I Am Being Mistaken for a Genius Strategist

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“…I-I’m the Chief of Staff? Could you repeat that one more time?”

The Minister of Education of the Empire must have doubted his ears.

Who’s the man before me? The Chief of Staff of the Empire, Duke Kael Clausewitz von Neomes.

He is a strategist who has never allowed a single defeat. A son-in-law cherished by the Emperor.

Every word and action carries significance. Almost everyone in the Empire believes that.

And yet, it was unexpected for Kael to suddenly appear at the Ministry of Education.

“I plan to include in the concluding remarks of my upcoming autobiography that twins truly are the greatest gift from God. No, I will definitely do that. I’m telling you first before notifying the editorial department, Minister.”

“Twins…? I mean, are you referring to that part at the end of the treatise on war?”

I was so unprepared for this that I was on the brink of a headache.

It was such an absurd notion that I briefly wondered if this was all a dream.

But it didn’t take long for the Minister to realize why Kael was saying this.

He is a person who has reached a pinnacle position in politics, known as the Minister.

He should be able to predict such actions.

‘Not long ago, twins among the princesses were born. They say ever since that day, a smile has lingered on the Chief of Staff’s face. And now he suddenly visits us, insisting that twins are the best!’

This was likely because he was mindful of the lingering negative perception of twins within the Empire.

Even if those views are remnants of the past. Even if they will gradually fade away over time.

A father’s concern in light of his daughters being born, worrying that even a similar word might surface.

If it weren’t for such reasons, there was no part that could explain his current behavior.

I understand. A parent’s love for their children is endless.

Especially when it comes to daughters who were just recently born. A father would risk even death for them.

Now that the precious treasures are finally by their side, whispers of “twins” come from somewhere?

If a father doesn’t get furious about that, could he truly be considered one who has daughters?

“But, no matter how I look at it… this isn’t right. Really, it’s not.”

Right. This is something that needs to be stopped. It’s not like we’re in an era of twin discrimination.

As a parent, it can be acceptable, but as a member of the Empire, it is my duty to put a stop to it.

“Chief of Staff. If this is about the recently born princesses… I must boldly say it’s a misconception. I’ve been managing the Ministry of Education for five years, haven’t I? I’ve exerted many efforts to reshape perceptions within the Empire, and as a result, the negative views toward twins are merely remnants of the past now.”

“….”

“Yes, I understand. I can’t claim that it has completely disappeared. Dismissing entrenched negative perceptions with mere education isn’t easy. But I can confidently say this: it has improved beyond comparison to before. You can trust it; it’s the result of collaboration between our Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.”

“….”

“Especially since it’s the princesses of the Imperial Family, the Chief of Staff’s children. Who in the Empire would dare gaze at them with negativity? Such thoughts are merely misconceptions, so you needn’t worry.”

“….”

“Uh, Chief of Staff? Are you even listening to me?”

“…”

Not a single word in response. Instead, the Chief of Staff merely fixed his gaze on the Minister of Education.

It wasn’t that he ignored what I said. He clearly conveyed a feeling of “go on, tell me more.”

His soulless demeanor made the Minister feel a twinge of fear.

Let’s not forget. That man is a genius strategist who brought the entire continent to its knees in his twenties.

His actions are never without reason, and once he decides to act, he yields the results he desires.

There hasn’t been a single place that hasn’t crumbled under his schemes, so how could that not be intimidating?

Even if there were no feelings between Kael and the Princess, even if their hearts didn’t align.

The Emperor would still have done everything in his power to embrace them within the royal family’s fold.

It’s fortunate that he was born in the Empire, and that he hasn’t brought harm to it.

And yet, that individual now casts a hostile gaze toward something within the Empire?

To think he plans to take action to completely overhaul that perception?

‘Is that man merely going to write about twins in the concluding section of his autobiography? No, that’s not all. This is just the beginning, if not even that—this is merely a taste.’

I can’t even imagine what he’ll do next. That’s what frightens me the most.

To put it bluntly, he could tell the soldiers who fought alongside him to “kill anyone who speaks ill of twins.”

After all, for them, the Chief of Staff is akin to a lifesaver, even a divine representative leading them to victory.

As long as he doesn’t engage in outright treason against the Empire, it’s almost certain his fellow officers would follow him.

Even inserting such a phrase at the end of his autobiography isn’t a trivial matter.

Not only scholars but military personnel and various administrative officials in the Empire deem it essential reading.

Current military students and those dreaming of becoming future students can’t help but have it in their hands while eating or sleeping.

Moreover, they’ve memorized it to the point where they can answer questions even in their sleep.

Even ordinary citizens of the Empire strive to get their hands on this autobiography if they can afford it, reading it daily.

Its content alone is outstanding, but the author of the book is even more remarkable.

For such a person to vehemently criticize the past’s wrongdoings while expressing regret—

Do they truly worry about their pride and their gift from God being tarnished because of this?

I assure you, military academy students will undoubtedly declare, “I will have twins when I marry!”

In the military, those with twins might even be granted special promotion points.

If twins are born in a village where the soldiers reside, they might even claim that it’s the Chief of Staff’s blessing.

“Stop with the nonsense? Even so, isn’t that a bit exaggerated?”

Considering the weight the name “Kael” carries in the Empire, it’s actually an understatement.

Let’s not forget. What happened after Kael temporarily stepped back from the front lines?

The citizens of the Empire still remember the tragedy of two legions disappearing.

It was one of the greatest defeats and the worst disaster in the Empire’s history.

Dedorant has now disappeared, yet the citizens still feel anger when reminded of that time.

In that moment of crisis, Kael was the one who drove back the enemy with nothing but a lute.

Moreover, he rapidly regrouped the army and prevented further loss.

Not only that, but he also initiated a massive counterattack that completely toppled Dedorant.

If the citizens of the Empire weren’t fond of Kael, if they didn’t revere his name, that would be the true oddity.

“I’ve conveyed my opinion, Minister. This is a request and plea from an author, so I would appreciate your positive consideration.”

“Uh… Y-Yes. I understand, Chief of Staff.”

This isn’t just a simple request from the Ministry of Education; this is an appropriate request from the author of an autobiography.

It doesn’t signify any intent to turn against the Empire, so there’s no reason for us to refuse it.

Eventually, after responding affirmatively, a slight smile rose on Kael’s lips.

“Uh, Chief of Staff. Where are you planning to go next?”

This can’t be the end. It’s highly likely this is just the beginning.

So, I found myself wanting to know: just how far does this man intend to go?

“I’m headed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.”

“And why there…?”

“The existence or absence of the phrases ‘that’s acceptable’ and ‘that shouldn’t happen’ holds great significance for human perception. While such notions may not exist in a large city, it’s uncertain how they might be perceived in relatively quieter areas. I plan to request the Ministry of Internal Affairs to keep an eye on those trends.”

“…”

This man is serious. He genuinely intends to erase negative perceptions about twins with all his might.

It’s hard to believe what he’s doing, but the more I think about it, the more fear creeps in.

“Next, I will visit the Ministry of Justice to request increased penalties for slander and incitement toward hostility.”

The term “slander” blatantly points to the issue concerning twins.

“I won’t stop there; I’ll head straight to the Ministry of Welfare.”

“And why there…?”

“Since I’ve received two treasures at once, I intend to give back to God by offering support policies to every citizen in the Empire who has given birth to or is raising twins, and I’ll convey it as a divine blessing in my name. Ah, of course, I will be covering all the expenses personally. I must admit, it’s embarrassing to say, but I have more than enough money.”

That’s true. The Duchy of Neomes initially was a direct domain of the royal family.

Development is already complete, and it’s just a matter of raking in the funds.

In terms of wealth, it’s quite possibly in the top three within the Empire.

“And finally, in celebration of the birth of my children, I received gifts from all over. Instead of storing them, I plan to throw a festival to distribute them. I’ll even ask the Holy Kingdom to send bishops.”

“By doing that, everyone will envy them, and there won’t be any strange words spoken again, right?”

“….”

All of this just because he wants to prevent any strange comments about the birth of his children.
The Minister of Education felt gratitude once more for this man born in the Empire.
Just imagine if someone as meticulous as him decided to oppose the Empire. His head was already spinning.