Your Highness Princess had departed with a laugh the day before, reminding me to “keep my identity a secret, alright?”
—
“Fog’s gotten thick, Young Master.”
“Yeah, it has.”
Just a few days ago, the weather was perfect—like someone had been pushing us to fight—but then it suddenly changed. I thought it would only last for a brief moment in the morning, but it stayed dense all day. Looks like this fog isn’t going away anytime soon.
—
“Alexei.”
“Yes, Young Master?”
“You’re not gonna ask?”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“About the visitor we had yesterday.”
In response, Alexei gave me one of those “Ah, come on now” kind of replies.
“I’m not some fresh recruit anymore, Young Master. I’ve been serving you under the Klawitz Family for well over a decade now.”
“Been a long time, huh?”
“Yes, it has. Thanks to that, I’ve learned the difference between what I should be curious about and what I shouldn’t.”
Alexei glanced at me with a subtle smile, and I returned it as I looked back at my loyal butler.
Right. To work as a butler in a noble household, you need to be sharp like that. Thinking about my past life, novels often portray servants as inexpert or clueless, but in reality, these people are highly skilled professionals—they don’t just stumble around like random extras.
—
“Young Master, excuse me for a moment.”
Up ahead, someone was approaching, and Alexei immediately dashed off to check it out.
I had a pretty good idea what this was about. In a military camp, when someone shows up like this, it’s usually…
“Sudden call to assemble, Young Master! The Legion Commander has issued an order for everyone to gather in the command tent!”
Of course. Just as I expected.
Why now, though? A full call like this usually means something serious is up. And with the princess already in camp, it’s probably best to move quickly. So without hesitation, I prepared myself and headed over to the command tent.
—
“Ah, there you are, our young strategist. Please, come in!”
The Legion Commander greeted me with a hearty laugh and a welcome grin. He wasn’t alone; the other tactical advisors were also smiling warmly.
It feels like just yesterday they had their doubts when I first started, but here we are.
—
“I heard the call and rushed over at once, Commander. What’s going on?”
“Wait a moment. Once the other officers arrive, I’ll explain the situation.”
I nodded and moved to the side, observing as the commanders filed in. Among them, I caught sight of a familiar figure—a Female Officer—and our eyes met.
She gave me a mischievous grin and even shushed me with a finger.
No doubt about it. That officer was none other than the Princess herself, in disguise. A pair of glasses had transformed her appearance significantly—truly remarkable what a simple accessory can do.
—
“Everyone present? Let’s begin, then.”
With the tent filled, the Legion Commander cut straight to the point.
“According to recent reconnaissance reports, it seems the Demon Race is withdrawing their forces.”
The Demons are retreating? This quickly?
I wasn’t the only one surprised; the commanders began murmuring among themselves.
“Silence! Besides that, the War Council has relayed word. It seems there’s been a power shift within the Demon faction, favoring the Moderates. As of a few days ago, they must have been informed of events back home.”
The Legion Commander paused, then turned his gaze directly toward me. Why me all of sudden?
“Apparently, they concluded that their best course of action is to retreat due to their own morale being completely shattered after a recent meteor incident.”
In short, everything worked out perfectly. Pure luck.
Still, I couldn’t figure out why the commanders were suddenly looking at me approvingly and nodding—or even clapping for some reason.
“Well then, Commander, are we retreating as well?”
“Not until the enemy is fully gone.”
“Shouldn’t we strike them from behind as they leave?”
“The War Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have agreed on one thing: there’s no reason to stir up more trouble by attacking their rear and risking re-empowering the aggressive factions within their ranks.”
Of course, the Commander added with a sly smile.
“That said, we can’t let them leave without a little reminder of who’s in charge. As soon as they begin their retreat, we’ll pursue them—but only to the extent that we don’t inflict serious harm. The goal is to chase them off thoroughly, making sure they don’t stick around.”
A soft chuckle spread across the room.
With their morale already at rock bottom, tormenting the enemy would be easier than twisting a child’s wrist. Easy pickings.
Some mumbled that the Demons were lucky, others that we’d won without even lifting a sword. The meeting ended on a high note—if only it could stay that way.
—
*
“Trouble.”
The next day, the Legion Commander called another gathering in the command tent, but his expression this time was anything but cheerful.
His fellow commanders shared the same uneasy look.
“Young Master, isn’t this fog supposed to be clearing?”
“Yes, Commander. We simply cannot see beyond our noses.”
“Has it been going on since yesterday? What’s keeping it from disappearing?”
“Unfortunately… there’s no answer, sir. Nature’s whims, I suppose.”
The Legion Commander sighed.
“By now, the enemy must have nearly completed their preparations for retreat—or maybe the vanguard’s already moved out, cutting through the fog.”
“Even if we wanted to follow the War Council’s orders, our own movements are restricted. The fog between our camp and theirs is so thick, it’s nearly impossible to maneuver. Sending in the cavalry might help, but with ambushes a potential risk, even that’s not a sure thing.”
Each officer contributed their thoughts, as skilled Imperial Army leaders should.
No nonsense guys like those from bad novels. If I heard “Empire” being bandied around in those scenarios, I’d be rolling my eyes. This is the real deal here.
“Then the best option right now is mutual disengagement.”
“Regrettably, yes.”
Ah, Commander. That’s enough. Please stop. You’re making me blush, seriously.
I tried to scratch the back of my head and divert my attention, when suddenly—
—
The Princess was staring straight at me. And oh no, her sharp eyes caught mine.
Ugh. There it is again. That look—the look of someone expecting something. Asking, “What about you? Got anything?”
I quickly turned my head, feigning ignorance.
I don’t know anything. Honestly! This is unprecedented. Not even in my history books does something like this happen.
—
“—Therefore, we’re simply going to—”
I just want this day to end already. It’s so awkward, especially with the Princess doing this. Way too much pressure!
—
“—we’ll prepare to return soon… Excuse me, Commander.”
Wait. That voice sounds familiar…
I turned my head—and there she was, the Princess herself, taking center stage.
“Ending it like this feels a little too anticlimactic, don’t you think? We had such high morale in our army.”
She then took off her glasses and wiped off the subtle disguise, shocking everyone.
“Your Highness Princess!”
“Let’s skip formalities. I’m the one who deceived you all, so apologies seem more appropriate. The most important thing right now, though, isn’t me.”
And then—why is she coming over here?!
“I’d like to borrow your wisdom once more.”
“Your Highness?!”
“Prince Kael, what clever strategy do you have for us this time?”
Ahahaha, ridiculous. You didn’t need to take it this far, Your Highness!
Wisdom? Strategy? I have none of those things, truly!
If she held some kind of grudge against me, I might understand, but no. Her eyes only carried pure trust and goodwill.
It was driving me insane. Too much pressure!
“Kael, is there really something you can do?”
And now the Commander himself, along with the advisors and officers—all turning their gaze toward me. I was cornered.
‘What’s wrong with you, Your Highness?! Why must you subject me to such torment?’
—
I remembered. I knew why she was doing this. She believed in me—truly believed I could pull something off again. Like last time, when the meteor fell, and I instantly proposed a solution. And surely, as the heir to the Klawitz Family, known for its long line of distinguished achievements, she placed her faith in me.
“Uhhh…”
Pretending to stay calm while my brain scrambled for answers.
How could I escape this situation? Can I even escape?
…
Wait.
A fleeting thought crossed my mind, connecting the dots between what we were facing and the current situation.
“Commander, has it truly been confirmed that the Demons have no intention to fight?”
“Yes, according to our scouts’ report, and it seems their leaders are focused on bringing their forces home.”
“Our goal is to avoid direct conflict as well, simply pursuing them to maintain high morale while lowering theirs.”
After receiving his confirmation, my thoughts began to clear.
No one wants to fight. Both sides are planning to return home safely. The thick fog only compounds the problem.
—
If the enemy knows we’re close, will they attempt an all-out attack?
No, more likely, they’d signal their disinterest in combat—”We’re leaving, don’t bother.”
Magic could be a concern, but attacking blindly through the fog would only expose the location of our own mages. Less risky: arrows.
—
“Commander.”
“Oddly enough, I’m suddenly craving a glass of wine…”
And in a flash, I knew what to do.
“Do we happen to have any spare hay or straw nearby?”
—
