I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 289

The heart of the continent. The center of the world. The capital of the Everblack Empire.

The Imperial City, New Terra.

In this massive port city, a metropolis comparable in size to a small country, a grand fireworks display was underway, marking the final day of the autumn festival.

Bang! Boom!

Spectacular fireworks painted the night sky.

As befitting a festival in the capital of the world’s largest nation, the Everblack Empire, the fireworks display that concluded the autumn festival was of an enormous scale. It was so bright that one might momentarily mistake it for the moon rising in the dark sky.

“…”

The Second Prince, Fernandez, watched the magnificent fireworks from his office, located in the highest spire on the west side of the Imperial Palace. He slowly swallowed the strong liquor in his glass before speaking languidly.

“Do you know why the Everblack Empire’s autumn festival is held on the night of the new moon?”

His conversational partner remained silent. Standing behind Fernandez as he looked out the window, they simply listened to his words.

“The full moon night would be brighter and better for festivities. Why did they choose the new moon night as the start of the festival? And why did they designate the three days until the new moon wanes to the dark moon as the autumn festival?”

From the new moon to the dark moon. The three days when the night sky is darkest.

The Everblack Empire’s autumn festival is held during this time. It was a somewhat strange tradition to deliberately choose the darkest nights for the festival.

“Do you perhaps know the reason, Sir Reina?”

When Fernandez turned around and asked, his conversational partner—the captain of the Magic Corps, Reina—who had been standing silently, bowed her head.

“…I do not, Your Highness.”

“Well, there are many theories, of course.”

Fernandez turned his gaze back to the window. He looked at the black sky beyond the ceaseless bursts of fireworks.

“In my opinion, I suspect it’s because the color of this dark, moonless sky is the same as the color of the nation’s sacred tree, the Everblack.”

“…”

“The black tree that brought wealth and prosperity to this nation, and helped humanity seize world dominance…”

He thought of the black, giant thorn tree frozen on the throne with the Emperor. Fernandez smiled bitterly as he recalled the tree that had entered hibernation with his father.

“…Well, that’s just my personal thought. Most people think the festival is held at this time because the fireworks are easier to see.”

“…”

Reina remained silent. The old general, leaning on a cane due to injuries sustained in the south, had a stiff expression. Whether that expression was due to the pain of her injured old body, the reprimand she was about to receive from her superior after a long time, or the path she would have to walk in the future, Fernandez could not tell, nor did he have any reason to know.

Reina was a soldier. Whatever she held inside, she would move as Fernandez ordered anyway.

“Enough of trivial matters like the timing of the festival.”

Turning away from the window, Fernandez slowly walked to the center of the office and sat on the sofa.

“So, Sir Reina, how was your mission in the south?”

“It was enjoyable in its own way.”

Still standing, Reina suddenly thought of Junior. Though he had not forgiven her in the end, he had still tried to continue their conversation… that young child. A new era mage who was not related by blood but resembled her old friend, who connected lightning and wind.

“It feels like I’ve been on a long vacation for the first time in a while.”

“A vacation… Did you go with such a light heart?”

Fernandez, who had snapped back, tapped the reports spread out on the table in front of the sofa with his fingertips.

“I’ve received full reports on what happened on the southern front. I’ve also read the report you wrote.”

“…”

“You discarded the ‘Shutdown Protocol’ that was installed there, with your own hands, I hear?”

The Shutdown Protocol. A human sacrifice magic circle that burns all humans within the barrier and uses the vast energy extracted from their souls to magically preserve the entire space. It was a secret technique of the Magic Corps, mainly installed in areas suspected of rebellion or in conflict zones with enemy nations, used for intimidation.

The primary objective of the Magic Corps dispatched to Crossroads was to install this, but Reina had destroyed it with her own hands during the Jormungandr defense battle.

“That’s how the situation unfolded. I apologize, Your Highness.”

“Tsk…”

Reina lowered her head, and Fernandez, clicking his tongue, sank back into the sofa.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. The southern lifeline isn’t important to us right now.”

The face of his youngest brother, who had audaciously declared his own path, flashed through his mind. He had refused additional reinforcements from the Imperial Family, saying he would handle the monster himself, and told them not to interfere. It was as if he was trying to avoid the coming storm of blood in the capital… as if he was trying to distance himself from the Imperial Family.

‘I don’t know what you’re up to, Ash. But you’ve always had a strangely good sense of things.’

If the southern front was going to distance itself from the capital, all the better. From Fernandez’s perspective, it meant one less variable. There was no need to strongly check the southern front.

Fernandez gazed at the beautiful scenery of the capital reflected in the window and murmured softly.

“The most important thing is the Shutdown Protocol being installed here in the capital.”

“…”

Reina slowly turned her head and looked at the city’s night view that Fernandez was watching. The world’s largest city, where countless people lived, shining under the bright lights of the fireworks. …And the massive human sacrifice magic circle being installed beneath it.

Her hands, which had been stained with blood all her life, felt even heavier now for some reason. Reina raised her leaden fingers and clenched her fist tightly. It was impossible to turn back now anyway. Once fallen into this mire of blood, there was no way out.

“I was going to wait for a more perfect timing, but the tide is changing rapidly, so it can’t be helped.”

Thud.

Fernandez placed the empty glass on the table and nodded heavily.

“Please expedite the completion of the Shutdown Protocol. Sir Reina, I trust only you.”

“…”

“Everything is for the future of the Everblack Empire.”

One of the four fates that the Everblack had foreseen, which would destroy the empire. The unidentified shadowy forces that the Aegis Special Forces were facing in the central dark front. It was none other than the Aegis Special Forces and Commander Fernandez himself.

They created a non-existent enemy, inflated it with rumors, and then used the pretext of fighting that illusion to increase the organization’s size and expand its power. Deceiving the Imperial Family, infiltrating them in reverse, and burrowing into the darkness—the Aegis Special Forces had already taken control of the empire’s underground. And now, the time was near.

“Prepare yourselves. Soon, it will be the time for rebellion.”

Fernandez rose from his seat and brushed past Reina.

“There will be many things the Magic Corps will have to do, Sir Reina.”

“…”

“Please, do not weaken.”

Ah, yes. A bitter smile crossed Reina’s lips. Hadn’t she already sworn? That she would cast aside her human skin for the sake of the empire. That she would willingly become a monster.

Fernandez left the office first. In the empty room, Reina murmured softly.

“…Everything is for the future of the Everblack Empire…”

Why was it? Even though she had made up her mind so firmly, her heart ached. The bright smile of the lightning fire she could no longer meet flickered before her eyes. The trembling eyes of the adopted daughter her friend had taken in as well.

Reina looked down at her stiff, unmoving palm before clenching it tightly! The wheel had already begun to turn. Now, no one could stop it.

***

“His Highness, the Second Prince Fernandez, is plotting a rebellion…!”

Serenade continued to explain rapidly to me, who was at a loss.

“As per our agreement with the Imperial Family, our merchant guild has been assisting with all aspects of the Imperial Family’s work. Providing information to the Aegis Special Forces was one of those tasks.”

“…”

“However, the more we helped the Special Forces, the more strange information began to pour in. At first, I tried to overlook it, thinking it was nothing serious.”

“…”

“But as the information piled up, the situation became too clear… and the only person I could trust to tell this to was you, Your Highness.”

So. That was why she had come down that long road in such a hurry. Having noticed signs of Fernandez’s rebellion, to inform me.

“Actually, even when I arrived here in Crossroads, I wasn’t certain. It was just a faint suspicion.”

Serenade bit her lower lip.

“But a few hours ago, when I compiled the information sent by messenger hawk from the guild’s headquarters in the capital… it became clear. His Highness Fernandez is plotting a rebellion.”

“…”

“The information is too big and heavy for me to handle… I don’t know what to do…”

“…”

In fact, I knew. The [Fernandez’s Rebellion] event. The biggest turning point in the second year, where the Second Prince Fernandez launches a rebellion to seize the throne. If the biggest turning point event in the first year was the recruitment of Dusk Bringer, the biggest turning point event in the second year was Fernandez’s rebellion.

At this time, the empire is split in two. Divided into the forces of the First Prince Lark and the forces of the Second Prince Fernandez, and the monster front must also be chosen. Which side to join. Whose side to take.

‘In the game, it was a simpler structure.’

If you sided with the First Prince Lark, you could receive support from knight forces and various soldier-related benefits. If you sided with the Second Prince Fernandez, you could receive support from mage forces and various administrative benefits. In short, the specialization of front-line operations would change depending on the choice. In addition, minor branches would form, and the game would diverge until the third year of operation.

Yes. It was bound to happen anyway. The problem was, ‘The timing has been brought forward.’

Originally, it was an event that would take place in the middle of the second year. But now, in the late first year, signs of it were already appearing. The development speed was already starting to differ from the game.

‘Why has it sped up?’

Could it be because of me? Because I… Ash, survived, protected Serenade and the Winter Silver Merchant Guild, and the southern front declared its own path. Was the small snowball I thought was nothing, a single flap of a butterfly’s wings… distorting the subsequent developments?

“…”

It didn’t matter. Even if the timing was a little earlier, it was still within my clear experience. The 742 playthroughs were not in vain. I know how this world will move in the future. Fernandez’s rebellion, and the subsequent trends of the empire. Even if the speed has changed, it is still in my hands. I will go forward steadily, according to my plan.

Within my arms, where I was organizing my thoughts, Serenade trembled slightly.

“Your Highness, I… I’m afraid. I’m afraid of having learned this information, and I don’t know what to do with this heavy truth.”

Serenade looked up at me with frightened eyes.

“Please tell me, Your Highness. If His Highness Fernandez really does start a rebellion, what will you… what will you do? What should I do?”

“…”

I quietly looked at this intelligent but naive person. I had instructed her to cooperate with the Aegis Special Forces, but I never imagined that she would approach the core of the Special Forces’ long-hidden conspiracy with just the fragmented pieces of information they exchanged.

‘How good is her brain…’

She probably has several times the brainpower than me. My survival, and Serenade’s survival, are causing a butterfly effect, distorting the subsequent developments. But I was certain. With my experience from the playthroughs, and Serenade’s analytical abilities, we would be able to overcome it. In the turbulent world, on the treacherous path towards clearing, finding the one safe route.

“Serenade. I’ll ask you just one thing.”

So, I asked softly.

“If I had a plan. But if that plan seemed too dangerous and difficult. Would you still follow me?”

“…”

Serenade had a stiff expression at the sudden question, but,

“Of course, Your Highness.”

She did not hesitate.

“Our Winter Silver Merchant Guild will share its fate with you, Your Highness. From the beginning, that was our decision.”