I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 180

Alberto, the head chamberlain of the Imperial Palace, stood quietly at the entrance of the detached palace.

With a gentle expression, Alberto watered the tree planted beside the entrance, then glanced to the side.

“You’ve arrived.”

Alberto smiled softly.

“Miss Serenade.”

“…….”

The space beside Alberto shimmered transparently, then crumpled like fabric—someone took off a cloak and revealed themselves.

It was Serenade.

What she had been wearing and then removed was a [Cloak of Invisibility]. It was something Ash had given her in advance to use in case of an emergency.

Having donned this cloak and concealed herself, Serenade had come to this detached palace.

It was a place she had often visited in her childhood, so she was familiar with the path, and more importantly, Ash had told her that a helper would be waiting for her here.

Looking up at the face of her helper, Serenade murmured with difficulty.

“Alberto…….”

“It’s been a while. You’ve grown so much.”

Although it had been several years since they last met, Alberto was affable. Serenade smiled without realizing it.

“You haven’t changed either, Alberto.”

However, the two didn’t have time to reminisce. The sound of soldiers’ footsteps began to echo around the detached palace.

Alberto nodded with a stern face.

“I heard about it in advance from His Highness the Prince. I will escort you to the grand banquet hall.”

Alberto quickly scanned the surroundings, took Serenade’s hand, and led her away.

“This way.”

“But, Alberto!”

Serenade blurted out in a fluster.

“If you’re caught helping me, it will have a bad effect on you…….”

“I’ve been working in this palace for almost 50 years.”

Alberto shrugged nonchalantly.

“It’s about time for me to retire.”

“…….”

“Being able to help a young countess who is like my granddaughter before I retire, isn’t that a happy thing?”

Alberto smiled and started walking ahead.

“There is no one who knows the secret paths and shortcuts between the palaces better than I do. Come, let’s go. I will guide you faster than anyone else.”

Serenade, with her staggering steps due to her injury, followed Alberto towards the grand banquet hall.

***

The sky of the Imperial Capital, nearing evening, was red.

The vermilion sunset covered the entire Imperial Palace.

The grand banquet hall was the same, with the large building and the entire garden glowing red.

The party’s starting time of 6 PM had already passed.

Because of the time, all the nobles who were going to enter were already inside.

Therefore, the entrance to the grand banquet hall was deserted. Alberto and Serenade had just arrived here through a secret path.

“You’ve had a long journey, Miss Serenade.”

Alberto smiled, pointing to the entrance of the grand banquet hall.

“Now, go in. His Highness Prince Ash will be waiting for you.”

“…….”

Serenade suddenly looked down at her disheveled appearance.

She didn’t like anything about her appearance, from her hair to her makeup and clothes. And because she was attacked on the way, she was even more miserable.

Her forehead was bleeding from the carriage collision.

The hem of her dress was torn, her stockings were ripped. The heel of her shoe was broken and dangling.

She was in no shape to attend a party.

She wanted to hide in a mouse hole, let alone go to the grand banquet hall.

“A party in this state…….”

Serenade clenched the hem of her dress tightly in her hand.

“People will laugh at me…….”

“What does it matter if they laugh?”

Alberto spoke seriously.

“Is the person you came to meet one of those foolish people who laugh at your appearance? Or is it His Highness Prince Ash, who is waiting for you?”

At the mention of Ash’s name, Serenade flinched.

Because that person was waiting for her, she didn’t want to show him this appearance even more.

“My husband-to-be will also…… be ashamed of me…….”

“That is not the case.”

Alberto affirmed.

“Trust me. His Highness the Prince will never be ashamed of you, Miss Serenade.”

“…….”

“His Highness Prince Ash told me. He said that he needed Miss Serenade today, so no matter what, I had to escort you to the grand banquet hall.”

“…….”

“And the reason why His Highness Prince Ash needs Miss Serenade is not because of your appearance. Isn’t that right?”

Serenade clenched her fist tightly.

That’s right.

Ash needed her, so she came here.

Even if Ash was ashamed of Serenade, so what?

She would endure that shame as well.

“……Thank you, Alberto.”

Having made up her mind, Serenade walked into the entrance of the grand banquet hall with a determined face.

Alberto, who had been watching Serenade’s back with a smile, then turned around with a stern face.

The figures of soldiers rushing towards them from afar were visible.

“Dirty military boots at a party…… They don’t know basic etiquette.”

Alberto, adjusting his tie, walked towards the soldiers with a stern voice.

“They need the strict guidance of an old man.”

Leaving Alberto blocking the soldiers behind, Serenade entered the entrance of the grand banquet hall.

***

As soon as Serenade entered the grand banquet hall, piercing gazes poured in from all directions.

It was already long past the start of the party.

Serenade’s appearance, staggering in with a broken heel, was definitely eye-catching.

Some covered their mouths with fans and sneered, while others openly whistled mockingly.

“As expected of a commoner merchant, look at that state.”

“Doesn’t the Winter Silver family have a mirror?”

“If it were me, I would have been too embarrassed to enter in that state and would have turned back at the entrance.”

Serenade, enduring all the humiliation, heard words that pierced her ears like daggers as she headed inside.

“Prince Ash has already announced his engagement to Princess Yoon, what face does his ex-fiancée have to come here?”

“…….”

Ash’s engagement.

With another princess.

At those words, her vision went white.

Serenade struggled to keep her balance with her feet, which were losing sensation, and staggered forward.

“Did she come to ruin the engagement?”

“She’s been flaunting her connection to the Imperial Family for ten years, and she’s still clinging on until the end.”

“That’s why commoners are…….”

The heart she had tried so hard to strengthen was instantly tattered.

Serenade bit her lip tightly. She barely suppressed the heat rising in her eyes.

Squeak-

At that moment, the Emperor and the three princes appeared, opening the door from the innermost room of the grand banquet hall.

It seemed they had been having a meeting.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

The Emperor and the other two princes sat down in their respective seats on the platform with stiff faces.

Ash, who came out last of the four royals, approached a girl with ivory-colored hair who was waiting in front of the room, and knelt on one knee.

Serenade recognized her at once. That must be her.

That beautiful girl…… Ash’s real marriage partner.

The prince in his black tailcoat and the princess in her pearl-colored dress looked perfectly matched.

In comparison, what about herself?

‘Even the makeup I tried so hard to apply is gone, I look like a crow…….’

Serenade slowly stopped walking.

She couldn’t walk any further. She didn’t have the courage to go into that dazzling space.

How wonderful it would be if she could disappear from this place without a trace…….

At that moment, Ash, who had been talking affectionately with the princess, got up from his seat and looked directly at Serenade’s direction.

And,

Step. Step.

He came down from the platform and started walking straight towards Serenade.

The surroundings buzzed loudly. The nobles who had participated in the party looked back and forth between Ash and Serenade, exchanging words with each other.

Serenade’s breath caught as she watched Ash approach her steadily without wavering.

She didn’t know why Ash had called her here.

But if she had used up her usefulness, was disengaged as his fiancée, and Ash was newly engaged to that princess…….

Perhaps this was the last chance she would have to see Ash.

“Hoo.”

Serenade took a breath, straightened her back, and stood up straight. And she raised her reddened silver eyes.

‘Yes, I will endure it.’

Even if all that you have left to give me is farewell and pain.

Even if all that awaits me in front of my abandoned self is a thorny path of humiliation, disgrace, and wounds.

‘If that is what you have given, I will gladly embrace it in my arms.’

As she solidified her resolve, her heart became calm.

Ash came right in front of Serenade. The noisy party hall became silent at this sight.

“Serenade.”

Ash smiled first.

Raising her trembling lips, Serenade smiled back.

“……Your Highness Prince Ash.”

At Serenade’s greeting, Ash let out a hearty laugh.

“You can call me husband-to-be as usual.”

“But…….”

Serenade glanced at the princess sitting on the platform, looking this way.

“You have a princess who you have newly promised to marry.”

“…….”

Instead of saying anything else, Ash slowly looked down at Serenade’s feet.

“You must have had a hard time coming all the way here because of me.”

Ash, having examined Serenade’s shoes with broken heels, suddenly,

“Heave-ho.”

Whack!

Took off his own shoes and threw them carelessly to the side.

At this unexpected action, not only the people around them but also Serenade widened her eyes in surprise.

And Ash carefully knelt on one knee in front of Serenade, took Serenade’s foot, lifted it up…… and took off Serenade’s shoe.

The murmuring around them grew louder. The princess on the platform was also seen covering her mouth in surprise.

Serenade’s two feet inside the shoes were covered in dirt and blood.

“Uh…… Your Highness Prince Ash……?”

Serenade mumbled dazedly, watching Ash take off both of her broken shoes and throw them to the side.

“What are you doing……?”

“This way, it won’t hurt even if I step on your feet again.”

“Huh?”

Ash looked at the orchestra and waved his arm widely.

Then, the quick-witted conductor immediately grabbed his baton and waved it.

As the prelude to a waltz began, Ash winked playfully at Serenade.

“Isn’t there only one thing for a man and woman to do at a party?”

“……?”

“We’ve been practicing together, haven’t we? Then we have to use it on the main stage too.”

Ash grabbed Serenade’s hand and skillfully pulled her in.

Taking a waltz position as if embracing each other.

Ash smiled playfully.

Like the smile from those days when they were very young. Dazzlingly.

“Shall we dance, Cinderella?”

The music began.

And amidst the horrified gazes of everyone, the two men and women began to dance barefoot.

***

30 minutes before Serenade’s arrival.

In the innermost room of the grand banquet hall.

At the Guardian Council meeting urgently convened by Ash.

“From now on, the Southern Front will refuse all support from the Imperial Family.”

Ash abruptly said this to the Emperor and his two brothers.

“What?”

“What do you mean……?”

“…….”

Larc, Fernandez, the Emperor, all looked at their youngest brother with bewildered eyes as he suddenly spouted nonsense.

“I clearly declare it in this place.”

Regardless, Ash declared confidently.

“From this moment on, the Monster Front will walk a completely independent path, separate from the Empire.”