I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 34

The fifth day of full-scale wall repairs.

Two days left until the stage begins.

“Everyone’s working hard!”

I shouted as I stepped onto the wall repair site.

“Take a break and have something to eat.”

Behind me, the mansion’s servants swarmed onto the wall, carrying drinks and snacks.

Everyone who had been sweating and working hard on the wall repairs cheered.

“Yay, food!”

“As expected of His Highness! He knows how to spend when it’s needed!”

“But Your Highness, is there no alcohol?”

“Shut up, you guys, eat and get back to work!”

I yelled, and everyone chuckled, grabbing their share.

Everyone chatted noisily, quenching their thirst and eating snacks. I watched the scene from a distance.

It’s an urgent situation, but humans aren’t machines. Without proper rest, efficiency plummets.

“How’s the repair situation?”

I asked, handing a drink to the head of the stonemasons’ guild. The guild leader, looking grateful, smiled brightly as he accepted the cup.

“Thanks to Your Highness’s generous reinforcement of manpower, we should be able to finish on time. The wall repairs will be completed in two days.”

Well, I did pour in a lot of manpower.

I mobilized all the available workers and even deployed the city’s soldiers.

“As you can see, the foundation has been completely restored, and new steel frames have been erected. Now, we just need to lay the bricks and add the steel plates, and the repairs will be finished.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

The most difficult work is done.

I praised the stonemasons’ guild leader once more and turned around. Among those who followed me was the head of the alchemists’ guild.

“You’ve waited long enough. Let’s install it today.”

At my words, the alchemist guild leader’s eyes sparkled as he pulled out a blue magic scroll from his pocket.

“Are we finally going to use this!”

A summoning magic scroll.

It was something I obtained during the last dungeon exploration, which allows me to install defense towers.

I was planning to install it as soon as the wall’s foundation repairs were finished, and since they said it was done, I was going to install it right away.

I took the decoded scroll. Then, a system window appeared in front of me.

[Use ‘Summon Scroll: Automatic Defense Turret’?]

– Yes/No

Of course, it’s a Yes.

Whirr!

The moment I selected Yes, the scroll burned up in front of me, leaving behind blue flames, and blue particles flowed out from the remaining flames, seeping into my body.

[Ash(EX) has acquired a player skill!]

> Summon Magic: Automatic Defense Turret

“Gotcha!”

You’re mine, automatic defense turret!

I grinned happily and called out to the stonemasons’ guild leader standing behind me.

“Stonemasons’ guild leader!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Could you gather the materials I’m about to specify? They’re all nearby.”

“Of course, Your Highness. Just tell me what to do.”

Shortly after, the materials I ordered were piled up on the wall.

Stone and steel scraps. Just odds and ends left over from the construction.

‘This should be enough.’

As long as the absolute quantity of materials is met, the quality doesn’t matter.

‘The last material is an R-grade or higher magic core.’

I took out a ‘Standard High-Grade Magic Core (R)’ from my pocket. It was something I got from a reward box last time. With this, all the materials were gathered.

‘The location… should I put it around here?’

[Summon Magic: Automatic Defense Turret]

– All necessary materials have been prepared.

– The summoned creature’s level is the same as the level of the character who summoned it. Also, only one summoned creature can be maintained at a time.

– Please specify the installation location.

The entire wall was displayed on the system window like a 3D blueprint, and the places where the turret could be installed were marked.

I pointed to the closest spot. Here!

Kugugugung-!

The materials piled up in front of me all rose into the air at once.

The guild leaders who were watching, as well as the workers and soldiers, were terrified and stepped back.

Clang! Clatter! Clunk!

The rising stone and steel were finely broken down, and then they fell onto the wall, assembling into a single structure.

‘It’s like Tetris.’

I thought to myself as I watched the process of the jagged pieces fitting together to form a large mass. It’s quite amazing.

In just a few minutes, the construction of the automatic defense turret was completed.

Looking up at the completed giant turret, I smiled with satisfaction.

Those around me all exclaimed, “Ooh!”

It has a design similar to the naval guns installed on warships during World War II on Earth. From the ridiculously large gun barrel to the massive gun mount.

“Beautiful.”

I clapped my hands without realizing it. I didn’t even eat, but I feel full.

“This is, the magic architecture technology that was lost hundreds of years ago…”

The alchemist guild leader behind me muttered with his mouth wide open. I nodded in agreement.

“I’ll often bring back scrolls in the future, so please do research on them.”

The alchemist guild leader nodded vigorously at my words.

Haha, if you like being used like that, you’ll be shedding tears later.

“Alright, everyone, thanks to you, our defenses are getting stronger!”

I tapped the automatic turret with my fingertip in front of the onlookers and grinned.

“I’m counting on you in the future!”

Ooh-!

Everyone raised their drinks and snacks in their hands and cheered in unison.

The atmosphere is pretty good. It would be nice if it stayed like this in the future.

***

The smithy.

The heat from the furnace was intense. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and stepped inside.

“Is it finished?”

I asked without preamble, and the blacksmith guild leader bowed to me.

“I was waiting for you, Your Highness.”

The guild leader showed me a suit of armor hanging on an armor stand.

“Here it is.”

It was a metal armor with a transparent blue glow.

I swallowed hard and checked the detailed options of the armor.

[Armor of the Wraith (SR) Lv.30]

– Category: Armor

– Defense: 50-55

– Durability: 12/12

– Increases the wearer’s physical resistance by 33 percent.

– The wearer gains the trait [Wraith Form].

It was an armor made using the ‘Magic Core of the Wraith Knight’ obtained as a reward from the last stage as the core material.

The defense is decent, and the options are good. Solid physical resistance and the [Wraith Form] trait.

[Wraith Form Lv.1]

– Becomes intangible for 5 seconds. All attacks are nullified, but the user cannot attack other targets either.

In other words, you become a ghost for 5 seconds. You don’t receive attacks, but you can’t attack either.

This is more useful than I thought.

‘I don’t like how fragile the durability is.’

This armor has very thin durability compared to its decent stats. It might break during battle if I don’t manage it carefully.

“Lucas.”

After checking all the options, I gestured to Lucas.

Lucas, who couldn’t hide his excitement at the sight of the completed armor, quickly ran to my side.

I chuckled and handed him the armor.

“Try it on.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Lucas quickly took the armor and went inside, and after a few minutes, he came out wearing the full armor.

“Whew~!”

I whistled without realizing it.

The armor on display and the armor worn by a knight were different in impact. When Lucas wore it, the armor looked even more magnificent.

“How is it, is it okay?”

“It couldn’t be better.”

Lucas, clanking his gauntleted hands, made a fist and grinned.

“I will use it well, Your Highness.”

“Of course. I ordered it for you personally. You have to use it well.”

I acted like I was doing him a favor. Ahem.

I nodded to the blacksmith guild leader as well.

“Thank you for making such good armor.”

“I was also happy to be able to work with such good materials after a long time.”

The blacksmith guild leader bowed deeply. The guild leader’s eyes were full of pride as he looked at the armor.

“If you entrust me with more, I will do my best to make them. Please order often, Your Highness.”

“I will gladly do so.”

The smithy’s manufacturing equipment is very important for the strategy until the end of the game. Of course, I will come often.

Since the armor production costs and rewards were paid in advance, Lucas and I left the smithy as it was.

The blacksmiths bowed respectfully to us.

“Let’s go to the west side of the city.”

I adjusted my clothes, checking the last schedule of the day.

“Because there’s a very important event.”

***

That evening.

The western field of the fortress city.

Bang! Boom!

The sound of cannons honoring the dead echoed in the air.

A funeral was held. It was a funeral for the soldiers who died in the last stage.

New coffins were covered with soil under the neatly lined tombstones.

The number of casualties in the last stage was not very high. I was a little confused whether this was fortunate or unfortunate.

Hymns echoed, and priests sprinkled holy water on each grave.

I bowed my head at each newly made grave.

All the schedules passed in an instant. After the funeral, I stood on a hill overlooking the cemetery and looked down.

There were rows of graves of those who died under my command.

“Hoo…”

A bleak wind blew. I don’t smoke, but I felt like I knew why people do at that moment.

“Allocating a significant portion of the city’s budget to funerals…”

A wizened voice came from behind. Huh? I turned around.

“And even setting up post-mortem support funds. A princely expenditure.”

“Margrave?”

The Cross Margrave was slowly walking towards me.

I thought he would be holed up in that old mansion all day, but he came here on his own.

The Cross Margrave clicked his tongue at me, who was blinking in surprise.

“But this is a monster front line, young lord. It’s a place where lives are swept away like a mud dam in the rainy season. There will come a time when you can’t handle it with such good intentions.”

“…”

I was momentarily speechless at the advice of the former lord, and then I changed the subject.

“Did you come all the way here to talk about that? Or what, did you run out of alcohol at your place?”

“Alcohol is always lacking. I come to buy it myself sometimes. But I came for a different reason today.”

The Margrave, standing next to me, looked down at the graves with an emotionless gaze.

“I asked my former soldiers, my old comrades, for their opinion. Whether they would cooperate in protecting the city.”

“…!”

He was talking about the veteran troops of the Cross family. I swallowed hard without realizing it.

“So? What was their answer?”

“They all said they would. They said they would protect the city again.”

I raised both hands up in the air without realizing it. Hooray!

“That’s the happiest news I’ve heard in almost a week, Margrave!”

With this, the manpower shortage problem was solved in an instant.

The Cross Margrave shook his head slightly as he looked at me, who was happy.

“I don’t know how much help those old friends will be… but they are rearming now. I will hand over command to you. Use them carefully. They are all as old as I am.”

“Thank you so much, Margrave. Really.”

I was worried about what to do because the Cross Margrave was so stubborn about not helping, but he offered to help on his own.

Honestly, it’s very unexpected, but I’m grateful.

“There’s no need to thank me. You should thank those friends.”

“Still, Margrave, it’s because you spoke to them. Thank you.”

I grabbed the Margrave’s hand and squeezed it tightly. The Margrave shook off my hand as if he was uncomfortable.

“I think I’ve done all I can to help.”

The Cross Margrave looked at the city with a wistful gaze.

“I’m counting on you to protect the city, new lord. I wish you good luck.”

“Thank you for your cooperation, Margrave. I will do my best in the future.”

I grinned.

“I will come to borrow your wisdom from time to time if I need it in the future.”

“Wisdom, what wisdom… just make sure to have plenty of alcohol.”

“I’m worried about your health, so I’ll send you plenty of good medicinal herbs instead.”

“Hey, if you’re going to send that kind of thing, don’t send anything at all!”

The Cross Margrave chuckled and waved his hand roughly before starting to walk south.

He must be going back to his orchard.

I wanted to hold him back.

Even though he was old, the Cross Margrave was a commander who had protected this front line his whole life. He would surely be a great help in the defense battle.

But he had already lost too much in this city.

So, I couldn’t bring myself to hold him back any longer, and I just quietly watched his back as he walked away.

I thought that I would be able to talk more with him next time and hear his advice as a lord.

At this time, I had no idea that the ‘next time’ would never come.