Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 163
◈ 163. [Side Story] New Terra (2)
After an early dinner.
When I tried to go out of the palace, the guards stopped me..
“This is His Majesty Fernandez's order to wait inside the villa..”
“What are you doing??”
Why do you think I treat you so well? I guess the intention was to lock them in the villa and play only inside..
For now, I calmly returned to my room..
Ash's life itself is a mess, but there's no need to make a fuss about this situation..
‘There's a way to get out quietly!’
I took out the cloak I brought with me from Crossroads..
[Invisibility Cloak (SSR))]
When I put my cloak over my shoulders and looked in the mirror, I saw an empty mirror. It's working properly.
I was worried that I might lose my balance because I couldn't see myself, but fortunately that didn't happen..
My body appeared translucent to my eyes..
‘Okay then…….’
Adjusting the front collar of my cloak, I looked at the bright lights of the city center seen through the annex window..
‘Would you like to go out for a drink downtown?!’
There were many reasons why I was quietly brought to the Imperial Capital, but there was also the purpose of handling matters that could only be handled in the Imperial Capital..
‘I met the architect, contacted Dan Sang, and…….’
mercenary guild!
I have to go pick a hero.!
***
[The stealth provided by [Invisibility Cloak] is level 3..
In other words, detection magic of level 3 or higher will be detected. And this is the imperial palace, the heart of the empire..
Of course, there will be a detection spell at the entrance, so if you do something wrong, you could get caught right away..
But I was lucky. My accommodation was not the main palace, but a detached palace far away on the outskirts..
The level of surveillance was much lower than it would have been if it were natural..
I squatted down next to the wall and quietly stared at the main gate of the villa, which was guarded by guards..
Perhaps it was because my intelligence and magic stats had risen considerably, but when I concentrated, I could roughly sense the magic cast around me..
‘There is a surveillance spell, but... … Is it about level 1??’
We didn't have to wait long and it was time for the guards to change..
The door opened for a moment, and while the soldiers were coming and going, I sneaked out..
‘It's easy, it's easy!’
After that, it was all smooth sailing. Ash's villa was located on the very outskirts of the imperial palace, and the security net that had to be broken through was shallow..
It didn't take long before I was completely out of the imperial palace area and standing at the entrance to the city..
After confirming that there were no eyes around me, I took off my invisibility cloak and looked back at the imperial palace, whistling. I'm going to get some air, Dad.!
***
Walking the streets in person, the city was much bigger than it looked from the sky..
The evening glow permeated the streets where the sun had not yet fully set..
The streets that had been kept clean around the imperial palace became more shabby as you went south, but instead became lively..
The sound of loud conversation rang out, and the smell of alcohol, fire, and bread could be heard from stalls and street vendors spread out here and there..
I pulled down the hood of my robe and crossed the back alley filled with people..
Maybe it was because I was used to the quiet of Crossroads. It's been a while since I've been to a place like this with so many people, so my eyes are watering..
Standing in a quiet place, I took a deep breath and unfolded the map in my arms..
‘Let's see, where should we go?…….’
Since there is a port to the south of the imperial palace, commercial facilities and guilds were naturally built to the south of the imperial palace..
It appears that noble families and the salons and high-end cafeterias that serve them are located to the north of the imperial palace..
‘There is no need for me to worry about class distribution in this city..’
After confirming the destination, I folded the map and put it in my pocket..
There are three places in total that I need to stop by..
It was the architect, merchant, and mercenary guild that I had previously sent a letter to..
The architect is needed for planning the Crossroads tourist city, and the upper part is needed for the Maseok distribution network..
As for the mercenary guild, I'm just looking around to see if I can pick a hero..
The closest of the three was the architect's office. I hurried to get there before it was too late..
***
architect's office.
“come here~!”
bang!
As soon as I kicked down the door and went inside, the architect, who had been looking at the design drawings with a serious face, looked at me in shock..
“Hehe?! Who are you??!”
“Who is it? You are a customer like heaven..”
I took off my hood and smiled..
“You're not going to say I forgot I got your letter, my friend.?”
“If it's a letter... … What about the construction of that hotel at Crossroads? omg! Stand, stand, no way, His Royal Highness Prince Ash……?”
“No way I can catch someone.”
i hold you!
I went to the architect's desk, sat down on the chair in front of me, crossed my legs, and tilted my chin back..
“Hey, let's do something with me..”
Although his attitude was grumpy, I intended to treat the architect properly..
Crossroads is a dangerous place far from the ecliptic and haunted by monsters..
If you work at a place like that, of course they will give you extra pay..
but.
“I'm truly sorry, Your Majesty.…….”
No matter how much I baked or boiled it, the architect flatly refused. I was purely puzzled..
“No, no matter how much money I give you? I won't be able to do it no matter what happens?”
“…….”
“Why are you doing that? There's some other reason?”
“I can't tell you that much. However, if you go to see other architects in the imperial capital, they will all give similar answers..”
There's something different..
I narrowed my eyes, leaned closer to the architect, and lowered my voice..
“good. Then I will quietly leave without saying any more. But just tell me this. What is the reason? Someone threatened you not to take on my job??”
“hic!”
The architect shrugged his shoulders. I guess it's the right answer.
“Hey buddy. I don't know what to say, but I'm Prince Ash..”
I furrowed my eyebrows and muttered something harshly..
“If you don't answer straight... … don't know what might happen?”
“Hee hee hee hee…….”
“Wow!!”
“Heeeeeee! Please save me!”
I scared him and he looked like he was going to burst into tears. Enough joking, I tapped the architect on the shoulder..
“are you okay. If you just tell me this, I won't do anything to you. who? Someone told me not to take care of my work.?”
“That is…….”
In the end, the architect reported his loss..
“‘Because the ‘eldest son’ pressured me not to take on Crossroads’ work no matter what happened.…….”
“……?”
I blinked..
“Big hands? Who is the big man??”
“I-I can't speak, Your Highness. I'm really sorry!”
Then he fell to the floor and started wailing, so I couldn't question him any further and had to leave the architect's office..
It was just as the architect said. People from other offices also bowed down and prayed and rejected my request..
When I got there later, they closed the door and ran away, or even took down the sign. No, you have to do it like this?!
***
The same was true at the top.
When I was building a new distribution network in the game, every merchant I could contact refused to sign a contract with me..
After all my cajoling and threats, they all said one thing..
‘big hand’.
A big player blocked all contracts with Crossroads..
In the end, neither the architect nor the merchant was successful in signing the contract, so I walked down the street and was lost in thought..
‘Who on earth is sabotaging me like this?……?’
It's been a few weeks since I contacted the capital's architect by sending a letter to the top, so word must have spread among industry people in the meantime..
Crossroads is looking for an architect and a merchant..
And a writer called ‘Big Hand’, who heard the rumor, intervened and made things like this..
‘Who are you to have this level of influence??’
I am a prince. No matter how much of a brat he is, he is one of the emperor's three only sons..
Moreover, he is the commander of the Southern Front..
Even though it is a battle front operated solely by mercenaries and without a proper regular army, he is the commander of the empire's defense..
Even though I personally came and asked for a contract, the architect and the merchant risked their lives and refused..
It means that the person called Big Hand is a more dangerous threat than me..
‘Is it Fernandez? Or, the emperor?’
Those two are the ones that come to mind right away. Because they are clearly above me..
But it's too much for those two to step in and stop it... … Isn't it petty??
At best, in a small city on the border, at best, in charge of a small job, at best, an architect, and at best, a superior..
It is difficult to think that the minister or the emperor could have prevented something like this..
Because those two can fuck me more efficiently..
‘Then who on earth……?’
As I walked and thought about it, I found myself in front of the mercenary guild. I swallowed dry saliva and looked up at the building..
Continental Mercenary Guild, New Terra Headquarters.
‘Let me pick a hero character from Dog Story!’
Of course, I know. There will be virtually no mercenaries fighting here..
This is the capital of the empire. It is a city where the imperial standing army is stationed, and it is the most secure place in the world..
It is far from a conflict. There's no way there's a mercenary hunting dog looking for war in a place like this..
This is just a headquarters that oversees mercenary guilds scattered throughout the continent and handles office work..
It would not be a place where you could hire actual mercenaries. but.
‘We can at least figure out where useful mercenaries are staying..’
I came here to find out where SSR grade friends are currently wandering around on the continent..
If you know the material, you can find a way to scout it..
‘And do you know? Is there a high-level hero character waiting for me here? There's always a possibility!’
While thinking, I opened the door to the mercenary guild wide open. Without really expecting much.
however.
flashing-!
“……?”
As soon as I opened the door, dazzling golden light poured out. What are you doing??!
A woman stood in front of the counter of an empty mercenary guild..
The golden halo unique to the SSR grade was emanating from her..
It was a young woman with short navy blue hair and wearing a simple black and white maid's outfit. But what stands out most about her is…….
coffin).
It was a huge black coffin carried on his back..
I was momentarily overwhelmed by this unbalanced and absurd visual, so I opened my mouth slightly..
SSR- level characters all have unique personalities, so their appearance is unique, but what about wearing maid uniforms? What is certain is that this is a character we have never seen before in a game..
“ah.”
She stared at me with her eyes the same navy blue as her hair. Why is his gaze as lifeless as a dead fish?.
She bowed to me, holding the hem of her skirt with a stiff movement like a wooden doll..
“……You are here, Your Majesty..”
“uh?”
“Since you were in contact with the architects and the top, I knew you would come here and was waiting for you..”
There was a spirit in her voice that could not be hidden..
“My master wants to see you. Quietly… … please follow me.”
I could sense that this woman's owner was a 'big man' who persecuted architects and merchants..
At the same time I felt threatened.
A person who can control the merchants of the capital from behind, predict my movements, and call me, a member of the royal family, at will..
this is dangerous.
“Who is your master that orders you to come to me? How dare you be arrogant towards the royal family?.”
The woman tilted her head at my words..
“Won't you follow me??”
“If that's the case?”
“Then there is nothing we can do..”
chin-
The woman placed her hand on the huge coffin on her back..
There was a short handle attached to the top of the coffin, and the woman holding it easily picked up the coffin with one hand. Like a blunt weapon.
“I have no choice but to take him by force..”
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