional warriors just to appease the Empire?”

The ultra-hardline Menwa Tribe was a burden even to the other hardliners.

But if asked if they must be eliminated, the answer wasn’t so clear-cut. They were rather a necessary evil.

Their continued existence allowed the moderates to appeal to their value.

There’s a vast difference between hardliners who can communicate and those who cannot!

Additionally, a critical point was that there weren’t many from the moderates involved in the military.

For a long time, Nobogord had revered exceptional warriors as the core power.

So even though the moderates controlled the political scene, it was difficult for them to voice their opinions throughout the army.

“…”

Observing all these scenes from a distance was Caland, the chair of the council.

He had already grasped their true motives. How could he not, with his experience in council meetings?

“At times like this, I really envy the Empire.”

Indeed, the Empire had factions, but they were led by an Emperor who could perfectly control and wield them.

No one dares challenge that imperial authority. Those Duke positions that existed in the early days of the Empire are vacant now.

In contrast, Nobogord’s royal lineage had been severed after the great king, leaving the council in its place.

Naturally, every opinion was scattered, and what claimed to be a nation was merely a collection of tribes.

“Chairman, should we just sit here and do nothing about this?”

One moderate faction member stepped closer to Caland and spoke.

It would be frustrating. He would be angry. None of this sat well with him.

But what could he do? This was, after all, the nature of the council and the state of Nobogord.

“While it’s true that the Menwa Tribe crossed the line, it wouldn’t be advantageous for us to act either.”

“Why is that?”

“According to them, the Menwa Tribe is so extreme that they’ve been half-ostracized even among hardliners. They still hold influence within the military, but without that, they would have been phased out long ago.”

“But isn’t their influence within the military too significant?”

“Indeed. And that’s precisely why hardline members tacitly condone our proposals and maintain an appropriate balance.”

Trust must exist for compromise and dialogue to continue.

That’s the nature of someone cornered—they can never back down. Their extremity only intensifies.

Failure to navigate this would lead to civil strife. Caland believed that had to be avoided.

So they had to tread carefully and not disturb each other’s livelihood. They would excuse the backing of one.

“Still, the Menwa Tribe’s actions have indeed crossed the line by a long mile.”

As the moderates called for punishment, the hardliners showed indifferent reactions.

Yet, mobilizing the military would require consideration of the reactions from the demons in the alliance as well.

“They must turn against the Menwa Tribe themselves, and it shouldn’t just be passive acquiescence from other demons but active support.”

“Is there a method to accomplish that?”

“First, we need to leverage the fact that they disturbed the rest of the dead to its fullest. The hardliners would accept that much. To them, this incident has obviously exceeded the norm.”

After persuading the council member, Caland returned to his family.

Then he received contact from his daughter, Charlua, who had headed towards the Empire.

“Did everything go well there?”

[ Well, I don’t really have much to do. That’s what the envoy’s representative is for. More importantly, Father. ]

“Cough.”

[ Ugh, do I really have to do this? ]

“Of course, you must. This is how it’s done, Charlua.”

With a slight pout, Charlua resumed speaking.

[ So, Dad. What’s the situation like? ]

“Just the same. Everyone is just being cautious of each other.”

[ I see. ]

“…?”

Caland sensed something strange.

Even though he had heard that the situation in their country was a mess, Charlua’s expression appeared brighter than expected.

As he tilted his head in confusion, his only daughter continued.

[ Actually, I got a strategy from a certain advisor. ]

“Strategy?”

Suddenly, what was this about? When he pressed his daughter, he began to understand the situation.

To prevent any diplomatic issues. To avoid unnecessary strife.

It appeared that she had merely sought advice to suit personal intentions.

[ Yes. Would you like to hear it? I think it fits quite well. ]

“Let’s hear it. Charlua, since you found this out from that man who made your eyes sparkle, I’m curious too.”

A little while later, after hearing Charlua’s explanation, Caland’s expression twisted.

“Is this even possible? Why would anyone trust something so foolish?”

[ I initially thought the same. But upon hearing the next words, I started to see the possibility. ]

Seeing the possibility? Caland’s face hardened further.

He was aware of his daughter’s sharpness. Not merely because he was her father, but objectively.

Yet what could be the reason for her excitement over such a nonsensical plan?

[ The advisor told me— ]

Long ago, there was a man who led the world into a bloody chaos with his propaganda.

A monster who ascended to the position of the Grand Chancellor. Was the wrath that fell upon the continent that immense?

Fortunately, he was slain by the valiant Adolf of Austria…

Ah, memories of my past life overflowed, leading to strange thoughts momentarily.

Anyway. What I want to say now is.

“The public is more likely to believe a larger lie than a small one.”

When the rumor spread that the Menwa Tribe intended to desecrate King Saxon’s grave!

Charlua had initially questioned if that could be possible.

However, after hearing that statement, she seemed to be struck by deep contemplation.

“Prince Kael. Is that possible?”

“Of course it is. Your Highness the Princess, think about it. What did the Menwa Tribe do?”

“Uh… They dug up the grave, right?”

“Exactly.”

Here lies the point. Adding flesh to the bone over something plausible.

Make it as provocative as possible. To the extent that nobody can ignore it.

The Menwa Tribe already had a criminal record.

Whose grave they dug up no longer mattered.

Only the fact that ‘they dug up a grave’ remained.

Rational beings discuss possibilities. Within that potential lies the power of imagination.

And imagination soon becomes perceived as reality, wielding its strength.

“If we do this, not just the hardliners but many of the demons from Nobogord will step forward to eradicate the Menwa Tribe.”

They claim to honor their great king. But then they desecrate his grave?

You can’t believe it, huh? Yes. Don’t believe it, then. But couldn’t those truly be the ones who desecrated the graves?

So, make your choice. Will you believe it or not?