Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 139

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 139

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

90. Central Breakthrough Plan (1)

 

 

 

 

 

We organized the situation afterward and moved faster than originally planned to join the subjugation force.

 

“We’ve finally arrived.”

 

Sir Hilderon let out a sigh of relief with the face of someone who had been through all kinds of hardships.

 

That’s understandable.

 

We almost lost half our personnel before even arriving.

 

“Dane. If it weren’t for you, we really would have…”

 

I shook my head at his repeated thanks.

 

“It’s all in the past. Aren’t we all safe?”

 

“…I will definitely repay you someday.”

 

Just then, Sir Onet, the captain of the 4th Knight Order, came into view.

 

It seemed he had come out to greet us upon our arrival.

 

“Sir Hilderon.”

 

Sir Onet’s expression was extremely grim.

 

He must have heard all the news from the messenger.

 

“Captain. Due to my negligence…”

 

“We’ll discuss the details later. First, let the knights and students rest in the barracks, then I’ll receive your report.”

 

“…”

 

Getting thoroughly scolded was unavoidable.

 

Though he regretted it and tried his best to make amends belatedly, that didn’t erase his mistakes.

 

“Dane Sogress. And I express my gratitude to you.”

 

“Not at all.”

 

I subtly helped him out as I said this.

 

“Thanks to Sir Hilderon, I was able to fight with peace of mind.”

 

Sir Onet looked at Sir Hilderon for a moment at those words, then nodded.

 

“I understand. Dane, come with me for now. His Highness is waiting for you. Unfortunately, you’ll have to rest from your journey a bit later.”

 

I was wondering when he would call for me, and the timing is perfect.

 

“Yes, let’s do that.”

 

So I followed Sir Onet toward Edward’s tent.

 

Around the center of the military camp.

 

A tent of similar size and decoration to the other tents came into view.

 

At least it’s fortunate that it’s not a grand tent befitting royalty.

 

The more conspicuous it is, the easier it would be to attack.

 

“Your Highness. This is Delphion Onet. The academy students have just arrived, and as you commanded, I have brought student Dane Sogress.”

 

“Ah, tell him to come in.”

 

A joyful voice came from inside.

 

I’m happy too.

 

To think I’d meet again like this after healing someone who was losing the will to live.

 

And during such an important mission as a subjugation.

 

“Dane Sogress.”

 

Edward greeted me with a bright expression.

 

“Your Highness, have you been well?”

 

“Very well indeed. Hmm. Dane, you seem to have grown taller in that short time. You look even better. Or maybe it just seems that way because I’m in a better mood?”

 

Starting with such a warm atmosphere, Edward and I sat across from each other at a table inside the tent.

 

“Weren’t you somewhat surprised by the direct unit assignment?”

 

“Rather than surprised, I was happy. It felt like Your Highness trusted me.”

 

“Hmm. There’s that, but more than that, didn’t you accomplish something remarkable?”

 

His Highness the Prince’s direct unit is, simply put, the command center of this subjugation.

 

And it’s more flexible compared to other branches.

 

Unlike other branches that must only perform assigned duties, the direct unit moves very fluidly under His Highness the Prince’s judgment.

 

“Achieving the highest scores in all four military branch examinations… and record-breaking highest scores at that. I wondered if such a thing was even possible.”

 

I responded to those words with a laugh.

 

“Anyway, Dane. I’ve been eagerly waiting for you to come. Everyone was questioning my decision to put you in the direct unit… but now it’s been proven.”

 

Probably thanks to definitively stopping the monsters’ night raid.

 

“I am deeply honored.”

 

“Honored, what. How about we don’t use such stuffy words when it’s just the two of us? We’re ‘friends,’ after all.”

 

I thought about declining out of courtesy, but worried he might show disappointment again due to his honest nature, so I nodded right away.

 

“I’ll do that.”

 

“Good.”

 

The prince smiled broadly.

 

I suddenly looked at the prince’s hand and asked.

 

“Are there no uncomfortable areas now?”

 

“None at all. It’s so perfectly fine that it’s amazing I was ever in pain. Thanks to you, I can now eat with this hand, shake hands, swing a sword, and arrange codes. Sir Onet said it would have been good if I had learned swordsmanship just a little earlier.”

 

I feel regretful too.

 

Of course, it was because I healed Edward’s hand that we formed this connection.

 

“And perhaps… I might accomplish what my elder brothers couldn’t.”

 

“Do you mean the 1st Prince and 2nd Prince?”

 

“Yes. There’s something my elder brothers couldn’t accomplish. Have you heard of the Imperial Secret Arts?”

 

I shook my head.

 

Each family has secret relics, techniques, weapons, and various weapon arts passed down, so the imperial family must have such things too.

 

But I don’t know the details.

 

“I’m currently studying that. Of course, the possibility is low.”

 

Since I’ve already healed his hand, it would be good if the 3rd Prince could bloom his talent, even if belatedly.

 

“I’m sure you will succeed.”

 

“Thank you, Dane Sogress.”

 

Anyway, the prince seemed to be in quite good spirits.

 

Unlike when I saw him last time, his face was full of vitality, and his body seemed healthier too.

 

Most importantly, since he’s in charge of the overall subjugation command together with Sir Onet, the imperial family must be paying attention to the 3rd Prince.

 

Or perhaps they gave him a kind of opportunity this time.

 

Whatever it is, Edward clearly wants to make this subjugation successful.

 

We got to the main point.

 

“Hmm. It seems certain that the overall subjugation strategy will change. I haven’t told the branch commanders yet, but everyone must be feeling that way.”

 

Indeed, there was an incident where monsters launched a night raid during our process of joining the subjugation force here.

 

And presumably, those monsters seemed to be under someone’s command.

 

“First, let me express my gratitude to you.”

 

“It was something I naturally had to do.”

 

“Sometimes there are people who can’t do what they naturally should.”

 

I thought of Vice Commander Sir Hilderon at those words and answered.

 

“If you’re planning to punish Sir Hilderon, I would like to plead that you don’t.”

 

“The reason?”

 

“The situation warranted it at the time, and Sir Hilderon rushed to support us faster than anyone else afterward and worked hard to organize the battlefield thereafter.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Edward stroked his chin and nodded.

 

“Good. I’ll tell Sir Onet about it. You’re magnanimous, Dane.”

 

“Rather than being magnanimous… I think giving opportunities is a method that produces better results. In most cases, people work harder than before.”

 

Edward pondered my words for a moment, then chuckled.

 

“That’s the method my father uses.”

 

“You mean His Majesty the Emperor?”

 

“Yes. But he’s even more ruthless. He shows no mercy to those who fail even after being given such chances.”

 

Edward let out a sigh.

 

That sigh seemed to suggest he might face the same fate.

 

For Edward too, this subjugation was a very important ‘mission’.

 

By the way, how was he planning to explain to His Majesty the Emperor that his hand was healed?

 

“Anyway, now that all personnel of the subjugation force have gathered, it’s time to devise an overall strategy. But before that, I’d like to hear your thoughts first.”

 

At Edward’s question, I examined the tactical board.

 

“Originally, it seems the plan was to methodically clear from the outskirts, then surround and annihilate the central area in one strike.”

 

“You figured it out right away. Impressive.”

 

Nothing surprising about that.

 

In my previous life, I saw tactical situation boards as routinely as eating meals during strategy meetings.

 

But right now, my body is that of 14-year-old Academy freshman Dane Sogress.

 

“Now the situation has changed, hasn’t it?”

 

“That’s right. Now that we’ve discovered there’s a mysterious entity commanding the monsters, we’ll need to use a different approach from conventional monster subjugation.”

 

The commanding entity.

 

Nothing particular comes to mind yet.

 

If they were undead, I would naturally think of a necromancer, but monsters are living beings.

 

“Dane, I’d like to hear what you think.”

 

“I think…”

 

First, additional support from the Imperial Palace is hard to expect.

 

But sticking to the existing strategy could lead to a war of attrition and prolonged battle.

 

Then the situation becomes unfavorable.

 

We can’t keep Academy students here for long, and the longer it takes, the more we’ll be treated as incompetent for failing to handle a ‘simple’ monster subjugation.

 

In that case…

 

“A central breakthrough seems optimal.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“The scouts were sacrificed, but I heard a route to the central area was secured.”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“Then we need to head to the central area. Our direct unit, that is.”

 

This is the only method.

 

The situation isn’t good for continuing a war of attrition.

 

The overall circumstances are like that.

 

There’s also the method of me acting alone like during the last night raid, but the scale is completely different from then and now.

 

We don’t even have a proper grasp of how many monsters are in these ruins right now, and we know even less about the central area.

 

“Why do you think so?”

 

“The longer we drag this out, the more monsters will gather. I don’t know what’s happening, but if we continue like this, we’ll just be dealing with monsters on the outskirts while the situation escalates.”

 

Considering they’re even gathering monsters, summoning a bunch of summoned beasts and unleashing magic isn’t a very good choice.

 

“Hmm…”

 

If this continues, Imperial support might come.

 

But then the subject of the subjugation would change from Edward, the 4th Knight Order, and Academy students to the ‘Imperial Palace’.

 

Then Edward’s chance for recognition would disappear, and from that point it would become a ‘war’ rather than subjugation.

 

Most importantly-

 

“That’s the path with the fewest casualties.”

 

“…Hmm.”

 

This method is the most certain.

 

For unknown reasons, monsters are currently gathering in the ruins.

 

Then we need to eliminate that cause.

 

As quickly as possible.

 

“So once we head to the central area?”

 

“We dismantle the barrier that blocked the scouts, and strike as soon as the entity reveals itself.”

 

“Can we manage with just our direct unit personnel?”

 

Edward was gradually getting drawn into my story.

 

“We have to do it with just the direct unit personnel. The route the scouts secured is narrow. If more than 10 people move, we’ll probably get our tail stepped on. Since the monsters are under command, they might block the path. From that point, approach would become even more difficult.”

 

“So ultimately you’re saying we need to go with a small elite force.”

 

Edward sighed.

 

Ultimately, it meant the direct unit had to move like a ‘separate force’.

 

“The mission of other forces would come next. After drawing out the enemy from the central area, they’d deal with monsters that can no longer be controlled. Perhaps… there’s also a possibility the monsters might mutually destroy each other.”

 

Generally, gathering monsters together like that is impossible.

 

Ultimately, when control disappears, they’ll move according to instinct and try to eliminate the immediate threats first.

 

“However you look at it, your words are correct, Dane. It’s a strategy the branch commanders would probably find convincing too.”

 

Edward nodded and suddenly asked.

 

“Wait, did you perhaps study military science too? You grasped the war situation instantly and even proposed a strategy.”

 

Well, that’s thanks to my previous life.

 

Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I gave a vague answer.

 

“I just pulled out a few books from Father’s study, that’s all.”

 

“For just that, you seem quite confident, so you must have learned properly. Count Sogress has a remarkable son.”

 

Still, this reaction is better than others’. Usually people react with disbelief asking if this makes sense.

 

“Then… after finishing the general meeting, I’ll need to gather the direct unit personnel. Including you, of course. Since a small elite force is important, task distribution will be crucial.”

 

A small elite force.

 

I happen to have some good fellows in mind.

 

“Are there any particular individuals among the direct unit personnel you have in mind?”

 

“Actually, excluding you, me, and Sir Onet, the rest are all Imperial Knight Order members.”

 

Edward seemed to catch the meaning of my question.

 

“Actually, the direct unit is literally a direct unit. They’re beings who move for ‘me’.”

 

Then he casually asked.

 

“But if the composition changes, the story changes too. Perhaps… do you have any good talent you’d recommend? Tell me. If they’re suitable talent, I can pull them out even if they belong to other branches.”

 

Rather than answering immediately, I first made a suggestion.

 

“First, I should go on reconnaissance.”

 

“You’re saying you’ll go on reconnaissance?”

 

“It won’t do to assess the situation without reconnaissance.”

 

“That’s not the issue – two squads just went missing…”

 

It’s a very unfortunate matter.

 

But I won’t go missing.

 

I happen to have an expert in this field.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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