I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 598

Moo-myung opened her eyes three days after the battle had ended.

“……!”

No sooner had she regained consciousness than Moo-myung was startled, abruptly raising her upper body. She grabbed the iron sword placed at her bedside and scanned her surroundings.

“This is……”

It was a guest room in the lord’s mansion.

Though it was a guest room, it was being used as an infirmary.

Beyond the hallway, rows of makeshift beds were visible. Injured soldiers lay in a line, and priests with tired faces bustled about, checking on the patients’ conditions.

Moo-myung looked down at her body, stiffly wrapped in bandages.

‘Why am I here…? I was definitely fighting Night-Bringer….’

Originally, she had intended to delay the Fly King’s advance, but the appearance of an even greater evil had made her decide to block that instead.

The black dragon. Night-Bringer.

Moo-myung had stood in the path of this evil dragon, who was trying to follow the Fly King’s advance.

– Where do you think you’re going, black dragon?

– Obviously, to destroy the world.

After a brief exchange, the two engaged in battle. They were not the kind of beings who needed much conversation in the first place.

Moo-myung fought a world-shaking duel with the ancient evil dragon for three days—but ultimately, she could not overcome him. No, in truth, she was never a match for him from the start.

She had merely clung on and endured.

After using up all her ‘light,’ she would die, then revive and chase after him, clinging on again… She had tried everything to stop the black dragon’s advance.

As an immortal, she had no reason to fear death.

Yet, she had ultimately been defeated.

Night-Bringer, annoyed by Moo-myung’s constant resurrections and clinging in the darkness of the Lake Kingdom, had not killed her but merely subdued her and carried her away.

And so, she was now in Crossroads.

Moo-myung blamed herself for failing to stop Night-Bringer, and at the same time, she was relieved that Crossroads remained safe.

“Ugh……”

She dragged her heavy body off the bed and tried to leave the guest room.

“Please rest a little longer.”

A calm voice spoke.

Looking over, she saw a familiar man with gray hair and glasses—the lord’s aide.

Moo-myung struggled to recall his name through her foggy thoughts and called out.

“……Aider.”

“Your injuries are severe. Even if you are immortal, the pain from your wounds is still the same, is it not?”

“My pain is meaningless. More importantly, what about Crossroads……”

Aider gently pushed Moo-myung back onto the bed before she could say anything more.

It was a weak gesture with no real force, yet Moo-myung strangely could not resist Aider’s touch. In the end, she sat quietly on the edge of the bed.

“What is the situation in Crossroads?”

Moo-myung asked after a moment of silence. Aider shook his head grimly.

“……It’s devastating.”

“It’s all my fault. If I had stopped those monsters sooner, no….”

Moo-myung reproached herself with a hollow look.

“If only our Lake Kingdom… had not fallen into darkness….”

“…….”

“It’s all my fault. How am I to repay this….”

Aider, who had been listening quietly, gave a faint smile.

“I apologize, Princess, but regretting the past is not the style of this city.”

“……?”

Aider pointed out the window to Moo-myung, who looked puzzled.

“The lord is already taking action.”

Moo-myung’s room faced south, offering a clear view of the city’s southern side.

In the southern part of the city, which was now in ruins….

“Search & Recovery!”

Ash was shouting something as he ran busily with his subordinates.

“It’s Search and Recovery! Search, rescue, and rebuild!”

“Yes!”

“Today, we’re covering this area to that side! Alright, everyone! Let’s work hard until lunch!”

“Yes-!”

Heroes and soldiers with minor injuries, along with laborers, rushed in and began to shovel through the rubble of the collapsed buildings.

Since the injured and the dead had all been rescued and taken care of over the past three days, all that remained was clearing the collapsed buildings.

Moo-myung stared blankly at the bustling city. Aider spoke from behind her.

“Many have died, and much has been lost. But we cannot afford to stop.”

“Is Ash… alright?”

“Of course not.”

Aider let out a soft sigh.

“He must be in more pain than anyone.”

“…….”

Everyone knew.

That Ash was clearly pushing himself too hard.

At the recovery site, he was at the forefront, directing the work and giving orders with vigor, moving more busily than anyone else… but everyone knew that he was suffering as if he were about to collapse at any moment.

Still, his efforts were heartbreaking, and they were needed here.

So everyone pretended not to notice and diligently followed his orders, focusing on the recovery.

“……I’ll go help too.”

Moo-myung finally got up again.

Aider let out a soft sigh as if he had no choice, then draped a new robe over Moo-myung’s bandaged body.

Moo-myung, who was adjusting her clothes, cautiously asked Aider.

“Aider, if you don’t mind… could you tie up my hair so it’s easier to work?”

Aider gave a faint smile.

“Of course. With pleasure.”

Moo-myung’s long white hair was neatly tied up behind her.

She then walked towards the southern part of the city, rolling up the sleeves of her robe.

She did not know how to atone for the sins committed by the Lake Kingdom. But one thing was certain.

That lending a hand at the site right now would be more helpful than a hundred apologies.

“Ash!”

Moo-myung, also shouting with a forced cheerfulness, asked Ash, who turned to look at her.

“Is there anything for the best worker in the Lake Kingdom to do?”

***

Barracks. Arian Kingdom Lodgings.

“…….”

After hesitating for a moment, Quillan carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

“What!”

“Who is it?!”

As a huge werewolf approached, the warriors of the Arian Kingdom reflexively raised their weapons in alarm.

Quillan stopped and raised both hands.

“……It’s me.”

“Ah…….”

Quillan was now in his silver-red werewolf form, whether it was day or night, whether the moon was up or not.

The Arian Kingdom warriors recognized Quillan’s identity but still looked wary. Quillan silently surveyed the inside of the lodgings.

“How is Yoon doing?”

“……She survived.”

A priest from the Arian Kingdom walked out from inside the lodgings. He was a healer who took care of the Arian Kingdom warriors.

“But the paralysis toxin injected by the monster was extremely potent… and because that toxin is still having a deadly effect, she has fallen into a coma.”

“Can she recover?”

“…….”

The priest fell silent.

Quillan quietly placed what he had brought down on the floor. It was hard to see because it was hidden by his large hand, but it was a flower basket.

“I’ll come again.”

The priest spoke to Quillan’s back as he turned to leave.

“There’s no need.”

“……?”

The priest explained, meeting Quillan’s puzzled eyes.

“The king has ordered our return. Our Arian Kingdom delegation will be returning to our homeland with the princess.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“The airship… the Arian Bear can’t fly. How are you going to return?”

“We’ll have to walk. The path is already paved….”

Quillan was dumbfounded and growled.

“You’re going to walk that long way to the Arian Kingdom, with a patient this sick? And tomorrow?”

“……His Majesty’s orders are absolute.”

“The best thing for Yoon right now is to recover here. At least for a few days! You know that too.”

“Isn’t this the most dangerous place!”

The priest shouted back.

The priest trembled in front of Quillan, who had fallen silent.

“This place, where monsters are pouring in like a flood… is the most dangerous place in the world.”

“…….”

“The battles here are noble. They are great. But so what? Does that mean our princess has to die here?”

The priest shook his head.

“His Majesty ordered our return via emergency communication magic. He says he wants to see his daughter’s face before she passes away.”

“…….”

“Whether she stays here or walks a long way, if it’s dangerous either way… it would be better for Princess Yoon to return to her homeland, to her family’s embrace.”

The other Arian Kingdom warriors nodded with somber faces, agreeing.

“……No.”

Only Quillan shook his head.

“That can’t happen.”

“Yes?”

Thwack!

Quillan suddenly kicked the ground and rushed past the priest into the lodgings.

The horrified Arian Kingdom people rushed after him. Quillan easily broke the lock and burst into Yoon’s room.

“…….”

With blood seeping through the bandages wrapped around her abdomen, her face covered in cold sweat… Yoon was lying on the bed, dying.

Quillan knelt down on one knee and sat carefully beside Yoon’s bed, growling.

“If the wound was from the monster front, then the medicine will also be on the monster front. If you want to save Yoon, it’s best to recover here rather than forcing her to travel north for months. I can’t let Yoon go.”

The Arian Kingdom priest was dumbfounded.

“It’s none of your business!”

“No, it is my business.”

Quillan looked down at Yoon’s pale face with eyes as deep as a well.

“This person is… mine….”

***

“Bodybag.”

Elven Lodgings.

Lily, who had come to this place, was still knocking in front of Bodybag’s room.

“Bodybag. You need to eat something.”

“…….”

“You haven’t had a drop of water for three days. You’ll die if you keep this up. Let’s eat something. Okay?”

Bodybag remained silent.

Lily sighed and lowered her head, then slowly spoke.

“Bodybag, the funeral is tomorrow.”

“…….”

“You need to come out to send off Burnout. Burnout will be sad if you’re like this. So, please……”

“……Lily.”

For the first time in three days, Bodybag’s rough voice leaked through the door.

“I’ve lost everything. I’ve lost everything. Now, I have no one left.”

“…….”

“Why am I still alive? God Hand, Burnout, Skuld, Old Girl, they’re all dead. Why am I still here?”

Lily rested her forehead on the door. Bodybag was sobbing inside the room.

“I should have just died back in the Aegis Special Forces, after completing my mission. At that time, there was no hope. We were just bullets. Once we were used, we could let go of everything and die peacefully.”

“…….”

“But here, I learned the happiness of living, I finally lived like a human… and then one by one, they died. I finally had hope, and then they died.”

Creak-

The door slowly opened.

Bodybag, who had not eaten or drunk for three days and had been crying, trembled with a pale face.

“Why, why am I alive and hungry? Why am I alive and thirsty…? Everyone else is dead. Why am I alive and sleeping, dreaming, and wanting to see everyone…? Why am I alive?”

“Bodybag.”

Lily silently opened her arms to Bodybag.

Bodybag staggered forward and cried in Lily’s arms.

“It’s okay. Eat, drink, sleep, and live. It’s not ugly. It’s not shameful or cowardly. It’s okay. It’s okay….”

Hugging and comforting the young elf who was trembling with guilt over her fallen comrades, Lily whispered.

“Let’s live, us….”

***

Crossroads South. The Wall Ruins.

“…….”

Verdandi was sitting haphazardly in front of the wall ruins, where reconstruction had not yet begun.

The ancient wooden wall, blackened by fire, still stood in the wall ruins. It was the legacy of the World Tree that Skuld had summoned at the cost of her life.

Verdandi looked down blankly at the ground. It was the spot where her sister had fallen and died three days ago.

Skuld’s body, which had merged with the tree roots, was fixed in this place.

In the end, Verdandi had to cut Skuld’s body from the dead tree roots with her own hands to prepare for the funeral.

“…….”

The image of her sister’s withered, dead face would not leave her mind.

‘If I hadn’t run away….’

If she had succeeded to the throne of the Fairy Royal Family instead of searching for the Holy Grail.

She could have sacrificed herself in this place instead. Then Skuld would still be alive.

‘It’s all my fault, my fault….’

As Verdandi was thinking, elves cautiously approached from behind. They were elderly elves wearing old ornaments.

“Verdandi-nim.”

“…….”

“Now, the only direct heir left in the Fairy Royal Family… is you.”

“…….”

“You must inherit the throne.”

“I am not qualified.”

Verdandi shook her head.

“What right do I have to wear the crown, after abandoning the royal family and the people… and wandering for a hundred years before returning?”

“However.”

“Enough. Go away. We haven’t even held the late king’s funeral yet, how can we discuss succession first?”

The elves fell silent and retreated.

Once the presence of people had disappeared, Verdandi pulled a dagger from her robe and stabbed it into the ground.

Thud!

It was right in front of the spot where her sister had fallen and died.

“Yes, I cannot be king.”

Verdandi glared straight ahead and gritted her teeth.

“I have to kill all the monsters and avenge my sister… I cannot take on a position like king.”

Gripping the dagger that was trembling with murderous intent, Verdandi buried a cold hatred in her heart.

“Wait for me, Skuld. Even if your sister cannot be a good king….”

A faint darkness was seeping into her large, clear green eyes.

“I have confidence that I can be a good avenger.”