I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game - Chapter 268

◈ 268. [Side Story] The day after the funeral (4)

.

This funeral was prepared faster than any other defense battle.

It was because there were casualties among ordinary citizens.

Soldiers and heroes desperately defended it by giving their lives, but damage was done.

‘Thirty-seven citizens.’

I kept my mouth shut and bowed my head in front of the coffins of the citizens lined up in front of me. My bereaved family watched me awkwardly from afar.

I knew the bereaved family would grab me by the collar. I thought I would be booed or cursed from afar.

I thought I was going to vomit resentment, saying why I didn’t do it right and that my family died because of you.

But no one did.

Because it’s not uncommon for citizens to die from monster invasions here in a fortress city?

Because I’m from the royal family and a high-ranking lord?

Or is it because life is inherently cheap?

Before the funeral, I met the bereaved families of the dead citizens one by one, apologized, and handed over money of consolation. They were happy and thankful.

thanks.

My family died because I didn’t do it right, so they thanked me.

“… .”

Want to change.

I want to turn this world upside down.

‘no… I will.’

I gritted my teeth.

will change the world To a place where death is not taken for granted. To a place where death is not appreciated.

in your own way. certainly.

After finishing the wreath, I headed in front of the group of coffins next to it.

‘One hundred and eighty-nine soldiers.’

Excluding the tutorial stage, the most people died in this defense battle.

Most of them died protecting citizens from werewolves. In front of the North Gate and all over the city… .

Watching the procession of coffins covered with imperial flags, I slowly lowered my head.

sick.

It hurts more because their deaths are sublime. I bit my lip hard. It tasted like blood.

‘The soldiers who died this time were all skilled.’

Enough to risk my own life to save the citizens without running away from the monster. Mentally skilled soldiers.

lost close to two hundred of them. It was a very painful loss.

I closed my eyes that were getting hot and endured it.

You shouldn’t cry.

Their deaths should not be comforted with tears. Instead, I have to take responsibility.

Priests sprinkled holy water on the coffin and blessed the dead. I watched in silence as hundreds of coffins went into the ground.

and last.

‘Two heroes.’

There are two heroic characters who died. However, strictly speaking, neither of these belong to my front line.

Death row inmate Camus.

And Kuylan’s older brother, Kureha.

One was a criminal who had committed a crime and was awaiting execution, and the other was an ordinary citizen, regardless of his fighting talents or actual skills.

However, both died in this battle.

Although Camus was on death row, he decided to bury the coffin at the grave site, taking into account the fact that he was out to save the citizens.

I don’t know what it would mean for him to be buried in the tomb of the empire he hated so much, but as commander, I decided to do this.

Unlike other tombs, the front of Camus’ grave was empty. No one mourned his death.

Occasionally, citizens passing by gave him a bouquet of flowers saying he had saved their life, but no one cried for him.

“… .”

Standing at a distance, Junior stared at his tombstone with complicated eyes.

and farther away than that. Standing on her cane, Reina was watching Junior from afar.

Conversely, the area in front of Kureha’s grave was quite crowded.

In addition to the five members of the penal unit wearing hoods and robes, bandits and refugees who came along with the penal unit laid flowers while shedding tears.

In addition, people in the city who had a relationship with Kureha went back and forth and placed white flowers.

he was a good man

But dead.

‘If I realized the essence of this game a little sooner… … .’

Today’s scenery… … It would have been different from now.

After the funeral song by the choir, all the ceremonies ended soon after.

Finally, it is my turn to speak.

I made up my mind and stepped up to the podium. Thousands of now familiar gazes focused on me all at once.

“… .”

He raised his voice and spit it out.

“I want to apologize first.”

When I lowered my head, a commotion spread among the people. Like it or not, I continued.

“As a commander, I was complacent. I couldn’t figure out the enemy’s diversionary maneuvers. Monsters attacked from all sides, and I was slow to react.”

The result of thinking that they would only attack the southern wall according to the rules in the game.

The Werewolves circumvented the rules, and Crossroads suffered great damage.

“A person died. This is entirely my responsibility.”

I was a saengnim who only knew how to fight within the rules of the game. Within the rules, he was a commander who would not lag behind anyone in the world.

But outside the rules.

In a street fight outside the ring. in real practice.

He was a weakling who was beaten in the jaw and knocked down in one shot.

‘I’ve never studied strategy and tactics properly, and I’m not even a superhuman.’

I’m just a normal human who played this game a little too much.

I’m just a die-hard gamer who still tried to deal with the reality of this place only by substituting it into a game.

so that.

From now on, I

“I will not be complacent any longer.”

Outside the ring outside the rules.

I try to face this world straight.

“Think smarter, analyze the enemy sharper, and use whatever means available to crush their aggression.”

I don’t care about rings anymore. I already tore the ring rope and came down the street.

Trampling the line of rules and standing on it.

I will do anything to win against the monsters.

“By all available means.”

I sighed once more and slowly looked around the crowd. People were focusing on me as I gave a speech while swallowing dry saliva.

“I hope today will be the last day you hear an apology from me. I will do my best to do that.”

I will lead them by pioneering a new path outside the rules toward clearing the game.

For a world where even one less person dies.

In the process, maybe even if I become something different from now.

“… .”

I paused for a moment and looked around. Perhaps because of my speech, there was a high tension at the grave site here.

I only talked about myself too much. Shall we turn the subject back?

“All these deaths hurt, but I want to say that all deaths were noble.”

I spoke in a soft tone.

“The warriors died to protect people. I risked my life to protect you from the immediate threat.”

He smiled faintly and nodded his head.

“And you are the ones who deserve it. Because you too stood up on your own to protect the person next to you.”

Holding a torch and holding a weapon.

The citizens of Crossroads stood up and gathered in the plaza.

Protecting each other’s backs, they spent the night together from a group of monsters.

“Don’t forget we are people We must protect each other from monsters.”

Human originally means ‘between people’.

To be human, we need each other.

“Look at the face of the person next to you. The face of the person you must protect from now on and will protect you.”

Citizens looked at the face of the person next to them, embarrassed. I turned my gaze toward the tombs.

“Remember the faces of those buried on tombstones. The faces of those who gave their lives to save you.”

Clenching my fists, I finished my speech.

“Be the ones who protect each other. The highest wall to defeat monsters is right there.”

I slowly lowered my head.

“I will pay a silent tribute to all who laid the foundations of the walls here.”

Thousands of people bowed their heads in unison. Silence fell over the wide grave site.

After a brief moment of silence, I nodded and left the podium.

Since Lucas wasn’t there, Evangeline was in charge of the funeral.

As Evangeline swung her arms wrapped in bandages, artillerymen fired their cannons.

pop! pop! Pervert!

The gunfire honoring the lion resounded far away. The funeral ended like that.

***

Citizens and soldiers scattered in groups of threes and threes entered the city or went back to the grave to commemorate their comrades.

As I watched the scene from afar, someone approached me.

“You gave a good speech, Your Highness.”

Let’s look back, it was Raina. I nodded at the old officer slowly approaching me with a cane.

“Sir Rayna. How is your body?”

“It’s not to the point of being rude. Besides, aren’t there a lot of people who were injured in this battle?”

It was as it was said. Everyone has several layers of bandages wrapped around their bodies. Injuries like Reina are common.

Looking at the bandages on Reina’s stomach, I asked slowly.

“I heard you eliminated Camus with your own hands this time.”

“It was justification. Even if it wasn’t, I have the authority to eliminate at least the criminal who stabbed me.”

“… .”

“Are you going to reprimand me for that, Your Highness?”

“no. I was just asking to confirm the facts.”

Camus tried to kill Rayna, and Rayna fought back and killed Camus.

Regardless of Eun-won before that, that was what happened here on the monster front. I’m not in a position to argue.

“So it looks like I have something on my mind. Sir Rayna.”

“yes. I came because I have something to say to Your Highness.”

Guessing the contents, I nodded.

“It’s time to return, right?”

“That’s right. Our magic corps support for the southern front has ended with this defensive battle.”

They were dispatched and the number of defensive battles they promised to support was five. Stages 6 through 10.

Yesterday’s defensive battle filled all of those counts. It was time to return to the imperial family.

“Thanks to that, I was able to easily defeat the monsters.”

It was sincere. The magic corps officers and soldiers have been of great help during the last five defenses.

Like the ‘shutdown protocol’, they plotted something else behind the scenes, but it was because Raina informed them through her own mouth and discarded it with her own hands. let’s get past that

“I will not forget your hard work.”

I reached out my hand to Reina.

“I just did what I had to do. Thank you for your words.”

Reina grabbed my hand and shook it up and down without hesitation even though it was a handshake requested by the imperial family. Jjambab is also not normal.

“When are you leaving?”

“It is said that the ecliptic sent an empty ship. It is scheduled to arrive today, but will leave immediately.”

When they sent me down, they sent me by land, and the magic corps are said to be high-quality personnel, and they put me on the airship.

“When you return to the ecliptic, say hello to Fernandez.”

When I mentioned the name of the second brother who was sure to take care of his people, Reina smiled vaguely.

“I have something to report to Her Majesty Fernandez along with regards.”

“?”

“It is true that Your Highness is really only interested in defending the front lines here.”

Reina looked up and took in the desolate scenery around the crossroads.

“In such a barren remote area, he doesn’t miss the splendid life in the ecliptic, and he’s doing his best to defeat the monster.”

“… .”

“They say they really don’t care about matters such as the power or wealth of the central government or succession to the throne. I will report.”

I don’t know if it’s a compliment or a sarcasm. no i don’t know the intention

Reina lowered her voice as I narrowed my eyebrows.

“Did you decree from the ecliptic? The southern front will take a completely independent route.”

“It did.”

I must have heard about it through the intelligence line.

“I hope that what you say is true, Your Highness.”

“… ?”

“Regardless of the power struggle in the upper part, I hope that the front line here will operate purely. And may the day ahead be full of light. I will cheer you on from afar.”

I don’t know what ulterior motive it is. What did you say nice to me?

“It was hard. Farewell Sir Reina. Next time, I would like to meet somewhere peaceful and talk openly, not on a front line like this.”

“haha. It’s nice to hear just the words. It’s somewhere peaceful, not on the frontlines… … .”

Reina looked at the tombstones placed on the grave site and was speechless.

“I wish I could retire soon and spend the rest of my life in a place like that.”

The soldier, who had lived his entire life in war, said that and gave me a square salute.

“It was an honor to be with you. majesty. See you again someday.”

Reina turned around and returned to the crossroads. Since he has to go to Seoul now, he must be packing his luggage.

I watched from a distance the old black military uniform worn by an old soldier and the white robes of the magic corps fluttering above it.

“… .”

I wish Reina the rest of her life to be peaceful. But.

I also know you won’t.