I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 724

“I have brought the magic of immortality, Father,” the real Prince Christian declared confidently upon his return.

He approached the King, who blinked in confusion, struggling to grasp the situation.

“The details can wait. Your condition is critical, so I will cast the magic immediately.”

“No, Christian. What are you talking about? Immortality? Such a thing cannot exist…”

However, the King’s words were cut short.

The robed old man who accompanied Christian grabbed the King’s wrist and blew an unknown, mysterious shadow into him.

“Huh?!”

Vitality surged through the King’s body, the disease that had plagued him receding. The shadows clouding his mind cleared, and death, which had been looming, retreated far away.

“How can this be… I feel as strong as I did in my prime!” The King immediately threw off his sickbed and rose. The knights and mages surrounding him exclaimed and bowed.

“Congratulations on your recovery, Your Majesty!”

“Congratulations!”

The King, having regained his strength, clenched his fists a few times and looked at Christian and the old man behind him.

“Where on earth did you acquire this magic… and how did you find such a noble person?”

“I went on an expedition to the Eastern Continent for the past six months. I met this sage there,” Christian explained briefly to the King about his adventures.

After hearing the whole story, the King looked around, bewildered.

“Then, who is that man who has been in the royal palace all this time… who is he?”

There, Aether stood trembling.

Christian’s voice was cold as he growled, “That guy is a fake.”

“A fake…?”

“He is my substitute that Dirandahi brought. He was very convincing, wasn’t he? Even Father was fooled.”

Christian’s fierce gaze shifted from Aether to Ariel, who stood beside him.

“And Dirandahi plotted this to remove me and put Ariel on the throne.”

“… !”

“It seems that Ariel is also… involved in this matter.”

Ariel, who had been standing next to Aether to protect him, hurriedly spoke, “No, Brother! I, and this person, never had such intentions…”

“Ariel!” the King shouted. Ariel flinched, her shoulders shrinking.

The King trembled, his face a mix of anger and disappointment.

“Were you so greedy for the throne?”

“No, Father! I…”

“Even to the point of killing your brother, deceiving your father… was this crown so desirable that you wanted it so badly?”

Ariel’s vision blurred for a moment, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

The situation had become too twisted.

She had no evil intentions, but in the end, it was true that she had lied to the King. It was also true that Aether, who had taken on the role of the substitute, had tried to put Ariel on the throne while pretending to be Christian.

She had only walked the path she thought was best in the given situation, but the result was turning out to be the worst.

“To dare to deceive your brother, your father, and the entire country…” The King’s face, who felt betrayed by his trusted daughter, was distorted with anger and sadness. He reached out and commanded, “Sir Baltimore, immediately imprison Ariel and that fake! And form an investigation team to find out all the details of this incident!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The knights bound Ariel and Aether.

“Father, please listen to me! Father… !” Even as she was being dragged away, Ariel tried to convey her sincerity, but the King had already closed his eyes and ears.

After Ariel and Aether were taken away, the King looked at Christian and smiled kindly.

“Christian, I have always believed in you.”

Christian immediately knelt before the King. The King praised his son to the fullest.

“And you are repaying that faith like this. You saved me.”

“I was only trying to repay a little of the grace Your Majesty has given me.”

“Now that you have proven yourself to be so mature, I will no longer hesitate.”

The King, clearing his throat, looked around at his vassals and declared, “The next throne belongs to Christian!”

“… !”

“I appoint Christian as the Crown Prince!”

The vassals all knelt on one knee and bowed their heads, shouting, “We obey Your Majesty’s words!”

Christian was in the center of all those who bowed.

The King, smiling contentedly, turned to the robed old man who had come with Christian.

“And sage, thank you for saving my life.”

The robed old man, the sage, bowed deeply.

“This old one has only used a small skill.”

“How can I repay this favor? If there is anything you desire, just say it. As the king of a nation, I will treat you without any lack.”

“Thank you very much for your words, Your Majesty. It’s alright.”

The old man narrowed his eyes and smiled.

“Because the price has ‘already’ been promised.”

***

Having gained immortality and risen from his sickbed, the King began to look after the affairs of the state more energetically than ever. And as much as he trusted and followed Christian, who had found the magic of immortality, he also trusted and followed the sage who was the caster of the magic. Before long, the sage was treated as if he were royalty.

Christian, who completely trusted the sage along with his father, showed him a facility inside the royal palace, according to his promise with the sage.

“His Majesty has given permission to show it to you, Sage. This way.”

It was a magical facility built in the deepest part of the royal palace. In the center of this facility, which was a collection of highly advanced magical devices rarely seen even in the Lake Kingdom, which was at the forefront of magical civilization, there was a large glass flask-like object, and in the middle of it, a clear turquoise-colored magical substance was pooled and rippling.

“This is the national magic of the Lake Kingdom. ‘The Prison of the Unconscious’.”

Christian explained, pointing to the flask.

“Humanity has always suffered from the invasion of monsters… and no matter how many we kill and eliminate, they keep rushing to kill humanity.”

“…”

“So the first king came up with a plan. Let’s seal all the monsters we have defeated somewhere so that they can never be resurrected.”

Christian continued, speaking to the sage who was staring at the flask as if he were possessed.

“The result of that plan is this. It is the national magic of our Lake Kingdom… to seal the concept of monsters themselves under the dreams of the people of the Lake Kingdom.”

The prison of the unconscious, shared by all the people of the Lake Kingdom. Once defeated, the threat that was hostile to humanity… all ‘monsters’ were recorded and melted under this prison of the unconscious.

“My goodness, such difficult magic…”

“Haha. It is magic that has been researched, supplemented, and built up over dozens of generations in our Lake Kingdom.”

Christian, who was smiling awkwardly, asked carefully, “But, is this really enough? I don’t feel comfortable with just a tour of the facility as a reward. You saved Father, so whether it’s gold and silver, or even a territory…”

“Huhu. That’s alright. If you’re really grateful, just let me come and go here freely for a few days. I want to examine it in more detail.”

“Of course, I will grant you that!”

Christian then asked carefully, “What will you do after that? Where will you go now?”

“Huhu, well…” The sage smiled meaningfully. “What will happen after this doesn’t seem to be a matter for me to decide…”

***

A few days passed in an instant. Rumors spread throughout the Lake Kingdom. The real prince and the fake prince, Ariel’s suspicion of treason, the magic of immortality that the prince had found, the king who had regained his health…

The people were amazed that Christian had really found the magic of immortality, but they also expressed considerable dissatisfaction with the decision to make Christian the next king.

“The prince has too much of a delinquent nature…”

“The prince who had changed over the past six months was also a fake, wasn’t he?”

“Isn’t Princess Ariel much more trustworthy?”

“During the past six months when the King was sick, she ruled the country very well…”

“Perhaps Princess Ariel was worried about the future of the country, so she did that?”

The atmosphere of the country was unsettling. The King said that things would soon calm down and that people would follow him well, but Christian could not stand this atmosphere.

‘Even though I found the magic of immortality, even though I saved Father, why… why don’t people recognize me?’

After much thought, Christian realized. ‘Yes, even if I found the magic of immortality, only my father received the benefits. So the people don’t understand how great my achievement is.’

Then what should he do?

‘…If I give the magic of immortality to all the people of the Lake Kingdom, then.’

Christian, who had reached a conclusion, clenched his fist. “Everyone will recognize me.”

The Lake Kingdom, the strongest nation in the world. As a wise ruler who brought the blessing of immortality, making it prosper forever. Everyone would have to recognize Christian.

Christian, who had come to a conclusion and was smiling brightly, did not know that an unprecedented shadow was flickering in his eyes.

“Sage!” Christian, who had gone to the sage who was staying in the ‘Prison of the Unconscious’ and examining the facility, immediately requested whether it was possible to give the magic of immortality to all the people of the Lake Kingdom.

He was worried that the sage might refuse, but the sage laughed cheerfully and nodded. “It’s a very large scale, so it will be a little difficult, but it seems possible.”

“Is that really true!”

“Yes. However, it’s a little difficult for me alone…” The sage glanced up at the sky. “I think I need to call two more of my friends, would that be alright?”

“Of course! If they are the sage’s friends, they are welcome with open arms!”

“Good, and…” By now, shadows were swirling on the sage’s face, which was hidden by his robe, and his smile looked like a white crack in the shadows. “If we make this ‘contract’, we have to pay a ‘price’ that is appropriate for it, is that alright?”

“A price?”

“Yes, we can’t just give the blessing of immortality, you have to receive other blessings as well… I think there will be about three.”

However, Christian had already become so blinded that he could not notice the strangeness of that smile.

“Of course, it’s alright!” If only everyone in this country could gain immortality. Wouldn’t it be okay to pay a reasonable price?

Then, Christian went to get permission from his father. And the King readily agreed. “Since receiving this magic of immortality, every day feels like a dream. It’s so enjoyable and refreshing.”

With a more joyful and peaceful face than ever, the King, with his eyes dyed with shadows, nodded with an excited voice. “You’re right, Christian. I can’t enjoy this joy alone… all the people, no! Even non-citizens! All the people of the Lake Kingdom must enjoy it together!”

The King reached out and stroked his son’s shoulder. “To think of the people so much, you will be a very good king.”

Christian also smiled back. Now the country would prosper forever, everyone would be immortal and happy, and finally, he would be recognized. As the next king who had achieved an unprecedented feat, leading the golden age of the Lake Kingdom…

***

A few days later, Ariel and Aether, who had been imprisoned, were summoned to the royal palace together. Ariel had not lost her dignity at all, even after spending several days in prison. However, her appearance was a mess due to the hardships of the past few days.

“…”

Aether, who had dared to pretend to be a fake prince, was beaten badly, so his appearance was even more of a mess. But he couldn’t just watch the princess’s disheveled hair. So, while they were briefly standing for inspection just before entering the palace… he carefully brushed the princess’s hair.

“…”

Ariel did not refuse. With her hair tidied up, and a crumpled red ribbon tied anew, Ariel, who had smiled at Aether once, entered the royal palace with a dignified gait. Aether carefully followed behind her.

“Father! I have something to say…” Ariel, who had thought of everything she wanted to say to the King, tried to explain herself. However, there was no chance to do so.

“…?!” In the audience chamber, a complex magic circle made of black shadows was engraved, and three robed old men were preparing magic, chanting unknown spells. And the King, Christian, the mages, the knights, and the other vassals… were all just watching this scene as if they were possessed.

“Father, what is this?!” Ariel, who was shocked, tried to stop them, but Christian came out and blocked her with his body. “Don’t interfere, Ariel!”

“Brother! What on earth are you doing right now!”

“It’s a ritual to give the blessing of immortality to all the people of the Lake Kingdom!”

Ariel’s eyes widened. “What?! How can you decide on such a dangerous thing so easily…”

“Dangerous? Where in this world is there a greater blessing than this!” Christian’s eyes, which were smiling precariously, were already completely covered in shadows. “I will share this blessing with everyone, then everyone will… recognize me!”

“No! Brother! Get a hold of yourself-”

“Then, everyone will like me… !”

And before Ariel could do anything,

“The first curse,” the sage raised his index finger and whispered. “All the people of the Lake Kingdom will never die, forever.”

The face of the sage, who had taken off his robe, was no longer human. In the swirling shadows, a white crack made a sinister smile… it was ‘something’.

Saaaah…!

Immediately after, shadows like streaks of smoke swirled and fell over everyone’s heads. Joy welled up on the faces of the people who had accepted the shadows. Christian also trembled as he felt the magic of immortality filling his whole body.

“… !” And, immediately after realizing that the magic of immortality had also settled in his body.

“Aether!” Ariel turned around and urgently shouted to Aether, who was also bewildered by the magic of immortality. “By the authority of the princess, as your master, I command you!” And, the content was something that Aether could not understand. “From this moment on, I banish you from the Lake Kingdom!”

“Yes…? !”

“You are no longer-” Ariel declared desperately. “You are not a person of the Lake Kingdom… !”

The next moment.

“The second curse,” the second sage whispered with a sinister joy. “All the people of the Lake Kingdom cannot go outside the Lake Kingdom.”

Immediately after,

“The third curse,” the third sage, smiling brightly as if he was confident of victory, spat out the last curse. “The Lake Kingdom will sink below the lake… !”