Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100% Accuracy Chapter 107

"A duel?"

"That’s right."

Serpina rested her chin on her hand and stared at . Then, with a slight smirk, she let out an amused scoff.

"How intriguing. To think you would dare to bring up the word 'duel' before . The extent of your ignorance is almost impressive."

"Ignorance, you say? That would be a problem. Or was it just an empty statent when you said you wanted ?"

I maintained the most relaxed expression I could muster.

Serpina, however, responded in a cold, emotionless tone.

"Do you truly believe that I need to test my strength against you in order to take you?"

"I do."

From the mont I had uttered the word 'duel,' I had no intention of backing down.

I didn’t know if it was due to my prediction, but so far, my words and actions hadn’t provoked Serpina enough for her to act against .

"If you insist, I suppose I can entertain you. What sort of contest do you have in mind?"

"Well, rather than a duel, it's closer to a wager."

Just as I was about to explain, Serpina’s lips curled into another smile as she locked eyes with .

For a brief mont, I nearly lost myself in that smile.

I barely managed to snap out of it.

How could soone’s lips simply forming a crescent shape be so srizing?

"However, I have a condition," she said. "Since I am humoring your nonsense, it is only fair that I impose my own."

"What condition?"

"Nothing too troubleso. Just one thing."

Serpina crossed her legs, her voice taking on the weight of a declaration.

"I have no intention of letting you leave here. Whether it’s a duel or a wager, the outco must be settled right here and now."

"…."

Tch.

I kept my expression composed, as if this were all within my calculations.

But honestly, she had struck precisely at my weak point.

I had been hoping to use this as an excuse to get away temporarily, but she wasn’t going to let that happen.

Still, this also confird sothing for —

I might actually need to stay within Serpina’s army.

My predictions typically reflected the best possible outco from the perspective of the country I served.

In other words, my ability worked by calculating the most efficient course of action for my lord, Yuri Aishus.

That didn’t an my own safety wasn’t factored in.

My predictions had already proven that I would never be placed in genuine danger as long as I followed them—like that ti when a teorite nearly struck .

Reversing that logic, let’s think about it.

From Yuri’s perspective, was sending instead of capturing Raklein Castle and retrieving Anima the optimal move?

So might argue that a general with 100 Intelligence was far more valuable than a single fortress.

But at the end of the day, a strategist was only useful if their ruler trusted them.

The Aishus Army was heavily influenced by its founding mbers, making it one of the most politically rigid factions I had seen.

And after spending a considerable amount of ti there, I had co to a conclusion—

She won’t value highly.

Even soone as highly regarded as Jinor Nighhardt was constantly on thin ice.

If my opinions ever clashed with Epinnel’s, could I really count on Yuri to take my side?

No matter how high my intelligence stat was, if my advice was ignored, I was nothing more than a fancy decoration.

Given that, it made sense that my predictions deed my capture by Serpina to be an efficient move.

Now that I had a working hypothesis, it was ti to act.

If I was right, then Serpina would accept my proposal.

Looking up at the beautiful woman before , I spoke with complete confidence.

"Make a deal with my lord."

"Explain."

"Offer to release Anima Ingram in exchange for my transfer to your command."

Serpina stared at with an unreadable expression.

"And how is that considered a duel between us?"

"If my lord accepts the deal, you win. If she refuses, I win. That will be the contest. If I win, you let go. If I lose—"

I lowered my head for a brief mont before eting her golden eyes head-on.

"I will serve you, Lady Serpina."

She fell into a brief silence before nodding.

"…Indeed, this is more of a wager than a duel. Then let ask—what aning does this wager hold? As it stands, I see no reason to entertain such a pointless ga. If I wanted you, I could simply imprison you until you beca mine."

"A pointless wager, you say? But in reality, this wager benefits you far more than it does ."

Serpina's brow twitched slightly.

"Go on."

"First, just now, you claid that you wanted . But simply capturing and locking away achieves nothing. It earns you neither legitimacy nor my loyalty. Sure, I could be broken eventually—but before that—"

I paused for a mont before continuing with conviction.

"You would struggle to detain in the first place. You might succeed in the end, but you would lose much in the process."

"You speak as if you are offering a fair contest when, in truth, you are rely pleading for your life. Bravado is not the sa as courage."

"This isn’t bravado. My escort is rather strong."

"Your escort has likely been subdued by now. You should abandon any expectations."

"I could say the sa to you. My escort is not the kind to be easily overpowered."

"Oh?"

Serpina smirked again.

She was determined to win this just as much as I was.

"I must comnd you," she said. "To speak so boldly before … Fine. Continue."

"However," I continued, "if you defeat in this wager, the situation changes. You wouldn’t need to waste unnecessary manpower and ti trying to subdue my escort. You wouldn’t risk being labeled as an untrustworthy ruler who imprisons envoys. And most importantly—"

I t her gaze firmly.

"You would gain my loyalty effortlessly. Since I proposed the wager and set the terms, losing would an that I would serve you willingly. Would that not be a far more satisfying victory, Lady Serpina?"

"……."

"It’s a little embarrassing to say this myself, but Lady Serpina, I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about . I don’t know exactly why you want , but I have to tell you—if you truly wish to use to my full potential, the only way is to earn my loyalty."

She had to understand the underlying aning of my words.

There was no benefit in making an enemy of the one who could call down teors from the north.

Serpina crossed her legs and continued to gaze at in silence.

She looked like a sculpture—an impossibly beautiful masterpiece carved from the finest marble.

It made realize sothing—when soone reaches a certain level of beauty, it has to affect those around them.

Even I had nearly thought to myself, Could soone this breathtakingly beautiful really be the tyrant Serpina?

If I hadn’t seen her in my dreams before, I would have been completely convinced that this woman couldn’t possibly be the sa ruthless ruler.

"If you’re finished talking, may I ask you a question?"

"Anything, my lady."

"I now understand what I stand to gain should I win this duel of yours. Well, at least to so degree. But now I must ask—what is it that you hope to gain from this? I doubt you’re doing this simply because you’re afraid of a dungeon."

"What else could it be?"

I dipped my head slightly before shaking it in mock defeat. Then, lifting my head again, I spoke in a tone filled with feigned nonchalance.

"Who in their right mind would enjoy being locked away in a dungeon? But beyond that, if there’s sothing I gain from this wager—"

This was the mont.

The die had already been cast.

Now, I had to move forward.

"—it would be the chance to find out who is truly worthy to be my lord."

"…!"

"If I lose this duel, that ans my lord, Yuri Aishus, has chosen to sell out to an enemy nation. That would naturally prove that she isn’t soone worth serving. In that case, there would be no reason for not to serve you, Lady Serpina."

I paused for a mont before continuing.

"However, if I win, then it ans Yuri Aishus isn’t willing to sacrifice her envoy so easily. As you know, the world is descending further into chaos. From my perspective, just gaining insight into my lord’s true nature is more than enough of a victory."

That was the heart of it.

Anima Ingram was likely more important to Yuri than any other general.

Despite her disdain for Serpina, she had still tried to negotiate, offering as much gold as possible to secure Anima’s release.

If she was willing to abandon Anima to keep , then I would be able to walk out of here unscathed.

And if she abandoned instead?

Then there was no need for to leave this place. Whether it was Serpina’s army or Aishus’ army, my final destination would be the Lunarian Army.

Since I had to pass through another nation anyway, the path I took didn’t really matter.

Maybe in the past, I would’ve thought, But Serpina’s army is the last place I’d want to end up…

But—

Serpina keeps appearing in my dreams. And on top of that, I have these strange, inexplicable mories of her.

If those fragnted thoughts—mories that didn’t even feel like my own—held so kind of truth, then staying by her side might not be the worst choice.

Maybe that was why my 100 Intelligence brain had sent here in the first place.

I didn’t avert my gaze.

I t Serpina’s eyes head-on, unwavering.

She remained silent for a long ti before finally parting her lips.

"Very well. I shall accept your challenge. Indeed, this seems to be the fastest way to make you kneel before ."

"I appreciate your wise decision."

At that mont—

A commotion erupted outside the palace.

It seed my escort had caused quite a stir.

"……."

"Allow to go and settle things."

Serpina didn’t respond right away.

As I watched her, I felt sothing strange.

For so reason… I felt as though I understood what she was thinking.

It was bizarre. This was our first proper eting, and yet, I felt as if I had worked alongside her for a long ti.

Regardless—

I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was agreeing with , even without saying a word.

"…Then, I will take my leave."

Serpina didn’t stop as I stood up and left.

…What was this strange sense of familiarity?

With that lingering thought, I stepped outside to settle the chaos.

And so, the duel between Serpina and had begun.