I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 611

Clink-

Wine filled the two glasses on the table.

The Emperor and the Grand Duke.

The two rulers held their glasses, smelled the aroma, and Dusk Bringer spoke first.

“It has a nostalgic scent.”

“It’s the Everblack western mountain wine you used to like.”

“No need to be so formal. It’s the wine made at the border between the Duchy and the Empire, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. It’s a bottle produced this summer there.”

Dusk Bringer held up her glass, letting the sunlight shine through the red wine.

“I thought that entire border region was burned to the ground. How did they manage to produce wine?”

“It’s been over a year since the war between the two countries stopped. They quickly restored the farms.”

“Hmph, fruit grown from soil soaked in blood and ash…”

Dusk Bringer held the wine in her small vermilion lips for a moment before swallowing it down her slender throat.

“I thought it might taste like blood, but it’s just sweet. How odd.”

“Do you like it?”

Not just the taste of the wine.

It was a question about whether she was satisfied with the aftermath of the war between the Empire and the Duchy.

The Everblack Empire had poured full support into the restoration of the Bringer Duchy. They generously paid compensation and provided manpower and resources.

The wine, produced again at the border between the two countries, was a symbolic token of that.

“…”

Dusk Bringer pursed her lips.

No matter how sincerely the Everblack Empire apologized, the anger in her heart would not disappear. The lives that were trampled, the honor that was ruined, could never be returned.

However, she had no choice but to accept the apology.

A king must live for the light of tomorrow, not for the revenge of yesterday. A king must look after the joy of the living, not the sorrow of the dead.

The other fallen kings gathered at the World Protection Front were in the same situation as Dusk Bringer.

Emperor Traha, and the Everblack Empire, had secretly contacted them, forcibly washing away past grudges and proposing an undeniable peace.

This was the reason why the Emperor had deliberately visited a few days early before the festival.

Most of the negotiations with the fallen kings gathered at this front had been concluded.

While the World Protection Front was fighting desperately against the monsters, the politics of the world were being reshaped from the bottom up.

“Sister. I will make Ash the next Emperor.”

The Emperor, who had been smelling the aroma of his glass, spoke quietly.

“To do that, I will bear all the darkness left in the Empire.”

“…”

“Ash is intelligent. But he is pure. Whether that purity will lead to popularity is uncertain, but that alone cannot rule the world.”

Naive.

Utterly naive.

From the banner he raised to the ideals he sought to protect…

‘Everyone who tries to communicate is a person, and I will protect all those people.’

The Emperor chuckled.

That naivety, that purity, that cause, everyone was captivated by it and fought together here, but it was only valid as long as there was a common enemy.

Once the common crisis of the monsters disappeared, the world would once again become a battleground of mutual conflict. The Emperor wanted to prepare for that time in advance.

“That child… doesn’t know darkness. Purity may be necessary to protect the world right now. But for the long-term plan, darkness is needed.”

“…”

“I will go into that darkness instead. I will bear all the hatred and resentment that Everblack has sown and be buried with it.”

Dusk Bringer smirked and cast a sharp gaze.

“Aren’t all those stories for after we save the world from destruction?”

“Preparing for the future is also the responsibility of a king.”

“Defeating the immediate enemy is also the responsibility of that king. The monsters are not easy opponents. Especially, the next enemy… even more so.”

The next enemy—the Black Dragon.

Thinking of that existence, Dusk Bringer bit her lip and looked at the Emperor again.

“Since Ash is the commander of this front, his life will continue to be in danger. Shouldn’t you worry about that first?”

“That’s why I gave the Glory Knights to Ash.”

The Emperor nodded heavily.

“That knight order will protect Ash. Even if it means covering that child in darkness.”

“…”

After a moment of silence, Dusk Bringer sighed and shook her head.

“They are not knights. They are evil spirits who can cast anything into darkness for the sake of the Empire’s light…”

The Empire’s evil spirits.

Another derogatory name for the Glory Knights. And when that name came up, the Emperor burst into laughter.

“Isn’t it you, Sister, who made the Glory Knights into such a knight order of evil spirits?”

“…”

Dusk Bringer lowered her amber eyes.

The Bringer Duchy was originally the shield of the Everblack Empire, and when the Empire went to war, they fought together on the front lines.

The position of commander of the Emperor’s personal guard, the Glory Knights, was traditionally held by the Grand Duke of Bringer.

Therefore, Dusk Bringer was also once the commander who led the Glory Knights.

During the race war a hundred years ago, Dusk Bringer, as the Grand Duke of Bringer and commander of the Glory Knights, took the lead in trampling and burning the countries of other races—and at the same time, protected the Emperor.

“…The Emperor at the time requested it.”

And in this fierce war.

In the face of the desperate counterattack of the allied forces of other races, dozens of loyal knights were dying, and the Emperor, who had narrowly escaped death several times, asked her.

“We need a force that will never be defeated.”

Invincible.

They didn’t need to be the strongest. They just needed a force that would never be defeated and maintain the front line… a force that could definitely protect the Emperor.

“The blood of the guardian dragon, who swore to protect the Empire, flows in my body. I… could not refuse the request of the Emperor at the time.”

Curses, magic, forbidden arts…

And dragon blood.

By mobilizing all dark and dirty means.

The Glory Knights, who were just the Emperor’s personal guard, were reborn as invincible monsters who would never be defeated.

And the person responsible for creating them was none other than Dusk Bringer.

“The darkest shadow among the Empire’s many shadows… that is the Glory Knights. And you, Sister, were once the vanguard leading that darkness.”

“I thought it was the right thing to do at the time.”

Dusk Bringer was also young.

It was a hundred years ago, so she was only about twenty years old at the time.

The young dragon lady was immature, and the country she had inherited from her predecessor was engulfed in war.

She had to do something, and she easily reached out to the darkness.

The knights she created were powerful, and in the end, the Empire and the Duchy were victorious.

……

The messy life continued, and the messy legacy she had left behind was also twisted and distorted as it continued.

Under the guise of patriots, in the form of evil spirits.

“Darkness is not only needed in politics. It’s the same on the battlefield.”

Dusk Bringer glared at the dark red wine glass with a bitter heart, but Traha gently changed the subject.

“Just like the Glory Knights, I believe that you, Sister… will bear that darkness for Ash.”

“Hmph.”

Dusk Bringer snorted.

“Your youngest son will shine even in the darkness.”

Ash was not just foolishly pure.

The young prince had experienced countless deaths and realized his own limitations.

He had knelt before the harsh reality, despaired, blamed his own weak beliefs, and even broken down.

And yet, despite all that… he had risen again.

That was why his purity was even more valuable.

It was great that he had not given up even after experiencing the cruelty and bitterness of the world, that he had held onto the goodness he had once abandoned.

Both the Emperor and the Grand Duke had willingly become villains as rulers. They had long since realized that ideals were beautiful but difficult to achieve, a childish tantrum.

But both of them vaguely knew.

That it was an excuse for those who had given up.

Because it was hard to maintain purity, because it was painful, because it hurt, and most of all, because it was not very profitable…

That they, who had let go, were perhaps the weak ones.

That the young prince, who was still struggling to hold onto that purity, might be the real strong one.

“In the light that your son emits, in that brilliance… even the evil spirits may be stained, moved, and melt away.”

Like the warmth of a bonfire encountered in the autumn fields as winter approaches…

‘Ah.’

Suddenly, Dusk Bringer closed her eyes and recalled that day two years ago.

– You must have had a long journey… Come in, please.

– The independent route for all those who fight monsters, the fortress city of the south, Crossroads.

The warmth that the boy had emitted that day was so warm…

She had just melted away like this, without even keeping her composure.

As Dusk Bringer drank the remaining wine, Traha cautiously asked.

“Will you also melt away like that, Sister?”

“…”

“Like the previous Grand Dukes… will you scatter like bubbles?”

Thud.

Dusk Bringer placed the empty glass on the table and smiled, a knowing smile.

“I have lived too long, Traha.”

“Sister.”

“You live long. Live long and bear the darkness of the Empire for Ash, as you said. Bear as much as you can.”

Traha was aware.

That this place, this moment, was a turning point of fate.

For the world, and for the dragon-blooded duchess in front of him, who had the appearance of a girl…

“Instead, I… as you said, will protect that bonfire by that child’s side.”

The world is dark.

Once this autumn passes, winter will be just around the corner. The rain will be cold, the wind will be chilling, and the frost will bite at the flesh.

The winter night is coming. The master of the night—Night Bringer—will cast her veil directly.

Just as one fights fire with fire to block it. If darkness is needed to block darkness, then yes. She would gladly be the vanguard.

She would use all the mistakes she had made in the past… and the evil spirits of the Empire, if necessary.

She would protect this small bonfire.

Dusk Bringer was determined, and Traha could read her intentions even without her saying it.

After that, the two rulers exchanged wine glasses in silence.

“I remember the day I first met the previous Grand Duke, Day-Bringer.”

Dusk Bringer whispered softly as she smelled the aroma of the last glass.

“That day was also an autumn festival.”

“What was the festival like a century ago?”

“How would it be different from now? Drinking, dancing, singing, and…”

Dusk Bringer paused, about to add something, and then chuckled.

“My last festival in life is passing like this.”

“What are you saying? It’s just beginning.”

The Emperor, who had risen from his seat, extended one arm.

“Let’s go, Sister. The festival will last for three days and nights. Let’s go laugh and enjoy ourselves. No, you must.”

“…”

“I will escort you for the first time in a long time.”

Dusk Bringer, who had been looking up at the Emperor with sharp eyes, let out a sigh.

“Your son is much more my type than you…”

“Hahaha! Please find your conscience before going out.”

“Alright. Well, I guess a substitute will do. Shall we go?”

She lightly draped an outdoor cloak over her negligee, slipped her feet into comfortable sandals.

The dragon lady took the Emperor’s escort and walked out together.

And they slowly began to walk towards Crossroads in the afternoon, where the festival was in full swing.

***

“Everyone looks happy.”

On the roof of the inn, Eti’s Honey.

Hecate, dressed in a dress, was sitting on a mat spread out on the roof, wearing a large-brimmed hat and a white parasol over her shoulder.

“…”

She looked at the cityscape with wistful eyes.

People laughing, chatting, drinking, and being happy.

“Yes, I chose to become like this to protect this kind of scenery.”

The smile slowly faded from Hecate’s lips as she smiled faintly.

“But, still…”

In the nearby square, Lucas could be seen having a drinking contest among the gathered heroes.

The silver-red werewolf sitting opposite him was chugging down several mugs of beer in a row, but he reached his limit and fell backward with a thud.

Cheers erupted from the surroundings, and Lucas jumped up from his seat, raised his empty glass into the air… and then fell sideways with a thud.

People burst into laughter, and a brown-haired priest ran to Lucas, who was sprawled out, and cast a healing spell.

A platinum-blonde girl knight quickly began to draw on Lucas’s face with a pen, and a wizard in a pointed hat was brewing a hangover cure next to her.

Watching this scene, the black-haired lord—Ash—laughed while holding his stomach, but then his shoulders flinched as other heroes, who had approached him, smiled wickedly.

Ash let out a long scream as he was dragged away as the next contestant in the drinking contest. Everyone chanted Ash’s name and mixed all sorts of alcohol into his glass.

Hecate, watching these joyful and happy scenes of her old classmates, buried her face in her arms.

Between the long sleeves of her dress and her white gloves, a bandage with magical characters was visible.

Smelling the disgusting smell of blood coming from her body… Hecate murmured softly.

“…I want to be a little mischievous.”