I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 183

The innermost room of the grand banquet hall.

As Serenade cautiously entered, the Emperor was sitting on a chair, waiting alone.

Serenade was nervous, but she didn’t rush and properly paid her respects. She knelt and bowed her head.

“Long live His Majesty the Great Emperor. This humble subject pays respects to the supreme one.”

She was a mess, barefoot and covered in blood and dirt, but the Emperor didn’t seem to mind.

“Countess Winter Silver. It’s my first time seeing you in person.”

At the Emperor’s words, Serenade quietly lowered her head.

The Emperor had not attended the day Ash and Serenade were engaged.

The reason given was that he was busy with official duties, but Serenade couldn’t be sure if that was the only reason.

Thus, despite being the Crown Prince’s fiancée for ten years, Serenade had never met the Emperor in person. This was her first time.

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

The Emperor asked slowly, stroking his chin.

“I heard that your merchant guild has agreed to provide various forms of assistance to the Imperial Family. Is that correct?”

“That is correct. Our merchant guild will…”

Serenade was about to list the items her guild could provide to the four fronts, but the Emperor waved his hand to stop her.

“I’ve already heard it from Ash, so there’s no need to recite the details again. Such things can be adjusted later.”

“…”

“What I want to ask is about the price you will receive in return.”

Serenade’s eyes widened.

“The price… Your Majesty?”

“Aren’t you a merchant? You should receive a price for providing goods.”

The Emperor smiled faintly.

“What do you desire?”

“…”

“In return for your dedication to the Empire and the Imperial Family, what do you seek to gain?”

Serenade stammered and lowered her head.

“I…”

“Your father, Count Winter Silver, was always precise with his calculations.”

The Emperor continued, his smile unwavering.

“He always received the exact price for the goods he provided. That’s why I liked him. He was a reliable trading partner.”

“…”

“But he was too greedy in the last transaction. He miscalculated.”

The last transaction.

Presumptuously, the Winter Silver family had demanded to become in-laws with the Imperial Family.

The Emperor clearly defined it as greed and a mistake.

“So, Countess. I hope you don’t make the same mistake as your father. Make sure to calculate accurately.”

“…”

“Now, answer me. In return for your dedication to the Empire and the Imperial Family, what do you seek to gain?”

Serenade’s lowered head dropped even further.

Serenade knew. She knew that her family was facing the crisis of annihilation because of her father’s greed back then.

Serenade also knew. She knew how she should answer here. What she should ask the Emperor.

‘You must not desire anything.’

She should say that she would dedicate everything her guild had to the Empire and the Imperial Family, that she would become the Emperor’s loyal dog and do as she was told. That she would never have any vain desires in the future.

So… she should ask him to spare her life.

That was the right answer. She knew it well.

So, she had to say it.

She had to say it, but-

– Get what you want, Master.

Elise’s voice flashed through her mind.

Serenade blinked her silver eyes blankly.

What she wanted?

What she wanted, that was…

– I promise, Sister.

At that moment, a scene from her childhood overwhelmed her vision.

The boy who smiled like an angel that day.

The memory of that young day that always gripped her heart and never let go.

‘Ah.’

Serenade gritted her teeth.

She knew. This was greed.

She was miscalculating. And with this mistake, she might die.

But-

“…What I desire is only one thing.”

If she couldn’t get the one thing she wanted in her life.

How was that different from dying?

Clenching her fist, opening her eyes wide, Serenade raised her head.

And she spoke to the man who ruled half the world.

“Please do not break off the engagement between Prince Ash and me.”

“…?”

The Emperor blinked slowly.

Serenade continued with a cliché.

Even if it was a cliché, it was filled with her sincere heart.

“I will make him happy for the rest of his life.”

***

After a moment of silence, the Emperor opened his mouth.

“Countess.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know that your family has common blood mixed in it?”

Serenade lowered her eyes.

“I know.”

“Do you know that your grandfather was a slave from a different race?”

“…I know.”

“Yes. You must know. You must have had to remind yourself every morning when you looked in the mirror.”

Serenade pursed her lips.

The light blue hair she inherited from her grandfather and father.

The blood of the merfolk, a different race that lived in the eastern sea, flowed in Serenade.

Her beautiful hair color was the color of the merfolk, and it was like an indelible mark of a slave.

“It’s already a significant break from tradition that a commoner with mixed blood from a different race has risen to the rank of count in this country. And now, you dare to try to become in-laws with the Imperial Family.”

“…”

“What a presumptuous father and daughter.”

Serenade’s request was ultimately the same as her father’s.

Marriage with Ash.

Even though the Emperor had clearly defined it as greed and a mistake, she had presumptuously demanded it again.

“Why do you keep demanding the marriage with Ash?”

The Emperor didn’t look angry, but rather dumbfounded.

“Is it because it’s your family’s long-cherished desire to get the Imperial bloodline and shed the yoke of being a commoner?”

“No, it is not.”

“Then, is it because you want to further prosper your family and guild by becoming in-laws with the Imperial Family?”

“No, it is not.”

“Then what kind of calculation and scheme are you basing this on? Tell me honestly.”

Serenade answered sincerely.

“Because I love him.”

“…?”

“Because I have loved him my whole life.”

That was the end of the reason.

The Emperor, who had been blinking in disbelief, suddenly clapped his knees and burst into laughter.

“Ah ha, ah ha ha ha! Love, you said love!”

“…”

“To put yourself and your family’s lives on the line for such a trivial, childish emotion! How foolish, truly foolish!”

“However, Your Majesty.”

Serenade spoke calmly.

“It was thanks to that childish emotion that Prince Ash was able to be born.”

“…”

The Emperor closed his mouth and glared at Serenade.

Because of love.

The Emperor had politically cornered himself, yet he had insisted on taking Dustia, the second Empress of Dustia.

It was because the Emperor loved Dustia, who was a war slave. The Emperor himself was a fool who had burned himself with the emotion of love.

And as a result of that love, Ash was born.

“I am a merchant, Your Majesty. I calculate, I scheme, I consider the pros and cons, and I weigh the gains and losses.”

“…”

“But I know that the world doesn’t only work that way. I know that countless things bloom even outside of calculations, schemes, and gains and losses.”

A faint smile touched Serenade’s haggard lips.

“And I also know that it is beautiful.”

“…”

The Emperor remained silent.

Serenade knelt before him and slowly bowed her head.

“Our Winter Silver Merchant Guild will do our best to serve the Imperial Family. So, Your Majesty.”

“…”

“Please… do not break off the engagement between Prince Ash and me.”

Serenade prostrated herself and begged the Emperor.

“That is the only thing this humble girl desires.”

A long silence flowed.

In the heavy stillness, the Emperor remained motionless in his chair, and Serenade remained prostrate on the floor.

And finally.

“You are young. You are children.”

A bitter smile appeared on the Emperor’s lips.

“Foolish, daring, and stupid… youth.”

“…”

“You remind me of Dustia.”

The Emperor suddenly thought of the woman he had loved.

“She was a beautiful person.”

She had grown up harshly as a slave, so her appearance was not impressive.

But her nature was kind and warm. Enough to make the ruler of the Empire fall in love.

Serenade, who had spent her childhood with Dustia in her detached palace, nodded in agreement.

“She was more beautiful than anyone else in this world.”

“…”

The Emperor shook his head slightly and waved his hand.

“I grant the continuation of the Winter Silver Merchant Guild. The Winter Silver family will continue to lead the guild and, as promised, do their best to help and serve the Imperial Family and the Empire.”

Serenade immediately pressed her forehead to the ground, deeply moved.

“Your grace is boundless, Your Majesty.”

“However.”

Serenade’s eyes widened at the Emperor’s following words.

“I cannot guarantee the marriage with Ash.”

“…!”

Seeing Serenade’s stiff body, the Emperor chuckled.

“Isn’t that something you young people should take care of yourselves?”

“Yes…?”

“Lovers break up the next day even if they love each other to death. Besides, isn’t Ash the biggest playboy in the Empire?”

The Emperor rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.

“He even kicked out the princess of the Arian Kingdom and smeared the face of this father who announced the engagement. And what? Independent path? Ha… I thought he had grown up a little, but he’s just a brat who will always do as he pleases.”

“…”

“If you truly love that brat, you will have to suffer a lot in the future.”

The Emperor waved his hand.

“I’ll give him back to you, my troublemaking youngest son.”

A mischievous smile was on the ruler’s face.

“Be prepared to be kicked out and then embrace him.”

***

When Serenade came out, the grand banquet hall was in disarray.

The delegation from the Northern Kingdom was seen leaving the grand banquet hall, fuming.

Lark and Fernandes were also seen next to the delegation, trying to appease them.

Serenade blinked, not knowing what was going on, when a voice came from the side.

“Did you resolve it well?”

When Serenade looked over, she saw Ash sprawled out on a pile of broken chairs. Surprised, Serenade stammered and asked.

“What happened?”

“Well, various things… there were things I had to take responsibility for…”

Ash grumbled and got up. His stylish tailcoat was covered in dust and wood chips.

“So, did you resolve things well with Father?”

“Ah, yes! Everything was resolved well! He promised to keep our guild alive.”

Ash whistled.

“Good job. You did it properly.”

“It’s all thanks to you, my husband. Thank you so much… really, thank you, my husband.”

“We did it together.”

Ash smiled warmly. Serenade swallowed hard.

“And, about the relationship between me and my husband, that, the permission… I mean…”

That the engagement was not broken.

That we were still promised to be married.

So, in the future, she wanted to be a real lover.

There were many words swirling inside, but they didn’t come out as a voice. Serenade hesitated for a long time.

“Serenade.”

Then Ash reached out and held Serenade’s hand tightly. Serenade gasped.

As if he knew what Serenade was thinking, Ash smiled faintly. Serenade couldn’t look him in the eye and lowered her flushed face.

And then, Ash said.

“Let’s break off our engagement.”

“…”

Serenade’s shoulders stiffened.

For a moment, she was frozen, not understanding what this man was saying, and then Serenade carefully asked again.

“…Pardon?”

But she hadn’t misheard.

Ash, unnecessarily, spoke once more in a clear voice with good pronunciation.

“Let’s break off our engagement.”