I Became a Tyrant of the Defense Game - Episode 13
◈ 013. [Side Story] If I draw 100 times, will I get a guaranteed SR ticket??
After instructing Ader on what to do today, Lucas and I left the mansion..
30About a minute later. Lucas and I were standing in front of the mercenary guild..
It's just a mercenary guild, but in reality it's no different from an inn..
This is because it is a place where mercenaries who have not yet been hired by the empire stay, eat, drink, and live..
Mercenaries whose employment has not been confirmed will stay here in the mercenary guild for a while, and if I hire them, they will be transferred to the city, but if I do not hire them, they will leave for another city..
You never know when good talent may come and go, so it's a good idea to stop by often..
Even though it is early in the morning, loud drinking can be heard inside. It's good to sell.
“I will go in first, Your Majesty..”
“no.”
As Lucas spoke while holding the doorknob, I shook my head and took Lucas' hand away from the doorknob..
“I'll go first.”
Then he kicked the door open and went inside..
bang!
“come here~!”
At my rough appearance, the mercenaries who were playing “pour and drink” inside the guild all looked this way..
Those passionate gazes are warm. I guess there are about 100 people.?
“what? It's a guy!”
“Are you crazy because you want to get married?!”
Although the bloody gaze was burdensome, I wasn't scared at all..
Even though the look in their eyes here is scary, they are more docile than the black spiders.,
“I'm going to be your employer.!”
Above all, I am A. You are Eul (乙).
I looked around at the mercenaries and growled..
“What, you bastards. Don't close your eyes?!”
Lucas covered his eyes with his hands. what. what. First of all, I'm a psychopath. Is there anything I can't do like this??
We took long strides into the mercenary guild. I could hear whispers looking at me from all directions..
“3It's Prince Ash.”
“That idiot? If you mess up, you'll all die.?”
“The man who annihilated the troops at the forward base this time…….”
“But they said they killed all the spiders too.?”
I broke through the commotion and calmly headed inside the guild. While scanning the surrounding mercenaries.
‘Is there a shiny guy somewhere??’
The mercenary guild is basically a place to ‘choose’ new characters..
To make it easier for players to recognize them, high-level characters emit a subtle aura within the guild..
R rating is blue. SR grade is purple. SSR grade is gold. Like this.
I walked inside the mercenary guild and tried to find the light. Where are you?!
“……!”
And then I found it.
At the bar inside the mercenary guild, an elderly woman dressed in neat military uniform was sitting..
A soft purple light spread behind her silhouette..
‘It's an SR level character.?!’
What a windfall this is! I approached the mercenary without hiding my smile..
“Welcome to the Crossroads branch of the Continental Mercenary Guild, Your Highness!.”
It was a woman with white hair neatly tied back..
His left eye appears to be missing, covered with a leather eyepatch, and his wrinkled lips hold a large cigar..
I calmly sat next to her..
“May I ask your name, mercenary??”
“Gladly. My name is Jupiter. It's an honor to meet you.”
SR grade lightning attribute wizard, Jupiter!
When I recognized the other person, I cried out in joy. This old lady is already at the mercenary guild!?
I gestured at Jupiter, who saluted politely..
“It's a military uniform I've never seen before. Which country is it from??”
“It belongs to our Everblack Empire. You may be seeing this for the first time since it is a model from several decades ago..”
Jupiter proudly brushed his worn black uniform with his hands. There are more than 10 medals stuck on her chest..
Even though I knew everything, I just exclaimed in admiration for no reason..
“I guess he was originally a soldier of the empire.?”
“30Served 1 year. He even served as the captain of the 2nd Division of the Imperial Magic Corps. After he retired, he has been making money by working as a mercenary..”
“You are a role model for a soldier who devoted himself to his country even after retirement.!”
“That's not necessarily true. I'm only a mercenary because I can't make a living with just my retired military pension..”
Each one. Jupiter laughed. It was a smile like a villain, not a soldier..
“But the mercenary floor wasn't bad either. Since it is a merit-based system and a merit-based system, I am earning enough to spend appropriately..”
“It seems like a lot of money to spend.?”
“This is a bad habit from an old man who has lived his entire life on the battlefield. I don't know when I'm going to die, but I can't even think about saving..”
Jupiter skillfully exhaled smoke from the cigar in his mouth and smiled at me..
“So, Your Highness. What are you doing here??”
“Is there any other reason to come to the mercenary guild? I'm here to hire useful mercenaries..”
“I didn't come to buy a death penalty on behalf of Your Majesty.?”
As Jupiter chuckled, Lucas' hand went up to the handle of the sword..
“grim……!”
“lucas.”
I grabbed Lucas' arm and stopped him..
“Okay.”
“…….”
Lucas reluctantly stepped back. He was still glaring at Jupiter..
“Rumors have already spread widely about the outcome of the battle at the forward base, Your Majesty. It looks like you paid a considerable price for your audacity in your first campaign..”
Jupiter nodded, twirling his cigar with his long, wrinkled fingers..
“It is true that we are bastards who fight for money, but we are not fools who dig our own graves. I have no intention of risking my life following the green little commander..”
“Right.”
I nodded and looked around at the mercenaries in the guild..
“But didn’t you guys come here to sell your lives anyway??”
Some mercenaries flinched at my scathing tone..
“Isn’t that why they came to this extreme front line because they have no means of making a living other than selling their lives? But now I'm scared of selling my life?”
slap!
Facing Jupiter, I put my index finger in front of her face..
“You're not a fool to dig your own grave? That statement is a bit strange, Sir Jupiter.’.”
“yes? what…….”
“Your career is impressive, but in the end, the reason you were discharged was because you were caught hiding behind the military's back. Wasn't that digging my own grave??”
“?!”
Jupiter’s only eye widened. You probably didn't know that I knew everything.
I continued with a grin..
“He touched everything from corruption in the defense industry to smuggling with enemy countries. When my tail was stepped on, I was dishonorably discharged as if I was being chased! And yet, he is still proudly wearing his military uniform. You're so shameless!”
The embodiment of corruption. A corrupt and rotten soldier. Dishonored retiree whose major was canceled.
But his ability as a combatant is real. A heroine better suited to being a pirate than a soldier..
That is this old man, Jupiter, the lightning magician..
Jupiter chewed his lips. The tip of the cigar trembled..
“majesty. Even though it ended badly, I have pride in being an Imperial soldier. Be careful what you say…….”
“How much is it?”
I sneered and cut her off..
“How much can you sell your pride to me??”
“…….”
Jupiter's eyes narrowed. We made eye contact for a moment..
Rather, these people are more trustworthy. Because there is only one principle of action.
money.
only money!
“How soon will you become my hunting dog?.”
Jupiter let out a laugh and brought the cigar he was holding back to his mouth..
“Even though it looks like this, it's a pretty expensive body. I receive 100,000 Adele per year.…….”
“20only.”
Tuk.
A cigar fell on the bar table. Jupiter asked back, as if he couldn't believe her ears..
“yes?”
“I'll give you double. 200,000.”
It may be a high salary for a mercenary, but I am the prince of the empire and the lord of this city..
What's more, I've just sold about 400 high-quality magic stones and got rid of them..
Damn the money?
If you can buy an SR grade hero confirmation ticket, I'll do it for you..
“Your fear of death! I will buy it. I will pay you twice your previous annual salary as a lump sum.!”
Originally, mercenaries were hired on a weekly basis. Because it is the life of a fly that you never know when it will die..
But I was planning to give it away with my annual salary..
I took out a bundle of gold certificates from my pocket..
I counted the certificates in my hands and smiled as I looked around the inside of the guild..
“All you cowards who don't want to sell their lives, get out! However, if you are a real mercenary who wants to make a lot of gold, come to the open space west of the Crossroads this evening..”
I turned around with just one last word. I left the guild while receiving the bewildered gaze of the mercenaries..
Lucas, who quickly caught up behind me, looked back at the closed door of the guild and asked..
“Mercenaries... … Shall we come??”
“then. I'll definitely come.”
This is a monster front where stragglers flow and pool..
The mercenaries all gather together with the dream of getting away with a bang..
For these people, doubling their annual salary would be a tooth-rotting offer that would not be sweet..
Money is scarier than death.
Earth, this world, the truth is the same.
“Even if you don't know about other mercenaries, Jupiter must be recruited. We really need a wide area striker in our party..”
“But according to what your majesty said, she seems like a pretty mean woman..”
“On the battlefield, Lucas. A competent scumbag is more trustworthy than an incompetent moral gentleman..”
Monsters don't care about morality. It just kills the people in front of it..
This is not a situation where morals can be questioned. All you need is the ability to kill monsters.
“……Well, that's a story from the battlefield..”
I smiled bitterly and got into the waiting carriage..
“As a lord, I think I should show some moral courtesy..”
***
The next place I stopped by was a temple..
It was because Lucas was angry that he needed to treat the burns he suffered on the last stage..
It doesn't matter when I fix this, but I also have business at the temple, so I came quietly..
“Welcome, Your Royal Highness. I was waiting.”
A young woman dressed tightly in priestly attire greeted me..
The representative of post-R-rated heroes, Saint Margerita. With a skillset focused solely on heal and shield, he was a top level healer in the game..
‘You can recruit him later if certain conditions are met..’
I didn't come here to recruit him today..
Margerita treated my burns in no time. It felt like it took less than 5 minutes to inspect her body..
“It's done. A slight scar will remain.”
“Thank you, saint..”
I put my bandaged hands together in front of my chest and gestured to Lucas..
Lucas handed me a bag of gold coins he was holding, and I put the whole bag into the offering box..
“Well then, saint, just as I told you in advance,…….”
I sent Damian here in advance last night..
To convey my business. Margerita nodded her head willingly, as if the story had already been said..
“yes. We have invited all priests who currently have empty schedules..”
About a dozen priests who were waiting bowed to me. Among them was Damien..
Damian smiled shyly, and I smiled narrowly..
“Then let's go right away..”
I walked ahead, leading the priests..
“I have a lot to do today. You're going to have a hard time..”
***
That evening. West of Crossroads.
Under a sky colored red by the setting sun, a procession of coffins from the forward base arrived..
As it was not enough to airlift the remaining coffins from Crossroads, some of the troops had to be dispatched to the forest to make coffins..
Soldiers were ordered in advance to dig a grave in the vacant lot in the western wasteland. One by one, coffins were placed in the empty space..
Priests recited a prayer for each coffin..
The coffin was placed in Ken's grave, which was erected in the front. I stared at the scene silently..
The choir sang while watching this process..
It was an impromptu choir that recruited people from not only Crossroads but also nearby villages if they knew how to sing. It was a hasty project, but it was quite acceptable..
La La La… … La la la la…….
A sad and beautiful song rang out..
Citizens flocked to see this scene..
Soldiers lined up in an orderly manner. The imperial flag covered each coffin. Large choir. It was a proper funeral, rare in this city where death is common and lowly..
Above all, compensation to the families of the deceased.
Stories about the amount of compensation spread widely among citizens who came out to see..
Those who were surprised by the amount murmured. Soon the rumor will spread quickly.
‘I have no intention of packaging it..’
As I intended, I smiled bitterly as I saw the citizens shouting in surprise..
Okay, I have no intention of packaging it. This is a show. But it's a reasonable show..
‘Loyalty doesn't come for free.’
Dedication is rewarded. Honor in death.
Only this, reward and honor, creates loyalty.
‘Fighting here on the front must be regarded as a noble mission for humanity..’
Not reluctantly, but willingly. You have to open your chest and fight the monster.
And only then will mercenaries become a real army.
“The newly inaugurated 3rd prince as lord, Ash 'Bornhater' Everblack..”
After a series of ceremonies, I stood in front of the citizens who had gathered like a cloud..
It was a bit ironic that the first meeting between a lord and a citizen was at a funeral..
“That person is the new lord?”
“That damn prince?”
“Looks like you have a dirty personality…….”
Jupiter and mercenaries were seen among the citizens chattering wildly. You came to the right place.
“Let me tell you first..”
Thousands of eyes poured in, but was it because the streamer had a long career? Or is it because the feeling of fear has evaporated while rolling around with monsters??
I wasn't very nervous. The words I had prepared came out smoothly..
“You will continue to die on the front lines.!”
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