I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 321

Ash, perhaps from the aftereffects of having died and come back to life, fainted completely.

He fell asleep in Dustia’s arms inside the carriage.

Stroking her sleeping son’s smooth forehead, Dustia spoke.

“How did you know and come to save us?”

The Emperor—Traha, who had not entered the carriage but was standing outside, looking at his wife and son, replied.

“The ‘Seer’ told me.”

Five hundred years ago, when Everblack was a small kingdom.

There was a mage who suddenly appeared and helped Everblack’s rise.

This mage transformed an ordinary thorn tree into a magical beacon that foretold the future, and thanks to this, Everblack grew into a powerful nation.

Afterward, Everblack declared itself an empire and was able to become the current empire.

An immortal who has survived for five hundred years since then and still advises the Emperor on future events.

This old monster was called the ‘Seer’ by the imperial family.

“He said you would be attacked, so I should hurry to save you. That’s why I immediately came out with the knights.”

“…That swindler’s predictions are sometimes right.”

“Watch your words. He is the benefactor of our Everblack.”

Traha, speaking indifferently, examined Dustia’s pale face.

“Your regression magic is always used to save the lives of others. You spent your whole life protecting me, and now you are protecting our son.”

“……”

“Did you use all the remaining power in this regression magic?”

“…Yes.”

“Then you won’t last much longer.”

“Is that what you say to your wife who is about to die?”

Dustia, glaring at her husband, lowered her gaze.

“The curse of regression, the heavenly punishment placed upon our clan… it is passed down through one person per generation, through bloodline. Once I die, it will pass to this child.”

Her trembling hand stroked Ash’s head.

“We only share the trait of reversing time, but the way it manifests is different for everyone… It’s a pity that I can’t tell this child in advance how he will receive this curse.”

“Ash will overcome it well.”

Traha smiled gently and bent down towards Dustia.

“Because he is our son.”

The Emperor and the Second Empress shared a brief kiss.

After their lips parted, Traha stroked his wife’s cheek with his hand, then slowly moved his body outside.

“Return to the palace and recover. Use your last moments meaningfully.”

Turning around, Traha strode away. Dustia, staring at her departing husband’s back, barely managed to say.

“As my last wish, may you fall into hell, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor replied quietly with a bitter smile.

“If I can reunite with you there, that wouldn’t be so bad.”

The Emperor, mounting his white horse, galloped towards the imperial palace with a ‘Hyah!’

Dustia, who had been controlling her emotions with a tight-lipped expression, let out a long sigh.

“…Let’s go back, Lucas.”

Lucas, who had been guarding nearby and eavesdropping on the conversation, flinched and came running. Dustia gave a haggard smile.

“Let’s spend the rest of our vacation at home.”

Thus, Dustia, the Second Empress, who had embarked on her first vacation in over a decade, returned to the detached palace.

And she never came out of it again.

***

After the attack, the Second Empress Dustia’s condition rapidly deteriorated.

“…Hasn’t this happened before?”

In everything she did, 24 hours a day, she felt a strong sense of déjà vu.

“It’s déjà vu again… Every day, it feels like I’ve experienced it hundreds, thousands of times…”

“It must be your imagination, Mother. Look. Even this tea, it’s the first time it’s been brought up from the south this time-”

“No. I’ve drunk that tea.”

Dustia stared at the teacup Ash was offering, then shook violently and tore at her hair.

“Even this situation, with you smiling like that, saying those words, and handing me the tea…! I’ve experienced it all before!”

“Mother, calm down…!”

Clang-!

Dustia’s flailing arm pushed Ash, and the teacup in Ash’s hand fell to the floor and shattered. Hot tea splashed everywhere.

Dustia, startled and regaining her senses, quickly hugged Ash and murmured.

“Ah, Ash, Ash, my poor, pitiful child…”

“Mother…?”

“I can’t pass this pain on to you… Mother will live, for a long, long time. I’ll hold on as long as I can…”

These kinds of incidents repeated every day.

Dustia felt déjà vu in everything and had fits she couldn’t endure. The once warm and gentle detached palace quickly became desolate.

The rumor that Dustia was suffering from madness spread throughout the imperial palace.

The most convincing and widespread rumor was that the other wives of the imperial palace had tormented the Second Empress, driving her mad.

However, despite suffering from madness, Dustia desperately clung to life.

“If I die, this curse will pass to you.”

Dustia, who had become emaciated in just a few months, murmured with dry lips.

“So, Mother will live…”

Ash, who never gave up on his mother and nursed her right beside her, forced a smile while holding back tears.

“Yes, Mother. Live. Let’s live.”

“…”

Lucas was watching all of this from right beside them.

***

Time passed.

The men who had attacked Dustia all committed suicide before being captured.

…That’s what was reported.

The one who led the pursuit and investigation for a year and six months was none other than Fernandez.

Fernandez, who had long been in charge of the Aegis Special Task Force, a direct imperial secret unit, received orders from the Emperor to investigate this incident. After finding and killing the last attacker, he concluded the investigation.

“When His Majesty was conquering the North, the Second Empress Dustia achieved many feats by his side.”

Thud.

Fernandez finished signing the case closure documents and closed the file, speaking.

“The survivors of the kingdom that was destroyed at that time held a grudge and attacked the Second Empress Dustia… That’s how the report will be filed.”

Fernandez’s detached palace.

Lucas, kneeling on the floor, was silently listening to the story, while Fernandez smiled leisurely.

“An investigation into the internal spy was also conducted… but Lucas, you were never a suspect in the first place. After all, you almost died trying to stop the attack.”

“…”

“After giving you that much of a hint, you should have been helping with the mission, but instead, you were hindering it…”

Fernandez clicked his tongue and walked in front of Lucas, lowering his gaze.

“It seems you’ve forgotten where your loyalties lie, Lucas. Have you forgotten the debt your family owes?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do it anymore.”

Lucas said shortly. A strange light flickered in Fernandez’s eyes.

“Oh?”

“I can no longer betray His Highness Prince Ash and Her Majesty Empress Dustia.”

The smile on Fernandez’s lips deepened. Lucas, raising his head sharply, gritted his teeth.

“I don’t care about the McGregor family anymore. I’ll file for bankruptcy for the debt. Let the family fall and disappear.”

He had no more regrets.

Lucas had decided to live according to his true feelings, for Dustia and Ash. For them, he could give up his family.

As Lucas rose to turn around, Fernandez whispered quietly.

“What if it’s revealed that you were the internal spy in the Second Empress’s attack?”

“What…?”

Lucas, startled, turned back, and Fernandez was still smiling leisurely.

“His Majesty will be quite furious. He hates traitors very much… You can assume it’s almost certainly a death sentence.”

“Th-then I’ll say that you ordered me to do it-”

“Who are you going to tell? I am the head of the investigation agency in this country. The Imperial Capital Defense Force, the Aegis Special Task Force, they’re all under my control.”

“…”

Only then, belatedly, did Lucas realize.

He had been caught in a spiderweb from the very beginning.

Unable to move, his arms and legs tightly bound…

“And there’s this too… Bring him in.”

Fernandez gestured to his subordinate, and they dragged someone in.

The one dragged out, bound, was none other than,

“Young Master…!”

Mason, the loyal retainer and sword instructor of the McGregor family.

Mason’s huge body, covered in blood as if he had been tortured, was thrown to the floor. Lucas screamed.

“Mason!”

“It’s not just this friend. Everyone who remained in your family is now in our Special Task Force’s custody.”

Fernandez spoke comfortably in a gentle voice. Lucas gritted his teeth.

“Fernandez, Your Highness…!”

“As an example, I’ll cut off their heads one by one in front of you.”

Fernandez’s long finger ran across his own slender neck.

“And I’ll cut off your head too and send it to the Second Empress’s detached palace. It would be good to let them know it’s the end of a dirty traitor.”

“…”

“Did you think you had a choice, Lucas?”

With a natural tone, the Second Prince’s dark red eyes flashed eerily behind his glasses.

“Sit down. Kneel.”

“…”

Lucas, gritting his teeth, eventually had to kneel slowly on the floor. A clear sneer formed on Fernandez’s lips.

“I need a lot of useful dogs, Lucas… So I’ll give you a chance. A final chance to prove your loyalty to me.”

Lucas’s eyes widened as he heard the following words.

“Soon, my agents will attack the Second Empress’s detached palace. Cooperate at that time. Open the palace gates and let our agents inside.”

“Wh-what…!”

“And help kill the Second Empress Dustia and Prince Ash. If you do it with your own hands, you’ll get more points from me.”

Lucas shook his head violently.

“I can’t do it, I can’t do such a thing!”

“Then everyone here dies.”

As Fernandez gestured, his subordinates all drew their swords from their waists.

The sight of a sword being aimed at Mason’s neck on the floor was visible. Lucas also felt the cold touch of metal on his neck.

“Even if you don’t cooperate, the Second Empress Dustia and Ash will die anyway. But if you cooperate, you and your family can live.”

“…”

“Lucas. I value your and the McGregor family’s potential, so I’m going through this troublesome process to prove your worth.”

Fernandez whispered kindly, his voice having softened.

“I will become Emperor. And I want to use you in the future.”

“Ugh, hng…!”

“Think carefully. Under a mad, lowborn Empress and a Prince who is just kind and has no talent… What will you get besides death?”

Fernandez, meeting Lucas’s gaze, looked into Lucas’s blue eyes.

“This is my last offer. Prove your loyalty to me.”

“…”

“Then I will give you everything. Life, and the future.”

Lucas could only close his eyes tightly.

***

It was a clear winter night.

Just like the day seven years ago when Lucas first came to this detached palace.

Lucas, now fourteen years old, stood at the back gate of the detached palace, staring blankly at the sky.

There was no choice from the beginning. If he refused, everyone would die, and if he accepted, Lucas and the McGregor family could live.

Then, he had no choice but to accept…

As Lucas rationalized, he heard the sound of a cuckoo bird. It was the signal.

Creak-

As Lucas carefully opened the back door, people in robes wearing black masks poured in.

Without a word, they infiltrated the detached palace through the backyard with nimble movements.

The leader of the assassination squad quietly handed something to Lucas, who was trembling as he watched this scene.

“If you can’t do it sober… inject this into yourself.”

It was a syringe-like object filled with dark blue blood. Lucas asked, puzzled.

“…What is this?”

“Beastification serum. It’s something the secret unit is testing, and it’s a half-failure that can’t even generate factors… but the berserk effect is quite useful.”

“…”

“‘Central’ told me to give it to you. If you use it, you’ll gain the power of a beast for a short time… and it will erase troublesome emotions like guilt or conscience.”

“…”

“I used it on my first mission too. It will help.”

Leaving Lucas standing blankly behind, the leader of the assassination squad strode into the detached palace.

Lucas gritted his teeth and clenched the serum in his hand.

After Dustia became mad, the detached palace gradually reduced its staff, and there were no proper security forces of its own.

Although defense and security magic were cast on the outskirts of the detached palace, they were all nullified the moment the door was opened from the inside.

Now, Dustia and Ash’s lives were hanging by a thread.