I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 287

An awkward silence hung between Dusk Bringer and me.

Unable to bear it, I asked again,

“What are you doing here? It’s already late. Shouldn’t you be at your lodgings?”

Just then, a classic hungry growl rumbled from Dusk Bringer’s stomach.

“……”

“……”

…Seriously, what is this! Why are you making such a pitiful face! You’re not the Little Match Girl! You’re a Grand Duchess, a Grand Duchess!

“If you go downtown, there are restaurants open late, and decent inns too. Go on, off you go.”

“……I have none.”

“What?”

“I have no money……”

Dusk Bringer’s small shoulders slumped dejectedly.

I clutched the back of my neck as my blood pressure spiked. Seriously, your Grace, you’re taking this role-playing thing too far!

“No, even if you’re in retreat, how can the Grand Duchess of a duchy not have any money?”

“I used all my assets, even my jewelry, for military funds! Of course, I don’t have a single penny of personal funds left!”

Ugh. Well, considering they were crushed in the war, it’s understandable that the national treasury would be empty.

“Then what about that shiny crown you’re wearing? You could probably buy a mansion with that.”

“This is a symbol of the duchy’s sovereignty! Of course, I can’t sell it!”

I laughed in disbelief. What kind of duchess is this? All bark and no bite….

“I managed to break through the siege and escape the duchy, but all my subordinates were injured, so I gave them all the money I had and told them to recover slowly. I came ahead to scout whether the southern front was really safe….”

“And you arrived with no money left?”

“Yes! That’s why I participated in the martial arts tournament! I thought I’d get some prize money if I won! I never imagined… this… this….”

Dusk Bringer pulled out the first-place plaque and shouted.

“That they’d give me something like an honorary knight title that I can’t even trade for a meal-!”

“It’s an honorable position, you brat-!”

As we glared at each other and yelled, I felt a gaze from behind. I turned to see my party members watching us with cold sweat.

“Haaa……”

I sighed deeply and gestured towards the mansion.

“Come in. I’ll give you something to eat and drink.”

“Really?!”

“It’s a festival, it’s not like we’re so heartless as to let a guest go hungry. Come in quickly.”

Dusk Bringer’s face brightened, and she hopped into the mansion like a hamster.

I called Aider and instructed him to serve Dusk Bringer a meal. And to prepare a guest room.

‘Well, it’s like I invited her, after all….’

However, this was a mistake.

Dusk Bringer began to ravage my kitchen like a dragon. What is she doing!

The chef, who had been called out in the middle of the night, continued to cook with tears streaming down his face, but Dusk Bringer ate without stopping.

Her sharp, shark-like teeth tore through the food like a saw.

“I wasn’t this hungry originally.”

Dusk Bringer mumbled, her small cheeks puffed out.

“But I used more energy than I thought in the martial arts tournament… I was about to starve to death. Ah, give me some of those meat skewers. And please take out the bell peppers from the vegetables, I can’t eat them.”

“……Do you eat carrots?”

“Oh, how did you know? I hate carrots too! Take them out!”

Are you a kid, you brat! Where did you leave your age!

I sighed and shook my head. I never thought the high-output, low-efficiency nature of a dragon would manifest like this.

She’s eating the amount that a normal adult human would eat in dozens of meals. Does she need to eat that much to maintain that level of output?

‘I knew dragons ate a lot, but this is too much….’

If I ever take Dusk Bringer under my command, I’ll have to create a new budget just for her food expenses.

Evangeline and Lucas, who were watching this scene, opened their mouths slightly.

“I thought I was the strongest among female food fighters… but I guess that was just based on human standards…?”

“I lost in the martial arts tournament… and now I’ve lost in eating too… what am I supposed to win at…? Waaah….”

“……They’re a different species. Don’t feel defeated.”

For the record, Damian and Junior were diligently picking out bell peppers and carrots next to Dusk Bringer.

Don’t actually pick them out! Let her eat them all without being picky!

As I watched this miserable scene with my hand on my forehead, Aider cautiously approached and whispered in my ear.

“Um, Master, the food storage is empty… what should we do?”

“……Refill it as soon as the dawn market opens. Feed her until she’s satisfied.”

Watching the winner of this martial arts tournament, who was happily destroying the table, I clicked my tongue.

“It’s a festival, a festival.”

Even if there are people who can’t enjoy it, no one should go hungry.

Then Dusk Bringer smiled brightly and shouted.

“This place makes good food!”

Ah, yes. Thank you for the compliment….

***

The last day of the autumn festival dawned.

From midday, the entire city was filled with cheerful music.

The citizens took out instruments that had been gathering dust and played them joyfully.

I thought the dance festival would be something grand, but it wasn’t.

It was just a time for everyone to gather in the central square and dance to their heart’s content in this chaotic music.

“I told you, it’s just a rural town festival….”

Evangeline, who was watching the scene in the central square with me, shrugged. I chuckled.

“This isn’t bad either?”

The citizens came out and sang traditional folk songs together, playing their drums, stringed instruments, and wind instruments.

Some danced with their shoulders, and some played tunes with their faces flushed with drink.

Neighborhood grandfathers and grandmothers, who were not usually seen, came out and slowly danced a traditional circle dance.

It’s like a national dance competition. It’s kind of heartwarming.

“Let’s go around once too! Let’s go!”

Before I knew it, all my main party members had been swept into the giant circle dance in the central square.

Evangeline led the way, and Lucas, Damian, and Junior all held hands and started awkwardly spinning in the flow of the dance.

I watched this scene from a little distance, chuckling. It’s cute just watching the kids play.

“Ho. It’s quite lively, isn’t it? Even for a backwater festival.”

Then someone came and stood next to me. I turned to see Dusk Bringer.

I had given her some pocket money, and she had used it to buy snacks from the stalls, holding them in both hands. It seems like you’re enjoying it more than anyone else.

Dusk Bringer looked up at me, her face slightly plumper than yesterday, and blinked.

“But, aren’t you going to dance?”

“I have a solo performance scheduled for later. I’m saving my appearance.”

I don’t really want to, but it’s a festival. If everyone can enjoy it, I’ll gladly sacrifice myself.

I smiled as I looked for the other party members in the square. Everyone’s having fun.

“Ash.”

Then, in a small voice, Dusk Bringer mumbled while munching on snacks.

“I am an enemy of your country.”

“……”

“Your father betrayed my country, which had been loyal for hundreds of years, and your brother directly led an army to trample on my country.”

In the middle of a peaceful festival.

The Dragon Lady unexpectedly stabbed me with a heavy story like a needle.

“Yet you invited me. You said you would give me a chance to recover on this front.”

“……”

“Knowing that the moment you bring me into your front, you will be at odds with your homeland.”

And if that happens. In the worst case, knowing that you may never see this peaceful scene again.

The battle on the western front of the Empire—the Dragon Blood Front—will not end until Dusk Bringer is captured and killed.

More precisely, until the dragon blood is taken from her.

The moment she is brought into my front and it is discovered, the flames of the western front will spread to the south.

– Even so, will you truly accept me?

There was a lot of such implication in Dusk Bringer’s words. I listened silently, and Dusk Bringer stared up at me.

“What is your intention? And even if you accept me, do you have a plan for what will happen afterwards?”

“……”

I smiled faintly and met her gaze.

“I will answer those questions when you fully join our southern front, Grand Duchess.”

“Haha, so you won’t show your hand until the end?”

“You have to bet at the decisive moment, don’t you?”

I shrugged nonchalantly.

“But I can assure you of this. The Imperial Family, and the Empire, cannot touch this monster front.”

It’s not just because of a declaration of independence I made in the past.

I know what will happen in this world in the future. I am confident based on the memories of that walkthrough.

Many things will happen in the Empire like a storm.

I will step aside from that storm and walk my own path, regardless of the Empire.

The war with the monsters.

The path to the clear, to the true ending.

“As long as you cooperate with me, you will be able to fully establish a foothold for recovery here.”

“……That cooperation is about fighting monsters. Is that it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I really don’t understand……”

Dusk Bringer sighed. She looked down at the square where people were dancing to the music and slowly murmured.

“To bring me in, even at the risk of destroying such a beautiful scene… I don’t know if I’m worth it.”

“You are.”

Honestly, it’s just that things have turned out this way, and I’m taking care of you and your knights as a bonus.

“You are worth it enough.”

Dusk Bringer and her knights are a tremendous force.

If I can bring them under my command, they will play a big role in the war against the monsters.

“……”

Dusk Bringer munched on the snacks in her hand, her face deep in thought. I was about to say a few more words to her when.

“What are you doing, spacing out, Senior!”

My main party members rushed at me and grabbed my arms and legs. What the?!?

“Don’t just watch with a proud smile, Senior, let’s dance too!”

“It’s a once-a-year opportunity, my lord!”

“It’s more fun than you think! Dance, Prince!”

“Come on, don’t be shy! Your Highness, come here too!”

“Gyaaaak! Wait a minute! I was trying to have a serious conversation for once-!”

But there was no match for the party members’ recklessness. I was dragged away in an instant and plunged into the flow of the circle dance.

As I entered, the citizens somehow recognized me and whistled.

A large space suddenly appeared in the square, which was full of people spinning around, and I was thrown into the center. What is this!

“Lord! Lord! Our Lord!”

“We’ve been waiting for today! We were really looking forward to it!”

The citizens surrounding me cheered. No, what were you looking forward to, you guys!

“Dance! Dance! Dance-!”

“Prince Dance! Prince Dance!”

“Show us the legendary dance that turned the capital upside down-!”

I was instantly driven into a situation where I had to dance. I covered my face and shouted.

“If this were the capital, New Terra, you’d all be executed for treason!”

“But this isn’t New Terra?! Where is this?”

“Crossroad-!”

Oh well. What can I do? It was planned from the moment I submitted the application.

After looking around at the party members and citizens who were smiling at me, I raised my hand and waved it.

“Then put on the music, you guys!”

Watch closely, this is an expensive dance that I only showed when I got donations of 100,000 won during my streamer days…!

To the citizens’ chorus, I started to dance like crazy.

The party members were doubled over with laughter, and the citizens screamed with cheers and shock.

I gladly broke down.

Because it’s a festival, after all.

***

“……Haha. I don’t know about anything else, but I know one thing.”

Dusk Bringer, who had been watching Ash with wide eyes, finally smiled, revealing her sharp fangs.

“You are a prince (王者) beloved by his people, Ash.”

A bitter light flickered in the smile on the Dragon Lady’s lips.

“The love of the people that I can never regain….”

She closed her large amber eyes tightly, then opened them, pulled her hood down deeply, and slowly turned away from the square.

“……I think I’ve done enough scouting.”

She slowly began to walk towards the west gate over there.

“It was a pleasant festival, Crossroad.”

And then, she walked away and disappeared into the twilight that was beginning to settle.