I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 204

That evening, after defeating the boss monster, clearing out the remaining normal monsters, and successfully concluding the defense battle, a victory feast was held to celebrate the victory without any losses.

Under the warm summer night sky, food piled up in the city’s central square, and chilled cups of alcohol were passed around continuously.

The scene felt like something from a long time ago, and I was slightly overcome with emotion.

My celebratory speech for the day was simple.

“Let’s keep doing things like this in the future!”

At my words, the soldiers cheered and raised their glasses. I gave them a smile, told them to have fun, and stepped down from the platform.

Today, there were many injured soldiers. It was due to the unexpected close-quarters combat with the boss monster.

The soldiers suffered bruises from blocking the tentacles with their shields and burns from being splashed with acidic liquid.

I was also soaked in acidic liquid, so my whole body was covered in bandages.

‘It’s a relief that there are few seriously injured, but there are too many minor injuries.’

Even Lucas and Evangeline were covered in bruises and burns, so they couldn’t attend tonight’s feast and were resting at the temple.

‘They were both really angry at me…’

Because I didn’t give a proper explanation and got eaten by the Slime Emperor, they were both so shocked that they rushed at the Slime Emperor to save me.

Even though the Slime Emperor had entered digestion mode and didn’t budge, they attacked its hardening body like crazy.

‘Actually, I had a safety net.’

In the game, the inside of a slime’s stomach was treated as a kind of small dungeon.

Captured characters could escape on their own, and conversely, we could use physical force to rescue them. It was a place considered a dungeon.

In other words, it meant that I could use an [Emergency Escape Teleport Scroll] inside.

I had obtained several of these items, but I had never used one yet.

Using this emergency escape teleport scroll would allow for a safe escape, but there was the problem of the reward items disappearing.

If I was unlucky, there was a risk that the boss kill reward would be reduced.

So, I was going to wait until the very last moment and, if I judged that self-escape was impossible, I would use the teleport scroll to escape. That was my safety net.

However, before I could use the teleport scroll, Quillan’s fist hit the jackpot, and we were able to escape safely.

I told them that I had prepared this safety measure, but Lucas and Evangeline didn’t stop nagging me.

‘Senior, you don’t take care of yourself enough.’

A conversation I had with Evangeline a little while ago flashed through my mind.

‘I’ve felt it before, but you don’t have the self-preservation instinct that humans should have. A front-line commander fighting on the front lines is a completely unusual situation.’

‘Well, the situation on the front lines is dire. There’s an unavoidable aspect to it, right?’

‘But you throw yourself into the battlefield so willingly. It’s like…’

Evangeline, choosing her words carefully, cautiously raised her green eyes and looked at me.

‘It’s like… it’s not your own life.’

‘……’

Her words took my breath away a little.

But I quickly smiled and stroked Evangeline’s hair.

‘I’ll be careful from now on.’

‘Really?’

‘I promise, I promise. I’ll take better care of myself from now on.’

‘You shouldn’t just promise me, promise Lucas over there too!’

In the bed next to Evangeline, Lucas was slumped over in his patient gown, looking depressed.

He must have been worried sick during the ten minutes I was swallowed by the slime, wondering if something had happened to me.

Like a golden retriever hurt by its owner’s bad joke, he was hunched over and glancing at me.

I ended up making a pinky promise to both knights, promising that I would be really careful from now on.

Only then was I released and able to come to this central square.

‘But, it can’t be helped. The situation on this front line is more difficult than hell difficulty, and I’m the only one with clear experience.’

I inwardly made excuses for my reckless actions.

‘Dungeon free exploration, defense battle command… I have to move myself to get the maximum efficiency, and only with maximum efficiency can I barely follow the path to clear.’

So… to some extent, I will have no choice but to take risks in the future.

Besides, even though these actions of mine clearly come with risks,

“Ah, Your Highness the Prince has arrived!”

“You’ve arrived, our benefactor!”

“Savior of our lives!”

“Loyalty, loyalty!”

…they also bring about unexpected effects.

The penal unit, who had been huddled in a corner of the square, picking at their food and drinks, immediately stood up and gave a clumsy salute when I approached.

I chuckled and waved my hand.

“Stop doing things that don’t suit you and relax.”

Then, the bandits of the penal unit sat down in their places, looking at me cautiously. It doesn’t suit you, you ragtag bunch.

It seems that me personally jumping in to save Quillan and his party was a shock to them in many ways.

“We’ve really reflected a lot, Your Highness…”

One of Quillan’s party members bowed his head deeply to me.

“We were just planning to pretend to fight and slack off, but Your Highness risked danger for us…”

“I only saved you because I didn’t want the equipment I lent to Quillan to break, you guys. Don’t get all emotional.”

I replied coldly, but they were even more cheerful.

“Hehehe, you’re just pretending not to be because you’re embarrassed!”

“I think I’m going to fall for you even more because of that side of you…!”

“I… I can betray our captain and join Your Highness right now! Please accept my loyalty!”

“Would I accept that, you bandits? The premise of betrayal is already untrustworthy.”

I shot back, then raised the glass I was holding with an ‘Eish!’ sound.

“Enough, let’s have a drink!”

We each took a drink.

Me, an imperial prince of the empire. Me, the commander of the empire’s front lines. Me, a person from another country. Me, risking my life to save them.

What exactly did it mean to them? I can’t know exactly.

“……”

In these young and clumsy people, I suddenly saw the faces of the sub-party members I had lost.

None of my sub-parties had remained intact. They were injured, died, or were annihilated.

Whatever process you went through, you have also become my sub-party.

‘So, don’t get hurt easily, don’t die, and don’t get annihilated.’

I wiped my mouth with a ‘Kuh-‘ sound and spoke again in a stern voice.

“I hope you will follow my orders diligently from now on. I’ll overlook your mistakes this time because you’re new recruits, but there will be no exceptions next time.”

“Yes, sir!”

“If you risk your lives, this front line will also risk its life for you. Don’t forget this point.”

In other words.

This front line has already shown its sincerity to you, so now you also have to risk your lives.

We have already shown our good faith.

I’ll have to see what these bandits look like in the next defense battle, but I’m willing to give them one more chance.

“Can we call you boss from now on?”

“No, you already have a boss.”

“Then, the boss’s boss… we’ll call you the big boss!”

“Ooooh! Big boss!”

“Are you trying to drag me into a bandit gang too… whatever.”

I raised my head, looking for Quillan, who I hadn’t seen since a while ago.

“Where is your ‘boss’?”

***

Quillan was sitting alone on a small hill next to the square, drinking alcohol straight from the bottle.

“What did you do so well today that you’re posing here?”

As I approached, scolding him, Quillan chuckled.

“I was waiting for you, Your Highness.”

“For me? Why?”

“Because I haven’t properly greeted you.”

Quillan stood up, put his fists together in front of his chest in a gesture of respect, and then slowly bowed.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

I stared at Quillan. Quillan, who had raised his head, smiled awkwardly.

“Me, and my subordinates. You could have executed us and gotten rid of us a long time ago, but you gave us a chance and even saved us yourself. Honestly, I don’t know how to repay this debt.”

“……”

“This Quillan, though he may be a rogue who robs people in broad daylight, is not so shameless as to forget a debt of life.”

Quillan said seriously, without releasing his gesture of respect.

“I will repay you in my own way. Whenever it may be, wherever it may be.”

I chuckled.

“Then, just serve faithfully on this front line from now on.”

“You’re very consistent in what you want.”

Quillan slowly approached me. His huge height of over 2 meters stood right in front of my eyes.

“…Prince Ash. You said that killing monsters and saving people is your, and this front line’s, motto. And you said that even we prisoners, and even other races like me, are people you will protect.”

“Yes.”

“Then, if I cooperate in protecting this front line, does that mean I can also cooperate with that motto and contribute to protecting my own people?”

“That’s right.”

I nodded.

“Let me be clear, Quillan. This front line is not the border of the empire.”

At least, not for the next three years.

“It’s a front line that protects all people from monsters. If I had to name it, I would say it’s the final defense line of this world itself.”

Quillan slowly repeated my words in his mouth.

“The final defense line of the world…”

“It protects everyone north of this wall. Your brother, the refugees you were with, everyone is included.”

“……”

“You said you needed money, Quillan. Can you tell me? Why do you need money?”

“My homeland.”

Quillan surprisingly answered immediately.

“I’m trying to buy back my homeland, which was taken from me when I was young, with money.”

A distant longing flashed in his eyes. I nodded.

“Protecting this front line is also a way to protect that homeland.”

I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders.

“You’ll be able to gather the money you need soon enough.”

“……”

Quillan smiled back.

“I don’t like idealists, but I don’t dislike idealists who act like you.”

Quillan once again made a gesture of respect and bowed.

“I promise. I won’t disappoint you from the next defense battle.”

“I’ll look forward to it. Bandit King.”

I patted Quillan’s tall shoulder once and then gestured towards where his subordinates were gathered.

“Let’s go. Your subordinates are all waiting for you with their necks craned.”

I don’t know if these ragtag bandits will really become useful soldiers later. However.

If these people of other races, these people who hate the empire, have found even a small possibility of integrating into this front line.

Then today’s events would have had some value.

With that alone, it was a pretty lucky day.

I decided to think that way.

***

[STAGE 8 – CLEAR!]

[STAGE MVP – Jupiter Junior (SSR)]

[Leveled Up Characters]

– Jupiter Junior (SSR) Lv.55 (↑1)

– Quillan (SR) Lv.42 (↑2)

– Lily (R) Lv.29 (↑3)

[Deceased and Injured Characters]

– Ash (EX): Minor Injury

– Lucas (SSR): Minor Injury

– Evangeline (SSR): Minor Injury

– Quillan (SR): Minor Injury

[Acquired Items]

– Slime Legion Magic Stone: 209

– Slime Emperor Magic Core (SR): 1

[Stage clear rewards have been distributed. Please check your inventory.]

– SR Grade Reward Box: 1

– Slime Room Key: 1

>> Get Ready For The Next STAGE

>> [STAGE 9: The Arrow Released from the Bow]