I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 58

‘It’s okay, Evangeline. Nothing will happen.’

It was a memory from her childhood.

That night, too, the monsters launched a surprise attack.

The city became a scene of chaos, and Count Cross rushed out of his mansion, heading to the front lines in a hurry.

As always, her mother came to Evangeline’s room and hugged her tightly.

‘There’s nothing to be afraid of. When the sun rises, all the monsters will disappear.’

Evangeline knew.

The person who was most afraid was her mother.

Every time her father went to battle, her mother trembled with fear, worried that he might get hurt or die.

But instead of expressing it, she would come to her daughter and quietly hug her.

‘…….’

Evangeline turned her head. Far beyond the window, flames rose from the front lines.

Even though there was quite a distance between the city walls and the mansion, the metallic sounds were clear. The smell of burning ash made her nose tingle.

The shouts and screams of people, the cries of monsters. And, the acrid smell of blood.

‘Mom.’

Evangeline asked.

‘When do I have to go there?’

‘What?’

Her mother looked at her young daughter with a surprised expression. Evangeline’s face was unusually composed for a child.

‘I heard it from Dad. The heir of the Cross family must go to the front lines and fight.’

Her mother looked as if the world had collapsed. Evangeline tilted her head.

‘Mom, you don’t want me to fight?’

‘It’s not a matter of wanting or not wanting. It’s the destiny of the Cross family.’

Her mother hugged Evangeline tightly once more.

‘It’s just… I’m sad.’

‘Sad?’

‘Because your mom is a coward. Just like I’m scared that your dad might get hurt, I’m scared and sad that my daughter will have a hard time in the future…’

Evangeline hesitated for a moment, then asked something she had always been curious about.

‘Mom, you didn’t know this would happen, did you?’

‘Huh?’

‘You didn’t know that you would worry about Dad every time the monsters attacked? You didn’t know that I would have to fight there when I grow up, did you?’

Trembling with fear that her husband might die. Saddened by worrying about her daughter’s future.

Every night when monsters attacked, her mother trembled like that.

‘If you had known this would happen… would you not have married Dad?’

After staring at her daughter for a moment, her mother said,

‘No. I knew everything.’

She slowly raised the corners of her mouth and smiled gently.

‘If I married your father, I would spend every night in tears when monsters attacked.’

Her mother’s rough and warm hand stroked Evangeline’s hair.

‘If I gave birth to you, you would also be destined to go out and fight someday. I knew that I would be sad about that fate. I knew everything.’

‘Then why? Why did you marry Dad?’

Unable to understand, Evangeline asked again.

‘Why… did you give birth to me?’

Even though she knew it would be painful and sad. Why did she choose this path?

Even though she knew that pain lay ahead. Why?

‘Well? Why is that…’

Her mother, who had been trailing off, eventually smiled faintly.

‘Maybe it’s because of… the continuation.’

‘The continuation…? What’s that?’

Her mother slowly embraced Evangeline, who was blinking her eyes.

‘You’ll know when you grow up, Evangeline.’

‘When I grow up more?’

‘Yes, you’ll definitely know.’

Her mother’s large, warm hand slowly stroked Evangeline’s back.

‘Why your mom did that… you’ll know.’

Why her mother went towards a future where fear and sadness were certain.

Even now, three years after her mother passed away, Evangeline couldn’t understand.

And perhaps… she thought she would never understand.

***

“Cough?!”

Evangeline gasped for breath, her eyes wide open.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

A fit of coughing brought up blood. A dull pain surged from her lower back.

Roughly wiping her mouth, Evangeline tried to grasp the current situation.

She had been hit by the golem’s fist and had flown all the way to the wall of the villa, crashing back-first.

‘How long was I unconscious?’

It hadn’t been long. The golem that had struck her a moment ago was rushing towards her again.

Goo-ooo-!

Why is the golem here?

Her body reacted before her mind could question it.

Clang!

Evangeline quickly grabbed the strap at her waist, equipped the shield on her left arm, and blocked the golem’s fist.

Thwack-!

The shield glowed brightly white as it successfully guarded the attack.

But before Evangeline could take her next stance, a second attack came.

Bang! Crash!

The golem’s massive leg stomped on Evangeline’s small body.

It was a mystery how such a large body could have such mobility.

Evangeline, still blocking with her shield, broke through the wall of the villa and rolled inside.

“Ugh!”

Evangeline groaned as she got up from the debris of the shattered wall.

“This is driving me crazy, really…!”

Kugugung!

The golem broke through the hole in the wall and entered the villa.

Every time it moved, the ceiling collapsed and the walls crumbled.

“This bastard is just demolishing someone else’s house as he pleases…”

Gritting her teeth, Evangeline straightened her posture and grabbed her cavalry spear in her right hand.

Click!

As she gripped the spear, the white light from the shield moved to the spear.

The attack skill [Damage Payback] was ready.

The next time that thing charged at her, she would counter it and finish it off.

‘Come on in, you bull-like bastard…!’

Evangeline’s eyes gleamed like a hunter as she waited for it to come in.

The golem in front of her didn’t hesitate and charged straight at her. Evangeline counted down in her head, timing her attack. Three, two, one-

That’s when it happened.

Bang! Crash!

Two new steam golems appeared, breaking through the walls to Evangeline’s left and right.

“What-”

Though startled, Evangeline reacted quickly.

Thwack! Thud-!

She pierced the chest of the one coming from the right with the tip of her spear and deflected the attack of the one coming from the left with her shield.

The one on the right immediately collapsed, its magic core pierced, and the attack of the one on the left was completely nullified.

But the one charging straight at her.

“Ugh…?!”

There was no way to deal with it.

Thwack-!

A fist the size of Evangeline’s upper body struck her again.

Crack! Clatter!

Evangeline, who had been knocked away, crashed through the wall, hitting a closet and a display case before finally stopping.

The dishes and bottles inside the closet and display case shattered and spilled out.

“Damn it…!”

Evangeline wiped the blood from her nose as she was showered with shards of glass.

Two steam golems rushed towards Evangeline, making whirring sounds.

Evangeline, her eyes narrowed sharply, shouted.

“Enough already, you monster bastards-!”

She pushed off from her crouched position and shot forward.

She blocked the fist of the first golem with her shield and pierced the golem’s chest with the spear in her other hand. Thunk!

The second golem rushed in after it.

Evangeline spun the body of the first golem she had pierced, using it to block the second golem’s attack.

Clatter!

In that moment when the second golem was tangled with the first, momentarily stopping its movement.

Evangeline forcefully thrust her spear forward. The tip of the spear, which had pierced the first golem, touched the chest armor of the second golem.

Kwaaa-!

The tip of the spear glowed white at that moment.

The enemy’s attack, which had been stored with the 1st skill [Damage Save], was now returned with the 2nd skill [Damage Payback]! [Damage Save and Damage Payback are skills that store and return damage.]

Thwack!

Formless energy erupted from the tip of the spear.

The upper bodies of both the first golem, which was pierced by the spear, and the second golem, whose chest armor was touched by the spear tip, were blown away in an instant.

Thud! Thud, thud, thud…!

“Haa, haa, haa!”

Fragments of the shattered golems flew everywhere. Evangeline, holding up her spear, tried to catch her ragged breath.

“…Ugh!”

As the battle ended, a sharp pain surged from her injured areas.

The skin with burns was stinging, and her ankle was throbbing, probably sprained from suddenly blocking the attacks.

But Evangeline didn’t even think about first aid and quickly moved outside the villa.

‘The golem army launched a surprise attack. A day earlier than Crossroad expected.’

At this rate, Crossroad would not be safe either.

‘I have to go back quickly and warn them about the attack…!’

Evangeline limped out of the ruined villa.

At that very moment.

Thud!

The area shook.

It was a huge tremor that made Evangeline’s small body float in the air for a moment.

“Huh?”

Evangeline, letting out a dazed sound, turned her eyes towards the source of the tremor.

And, she found it.

Thud…! Thud…! Thud…!

A group of over 50 giant golems were advancing straight towards her.

Every time they took a step, the area trembled.

The already collapsed walls of the villa crumbled further, scattering brick fragments as if an earthquake had struck.

“What is this now…”

Only then did Evangeline realize.

The three steam golems from earlier were just advance scouts. These were the real ones.

‘I have to run away.’

There was no time to hesitate. Evangeline knew instinctively.

If she faced them head-on, she would die.

‘Where’s the horse?’

Evangeline looked around for the horse she had ridden, but the horse had already run away long ago.

‘Then should I run to Crossroad?’

Evangeline looked down at her limping leg. With this injured leg?

Was it possible?

‘It’s not a matter of whether it’s possible or not!’

If she didn’t leave now, while there was still some distance between her and them, she wouldn’t be able to escape!

Gritting her teeth, Evangeline tried to run towards Crossroad. It was then.

Whoosh-

Two golems at the very rear of the golem army floated into the air.

They were golems of a form she had never seen before. While the other golems were rough and clumsy, these two had an elegant and sleek design.

Sensing something unusual, Evangeline quickly raised her shield.

And that action saved Evangeline’s life.

Ziiing-!

From the fingertips of the two golems floating in the air, dozens of red beams of light were fired.

It was the same beam magic that the boss monster used during free exploration. [Free exploration refers to a game mode where players can explore freely.]

But the number of beams was much greater, and there were two of them.

Fing! Fibi-bing!

Kugwagwagwang!

The dozens of red beams of light devastated the area where Evangeline was.

Every time the beams lashed the ground like whips, explosions and flames erupted.

Evangeline held up her shield and blocked the magic attacks. Her body, huddled up, was helplessly pushed back.

“Ugh…!”

She could feel the durability of her shield being worn down rapidly.

It was a bit difficult, but she could block the attacks themselves. The problem was,

Goo-ooo-!

While Evangeline’s feet were stopped by blocking the magic, the rest of the golems were all rushing towards her.

‘I can’t waste time! I have to create distance while blocking…!’

Evangeline took a step back while holding her shield.

But at that moment, her sprained ankle faltered, and she lost her balance.

‘Ah.’

Of all times, she had to make a mistake here.

A gap appeared in Evangeline’s defense as her posture collapsed. Not missing the opportunity, a red beam of light pierced through.

Fing! Fibi-bing!

“Aaaah!”

The beam was hot and sharp. Just being grazed by it left both a cut and a burn.

Blood splattered from Evangeline’s small body.

The beam that grazed Evangeline set the ground on fire and then caused an explosion.

Thwack!

“Agh, ugh…!”

Evangeline, who had been slashed by the beam and swept up in the explosion, rolled roughly on the ground.

As she coughed and barely raised her upper body, she saw the giant golems closing the distance.

‘Ah.’

Evangeline slowly lowered her head. As intelligent as she was, she was quick to assess the situation.

‘It’s over.’

So futilely. So suddenly. Death was approaching.

“There’s so much I haven’t done…”

She hadn’t dated, hadn’t drunk alcohol, hadn’t smoked.

She hadn’t even become an adult yet.

She hadn’t even had time to think about what she really wanted to do.

“It’s ending.”

Evangeline quietly closed her eyes.

There was no anger. There was no sadness.

She was just… regretful.

That was the emotion the girl felt in the last moment of her life. Evangeline let out a soft sigh.

“I’m regretful…”

That’s when it happened.

“Then you should do them.”

“…?”

“Do all the things you haven’t done, one by one.”

A voice suddenly came from in front of her.

Wondering if she was hallucinating, Evangeline slowly opened her eyes and looked ahead.

“Life is short. You should waste it enthusiastically without regrets, right?”

A man stood firmly in front of Evangeline, his back to her.

His shirt was soaked with sweat from how quickly he had run, and his shoulders were heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

Unable to believe it, Evangeline opened her mouth slightly.

“…Senior?”

Then the man glanced back.

Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack, the 3rd Prince of the Everblack Empire, grinned, showing his teeth.

“I came to save you, my cute junior.”