I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 761

Snow fell silently from the sky.

Evangeline, her breath misting in the cold air, murmured slowly,

“So, that’s how it is…”

Lukas nodded slowly.

“That’s how it is.”

Lukas and Evangeline briefly recounted the events of their day. Both had achieved the unprecedented record of zero confessions and one rejection, and they shared a mutual feeling of injustice.

It’s unfair…

“Well, it’s somewhat fortunate, though,” Lukas chuckled.

“If Hecate’s condition had continued to worsen, I was considering taking care of her to some extent… because she’s a friend, after all.”

“As a friend?”

“As a friend. I have no other feelings for Hecate, neither now nor in the future.”

“You’re truly a master of the iron wall…” [A metaphor for someone who is emotionally impenetrable or uninterested in romantic relationships.]

“But it seems she’s decided to pull herself together and stand up… we should cheer her on.”

Evangeline sighed softly, clasping her hands behind her head and leaning back.

“I’m also relieved. That person gave up on their feelings.”

“Was it hard for you to reject her so decisively?”

“Well, she’s also a resident of the city I’ll be governing in the future… and to be honest, it was also my first confession?”

“Hahahaha!”

Lukas suddenly burst into laughter, interrupting her.

Evangeline glared at him with narrowed eyes again.

“Why are you laughing again?”

“No, it’s just…” Lukas looked up at the sky with his blue eyes and murmured,

“It’s kind of funny that we’re reporting to each other like this.”

“……”

Evangeline, slightly puffing out her cheeks, looked at Lukas’s profile, then with an ‘Eek!’ sound, she jumped up from her seat.

“We can’t just end up being unfairly rejected like this, can we?”

Evangeline raised her small fist and shook it.

Lukas tilted his head.

“Zero confessions and one rejection is definitely unfair… but so? Is there a way to reverse this score?”

Then Evangeline smiled mischievously.

“Let’s go reject someone too! Let’s spread the zero confession, one rejection score and increase the number of innocent victims!”

“Hoo…”

It was quite a crazy idea, but Lukas, who had been rejected for no reason just like Evangeline, felt a considerable attraction to the proposal for some reason.

“But, who?”

However, who would be the unfortunate victim?

Then Evangeline’s mischievous smile deepened. As if she had someone in mind from the start, Evangeline whispered in a low voice.

“How about the person who seems least likely to have been rejected on this front?”

***

Even though it’s the first day of the new year, I always have a lot of work.

I was processing various documents in the lord’s office when I heard a knock, and then my knight duo walked in side by side.

I waved my hand at them.

“Did you both have fun? How’s the atmosphere in the city? I took a quick look earlier, but I was busy, so I just went to the temple and came straight here.”

“……”

But Lukas and Evangeline didn’t answer. They were looking at each other, saying ‘You go first,’ ‘No, you go first, sir,’ and bickering, and then Evangeline stepped forward first.

“Huh?”

I blinked, not knowing what was going on. Why are they like this?

“Is something wrong?”

“Ahem, Senior. Well, that’s…”

Evangeline cleared her throat and stood in front of my desk, glancing left and right, organizing her thoughts, and then…

“Actually, at first, I think I kind of liked you, Senior.”

She suddenly started talking.

I was taken aback, but I listened quietly. Evangeline scratched her cheek and continued.

“You came to rescue me when I was isolated in front of the Golem Legion, you taught and guided me in place of my father, you didn’t falter and defeated any enemy that came, you knew everything… honestly, from my young perspective, you were like a prince on a white horse.”

“……”

“So… yeah. Honestly, I liked you.”

I looked at my shield knight, who had grown so tall in front of me.

The sixteen-year-old kid I first saw was nowhere to be found.

Three years had passed, and Evangeline Cross, who had grown into a fine adult, confessed her feelings shyly but calmly.

“But as time passed, I realized. That feeling wasn’t romantic love, but admiration.”

“……”

“Because you had so many things that I didn’t have. You were mature, wise, and had a strong heart… I wanted to become like you. A commander like you, a lord like you, a leader like you.”

Evangeline no longer avoided my gaze and looked at me with her emerald eyes shining.

“But also, now I know. You and I are different people. I can learn from you, but I can’t become a leader like you. I will try to govern this Crossroad in my own way, creating my own path…”

“……”

“Ahem, well, of course! It’s still a few months away.”

I hadn’t taught or passed on anything.

The rightful heir to this land, who had grown up so much on her own, smiled more brightly than ever before.

“You will always be the object of my admiration, Senior. But Evangeline Cross will try to live in the way of Evangeline Cross.”

“……”

“Thank you, Senior. Really. For everything you’ve taught me, for everything you’ve given me, and… most of all, for making me love this city again.”

Listening to Evangeline’s sudden but firm declaration of independence, it finally dawned on me.

It had been almost three full years since I was appointed as the lord of this Crossroad.

And I also had the thought that I must reach the ending and return this land to this child.

The process of Evangeline becoming a great lord, governing this city in her own way…

I also wanted to see it.

“Hmm… how should I wrap this up…?”

Evangeline, who had been talking well but was rambling at the end, suddenly made an ‘Eek!’ sound, then jumped back and hit Lukas’s shoulder.

“Okay, I’m done here! Baton touch! It’s your turn, mister!”

Lukas rubbed his hit shoulder, narrowed his blue eyes, and stepped forward to stand in front of me.

I was now amused by the situation, so I smiled and looked back and forth at the two knights, then focused on Lukas. What was he going to say?

“…There was a time when my life revolved only around my lord.”

Lukas slowly opened his mouth.

“There was a time when protecting my lord was the only purpose of my life. It may have been due to a childhood guilt, or it may have been my duty as a knight… anyway, the purpose of my life was only to follow my lord’s orders.”

Lukas, who had lowered his eyes and was looking at the floor, slowly raised his head.

“But after coming to this city with my lord and seeing and feeling many things… I have gained many precious things.”

A memory flashed through my mind.

When was it?

There was a time when we each occupied a sunbed in the garden, lying down and looking down at the entire Crossroad while basking in the sun.

– It has become precious to me. …So, I want to protect it.

Lukas had said then that his other comrades were also precious to him.

And the current Lukas had grown even more than he was then.

“Those who fight together have become precious, this entire city has become precious, and furthermore… I have come to believe that this entire world is worth protecting.”

“……”

“At first, it was enough to be the sword you wielded. It was enough to be the tip of the sword that fought as my lord commanded, without any awareness or thought. But now, presumptuously, with my own heart… I want to fight following my lord’s banner.”

I look into Lukas’s eyes, which have undergone many changes over the past three years.

The knight’s blue eyes, which had been unbelievably cold, burned like a beast, and were sometimes as dry as emotionless metal, were now as deep as a well.

A well that had calmed down gently, holding various emotions.

“Now, no longer as my lord’s watchdog, but entirely with my own will… I want to fight for my lord’s banner.”

“……”

“Will you allow it, my lord?”

I smiled faintly.

“Of course.”

And I looked back and forth at the two knights standing in front of me.

My knights, who had grown a bit taller in both body and mind…

And I decided to accept it with a happy heart.

The declaration of independence on the first day of the new year from my siblings, who always seemed like children.

Instead of saying anything more, I got up from my seat, hugged both knights lightly at the same time, and patted their shoulders.

“You’ve all grown up so well…”

You’re growing up, everyone.

So quickly, so suddenly, you grow up in an instant.

When the hug was over, Evangeline and Lukas, who were looking at each other awkwardly, simultaneously opened the office door and ran out.

“T-then, this means we’re the ones who got rejected, Senior!”

“Thank you, my lord!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

I was about to ask because I didn’t really understand the context of this declaration of independence, but they ran away without answering.

“Good job on the zero confessions and two rejections!”

“Congratulations on breaking the record, my lord!”

“No, I mean, what are you talking about-!”

I scratched my head, watching the two knights running down the stairs and out of the lord’s mansion, disappearing into the distance.

‘Well, what’s good is good.’

I chuckled, watching the backs of the two good-natured knights running away side by side.

The new year had dawned.

Whether this year will end in a few months or continue, I don’t know yet…

But watching people grow every year is a happy and joyful thing.

***

“Hee, hee…”

“Huff, huff, huff.”

The two knights, who had run away frantically, caught their breath in an open space not far away.

Evangeline, wiping her chin, grumbled.

“No, wasn’t it supposed to be us going to reject someone? Why did it suddenly become our time to confess our past feelings?”

“You were the one who created that atmosphere…”

Lukas, straightening his back, smiled with relief.

“Well, still… thanks to that, I feel a little less unfairly rejected.”

“……”

Evangeline, glaring at Lukas, bit her lip.

And, since she had already made an embarrassing confession…

She decided to ask an embarrassing question here too.

“By the way, mister. You said to Senior earlier that those who fight together have become precious.”

“Yes.”

“Then, am I also precious to you?”

Lukas answered immediately.

“No.”

“……”

Just as Evangeline’s face was about to flush with anger, Lukas added,

“You’re very precious.”

“……”

This time, she flushed for a different reason.

No, wait a minute. What does that mean? Very precious? Why did he answer like that? What is the intention of the speaker saying that? Is it that? Precious as a comrade? Precious as a capable shield knight of the melee unit? Is he building up to that kind of talk right now?

Then Lukas glanced at Evangeline with a still inscrutable, brazen face.

“Evangeline, was your birthday in January?”

“Oh, wow. You remember?”

“After this birthday, you’ll be an adult.”

“That’s right. I’ll finally meet the conditions to inherit the Margrave title.”

“Yeah…”

Lukas let out a ‘Hoo-‘ sound and exhaled.

“When this war is over, and you become an adult…”

“…When?”

Evangeline swallowed hard.

When she becomes an adult, what?

Then Lukas cleared his throat with a ‘Ahem!’ and strode ahead.

“…I’ll tell you then.”

“What, what?”

“Well. You’ll hear it then.”

“No, can’t you just tell me now?! Why are you putting it off, making me curious! Tell me right now!”

“No.”

Lukas added curtly.

“…I’ve waited a long time too. You wait a little longer.”

With that, Lukas’s earlobe, which was moving away, was flushed red.

“Huh?”

Evangeline, whose face was belatedly flushed red, covered her mouth with both hands and made a strange sound.

“Huh? Huhhhhhh…?!”

The white snow continued to fall.

It was the first day of the new year.