“Sister Isabella, you aren’t joking, are you…”
I wiped my mouth, the corner of my eye twitching.
From the way Claire beside me silently raised a hand to her forehead, and from the way Kai behind her looked up at the sky, one could roughly tell just how outrageous Isabella’s move really was.
Yes, not having a plan at the start was one thing. Everyone discussing it together could always produce some result. Now it had actually come to having a saintess from another country offer you strategic advice. Wasn’t that going a little too far? So what was the point of building this conference hall in the first place?
Yet I had not expected the others to agree with Isabella’s idea so readily.
“It sounds pretty good, actually. We don’t have much experience ourselves.”
“To be honest, I don’t have any ideas either right now.”
“Her Highness is a Candidate Saintess raised by Bishop White Lion. There won’t be a problem!”
Even Anna nodded, a look of approval on her face, glancing back and forth between me and Claire. “Since Lady Claire has recognized her, we believe Her Highness Sophirina’s knowledge in this area must be outstanding. We trust Her Highness’s ability.”
Apparently feeling that dumping something this large on me alone was a bit too harsh, Anna added another sentence. “Please rest assured, Your Highness only needs to propose a general framework. Isabella and the others will fill in the details.”
“That’s right. My subordinates and I will help complete those parts. Don’t be stingy with your guidance at a time like this, Your Highness Sophirina!”
Isabella clenched her fist, as if cheering me on, and the other girls of the White Rose Legion followed suit, looking for all the world as if they had opened some novel fan meet-and-greet.
I badly wanted to tell these people that the so-called saintess standing in front of them was the current Demon King of the Dark Faction, that I had disguised myself and entered the frontline base to pry into their concrete operational plans, not to hand them a plan!
Only, if I actually did that, what would greet me would be nothing but a screen full of holy light, and I would drag Claire and Kai down with me besides.
I sighed and started thinking.
The reason they had not gone to Claire was purely a matter of overstepping authority.
My identity as a Candidate Saintess carried no real power, so that problem did not apply.
Besides, in their calculation, coming to me was basically the same as coming to Claire.
After all, Claire’s accompanying protection made her regard for me obvious.
Even if this saintess of mine could not think of a method, Claire would certainly assist from the side.
Anna and the others had considered more than that.
Deciding on an operational plan was not the same as handing the army’s power of life and death into my hands, and these people were no fools.
They would certainly examine the framework I proposed with care.
If some obvious hole appeared, my identity would very likely come under suspicion.
Looked at from another angle, though, this also seemed to be an opportunity I could use—
If I could not fabricate a plan, then I would lay out a “perfect” plan based on the actual situation, a plan so perfect that none of them would have anything to say.
Once I thought of that, I had an idea.
I reached out and tugged Claire’s arm beside me, signaling her to lean closer.
“If Your Highness has no idea for the moment, this subordinate has a preliminary line of thought,” Claire seemed to have misunderstood my gesture and spoke in a low voice.
What? You’re actually seriously thinking something up for them?
Seeing my expression turn a little strange, Claire assumed I was worried and explained quietly. “Please rest assured, Your Highness. This plan has holes. It won’t raise suspicion.”
“No need. I’ve already thought of a method.”
I shook my head. “Just pretend to discuss it with me. Act out a little play.”
Hearing that, Claire immediately understood what I intended.
Her lips moved, but no sound came out.
I nodded from time to time as well, putting on the look of someone responding, so that in the eyes of the people around us it looked exactly as if Claire were coaching me.
Soon, that “discussion” ended.
Facing the gazes of the people opposite me, I thought for a moment, then first gave a rough introduction of the environment and terrain inside the Gloom City Ruins.
“I entered the ruins to investigate a few days ago as well. The situation inside is more or less like this.”
The moment I finished speaking, Anna nodded on her side. “The reports from the vanguard I sent out earlier match what Her Highness said, and Her Highness’s account is clearly more detailed.”
Just as I had thought.
If I had deliberately lied about the information just now, I would already have been suspected.
What they would never guess was that I intended to use intelligence that was “beneficial” to them in order to steer the direction of the plan.
Watching the people opposite me, who had gained a few more degrees of conviction after Anna’s explanation and were now listening earnestly, I smiled faintly and laid out my thoughts in full.
“Although there are no major threats on the left and right sides of the ruins’ first floor, that was only the result of my observations from a few days ago. It’s hard to guarantee no accidents will appear, and the main issue is that it would waste time. We can’t spend the night inside the ruins.”
“That would definitely invite a sneak attack. Most of the monsters in the swamp are extremely troublesome. The main ones are monsters called Explosive Mother-Child Trees. So the best choice is to pass through the swamp in the middle.”
“But this kind of monster triggers a self-destruct effect when near death, and so long as the mother tree doesn’t die, child trees will keep growing without end. Most important of all, this stretch of swamp has a special effect.”
“While it greatly amplifies fire damage, it also triggers explosions. Combined with the traits of the Explosive Mother-Child Trees, that becomes a chain of explosions, and it would pose a genuine threat to the army.”
Hearing this, everyone around fell into thought.
Isabella, rarely enough, was thinking as well, and offered her own idea. “I can have the city’s craftsmen forge fireproof standard-issue equipment.”
“This is only the first half of the ruins’ first floor. There’s no need to spend that much military funding. If a new situation appears in the second half, it would be no different from wasting it all. Of course, the main issue is still time.” I shook my head and rejected it, deliberately leaving key hints in my words.
Anna did not disappoint my expectations and immediately thought of something. “According to what Your Highness said, could we use fire-resistance potions? Potions are cheaper compared to equipment, and they can raise a good deal of resistance in a short time.”
I nodded. “Yes. I thought of that as well.” At the same time I hid the wicked smile at the corner of my mouth.
And so, facing a plan framework that simply could not be picked apart, no one raised any objection.
Isabella and several subordinates took charge of filling in the details, while Anna and Peggy set about purchasing the potions that raised fire resistance the most and lasted the longest.
Claire beside me believed that even without her adding anything, they would certainly find those potions.
When they walked out of the conference hall, a certain pink-haired someone couldn’t help secretly laughing to herself.
Although Claire had learned the effects of Redstone Potion from Kai, she still raised her own question.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.