I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 608

5 years ago.

The day of the 369th graduation ceremony at the Imperial Academy.

『Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum』

‘Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.’

In the academy corridor, where the clear morning sunlight streamed down. Under the plaque inscribed with the academy’s motto.

“Hoo…”

Nineteen-year-old Hecate was trying to calm herself, breathing heavily.

The girl with short beige hair was wearing her student uniform, buttoned up tightly to her neck. The perfectly ironed uniform looked as impeccable as a military uniform.

“Oh, it’s Senior Hecate!”

“She’s so cool, the top of the 369th class…!”

“She looks so dignified today too…”

The junior students passing by, and even her classmates, looked at her with admiration.

Even in this academy, where the most talented children of the Empire gathered, she was the top student with overwhelming skill.

She was an object of admiration for her skills alone.

Her upright physique, the dense muscles, her short hair cut short to avoid interfering with her swordsmanship training, and even her melancholic expression.

These various aspects combined to exude a neutral charm, and she was immensely popular among the academy’s students, regardless of gender.

And-

Thud.

From the opposite corridor, someone suddenly appeared, distorting the clear sunlight-filled campus into a murky darkness.

A uniform with the front unbuttoned, revealing his neck. His luscious black hair was disheveled, and his bottomless black eyes were hollow. The smell of nicotine and alcohol emanated from his body.

Twenty-year-old Ash appeared, walking with his hands in his pants pockets, looking like a thug no matter how you looked at him.

The horrified junior students gasped in unison.

“Hiiiik! It’s, it’s His Highness the Prince!”

“The walking disaster of the 369th class!”

“The disgrace of the Imperial Family…!”

“B-but, that look is also dangerously attractive… !”

Except for a few with peculiar tastes who desperately shouted at the end, everyone at the academy feared and avoided the Imperial Family’s troublemaker – Ash, who nonchalantly crossed the corridor and approached Hecate.

“Hey, top student.”

“Ah, Your Highness. Good morning.”

Ash casually waved his hand and tapped Hecate’s shoulder, and Hecate responded with a bright smile.

The junior students hid far away in the corridor, watching the two of them talk.

“How on earth do the top student and the bottom student get along?”

“The best model student in the school and the worst troublemaker… It’s a really strange combination.”

“It’s a shame, if only His Highness didn’t cause so much trouble, he’d be a good figure.”

“But he does cause trouble, that’s the problem…”

“He’s definitely going to cause a huge incident at the graduation ceremony today too…!”

As the junior students whispered, Ash turned his head towards them.

“Kyah-ack!”

He suddenly shouted and raised both arms high.

“Hiiiik!”

“Kyaaaaah-!”

“Run awayyy! If you get caught, something terrible will happen!”

The panicked junior students ran away in unison. Ash snorted.

“Geez. You’d think I was a man-eater. What did I do to make them run away like that?”

“Haha…”

Hecate laughed awkwardly. He couldn’t be asking because he didn’t know, right?

Ash was originally a kind and gentle young master. Even though he was the oldest in their class, he was a good and considerate boy whom everyone liked.

But after losing his mother around the age of fifteen… he completely changed. His personality completely transformed into that of a delinquent thug.

He caused all sorts of trouble at school and stopped attending classes properly.

Unlike the other students who lived in the dorms, Ash, being a prince, commuted from his separate palace… Ash and his guard Lukas became increasingly isolated at school.

However, while Ash was hostile to everyone like a hedgehog, he was particularly kind to Hecate.

No, it wasn’t just being kind, he would act like he knew her and stick to her. He forced her to spend time with him and become close.

They hadn’t had any particular interactions before, but after being dragged around by the prince against her will… Ash, Lukas, and Hecate ended up spending their school days together.

Hecate chuckled, reminiscing about the past six years with all of Ash’s mischief.

“By the way, are you not planning anything else today? I was worried you might cause another huge incident at the graduation ceremony.”

Hecate didn’t know.

That the Ash in front of her was a man who had shattered his own graduation ceremony in every way possible.

And that all those troubles were caused by the needs of that particular iteration. That in this iteration, there was no need to ruin the graduation ceremony, so he decided to leave it alone.

She couldn’t know, and Ash didn’t bother to tell her. Instead, Ash yawned widely, his face full of fatigue.

“I’m feeling extra sleepy today… Haaam. I’ve decided to be a well-behaved prince for one day. I need to get my diploma, after all.”

“Hehe. A well-behaved prince. That’s a really mismatched combination of words.”

“There’s a demand for that too… Anyway, top student. Why do you look so determined from the morning? Are you going to war?”

Ash, who had naturally put his arm around Hecate’s shoulder, winked.

Hecate flinched and lowered her eyes, feeling embarrassed. Then, she stammered and asked.

“…Your Highness. Where is… Lukas right now…?”

“Oho.”

Ash, finally realizing the situation, whistled.

“Are you finally going to steal my guard? You mischievous youth.”

“No, that’s not it…”

It was an open secret that the top student Hecate liked the second-ranked Lukas.

Everyone knew it except for Lukas, the academy’s certified airhead. The problem was that only Lukas himself didn’t know…

“Are you going to confess today?”

“Ugh, well…”

“You’ve been suffering for six years. Once you graduate, you won’t have another chance, right?”

“I know. But…”

Hecate smiled bitterly and lowered her head.

“It’s going to be hard to see each other in the future, so I was wondering if it would be better to just leave it as a beautiful memory.”

“…You said you’re going to the Glory Knights, right?”

Ash clicked his tongue and was about to take out a cigarette, but then he remembered that he was on school grounds and quietly took out a candy, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth.

“You know, right? Joining that knight order… it’s something that requires a certain ‘price’.”

“…Yes. I know.”

The Imperial Guard, the Glory Knights. [An elite knight order serving the Emperor directly.]

Joining this order was an honor that every knight desired, but in return, it demanded a harsh ‘price’ from the individual knight.

The ‘price’ was top secret, but Ash knew it as if it were obvious. Hecate guessed it was probably because he was a prince.

“But, I’ve already decided to dedicate my life to the Empire… and to His Majesty the Emperor.”

Hecate smiled bitterly.

“I’ve decided that from the beginning, and that’s why I worked so hard to maintain my position as the top student.”

“…”

Ash, who had been listening, muttered quietly.

“…I try to get close to stop that every time. I couldn’t stop it this time either. Those knights are all so stubborn…”

“Huh?”

“No, this candy is terribly tasteless.”

Ash had a habit of muttering to himself, so Hecate didn’t pay much attention to it.

Hecate slowly scanned the inside of the academy, which she would no longer see after graduating today.

“I’m going to miss the days I spent here.”

“…Yeah.”

Surprisingly, Ash agreed. It was an attitude that didn’t suit a delinquent student who was always trying to destroy the school.

“I’m sick and tired of it, but… I think I’ll miss it a little too.”

His last iteration allowed to him. Looking around the school before the graduation ceremony, Ash’s expression also became wistful. Hecate’s eyes widened, seeing Ash with such an expression for the first time.

“…So, even more so.”

Immediately after, Ash gave a dangerous smile and winked at Hecate.

“Wouldn’t it be better to tell Lukas how you feel?”

“…”

“You’ll have a lot of regrets about things you didn’t do. Think of tomorrow as the end of the world, and just go for it today. Huh? What do you think?”

“W-well…”

Hecate was flustered and stammering,

Thud-

From the other end of the corridor, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy appeared, making heavy footsteps.

The second-ranked of the 369th class, Lukas McGregor.

Nineteen-year-old Lukas was a tall boy with a frame that was already more than that of an adult. Because he kept growing taller, his uniform was a little small, and his firm wrists were clearly visible beyond his sleeves.

Looking at Lukas, Hecate blushed without realizing it.

‘What should I do, what should I do…’

Should she just part ways as good friends, leaving only beautiful memories?

Or… should she take courage and move forward?

Between uncertain success and failure, should she take the challenge?

Ash looked back and forth between the cute girl and boy, covering his mouth and laughing. Soon, Lukas walked straight up and stood in front of Ash and Hecate.

“Hecate. I was looking for you.”

“O-oh?”

Lukas said expressionlessly, and Hecate, startled, trembled. She then clenched her fist.

“Y-yes. Lukas. I also have something to tell you-”

Hecate couldn’t finish her sentence.

Whiz!

Because Lukas suddenly threw something he was holding in his hand at Hecate.

Hecate, flustered, caught it and examined it. It was… a scabbard.

And inside the scabbard was a practice sword with no blade.

“Before graduation, I will challenge you one last time.”

Lukas growled, drawing his own practice sword in front of her.

“Draw your sword, Hecate.”

“…”

“I have never been able to defeat you in six years, but today I will surpass you.”

Hecate stared blankly at Lukas, and Ash couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Puh, puahahah! You’re such a moron! Hey, guard!”

Ash pointed at Lukas with both index fingers and declared.

“I say this every time, but you’re a real idiot!”

Lukas was used to Ash’s inexplicable outbursts, so he just bowed deeply to Ash and then faced Hecate again.

Hecate swallowed her breath without realizing it.

Ah, yes.

Those straight blue eyes.

Those unwavering eyes that only pursue martial arts and loyalty to their master…

She had been captivated by that gaze that drew only straight lines without any refraction.

Swish-

So.

She wouldn’t avoid this moment when that straight line was directed at her.

Hecate slowly drew her sword from its scabbard. The morning sunlight hit the blade of the practice sword, scattering into fragments around them.

The students who had gathered around again, watching this scene, couldn’t help but gasp.

After finishing her draw, Hecate opened her eyes, which had been closed, and looked straight at Lukas, opening her mouth.

“I accept your challenge, Lukas.”

“Thank you, Hecate.”

“However. If I win this match…”

Hecate took a deep breath and smiled brightly.

“Then, don’t avoid my feelings, and face them directly.”

Ooooooh…!

The surrounding students, and even Ash, who had subtly joined them, were excited by that line and cheered quietly.

Only Lukas, the academy’s certified zero-awareness person, tilted his head in confusion.

“Does that mean you want me to listen to your story? Very well. I accept the condition.”

“Good, second-ranked.”

Hecate gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands and slowly raised it above her head.

“Let’s fight.”

Lukas lowered the tip of his sword and lowered his body.

Hecate, who had taken the upper stance, and Lukas, who had taken the lower stance. The two knights, taking completely opposite stances, glared fiercely at each other.

And-

The match was decided in an instant.

Thud-!

Lukas, kicking off the ground, charged at Hecate with terrifying momentum and swung his sword.

And…

Hecate, smoothly dodging the charge like a matador, gently lowered her sword.

Clang-!

Hecate’s practice sword sparked brilliantly, cutting through Lukas’s practice sword as if it were paper.

It was a practice sword, but it was still a top-quality iron sword that had been forged by a master craftsman. The two swords collided, but Hecate’s sword was undamaged, while Lukas’s sword was broken in two.

The tip of Lukas’s sword, which had been spinning as it was cut off, plunged into the ground.

“…”

Lukas, who had been standing still after swinging his sword, slowly straightened his posture and stared at the broken sword in his hand.

“I lost.”

Lukas, who had spoken concisely, sighed and put the broken sword into his scabbard.

“I can’t win even once, Hecate. You’re really amazing.”

“It’s thanks to you for challenging me every time without getting tired. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to train this much.”

Hecate, who had also put her sword back into its scabbard, took a deep breath.

“Then, Lukas. Now it’s my turn.”

She was even more nervous now than when they were fighting with swords.

Hecate swallowed hard and chose her words, while Lukas looked at her with a puzzled expression.

And, Hecate – just like their sword fight, she didn’t avoid it and went straight for it.

“I like you. I’ve liked you for the past six years.”

“…”

“It’s going to be hard to see each other again after graduation, but still, I wanted to tell you how I feel.”

Lukas, with his eyes wide open in surprise, just stood there, frozen, looking at Hecate.

Hecate, with her face flushed red, took a step towards Lukas.

“Lukas. What do you… think of me?”

“…”

“Tell me honestly. It’s okay.”

The surrounding students all held their breath.

Meanwhile, Ash took out the candies he had in his pocket one after another and kept putting them in his mouth and chewing. Crunch! Crunch!

“…”

After a long silence, Lukas… finally opened his mouth slowly.

It was a historic answer that would be remembered forever in his life, and in the 369th class of the Imperial Academy.

That answer was-