I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 809

810. Good Night, Sweet Dreams

Reality, the mortal realm.

In front of the gates of Crossroads.

Dududududu-!

Black storm clouds surged towards the collapsed city walls.

With the connection to the Outer Gods severed, the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

Then, as if they had been waiting, the horde of monsters that had been surrounding Crossroads from the rear began their charge.

“……”

The fallen heroes and soldiers watched the black tidal wave, the marching end of the world, in silence.

They no longer had the strength to fight.

Yet, everyone rose, clutching their injured areas. Supporting each other, they formed a wall of human bodies in place of the ruined ramparts.

For they were the last wall of this world. The final line of defense for this world.

Everyone prepared to face their dignified end.

And the moment the vanguard of the charging monsters reached the wall of people.

Saaaaaaa…

They scattered.

Like mist.

All the monsters, armed with powerful teeth and claws, muscles and hatred, charging only to kill humans, vanished like bubbles.

The moment Ash succeeded in closing the sky in the spirit realm.

All the monsters in the mortal realm vanished simultaneously.

The nightmare horde disappeared as if it were a lie.

Like darkness fading before the sunrise, the surging storm clouds dispersed, and only the peaceful sunlight shone down on Crossroads.

The people were surprised, their eyes wide as they looked around. Unable to believe their eyes, they rubbed them, looking at each other in astonishment.

And then, without anyone starting it, they embraced each other and cheered.

“The nightmare is over!”

Some laughed,

“The nightmare is over!”

Some cried,

“We survived!”

Everyone embraced.

“We protected the world…!”

The people, huddled together, cried and laughed.

Slightly apart from the people who were tangled together in joy, in the open space in front of the city gates.

“……”

Aider quietly looked down at the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ who was lying with her head on his lap.

Pushing aside the burnt veil. Quietly gazing at the sleeping face of his beloved.

Aider whispered softly.

“You are not the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’.”

She was no longer the master of nightmares.

Because all the nightmares were over.

Aider slowly took out the shining fragments from his pocket. They were the pieces of her soul that Ash had given him, recovered from the deepest part of the Lake Kingdom.

Aider slowly tilted his fingertips, and the soul fragments that flowed down his palm fell onto her chest, absorbed into her.

Saaaaaaa…

The shadows of the nightmare that remained on the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ slowly faded away. Her pale skin slowly regained its color, and a faint warmth circulated through her cold body.

She had returned to being ‘Nameless’.

But Aider knew.

Even if he gathered all of her scattered soul fragments, he would not be able to fully restore what she had already lost.

The traces of the nightmare might disappear, but there was no way to recover all the precious things she had sacrificed to save her world.

So Aider chose.

“I will give you the you that I remember.”

The existence of her that he remembered.

His own existence that remembered her…

He decided to give it to her.

“I will give you the world of yours that I remember.”

From his chest, pierced by the sword of darkness, Aider carefully took out a fragment of his soul.

Among his soul, which was all gray, there was a uniquely dazzling, pure white fragment.

“Would you please forgive me for mixing a bit of my impure fragment, like dust, into your noble soul?”

Aider clenched and then opened his hand, and his soul fragments shattered into fine powder.

“Because it is the most precious thing I, a poor man, can give.”

Like stardust, the memories of her that he had cherished most in his life, Aider slowly dropped onto her chest.

“You are not ‘the one who lost her name’.”

She was no longer nameless.

Because she would reclaim her rightful name.

“Your name is Ariel.”

Slowly, preciously.

He called her original name.

“Your name is Ariel.”

From the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ to nameless.

And from nameless, finally… to Ariel.

“Your name is Ariel.”

Everything Aider remembered about Ariel.

The fragments of Aider that remembered Ariel.

Poured over her soul, pieced together like a mosaic, seeping into the wounds, firmly connecting her soul.

At that moment, tears streamed down Ariel’s closed eyes.

Carefully wiping away the tears with the tip of his other hand, Aider looked down at her with an affectionate expression…

“Ah.”

He snatched the last stardust-like soul fragment that remained in his hand.

“No. This alone, I cannot give you.”

Aider carefully looked into the last stardust.

The fragment was a memory of a certain day.

The memory of a long day when Ariel gave him the name Aider.

“This alone, is what you gave me… it is all of me.”

Aider carefully placed the small soul fragment, like a grain of sand, into his chest.

And he smiled sadly.

“So, you can completely forget about a man with this name now.”

As the price for healing all the broken wounds and the burns of sacrifice left in Ariel’s soul, by giving his own soul.

Aider chose the path of becoming a forgotten existence.

So, this memory of his name… he would hold it and die.

So that she would never remember him, not even by chance.

“All those sad nights, all those painful dreams, are over now.”

Aider gently stroked Ariel’s cheek, who was breathing peacefully, once more.

“From now on, may you only have good nights and sweet dreams.”

Aider slowly lowered his head, gently pressing his forehead against hers, and made a wish more earnestly than ever before.

“You must be happy, even for my share…”

Looking at the sleeping Ariel’s face, Aider whispered in a fading, choked voice.

“Goodbye.”

The nightmare was over.

Everyone in Crossroads hugged each other, crying and laughing with joy that they were alive.

In this moment of happiness, a very small farewell passed by.

A truly long farewell that no one would remember.

***

The Spirit Realm.

In this collapsing world as well, people were preparing for farewells.

“……”

The Emperor, Traha, stood on the deck of the airship La Mancha, observing the collapsing spirit realm.

More precisely, he was watching Ash, in the center of this world, saying his goodbyes to the members of the special forces who had fought alongside him.

Various race gods, including the Four Great Gods, came to Ash, asking him to take care of their races.

Ash made a clear promise to get along well with all races.

Fernandes and Lark first greeted Traha and then went to Ash.

Fernandes teased Ash relentlessly, and Lark, who approached, hugged them both tightly in a brotherly embrace. The two younger brothers screamed in pain.

Then, the two older brothers repeatedly told their younger brother to take good care of their father and the empire.

The four red dragons hugged Ash one by one and exchanged words of blessing.

Everyone was in a heartwarming atmosphere, but the 2nd Dusk Bringer couldn’t hold back her tears during the hug, and Ash had to work hard to comfort her. The previous three dragons chuckled mischievously at this sight.

Ash also said goodbye to the previous returnees. He had a long conversation with Dustia, his biological mother, in particular.

Dustia thanked him for enduring the difficult journey, and Ash thanked her for always watching over him.

Next, Ash made contact with the last remaining tendril of the collapsing Everblack. The returnees who had lived with Everblack helped with the communication with the tree.

Ash offered to transplant a sapling to the mortal realm if Everblack wished, but Everblack refused.

Since the age of magic was over, Everblack, a tree synthesized with magic, could no longer live in the mortal realm. Everblack decided to meet its end here of its own will.

Traha watched his son talking like that…

Someone flew onto the deck and stood next to Traha. Traha smiled bitterly as he looked at the person.

“You told me to go to hell, but here we meet.”

“……”

“I’m glad to see you again, Dustia.”

It was Traha’s wife and Ash’s biological mother, Dustia.

Dustia, who had approached with a soft sigh, stood next to Traha. Traha gestured with his chin.

“How was life in the spirit realm?”

“Your Majesty was always fighting the gods right next to that tree, so it was always noisy.”

“It was no different from when I was alive. Were you worried about me there too?”

“Ha, as if.”

“Your personality is no different from when you were alive.”

“Your Majesty hasn’t changed since I died either.”

As they always had, the two talked as if they were arguing, their expressions calm.

The couple watched their son together. Dustia opened her mouth.

“Ash has freed us from all these shackles.”

“……”

“The curse of endless return that has been passed down for generations has finally disappeared. Now… I can go to the afterlife too.”

“It’s not just the curse of return that’s gone. He’s also eliminated the grace that enveloped the world and all the laws that formed the basis of our civilization.”

“That means the stereotypes, yokes, and bad habits that bound the world will also disappear.”

Traha chuckled.

“Just because you’re already dead, you’re looking too favorably at the storm that that kid will bring, aren’t you?”

“What the world Ash has changed will look like in the future, who knows. But, our son… he will do well.”

“……”

“Even if he gets lost for a while, he’s an child who will eventually find the stars. So… he will do well in his future adventures too.”

Dustia looked directly at Traha.

“I can no longer watch over that child. So, Your Majesty must take good care of our son.”

“Can’t you see I’m old? It’s my turn to be taken care of now.”

“You’re talking weak. You, the Peacemaker.”

A smile crossed the lips of the two.

“I’ll fall into hell when I die, but you’ll go to a more peaceful place now.”

“……”

“It would be nice if we could meet again, but maybe today is the last time?”

“Well, I don’t know exactly what’s behind this path…”

The lips of Traha and Dustia drew closer.

“If Your Majesty falls into hell, wouldn’t I be waiting in the same place?”

“Can I propose again then?”

“Of course, you have to do it again. Your proposal when you were alive was the worst.”

The two kissed slowly, and then stepped back.

“Then, it’s time to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye. My damn love.”

Dustia left the deck, and Traha steered the airship towards Ash.

Ash was in the middle of being held by Salome.

Ash tried to push her away, saying, ‘I have a partner! Get lost!’, but Salome kept clinging to him, shouting strange things like, ‘It’s even better because you have a partner!’

“Ash!”

Traha shouted.

“There’s no time! We have to leave now!”

Kugugugugung…!

The spirit realm was rapidly collapsing.

Ash, who had just thrown Salome far away, nodded towards the Emperor and looked around at the many people watching him.

Verbal greetings were no longer meaningful, and there was no time to share them.

After making eye contact with everyone, Ash flew towards La Mancha.

At the same time, the five Glory Knights began preparing the dimensional transfer magic reactor installed on La Mancha. It was the magic reactor that had been moved from the demon ship.

Kiiiiiiing!

There was still enough magic power left in the spirit realm, but it was clear that the magic power supply would disappear from the moment they crossed the boundary into the mortal realm. Therefore, the operation of the magic reactor was using the magic power stored in the ship’s storage in advance as power.

The Emperor was slightly impressed.

“At first, I wondered why you were transplanting this alien magic reactor, but it was the means to return to the mortal realm.”

“I don’t know about me coming alone, but since I’m bringing Your Majesty, I naturally prepared the means of retreat as a top priority.”

Ash smiled.

This was the secret plan prepared as a way to return from the spirit realm to the mortal realm once, even if the passage between the spirit realm and the mortal realm closed. It was La Mancha with the dimensional transfer magic formula attached.

The moment Ash, who had flown through the air, was about to take the hand of the Emperor standing at the end of the deck.

Thud-!

A sudden, violent vibration shook the area.

“……?!”

“……!”

A huge shockwave generated from the magic reactor with the dimensional transfer magic formula swept through the area. La Mancha shook violently, and Ash was thrown back.

The hands of father and son crossed in the air.

The blood drained from Traha’s face.

“Your Majesty!”

At the same time, Hecate, who was preparing the dimensional transfer magic formula in the bridge, screamed.

“The dimensional transfer magic formula is going out of control! As soon as we started supplying magic power, it entered the operating sequence on its own!”

As Coco, who had installed the dimensional transfer magic formula, had warned in advance. This alien magic reactor itself was in an extremely deteriorated state.

And it had already reached its limit in durability after being used once when entering the spirit realm from the mortal realm.

Moreover, La Mancha had to endure fierce battles during the Spirit Realm Great War. It was even thrown into the sea of the spirit realm, sank, and miraculously resurfaced.

In this process, the dimensional transfer magic reactor, which was a delicate magic and machine, could not be completely intact.

In addition, the very unstable environment of the collapsing spirit realm was added…

Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!

Irregular vibrations erupted from the magic reactor in succession. Ash was repeatedly thrown back like a leaf caught in a storm.

Traha shouted urgently towards the bridge.

“Stabilize it right now!”

“It’s impossible! The magic reactor is not listening!”

“Then stop it first! Stop it by force! Ash is outside the ship!”

“Kuh…!”

Hecate repeatedly slammed the stop button on the magic reactor control panel, then drew her sword to forcibly cut the connection between the magic reactor and the magic storage.

However, the amount of magic power required to activate this formula was too large and enormous for an individual to handle.

Clang-!

Just by striking the connection with her sword, the sword shattered and Hecate fell backward.

Traha tried to stop the airship itself by injecting his consciousness, but the dimensional transfer magic formula continued to go out of control, regardless of the control of the airship itself.

The other Glory Knights, who were trying to stop the operation somehow, shouted.

“We can’t control it, Your Majesty! At this rate, it will soon…!”

The next moment.

Flash-!

The out-of-control dimensional transfer magic formula was forcibly activated, ignoring all the necessary processes. The entire massive hull of La Mancha was enveloped in light, and then, with a dazzling flash, it tore through space… and disappeared.

Leaving Ash behind, it had left for the mortal realm.

“…So that’s why.”

Watching the only way to return to the mortal realm disappear before his eyes, Ash laughed in a daze.

“You shouldn’t let your guard down until the very end…”

Immediately after, the aftershock of the dimensional transfer magic and the impact of the spirit realm’s collapse swept through the area.

Swept away by the fierce vibration, Ash fell to the bottom of the collapsing spirit realm.