I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 159

A palpable tension filled the air.

My main party members and the soldiers from the capital were locked in a fierce standoff, weapons drawn and eyes blazing.

My troops on the city walls, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, scrambled to aim cannons and ballistae at the newcomers.

If anyone were to pull a trigger, it would result in a devastating loss for both sides.

In the ensuing silence, neither side moved, each locked in their hostile positions.

Reina was the first to break the silence.

“There’s no need for this, Prince Ash,” she said.

“…”

“We are merely soldiers dispatched to escort you safely to the capital. We have no intention of harming you.”

Reina shrugged.

“Frankly, if we had any intention of harming you, we could have simply set this place ablaze from the airship.”

“…”

“It would have been reduced to ashes by now. This fortress, and everyone in it.”

Reina spoke as if it were something she had done many times before.

“We are on the same side, Your Highness. We are all citizens of the Everblack Empire, and we all serve the same Emperor.”

“…”

“Please have your men lower their weapons. And follow the imperial decree to return to the capital.”

Reina smiled thinly.

“The imperial family’s problems should be resolved within the imperial family, shouldn’t they?”

“…”

I, who had been listening quietly, slowly opened my mouth.

“Lower your weapons, Lukas.”

“But, my lord.”

“You too. Stand down.”

Lukas hesitated before sheathing his sword. Evangeline, Damian, and Junior slowly relaxed their battle stances.

“All of you, put away your weapons. How dare you be so disrespectful in front of His Highness?”

At Reina’s low command, the soldiers who had been pointing their weapons at us lowered them in unison.

The tense atmosphere remained, but the immediate crisis had passed. I let out a long sigh.

“You’re right, Reina. If Father wants to see his cute youngest son, there’s no reason for me to refuse.”

“That is most wise, Your Highness.”

“I will go to the capital. However, give me just one day.”

I crossed my arms, meeting Reina’s narrowed gaze.

“I am the commander of the Southern Front. If I suddenly disappear, it will cause major disruptions to the front’s operations.”

“…”

“I want to at least give some instructions and make arrangements before I leave. What do you say? I think Father would be generous enough to allow that much.”

Reina paused for a moment, then bowed her head.

“Understood. We can certainly wait one day. We will depart at noon tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“The airship is a key asset for defending the capital. We cannot leave it away from the capital for long. Please understand that we cannot wait any longer after noon tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry. I keep my promises.”

“Hmm, rumors in the capital say that you break your promises as often as you eat…”

No, that’s Ash Kim, I’m different.

“Then, we’ll meet at noon tomorrow… Hmm. It seems difficult for us to enter the city today.”

Reina looked up at the city walls. Cannons and ballistae were still aimed at Reina and the airships.

Reina bowed and stepped back.

“Let’s get to know each other better later. We’ll spend the night outside the city.”

“Do as you please.”

With my permission, Reina turned and shouted to her subordinates.

“We’ll stay here tonight! Prepare the camp!”

While the soldiers from the capital set up camp outside the city walls, I turned and entered the city gate with my party members.

“Gather all the party members.”

I spoke calmly to my party members, who were looking at me with worried eyes.

“I will give you instructions for what to do while I’m gone.”

***

When Fernandes said in a recent communication, ‘Let’s talk face to face soon,’ I had a feeling things would turn out like this.

I expected that he would try to bring me to the capital somehow. I had thrown out a lot of dangerous bait, after all.

“I thought I’d be bound and dragged away, but thankfully it’s not that bad.”

I said nonchalantly, looking at the people gathered in the lord’s mansion’s drawing room.

“They even sent an airship for me. I guess being royalty has its perks?”

“…”

My party members stared at me with bewildered expressions as I made a casual joke. They all looked uneasy.

“Don’t worry too much. Reina is right. If they wanted to kill me, they would have done it already. I’ll just go have a chat and come back soon.”

I also have a lot of questions to ask Fernandes.

Even if it wasn’t a summons from the imperial family, I would have had to go to the capital sometime anyway.

It’s good to have a comfortable flight there, right?

Lukas asked me with a worried expression.

“Your Highness, are you sure you’ll be alright alone? I should accompany you as your escort.”

“Come on. What kind of escort does a prince need when he’s traveling to the capital by airship?”

Once I enter the capital, my life is no longer dependent on whether I have an escort or not.

If the Emperor wants me to live, I will live, and if he wants me to die, I will die.

‘More importantly, I can’t weaken the forces here.’

Each of the party members who will remain here while I’m gone is important for the defense.

It’s better for Crossroads and for my peace of mind if they stay here and protect the front lines rather than following me around in the capital.

I pointed to each of my main party members and gave them their tasks while I was away.

“Lukas. While I’m gone, you will act as the acting commander. You know everything I do, so I trust you to handle it.”

Lukas is the protagonist, after all. He’s the character who was originally supposed to be the commander here.

He’ll do well even without me. No, no one but Lukas can take on this role.

“The support force consists of five officers, including that wind mage Reina, and 50 soldiers. The numbers aren’t large, but they are the elite.”

“…”

“If you manage them well, you can carry out the defense very easily. You can do it, Lukas.”

“…”

“Also, carefully check the production and deployment of the equipment, artifacts, and defensive facilities that I ordered from the production guild.”

“…Understood, my lord. I will do my best to ensure you have no worries.”

Lukas mumbled in a subdued voice, his face like a beaten puppy. This puppy is doing it again.

“Evangeline.”

At my call, Evangeline nodded with a dignified expression. You’re more mature than me, you know.

“Help Lukas. You are the heir to the Margrave title. Crossroads will be your land in the future. It would be good for you to learn the acting commander’s duties as well.”

“Okay, senior. You can count on me. I’ll make sure to keep Uncle Lukas in line.”

Evangeline clapped her hands with a mischievous smile.

“Oh, and also…”

And? As I looked at her curiously, Evangeline smiled brightly.

“When you go to the capital, there’s a small confectionery shop next to the Imperial Academy dormitory! Please buy me a gift set from there. I’ve been craving it ever since I graduated.”

“This rascal, daring to ask the prince to run an errand for sweets…”

I grumbled as if I was displeased, but I was grateful for Evangeline’s thoughtfulness.

Evangeline was telling me that she believed I would return safe and sound.

Good girl. I’ll make sure you eat your fill of sweets, so just wait.

“Damian. Junior.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“Speak, Your Highness.”

I whispered carefully to the sniper and the mage.

“Damian, you have good eyes… Keep a close watch on the friends who came as support forces. If you notice anything suspicious, tell Lukas.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Junior, same goes for you. Especially Reina, she’s a powerful mage. If she has other intentions, you’re the only one who can stop her.”

Junior smiled faintly.

“I was planning to keep a close eye on her anyway.”

“Good. I trust you.”

I turned my head to look at Lily, who was sitting in her wheelchair.

“Lily. Join the main party while I’m gone. Assist Junior.”

“I will, Your Highness…”

Lily has seemed listless ever since the spy was caught. She’s answering with a weak voice.

But I don’t have the time to pay attention to such things right now.

“Lukas, Evangeline, Damian, Junior, Lily. You five are the main party while I’m gone. Go into the dungeon for free exploration from time to time. But don’t enter any new areas.”

“Understood, my lord.”

Okay, the main party is set up like this.

“Godhand, Bodybag, Burnout.”

At my call, the three members of the shadow unit looked at me in unison. Godhand, who had been glancing at Lily, also focused on me.

“You guys, go and carry out the mission I ordered you to do before. You can do it, right?”

I had assigned them a harsh mission. A mission that was not easy, physically or mentally.

But it was a necessary mission for the future.

The three nodded with determined expressions.

“We will do it at the risk of our lives.”

“Good. Good luck.”

And the last regular hero character.

“Saintess.”

“…”

Margherita, with dark circles under her eyes, looked up at me from the corner. I clicked my tongue.

“During the defense, lead the reserve party and participate, but don’t go to the front lines. Just heal the injured. Got it?”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

Her answer is clear, but her complexion is terrible. I hope she recovers her mental state soon.

***

Perhaps it was obvious, but I was more important to this front than I thought.

Most of the work was done under my judgment and approval.

I spent the late night dividing up the work, explaining future guidelines, and documenting everything.

Aider was sweating profusely as he recorded the documents. Since he was in charge of city administration, there was a lot to assign him.

“…”

As I watched Aider, who was panting and moving his pen, I suddenly remembered.

The secret order that Godhand received from Fernandes.

– Keep a close watch on the lord’s aide, Aider…

“…”

How much does Fernandes know about Aider’s identity?

‘…No, before that.’

What exactly is this guy Aider?

He said he was a director, a being similar to a god in this world, but what exactly does ‘director’ mean in the first place?

He told me to lead this world to the true ending.

But he hasn’t mentioned what the true ending is or how to achieve it.

He’s just watching my strategies from the sidelines.

I’m also just struggling to survive each battle, without any time to worry about the true ending or anything else.

‘What is this guy’s real purpose?’

If I meet Fernandes, will I be able to learn more about these things?

“Hoo, the paperwork is done!”

Aider shouted, raising both arms in the air.

“Huh?”

He looked at my troubled face and grinned.

“Don’t worry too much, my lord. You’ll be able to return safely.”

“…”

I stared at his face for a moment, then asked abruptly.

“Hey, Aider.”

“Yes! What is it?”

“You’re on my side, right?”

Aider’s eyes widened behind his round glasses, then he smiled brightly.

“Of course, my lord. I am completely on your side. No, it’s more accurate to say that I’ve gone all-in for you.”

“…”

“So, rather than being on the same side, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to say that we are a community of fate?”

“A community of fate…”

I’m sorry to Aider, but honestly, I don’t care about the true ending anymore.

Whatever ending this world faces, I want to protect the people within my reach.

That’s all I want right now.

***

It was dawn when most of the work was finished.

“Haaah…”

I dragged my tired body to the bedroom. Lukas silently followed me, guarding me.

The hallway ended, and I arrived at my bedroom door.

I put my hand on the doorknob and suddenly blurted out.

“Lukas.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I have something to ask you.”

“Please, ask me anything.”

I asked this knight, who always silently followed me, a sudden question.

“You know, don’t you?”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“That I’m not Ash, but someone else.”

“…”

Facing Lukas, who was looking at me with a stiff face, I asked with emphasis.

“You knew from the beginning, didn’t you, Lukas?”