Ch.155Chapter 155: The Decisive Battle in the East (23).

In response to Valt’s question, Lisa answers as if it’s obvious.

“It’s simple, isn’t it? They’re too weak. We’re winning too easily.”

“If that’s your reason, isn’t that just your guess, Lisa? They’re just orcs… no, strange orcs… but still! Isn’t that quite a leap?”

In response to Arias’s doubt, Lisa speaks with even stronger conviction.

“Look, Arias, even you think they’re strange orcs, right? What were the orcs we met first like?”

“Well… Valt took care of them instantly, so I don’t really…”

Seeing that Arias doesn’t know much, Lisa turns her attention to Grace.

After all, Grace was the only one who had properly fought not only the orcs from the supply route detachment but also the current orcs.

Receiving Lisa’s gaze, Grace clears her throat and begins to speak.

“Ahem, based on my experience with both, I think the current orcs are somewhat unremarkable. It’s subjective, of course, but they were definitely easier to deal with. Even their most troublesome curse felt weaker.”

“The curse was weak? Not absent?”

“Hmm… it was so faint it might as well have been absent. If I hadn’t experienced the curse before, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it. For ordinary soldiers, it would just feel like their bodies were slightly heavier? Probably something they could overcome.”

After hearing Grace’s explanation, Lisa begins to think deeply.

Lisa had received gifted education in many ways.

The Valentine family has been guardians of the southern frontier for generations.

From monsters to various other races, and even powerful Gerungtu.

The Valentine family has taught their children from a young age how to deal with monsters and how to wage war against humans.

This made them more sensitive to war and combat than other families.

Although Lisa was a noblewoman, gender was meaningless in the Valentine family. She too, like her brothers, was a member who had received gifted education about warfare.

That education helped Lisa grow quickly as she gained practical experience.

Instead of excelling in combat ability, Lisa’s talent lay in quickly grasping the surrounding situation and predicting developments in the right direction.

“Ugh… I hope I’m wrong…”

Lisa finishes her contemplation with a groan.

Seeing this, Grace urgently asks Lisa.

“Come on, tell us what you’re thinking, Lisa.”

Lisa opens her mouth quickly with a worried expression.

“The situation is developing in a strange way. To get to the point, I think those orcs are using a decoy strategy.”

“A decoy?”

“Yes, looking at the current situation, the allied forces aren’t in a bad position. No, it’s actually extremely favorable. Valt neutralized the artifact and we achieved a great victory. But something feels off about how things are unfolding.”

“In what way?”

“First, if they were just ordinary orcs, I wouldn’t be thinking this far. I don’t know whether those orcs are special individuals or if the Orc King is a special being. But what’s clear is that those orcs think and move like humans.”

Everyone nods at Lisa’s words. The most common phrase heard throughout the Eastern Alliance when facing these orcs was “How can mere orcs do this?”

“But not everyone thinks that way. No matter what tactics they use, orcs are orcs. Most people have the preconception that orcs can’t use tactics as effectively as humans.”

“That’s true…”

“That’s the problem. Today’s great victory has boosted the morale of the allied forces and made them underestimate the enemy. As you know, although the orcs were defeated and retreated, their forces haven’t actually suffered much damage.”

Lisa’s words were true.

Even though the orcs had suffered several times more casualties, they weren’t annihilated.

In terms of total numbers, tens of thousands were still intact, and their main forces hadn’t suffered any damage at all.

Rather, one could argue that the Eastern Alliance’s main forces had depleted much of their strength in their eagerness to achieve glory.

“Don’t tell me…”

As Grace’s expression becomes serious, Lisa agrees.

“Yes, it’s a decoy. The enemy is deceiving humans right now. With this, the kingdoms of the Eastern Alliance will think orcs are nothing special. They’ll think that without the artifact, annihilating them would be easy. And the moment they venture deep into enemy territory…”

Grace mutters with a slight curse.

“Damn it… a major counterattack will begin.”

“That’s right. That’s probably why they’re conserving their curse too. The orcs understand this situation very well. If Valt hadn’t dealt with the artifact, they probably wouldn’t have used this decoy strategy.”

Hearing this, Valt asks Lisa.

“So they’re using this strategy because of me?”

“Yeah, that’s probably right. I’m guessing their first plan was to disrupt the enemy with the artifact, neutralize the mages, and break through head-on? You saw how effective it was, right?”

“It was incredible. If it had been left alone, the advance forces might have been completely wiped out.”

“Right, exactly. But since you stopped it, Valt, they changed their tactics.”

Orc forces that continuously change tactics depending on the situation—Grace and Queen Lient feel like they’re dreaming.

“Is such a thing… possible?”

“Look. Even Your Majesty doesn’t believe it now, but what about the people fighting at the front?”

Even Queen Lient, who knows more about the orcs because she joined Valt’s group, is like this.

Then it’s obvious how the forces from other kingdoms, blinded by the desire for glory, would think.

“The solution?”

“Huh? Solution? How would I know that? I’m just saying that’s how it is.”

At Lisa’s words, Arias incredulously presses his fingers against Lisa’s temples.

“Hey! You just amplify our anxiety without offering any solutions? What kind of nonsense is this!?”

“Ow ow ow!! That hurts! Stop it!! What can I do if there’s no solution? We can’t even control the troops, can we?”

Although Commander-in-Chief Jerdin is present, this allied force isn’t really a perfect alliance.

It’s just a collection of kingdoms trying to achieve glory and Jerdin’s forces trying to achieve even greater glory.

“And this is just my thought, but I think there are a lot of spies in the kingdom alliance.”

Everyone is startled by the mention of spies.

“What? Spies?”

But Lisa, who brought it up, remains calm.

“Yeah, this is all orchestrated by the Dark Society, right? I don’t have evidence, but the circumstances make it clear. And from what I’ve observed, there are instigators.”

“Instigators?”

“Yes, there are people who unnecessarily urge our forces to achieve more glory even in situations where we don’t need to push hard. I’m certain. They’re spies.”

If it’s coming from Lisa, whose intuition is extraordinary, it can almost be considered a fact.

But we can’t just accuse people of being spies without proof.

They might just be encouraging allies while helping to kill orcs.

“It’s veeeery cunning. Whoever in the Dark Society came up with this plan must not be in their right mind.”

As they learn more information, they realize anew how extensively the Dark Society prepared for this orc war.

Just thinking about how they gathered the orcs, how they created the Orc King, and the process of gathering orcs to attack the east is mind-bogglingly complex.

Moreover, they’re not just throwing orcs at them; they’re using curses, artifacts, and spies to amplify the confusion, leaving Valt feeling dumbfounded.

“They’re putting in quite the effort. Then doesn’t that mean if we just crush these orcs, we can deal a serious blow to the Dark Society as well?”

“That’s true. They must have spent a fortune planning something of this scale, and if it fails, it won’t end with just anger.”

Valt recalled that despite sometimes sounding far-fetched, Lisa’s words had strangely never been wrong.

So he addresses Lisa.

“Lisa, I want you to think about what we should do.”

“M-me?”

“Yes, you can do it. I vouch for you.”

At Valt’s words of trust, Lisa looks somewhat worried.

“Ugh… I’m scared. If I make a mistake and something happens to Valt…”

Thump!

The sudden loud sound startles Lisa and the others.

It was the sound of Valt hitting his own chest with his fist.

“Don’t forget that I am Valt Gerungtu, Lisa.”

Valt Gerungtu.

That name was now almost legendary at the Academy.

“Don’t feel pressured, just think roughly about what we should do. I’ll think about it too.”

“Alright!”

It’s highly likely that the entire army will launch a general offensive tomorrow.

Valt decided that rather than joining such an offensive, he would observe the situation.

***

The next day.

From early morning, Valt went to the command room with Lisa on his shoulder.

Not Jerdin’s tent, but Baron’s tent.

As expected.

The diligent Baron was already busy from dawn, examining various documents and analyzing the enemy.

“Oh, good morning, Prince Valt.”

“Yes, you’re busy from early morning.”

“Not at all… But who is that person beside you?”

Lisa, who was dragged along by Valt while still half-asleep, bows her head to Baron.

“I-I’m Lisa Valentine! I’ve heard a lot about you, Lord Baron!”

Valt thought that Baron and Lisa together could come up with decent strategies and protect their allies, which is why he introduced them to each other.