I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 451

A river flowed through the central part of the continent. This river, which divided the southwest and northeast of the continent, was called the Iris. It was a large river that flowed from the inland sea adjacent to the Imperial City of New Terra to the eastern open sea, a lifeline of civilization that made the central part of the continent fertile and prosperous. For the Everblack Empire, which had devoured the center of the continent with insatiable greed, this river was the de facto dominion of the Imperial City of New Terra, and an absolute defense line that could not allow any foreign invasion.

Clop, clop, clop….

South of this river, the forces of Crossroads, led by me, were gathering.

“Whoa, whoa.”

I stopped my horse and looked at the enemy forces stationed on the other side of the river—to the north. The Imperial City Defense Force. The forces of Fernandes, fluttering flags with roses and shields. The standing army directly under the Imperial Family, responsible for the outer defenses and internal security of the Imperial City of New Terra, was waiting for us. And on the Iris River between us and them…

“There’s no bridge.”

There were no facilities to cross. Only the remnants of a collapsed bridge remained, ugly and scarred. As I examined the river, someone spoke to me.

“It was destroyed during the battle. To be precise, the Imperial City Defense Force destroyed it.”

I turned to see Metallic, the old knight leading the remnants of the 1st Legion. With one eye gleaming fiercely, the white of it showing, Metallic explained. “Due to His Grace Fernandes’s scheme, the vanguard of our 1st Legion was lured to the bridge and annihilated when it collapsed.”

“Indeed.”

“So, after that, we had to make a long detour to cross the river and head to the Imperial City, and the front line was stretched. This was one of the reasons why the war became so stagnant.”

Mettalic had participated in the final battle for the Imperial City as Lark’s adjutant. He explained all the battles that had taken place in this area and the route the 1st Legion had chosen to take to the Imperial City. I listened carefully and nodded.

After finishing his explanation, Metallic cautiously asked me. “So, what will you do now, Your Grace? Will you make a detour?”

“No. I will not move the army for now.”

I looked around. The plain was wide and there was plenty of space.

“I will wait here for the allies to gather.”

At my words, Metallic flinched as if startled.

“Are you saying you will set up camp here?”

“Why? Is there a problem with that?”

“But, the Imperial City Defense Force is right across the river…”

“They can’t cross because there’s no bridge either. We can’t attack each other.”

“Still…”

“Too close?”

I grinned and looked at the Imperial City Defense Force to the north. Even with the river between them, the two armies were close. They were just barely out of range of long-distance attacks, and if someone had good eyesight, they could see each other’s faces.

“It has to be this close for us to face each other and have a conversation.”

“Yes…?”

“Enough, set up camp!” I raised my voice. “We will wait here for the allies to join us! Prepare the encampment!”

***

The night we set up camp. The soldiers were all uneasy about camping with the enemy right in front of them, but I didn’t care. Because I knew they wouldn’t attack us right now. ‘Because on this side right now…’ There are people from your side who have snuck in. So, I’ll take advantage of that.

Late at night, I summoned Metallic to my tent.

“Did you call for me, Your Grace?”

“Yes. Come in, Metallic.”

I smiled at Metallic, who had come hesitantly. “I have something important to discuss with you. Come and sit down.”

“Then, excuse me.”

Mettalic entered the tent and sat quietly on the chair in front of me.

“What do you want to talk about… Ugh?!”

And as soon as Metallic sat down, the heroes under my command, who had been waiting inside the tent, rushed out and subdued him. In an instant, his arms and legs were bound, and he glared at me.

“What is the meaning of this, Your Grace…!” His body was covered in scars, and one of his eyes was white and discolored. As he revealed his murderous intent, it was as if there was a wild beast in front of me. Oh, how ferocious. But knowing his true nature, he was not scary at all, no matter how fierce he looked.

“You look like a seasoned veteran, but you act like a rat. Metallic.”

I leaned closer to him and grinned. “I’ve known for a while that you’re a spy.”

“…?”

“That you falsely joined my ranks. That you were waiting for the right moment to stab me in the back. I knew it all.”

Startled, Metallic muttered in a daze. “H-How…?”

The answer came not from me, but from Dusk Bringer, who walked out beside me.

“Among the Imperial Army’s 1st Legion, the 1st Heavy Knight Division is Lark’s personal guard, his right hand, isn’t it?”

“Duke Bringer…!”

“If Lark had been captured and killed, you would have chosen to die with him. There’s no way you would have escaped alive like this, is there?”

Dusk Bringer chuckled. “Fernandes must have let you go. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

The Bringer Duchy had fought a war against Lark and his 1st Legion. They knew better than anyone what kind of people the 1st Legion were and how they moved. After all, they were the ones who had trampled the Bringer Duchy. Dusk Bringer had questioned Metallic’s survival from the beginning, and after investigating, it turned out to be true.

“…Hmph.”

Mettalic slowly lowered his head.

“So it has come to this.”

I had planned to subdue him with the [Eyes of Command] if he resisted strongly, but surprisingly, he gave up resisting immediately. A tired voice came from the old knight’s mouth.

“Kill me.”

“Those knights always have ‘kill me’ on their lips. Hey, Metallic, let’s talk a little more.”

I squatted down in front of him and spoke in a subtle voice. “Why did you, Lark’s loyal confidant, side with Fernandes? That’s what I want to know first.”

“…”

After a moment of silence, Metallic slowly opened his mouth.

“His Grace Lark… is alive.”

Everyone in the room widened their eyes. I listened quietly, and Metallic continued.

“Immediately after His Grace Lark was captured, Fernandes threatened us. He said he would kill His Grace if we didn’t surrender immediately.”

“…”

“We had no choice but to pretend to surrender and watch the situation. Then, he came to our 1st Legion and threatened us again. He said he would kill His Grace Lark immediately if we didn’t act as spies on the southern front.”

To keep Lark alive. The remnants of the 1st Legion had been collared by Fernandes and were forced to do as he ordered.

“We acted out of loyalty, but it is true that we submitted to His Grace Fernandes and tried to attack Your Grace Ash.”

Mettalic closed his eyes.

“Kill me. End it cleanly.”

“…I have a proposal for you, Sir Metallic.”

I whispered softly to him, who was obediently bowing his head and waiting for my judgment. “It’s a way to save His Grace Lark and screw over that Fernandes.”

“…?”

Mettalic’s head, which had been bowed low, lifted. A faint spark of life returned to the old knight’s white, dead eye. I smirked. “How about it? Will you listen to my proposal?”

***

Several days passed. Under the banner of the World Protection Front, which was set up south of the Iris River, the forces of fallen kings from all over the world gathered. The four major races, and the kings and rulers of the borderlands. When gathered like this, the numbers were considerable. I looked at the long lines of camps that stretched out to my left and right, and then finished checking the paper list in my hand.

“The Southern City-State Alliance and the Mirage Tribe of the West have joined… This is everyone.”

All the cards we had prepared were now in our hands. There was no need to wait any longer. I slowly rose from my chair.

“Well then, shall we head to New Terra…”

That’s when it happened.

Boom, boom, boom…!

A low drumbeat echoed from across the river.

Boooooo-!

A long, majestic trumpet sound followed. The Imperial City Defense Force, which had been still for the past few days while we gathered here, suddenly began to play music with a wind band. It wasn’t just the music. The Imperial City Defense Force began to divide into left and right in an orderly fashion. Watching this, I narrowed my eyes.

“…You’re coming out faster than I thought, brother.”

At the sudden movement of the Imperial City Defense Force, the allied kings and soldiers were startled and looked in that direction. Then, a soldier ran out in front of the Imperial City Defense Force, which had split to the left and right, and shouted loudly towards us.

“The one who has been chosen by the Goddess to build a paradise on this land, the most supreme, noble, and exalted ruler of this nation!”

Oh, my. I’ve heard that line somewhere before.

“Long live His Majesty, the sole Emperor of the Great Everblack Empire!”

Long live-!

The Imperial City Defense Force chanted in unison. The resounding cry of ‘Long Live’ echoed throughout the area. I was dumbfounded and chuckled.

“…As far as I know, this intro is only allowed for one person in the entire world.”

Whether I grumbled or not, the soldier across the river continued.

“His Majesty, Emperor Fernandes ‘Emberkeeper’ Everblack, is here-!”

And then. He appeared.

Clop, clop, clop…

On a white horse, dressed in black and gold uniform, with a crimson cloak trailing behind him, and a brilliant gold crown on his head. Adorned in the splendid attire of an emperor, my second brother, Fernandes, slowly appeared in the center of the Imperial City Defense Force. Fernandes, who had come close to the riverbank, smiled. I also smiled back at my brother, baring my teeth.

“You’ve finally gone mad, dear brother. Declaring yourself emperor.”

Fernandes calmly adjusted his gold crown. “The imperial throne is the seat to rule the world. It is the seat to represent humanity. Now that the world is facing an unprecedented crisis, it cannot be left empty forever, can it?”

“If Father has gone missing, shouldn’t you think about finding him first, if you’re a real son?”

“If he were a commoner’s son, he would. But we are royalty, and we are guardians. We must consider the fate of the nation and the future of the world before our father’s life.”

“You’ve certainly oiled your tongue well…” I clicked my tongue. Fernandes spoke in a softer voice, without any pretense of dignity. “It’s been a while, Ash. How have you been?”

“Thank you for being so friendly, brother. Even as an emperor, you still care about your younger brother. I don’t know what to do.”

“I won’t make it long. Surrender now. Then, I will ‘save’ you and all your people.”

Fernandes reached out his hand to me. “From the beginning, you were on the list of people I would save. I know about the countless battles you have fought over the past years.”

I frowned. Fernandes… knows that this world has been repeated. There are many things I need to ask this brother.

“You’ve fought so long and hard that your soul is shattered, and if there is no salvation at the end… that’s too much. So, come to me, Ash.”

“…”

“Let’s go together. To a new world. To a new paradise.”

Fernandes spoke kindly, but I silently raised my fist and then slowly raised my middle finger.

“This is my answer.”

“…?”

Fernandes was puzzled. It seems that this is not a very insulting gesture in this world, but whatever. Go eat shit.

“My salvation is not in surrender, nor in escape. My salvation is only in fighting and winning with my own hands.”

I growled. “I will never crawl under your legs.”

“…You will eventually break, Ash.”

“I don’t care if I break.”

I tightly grasped the flag in my other hand—the empty black flag symbolizing the World Protection Front. “Because I’m already shattered.”

Because I had decided to live as a shattered being.

“You’re not listening.”

Fernandes shook his head and then looked at my camp. “Then, I have no choice but to forcibly capture you.”

“What?”

“In the name of the Emperor, I command you-”

Fernandes shouted in a clear voice. “Seize the rebels!”

Then,

Clack! Clack! Clack!

As if they had agreed beforehand, several forces within my camp suddenly drew their weapons and pointed them at me. Led by the remnants of the 1st Legion, many of the fallen kings who had joined from various places betrayed me and took up an attack stance.

“What?!”

“What is this…”

Startled, the remaining fallen kings and forces quickly surrounded me and raised their weapons in response. On my side were the four major races and the forces that had come to support us during the Goblin War. Except for a few other fallen kings… more than half of the rest were pointing their weapons at me, following Fernandes’s orders. From the beginning, or later, they had been won over by Fernandes. They must have politically judged that the second prince, who had taken the center, would seize world power rather than the third prince in the south. The invasion of monsters and the destruction of the world were distant stories, but power was close. In an instant, the World Protection Front was split in two. I clicked my tongue at this sight.

“Everyone.”

And then, I muttered quietly. “Are you sure you’ve chosen the right side?”

Since ancient times, how many people have been ruined for choosing the wrong side. And you’ve all chosen the wrong side. That side is a rotten rope. I slowly put my hand into the inner pocket of my coat. In my hand—I grasped the Everblack branch.