I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 426

The confrontation between the First Prince, Larc, and the Second Prince, Fernandes, had been stagnant from the start.

For Larc, Fernandes’ Imperial Capital Defense Force was never truly the enemy. They were citizens of the same nation, temporarily divided.

Thus, he couldn’t bring himself to be ruthless. He couldn’t cut them down without hesitation.

On the other hand, Fernandes used every trick in the book to delay Larc’s army.

Fernandes had the Aegis Special Operations Unit, a shadowy group adept at all sorts of dirty tactics.

They didn’t hesitate to use traps and delay tactics, such as taking civilians hostage.

They also constantly harassed the rear and flanks of the First Army, exploiting any openings.

Fernandes also possessed the Magic Corps, the Empire’s finest mage army.

The Magic Corps, led by Reina, a mage better known by the moniker ‘Cold Wind,’ relentlessly struck at the First Army.

Reina herself was originally from the First Army, so she knew its operational methods and weaknesses inside and out.

She constantly exploited the First Army’s vulnerabilities.

In a head-on confrontation, Larc and the First Army were overwhelmingly stronger. That’s why Fernandes and his forces avoided direct combat.

With advances and retreats, a month, two months… time passed, and when the grueling war had exceeded half a year,

there was an incident that suddenly changed the course of the war.

A secret intelligence report reached Larc’s camp.

The report stated that the Emperor, who had been detained in the Imperial Palace, was preparing to escape from New Terra [the capital city].

It seemed difficult for him to escape on his own due to Fernandes’ strong surveillance, so the Emperor’s side requested the First Army’s help in this escape.

The seal, signature, and handwriting on the request were all undoubtedly the Emperor’s. However, Larc had a gut feeling that it was a lie.

Fernandes was extremely skilled in deception. This was surely another trap.

However.

What if it was the real Emperor?

As the commander of the Empire’s army, as a knight who had sworn loyalty to the Emperor, and above all, as a son.

Larc could not refuse.

After much deliberation, Larc set off alone to meet the Emperor.

He judged that if it was the real Emperor, he could escort him out alone, and if it was a trap, he could escape alone without harming other allies.

And—as expected, it was a trap.

More precisely, it wasn’t a trap for Larc, but a trap to attack the First Army while Larc was away.

The First Army’s critical weakness was that all the weight was ultimately concentrated on its commander, Larc.

Both in terms of military strength and command, the First Army was an army with an excessively autocratic command structure.

During the three days Larc was away from the camp, the First Army was subjected to an all-out assault by the Imperial Capital Defense Force and the Magic Corps.

In an unprecedentedly powerful all-out assault that mobilized all the airships of the Imperial Capital, and with Larc, the commander and strongest sword, absent, the First Army suffered terrible damage and had to retreat. The units were torn apart and scattered in all directions.

However, despite the heavy losses, it was only a temporary defeat. The First Army still had its core strength intact.

If Larc returned and reorganized the scattered troops, it wouldn’t be a decisive defeat that would completely tip the scales of the battle.

The decisive variable was the rumor that Fernandes spread.

Fernandes spread the rumor that Larc had fallen into a trap and died. And not just on the battlefield, but throughout the entire Empire.

The units were broken up and scattered, the commander was isolated, and bad news spread in all directions.

Psychological warfare using information was Fernandes’ specialty.

And Larc was just a steadfast warrior, with no ability in this area. There was no way to respond.

The defeat was real, and the death was a lie. And the false rumors mixed with the truth gained credibility and spread.

Larc, who was quietly recovering his strength while gathering the scattered units, was bewildered.

However, the situation of the army was not good enough to reveal himself and show his well-being just because such rumors were spreading.

He had to continue his covert operations, and in the meantime, Fernandes fueled the rumors. The inflated rumors spread as if the battle for the throne had already been decided.

The rumors spread uncontrollably, finally reaching the southern front, and even the ears of Larc’s wife and children.

The Third Prince, Ash, who had promised to protect her, was missing.

If Fernandes had truly won, her life and the lives of her three children would be like a candle in the wind, no matter where they were.

Rather than waiting for news of her husband’s death in a distant land with no hope, she decided to die bravely by her husband’s side and led her three children to the battlefield.

And—she was captured by Fernandes, who had been waiting.

Fernandes brought his sister-in-law and three nephews and nieces directly to Larc’s camp. And he urged him to surrender.

From the beginning of this battle, Larc’s will to fight was not high.

He was tormented by the guilt of fighting his own people and pained by the fact that he was opposing his own brother.

On top of that, he had suffered a major defeat, and even his wife and children had been taken prisoner.

He could no longer bear to see people’s blood flowing. In the end, Larc declared his surrender.

‘It seems I was never meant to be Emperor from the start.’

As he was being bound, Larc said to Fernandes.

‘Rule the Empire well, Fernandes.’

‘Of course, brother.’

Fernandes smiled faintly.

‘But before that, there are many things to do.’

Immediately after Larc’s surrender.

Fernandes used illusion magic to publicly display the beheading of Larc, his wife, and their three children.

In the face of this brutal execution, numerous protests arose.

Furious remnants of the First Army declared rebellion, vowing to avenge Larc, and the noble families who had supported Larc also rose up.

The old noble families who had traditionally served the Emperor. In addition, those who were dissatisfied with Fernandes or opposed his methods.

A collective uprising occurred within the Imperial Capital. They quickly united, grew in size, and—

Fernandes crushed them one by one.

‘It’s so convenient that the rebels are sticking their heads out on their own.’

The reason for showing the cruel performance of executing his brother’s family was this.

To deliberately give them a reason to rebel, and then crush them with force when they gathered together.

A bloody purge took place. Fernandes thoroughly trampled his enemies.

He uprooted them to prevent them from ever rising again.

Only after clearing away mountains of corpses… did the battle for the throne end.

Larc lost all his support base and troops.

The few surviving nobles and remnants of the First Army either died or were completely scattered, fleeing out of the Imperial Capital.

The defeated Larc could only watch this miserable scene.

His arms were cut off to prevent him from using his sword, and all the magic circuits in his body were destroyed.

‘Don’t worry, brother.’

With his brother imprisoned in a mobile cage, Fernandes whispered gently.

‘You, your wife, and your nephews and nieces are all people I want to protect.’

‘……’

‘I will definitely protect you. So, please just stay quiet for a little while…’

Fernandes’ fiery red eyes were not looking at his brother, but somewhere far away.

‘After all, everything will end soon.’

Everything will end soon—

‘……I hope so, Fernandes.’

In the Emperor’s room.

Confined in a mobile cage, Larc stared into the darkness with hollow eyes, pondering his brother’s words.

Now, that was Larc’s only hope. That was the only thing he wanted to believe in his brother’s words.

That this terrible situation would end in some way. And that he could find peace.

He sincerely prayed.

***

Imperial Capital New Terra.

Underground.

‘……’

Reina, a middle-aged female officer with a cane, was supervising her subordinates.

She was watching the work process of the subordinate mages who were engraving magic circles in front of her, checking that all these processes were carried out without error.

The Shutdown Protocol.

A human sacrifice magic circle that burns all the humans inside the barrier and uses that enormous energy to magically preserve the entire space. Once activated, all the humans inside the barrier will disappear with their bodies, and this preserved space will become impossible to invade from the outside.

This massive spell, which Fernandes and the Magic Corps had been installing in numerous cities, and which was now being installed in the underground of the Imperial Capital, was now on the verge of completion.

‘The final ark…’

Reina, who knew everything about Fernandes’ plan to save humanity, smiled bitterly.

‘It’s a truly insane plan.’

However, if everything Fernandes had told her was true.

This insane plan might be the last way to truly save humanity.

Above all, she was a soldier.

Soldiers follow the orders of their superiors. As a well-trained hunting dog, she faithfully carried out the orders of the one who would be Emperor.

That was all.

‘……Everything is for the future of the Everblack Empire…’

Repeating this now-tiresome phrase once again, Reina watched the completion of the magic circle.

The battle for the throne was over, and the magic circle was on the verge of completion.

The ‘Final Ark’ plan would soon begin.

‘Lady Reina!’

It was then.

One of the subordinate mages who had rushed over in a hurry shouted like a scream.

‘Something terrible! Something terrible has happened!’

‘What’s all the fuss about? What’s wrong?’

‘The magic circle in the north sector…’

Reina frowned deeply at the following words.

‘It’s damaged! No, it’s destroyed!’

‘Destroyed… what are you talking about? Was there an accident?’

‘No! It was a deliberate attack! It seems like they used explosives… the ground where the magic circle was drawn has collapsed!’

Reina’s lips twisted.

What nonsense was this? Now that the completion of the magic was just around the corner, this was happening out of nowhere…

Moreover, this was not the end.

‘Lady Reina! It’s a disaster!’

‘Urgent report, Lady Reina!’

Starting with the first report, reports of damage to the magic circle came in from all directions.

While calmly assessing the extent of the damage, Reina gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger.

The Shutdown Protocol was being installed on a scale large enough to encompass the entire Imperial Capital.

Therefore, the security for the entire magic circle had to be thin.

And someone unknown had relentlessly exploited this gap and attacked the magic circle.

‘Who the hell is it…?’

The magic circle was severely damaged by this simultaneous, clearly planned attack.

At this rate, there would be a huge setback in the schedule and plan.

Reina was bewildered.

It had only been a short time since they had completely uprooted the forces opposing Fernandes in this Imperial Capital.

But how could they pour cold water on their plans with such an organized movement?

Who on earth?

Reina muttered in dismay.

‘Which bastard, no… which bastards, are interfering with our plan?’

***

A young woman in a black dress was walking down the main street of the Imperial Capital, holding a black parasol.

Despite being dressed in mourning clothes, the woman’s expression was bright. Holding a small box in her arms, she walked lightly towards the canal of the Imperial Capital.

There was a large building at the port where the inner sea met. It was large, but deserted because there were no people.

The Winter Silver Trading Company.

This place, which was originally the busiest and most bustling in the Imperial Capital, was desolate, having already moved people and goods out of the city.

The woman approached the building and knocked lightly on the door.

Knock-knock-

After a short time, the door opened. An old man with a stylish beard came out.

‘I’m sorry, ma’am. The Winter Silver Trading Company is currently suspending operations due to the war…’ The old man bowed to the woman and politely explained the current situation. But the woman ignored him and suddenly opened her mouth.

‘Are you Mr. Alberto?’

Alberto, the head steward who managed Ash’s detached palace and an advisor to the Winter Silver Trading Company, flinched and narrowed his eyes.

‘……That’s right. Do you have business with me, lady?’

‘You could say that.’

The woman smiled brightly and lowered her voice.

‘You’ve been in contact with Prince Ash until recently, haven’t you?’

‘……?!’

‘Ah, I knew it~ It’s okay. I came knowing everything.’

Alberto swallowed hard and cautiously asked.

‘Are you… from the Aegis Special Operations Unit? Did you come to arrest me?’

‘Ahaha! No, it’s the opposite.’

‘……?’

‘I, and we, are people who have been preparing for a long time to screw over that Aegis Special Operations Unit. Oh my, how much trouble we had destroying that magic circle this time…’

The woman, who had said something incomprehensible, made a ‘heave-ho’ sound and held out the small box she had brought.

‘Anyway, please take this box. And later… if you meet Prince Ash, please be sure to give it to him.’

‘Yes…?’

‘Just tell him it’s a ‘gift from the past.’ Then he’ll know.’

Alberto took the box, feeling bewildered.

The woman, smiling contentedly, lightly dusted her hands and turned her body back. And she started walking again.

Alberto, still holding the box in his arms, watched the woman’s back as she walked away, and then asked urgently.

‘Who are you, who are you all…?’

Then the woman stopped abruptly in her tracks.

She glanced back at Alberto and smiled slyly.

‘……We are a hidden force that exists in this Imperial Capital.’

Only then did Alberto realize.

Who the woman in front of him was.

It was none other than one of the noble ladies who had been involved in scandals with Ash when he was a playboy in his youth… the first noble lady Ash had seduced as a playboy.

‘A secret organization that Prince Ash prepared from the age of fifteen, just for him—’

The woman covered her face with a black hat and smiled playfully.

‘We are the ‘Jilted Ladies.”