I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 96

Temple.

Since Jupiter was still undergoing treatment, I visited God Hand’s room first.

And so, I opened the door to the ward.

“Hey, stop right there!”

“Hahaha! Try to catch me!”

“Throw that to me, over here!”

The Shadow Squad members were giggling and running around… They were throwing a ball and playing tag, having a blast. What is this? Isn’t this supposed to be a critical care unit? Is it a children’s playroom?

“Ah, Your Highness.”

God Hand, who was sitting on the bed, watching the squad members running around, noticed us.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Ah, it’s Your Highness!”

“You’re here, Your Highness!”

“Yes, I’m here. You little rascals.”

These guys, at first, they at least pretended to be disciplined. Now, they don’t even bother with that.

After a quick greeting, they went back to giggling and playing among themselves. Do whatever you want.

Pushing through the kids, I sat on the chair next to the bed.

“How are you feeling, God Hand?”

“Thank you for coming all the way here, Your Highness. But you don’t need to worry.”

God Hand nonchalantly raised his empty arm.

“The joints are still there, so if I wear a prosthetic, I can move just like before with my metal manipulation ability.”

“……”

“Once all the wounds heal, I’ll be able to get back to work as if nothing happened.”

Whether he was pretending to be calm or genuinely thought so, either way, it was disheartening. But I didn’t say anything and just nodded.

“Still, you’ll need rehabilitation. Take your time, don’t rush it.”

“Thank you for your words, Your Highness.”

“Tell me if you need anything. I’ll make sure you’re as comfortable as possible.”

After a bit more small talk, I left the ward. They’d be more comfortable resting without me there.

“Goodbye, Your Highness!”

“See you again!”

The kids waved their hands. I waved back.

As I was leaving the ward, Lucas grumbled with dissatisfaction.

“Those fellows are becoming increasingly disrespectful to our lord.”

“Whatever. Let them be.”

I’m not a real prince, and they’re not proper imperial citizens either.

It’s cute how these immature kids are getting along. It’s better than them keeping a stiff distance.

Thinking that, I stepped outside, but Lucas was standing still inside the ward, looking at me.

“What’s wrong, Lucas?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Lucas shook his head slightly.

“I just realized how different you are.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The depth of your magnanimity, my lord.”

Lucas smiled and strode towards me, taking the lead.

“This way, my lord. I know the location of Sir Jupiter’s ward.”

“Alright. Let’s go quickly.”

As I headed to Jupiter’s ward, a thought suddenly struck me.

‘That gold-obsessed grandma, she won’t complain that I didn’t bring a get-well gift, will she?!’

***

Jupiter’s ward.

Just as I heard the treatment was finished, I opened the door and went inside. Bang!

“Are you alive, Jupiter?!”

“Ah! Your Highness!”

As I entered the ward, Jupiter, who was scooping something with a spoon into her mouth, looked at me with delight.

“It’s been a while! How many days have passed since I passed out?”

“It’s been almost ten days, Jupiter. I’m glad you seem to be okay.”

I chuckled. Seeing this money-grubbing grandma moving around cheerfully as usual, I felt relieved.

Jupiter was leaning against the bed’s backrest, eating porridge from a tray on the bed.

She had been unconscious for ten days, receiving only healing magic. The old mage’s body was emaciated.

“How’s your body?”

“I’d like to say I’m completely fine… but.”

Jupiter pushed the porridge aside and raised her hand.

“I have to be honest. It’s not good.”

Her fingertips were trembling.

“About half of my mana circuits are burned out. They’re slowly recovering…”

“Can they recover completely?”

“They will recover. It will take time, and even if they do, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to produce the same output as before.”

Jupiter let out a soft sigh, a bitter smile on her face.

“To end up like this just from blocking a few magic spells… I guess I’m getting old.”

“Eat well and rest. Recover quickly.”

I grinned.

“Since the lightning mage is out of commission, I had a hard time during the last defense battle. You need to be fully recovered before the next one.”

“Haha. Of course. I can’t afford to lose another paycheck.”

After chuckling together, Jupiter slowly looked down at her hand.

“…More than anything, I can’t go yet.”

The old woman’s trembling hand clenched tightly.

“I still have a lot to do.”

Jupiter’s face was serious, but I jokingly said,

“What else do you have to do? Are you planning to earn more money and build a castle or something?”

“Hahaha! How did you know what this old woman was thinking, Your Highness? You’re spot on.”

After laughing heartily, Jupiter slowly wiped the smile off her face.

“A castle, a castle. That sounds really good…”

I shrugged.

“I don’t know about a castle, but I’m going to build a luxury hotel in Crossroad soon.”

“Oh ho!”

“I’ll give you a discount on your stay there. Since you’re my direct party, I’ll give you that much service.”

“I’ll gladly stay there. Does that mean I’ll be the first guest?”

“I’m the first. I’ve already claimed it. I’ll give you the second spot.”

“Looking down at the city from a hotel suite, with whiskey and cigars… Ah, what greater luxury could a mercenary have?”

With empty hands that held neither whiskey nor cigars.

We laughed, talking about a non-existent suite in a hotel that wasn’t even built yet.

Perhaps it is with such mirage-like dreams that we mercenaries… no.

That we humans live day by day.

After exchanging more small talk, I slowly got up.

“There’s quite some time until the next defense battle. Rest well and focus on recovering, Jupiter.”

“As you command, Your Highness.”

Jupiter, unable to get up due to her discomfort, only bowed her head. Then, she exclaimed, “Ah!”

“By the way, Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“You came to visit, but didn’t you bring a gift?”

Ugh, I knew you’d say that!

***

“Recovery within four weeks is absolutely impossible.”

Saintess Margherita stated firmly.

“God Hand’s injuries are external, so treatment is easy and recovery is fast. He’ll be able to return soon. But it’s not the same for Jupiter.”

“……”

“Mana overload is the most serious type of internal injury. It’s like the mana field, which is the foundation of a mage, has been completely burned down.”

Margherita compared the principle of a mage using magic to farming.

The result of cultivating the field of the body with the fertilizer of mana is magic.

Jupiter’s field, the foundation of this farming, has been damaged.

“If they are young and have good recovery, there are cases where they can recover, but in Jupiter’s case…”

“You mean she can’t.”

“At least, she won’t be able to return to the field in four weeks.”

Margherita glanced towards the ward.

“If I let her out, she’ll obviously overdo it, so I’ll keep her in the temple.”

“You’re strict, Saintess.”

“Mercenaries are all like that.”

Margherita shook her head with her arms crossed.

“To defeat the enemy right in front of them, they burn even their future selves… I’ve seen it far too many times.”

“……”

A brief awkward silence passed, and Margherita bowed her head first and turned back into the temple.

“Then, I’ll let you know if there’s any improvement in their conditions.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

As always, I put gold coins into the donation box.

I walked out of the temple.

I sent Damian, who had come to greet me, back into the temple and stood in front of the carriage for a moment.

“Huu…”

I sighed and scraped the ground with my toe.

In fact, it was as if Jupiter had received a season-ending injury.

‘To lose an SR-grade [Super Rare] area-of-effect mage so futilely…’

Of course, if she recovers diligently, there might be ways to use her in later stages, but.

I should assume that she won’t be available for the next defense battle, stage 5, which is the biggest hurdle in the early stages. She’ll also have to miss the base camp recapture operation.

‘Can we handle these battles without an area-of-effect mage?’

The archers of the Shadow Squad can play a similar role, but in the end, physical archers and mages have different uses.

If Jupiter isn’t there, I’ll have to take Lily, but I can’t keep putting Lily, who can’t use her legs, in danger forever.

After repeating the same worries, I shook my head. Ugh, this is pointless.

I called out energetically to Lucas, who was standing next to me, waiting.

“Shall we go hire a new friend?!”

It’s gacha time! [Gacha refers to a system of obtaining items or characters through random draws, similar to loot boxes.]

I could only hope that a useful new friend would be at the Mercenary Guild.

‘There’s no way an area-of-effect mage would conveniently be there, but.’

But who knows? Maybe the god of dice in this game will play a trick again.

***

And so, the Mercenary Guild.

Standing in front of the door, I took a long breath to compose myself.

“Huu…”

If I could, I’d like to take a bath, purify myself, and offer a sacrifice at some altar before going in.

“I’ll just trust my gacha luck!”

I grabbed the doorknob firmly and forcefully threw the door open.

“Did a new SSR [Super Super Rare] character drop?!”

And then.

Flash-!

Inside the Mercenary Guild, a dazzling golden light was emanating.

“……?”

I was so taken aback that I froze for a moment.

No, wait a minute.

Am I seeing things?

Really? Is that really gold?

‘Is an SSR-grade character appearing here?! Really?!’

Thud!

I didn’t care about appearances or anything else. It wasn’t the time to worry about first impressions.

I rushed into the Mercenary Guild. Lucas quickly followed me.

Inside the quiet Mercenary Guild bar.

There was a woman with bright yellow hair, wearing a long robe and a large hat pulled down low… The golden light indicating an SSR-grade character was emanating from this woman.

Bang!

I ran like the wind and sat next to her. I asked abruptly.

“Are you a mercenary?”

“……”

The woman slowly turned her head to look at me.

Her bright yellow hair was sticking out in all directions, covering the left side of her face.

The exposed right eye was droopy, and there were a few freckles on her cheek.

She looked to be in her early twenties. She still had a youthful appearance.

Somehow, she gave off the impression of a fox.

“I’m sorry, but, esteemed one.”

When she smiled and opened her mouth, a sweet smoke wafted out.

Looking closely, she was smoking a long pipe.

“I’m not a mercenary.”

“If you’re not a mercenary, why are you in the guild?”

“I’m looking for someone. My grandmother is staying here, so I came to find her. But I can’t see her anywhere.”

A grandmother staying at the Mercenary Guild.

Only one person came to mind. I asked with half-certainty.

“What’s your grandmother’s name?”

“Jupiter.”

With a smile.

I asked her once more, looking at her relaxed smile.

“What’s your name?”

“I inherited my grandmother’s name, so I’m Jupiter Junior.”

She waved her hand to clear the pipe smoke and then placed her hand in front of her chest, adding,

“I’m often called Juju for short. Or just Junior.”

Jupiter Junior’s droopy eyes formed a thin smile.

She was like a real fox.

“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with, esteemed one.”