I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 732

An open space near the temple.

“I brought lunch, Father!”

Hannibal beamed, holding up a basket.

“There’s another big battle in a few days, so we need to build up our strength beforehand! Come on, over here!”

“Y-yes… I appreciate you packing lunch, but…”

Zenith glanced around nervously, sweating.

“Why is Priestess Rosetta here…?”

“……”

Rosetta, who had also been suddenly dragged out by Hannibal, looked equally bewildered.

However, Hannibal, having gathered the two of them in one place, simply tilted his head, smiling innocently and cheerfully.

“It’s nice to eat together, isn’t it? Don’t you think?”

“Uh, yeah, it is… it is, but…”

“……”

Rosetta, quietly sweating, poked Zenith in the side. Zenith, startled, turned to her, and Rosetta whispered.

‘Why is he doing this?’

‘I don’t know either, Sister.’

Hannibal had recently been making moves to pair Zenith and Rosetta together.

Both Zenith and Rosetta were bewildered, but they didn’t want to tell Hannibal to stop, as it felt strange and like they were being overly self-conscious, so they had been letting it go.

But how long should they keep letting this go…?

“Ahem. So, Zenith.”

Rosetta, who had called out to Zenith, immediately frowned.

“By the way, changing your name from Zenith to Xenith. It’s really just a cover-up.”

Zenith felt awkward.

After the fake funeral, he had tried to come up with a completely different name, but it hadn’t worked out, and in the end, the name he changed to was just a last resort. Changing the first letter.

“The pronunciation is subtly different, isn’t it?”

“Yes, anyway… Zenith.”

When Rosetta called him seriously, Zenith also changed his expression and straightened his posture.

“Yes, Sister.”

“You heard that the enemy in this battle is zombies, right?”

“Yes.”

“Divine power is most effective against the undead. So, most of the priests will have to be on the front lines in this battle.”

Zenith swallowed hard at Rosetta’s words.

“You might get badly hurt or die.”

“……”

“It’s a shameless request to make of you, who has already died once as a priest… but please protect the people of the temple as much as you can. You can do it.”

After the fake funeral, Zenith had been fighting as an independent mercenary.

He had occasionally cooperated with Rosetta on operations, but he had tried to keep his distance from the priests as much as possible. He thought that was the right thing to do.

However, Zenith also knew well. He had realized something while rolling around in death on this front.

That you can only talk about what’s right after you’ve survived.

“I will, Sister.”

Zenith nodded readily.

“Trust me. I’ll send those zombies to the Goddess’s side in accordance with the natural order.”

“……”

Rosetta looked at her boastful younger brother with a complicated gaze, but then,

“Okay, enough with the heavy talk!”

Hannibal jumped in between them.

“If anything happens, I’ll summon the Spirit King again and protect everyone! So don’t worry too much about the battle in a few days!”

Hannibal put sandwiches in Rosetta’s and Zenith’s mouths in turn.

“Let’s eat delicious food now!”

“……”

“……”

The two of them chewed on their sandwiches, thinking.

By the way, why is Hannibal acting like this…?

***

The Arian Kingdom military camp.

“……”

Yoon was lying on the bed, her complexion slightly improved, but still unconscious.

And Quillan, who visited her every day, was sitting by the bed today, quietly looking down at Yoon’s profile.

“After the next battle ends…”

Quillan, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.

“And after the battle after that ends. After the war with the monsters is all over.”

Quillan reached out and stroked Yoon’s pale cheek.

“Will I be able to face you with your eyes open then, Yoon?”

There was no answer.

Quillan stared blankly at Yoon, who was not waking up, for a long time.

***

Evening. The Lord’s mansion.

I was reading a report on the defense situation of the dungeon’s forward base, along with the defense preparations for the Crossroads main castle.

Then, there was a knock-knock sound. I opened my mouth without much thought.

“Come in.”

The door opened quietly, and light footsteps approached me.

I thought it was Lucas or another companion, so I glanced ahead. And I jumped up from my seat in surprise.

“Whoa, Serenade?!”

It was none other than Serenade, the head of the Winter Silver Merchant Guild, who had entered the room!

Serenade, who was approaching with a tray holding a teapot and a plate of cookies, smiled awkwardly.

“I haven’t seen you often lately, so I came to see you in person. Um, am I disturbing you while you’re busy?”

“No, no! Not at all! Come over here.”

I placed the tray on the table and sat Serenade on the guest sofa, then sat on the opposite sofa.

Then, Serenade got up from the guest sofa and moved to sit next to me. Huh…!

Serenade, with a playful smile, narrowed her silver eyes and smiled.

“I heard you’re working hard before the next defense battle. I thought it would be good for you to take a break. I’ve prepared tea and cookies. Please rest for a bit.”

“Okay, thank you…”

Serenade poured tea into a teacup and handed it to me. I was somehow embarrassed and avoided her gaze as I received the teacup.

‘No, how long are you going to keep acting like a clueless, single fool!’

Even if I wore all the crowns in this world, this aspect of me still hasn’t improved!

I even merged with Jin Ash, but all of that playboy experience flew away, and I just gained the attribute of a fool who gets flustered in front of his first love!

“Ahem! Have you finished the evacuation preparations?”

I tried to regain my composure and asked Serenade, swallowing the tea.

The next battle is a boss stage against a horde of zombified demon species.

Objectively, they are much easier opponents than the Night Bringer, but the defense facilities at Crossroads are in such bad shape. If we’re careless, we could suffer a terrible defeat.

Anyway, it’s a boss stage before the final boss battle. It can’t be easy.

So, as always, we are evacuating the civilians first.

In this stage, where the walls are poor and there’s a risk of zombie infection, civilian casualties could be even greater.

“Yes. The entire guild is ready to move, and I will be leaving tomorrow as well.”

“You’re always working so hard.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing. Merchants always have to move to get good products. It’s not hard work, it’s a joy.”

As she said that, Serenade looked at me with a confident expression… it was as if she had finished buying that ‘good product’ and was watching with satisfaction, which made me feel embarrassed. Stop looking at me like that!

“Come to think of it, it seems like many friends in Crossroads are… forming complicated love lines.”

I, who was escaping reality from my own love life, turned my attention to the other kids.

After briefly explaining the ‘love blooming on the monster front’ situation, Serenade covered her mouth and laughed, amused.

“Hehe, there are so many young people gathered here. It’s only natural that love blossoms among them, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. That’s right… but love doesn’t always lead to good results.”

I thought of the heroes who had loved each other here before.

They died, fell into comas, went missing…

On this front, where they were always fighting against death, love did not always lead to a beautiful story.

“Your Highness. Does anything in this world guarantee only good results?”

But Serenade answered my words maturely.

“Not just on this front, but anywhere in this world, there are more failures than successes. Would love between people be any different?”

“……I guess so.”

“It’s good if it succeeds, but what if it fails? There will be something to learn from that pain.”

Just like she had advised me before that it was okay to live in pieces.

Serenade was accepting people’s failures from the start.

“Even if it hurts and breaks your heart right now, if you can find a path to the next happiness at the end of it. Then even a failed love will have its own value.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s how it is.”

Serenade added.

“Of course, it would be best if everyone fell in love properly from the start! And had a clean, painless relationship!”

“Haha… was what you said earlier based on experience?”

“Of course. It’s something I learned after a lifetime of suffering because of a cold and insensitive man.”

I, who was cold, insensitive, clueless, and a flustered fool, quietly reached out and took Serenade’s hand. As always, her hand was pleasantly cool.

Serenade, her cheeks slightly flushed, bit her lip and then exhaled as if making a decision.

And she looked at me.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not satisfied with just holding hands anymore.”

“Huh…?”

Then, Serenade, with a bright red face, leaned her upper body towards me.

Conversely, I was surprised and leaned my upper body back. But there was nowhere else to run because my back was against the back of the sofa!

Then, Serenade licked her lips like a feline animal in front of its prey and gradually closed the distance to me… Eek!

“W-wait a minute! Serenade! D-don’t do this, let’s talk first…!”

“We’re evacuating tomorrow, and we won’t see each other for a while, and we’ve talked so much about other couples…! So, let’s seriously think about our progress! Today, we’re going to settle on the next step after holding hands!”

“Your eyes are scary, Serenade! Calm down! Kyaaa, Sister! Sister!”

Uwaaaaaa….

My desperate screams did not escape far from the office and soon faded away.

***

And time passed in an instant….

The next defense battle, Stage 45, was just around the corner.

***

Lake Kingdom Dungeon, District 10.

The Abandoned Cathedral Forward Base.

With the magic barrier that Ash periodically set up, the wall of will that Ash materialized from the survivors, and various defense artifacts and fortifications provided by the humans.

The Abandoned Cathedral had already become a great fortress. The zombie monsters couldn’t even attempt to enter.

The demon species army, having regained some composure, contacted other surviving monster armies and shared defense facilities and resources with them.

Now, survivors had built fortresses in various parts of District 10, and the zombie monsters were dying and being destroyed there.

‘One more day.’

The old demon, ‘Elder,’ thought as he checked the current situation of the Abandoned Cathedral.

‘At this rate, we can survive without any problems….’

Yes, they could survive.

But….

《…….》

It was then.

《Elder! I-it’s a big problem!》

A subordinate who was guarding the main gate of the Abandoned Cathedral rushed over. The Elder looked at him, puzzled.

《What is it?》

《The movements of the zombie monsters… are strange!》

《Strange, how so?》

《P-please see for yourself!》

The Elder hurriedly followed his subordinate and checked the situation outside the main gate of the Abandoned Cathedral.

And he found it.

《……?!》

The zombie monsters, who had been densely surrounding the Abandoned Cathedral, were all retreating in a swirling motion.

Goo-uh….

Goo-uh-uh-uh!

The dozens of corpse hills that had been lined up indiscriminately began to move as if they were collapsing.

It was a reckless movement without order or discipline. But it was clear that they all had the same purpose and were making way together.

As if someone was giving orders to these zombies….

《Could it be…!》

Kugugugung!

The zombie monsters, forming dozens of hills around the Abandoned Cathedral, burst out and collapsed like a landslide. Pieces of flesh, bone fragments, and blood splattered everywhere.

Even so, the zombies forcibly made a path.

And,

Thud-!

She appeared through the path of corpses.

Her fancy masquerade mask was stuck to her face, and her torn dress was covered in blood, turning black. Her voluptuous body with red skin was rotten and decayed, also turned black, swollen and enlarged.

And her huge deer-like horns, which were her symbol,

Seemed to have undergone abnormal growth, and her horns, which had endlessly spread out like tree branches in all directions, were filled with a chilling green energy, and that green energy was connected to the surrounding zombie monsters.

《Ah…!》

The survivors who found her all let out a sigh.

《Cromwell…!》

The commander of the demon guard, and the leader of the zombified monsters.

《Kaaaaaaah-!》

Cromwell charged towards the main gate of the Abandoned Cathedral with a terrifying roar.