Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 183
◈ 183. [Side Story] Independent route (2)
“I understand what you mean, Ash..”
After a long silence, the emperor blurted out:.
“‘Breaking the mold of being trapped in a ‘piece’ and becoming a ‘player’ yourself, that’s quite a deal..”
……peace? player?
Suddenly, a game term appeared. I opened my eyes wide in surprise..
“What does that mean, Abama??”
“I mean it literally..”
The emperor smiled calmly and sat down again..
“On the chessboard called the world, you are not a mere piece controlled by others, but a person who creates your own destiny..”
Before he knew it, he had a chess piece in his hand - a black king..
“Discussing the fate of the world, risking the lives of others through words, and directly fighting for world supremacy - a being on a higher level. Anyone qualified to play chess in person.”
Taaak!
The emperor placed the black king loudly on the arm of his chair..
“That's the player.”
“…….”
“To put it a little more simply, you could also call him a prince..”
I remembered the chessboard next to the throne in the emperor's throne room..
Chessboard, pieces, players.
Then, those who have been calling me a player…….
“You, the youngest, stupidest, and weakest, have grown so much on your own! I'm happy as a father.”
widely!
The Emperor growled as he roughly grabbed the chess piece in his hand..
“However, as an emperor, it is difficult to forgive easily..”
“…….”
“What parent wouldn't welcome their child's independence? This is the imperial family, and you are the emperor. In other words, the declaration of independence on the southern front also means that a certain amount of territory is outside the rule of the empire..”
An eerie light shimmered and spread out from the emperor's entire body..
“Jim is alive with both eyes open, so do you think he would tolerate something like that??”
“……The Southern Front is unmistakably the land of the Empire and Abamama's territory. However, in the next 3 years.”
Instead of being overwhelmed, I stood firm and raised my voice..
“3As a completely independent front for just one year, I ask that you leave the struggle and governance of the area entirely in my hands..”
No matter what I do or do on the southern front, the imperial family will not care. that's what i wanted.
But of course the emperor could not just allow it..
“Why should Jim do that? So, what utility does it have for the imperial family and the empire??”
okay.
In the end, what moves people is not justification, but utility. I have to convince them with that reality..
“We will present the magic stones acquired from the Southern Front to the imperial family..”
The emperor's straight eyebrows furrowed at my words..
“hearthstone? crossroads?”
“yes.”
A source of magic that can be harvested from the body of a monster - Magic Stone is the largest strategic resource produced in Crossroads..
However, most of that production is consumed in the southern part of the continent..
Because Crossroads is located in such a remote area, distribution is not easy..
Merchants in Crossroads take magic stones to other southern cities and countries and sell them. Because there is quite a demand for magic stones there..
but.
“The invasion of monsters is becoming more and more intense. In other words, the amount of magic stones harvested is also increasing..”
After I took office as lord, the production of magic stones exploded. Because monsters are pouring out like crazy..
Right now, the warehouse at Crossroads is full of unsold magic stones..
Not only did I not sell to control profits, but it was also because supply could no longer keep up with demand in the southern part of the continent..
This magic stone is provided to the imperial family free of charge..
……Not all, just about half?
“With this amount of magic stones, you will be able to activate Everblack without having to sacrifice any human beings..”
“…….”
“Then there will be no need to harm innocent lives anymore. There is no need to capture the prisoners of the Bringer Principality or the citizens of the outskirts and burn them for fuel..”
A smile crossed the emperor's lips..
It was difficult for me to guess whether it was a smile of ridicule, cynicism, or some other meaning..
“That's an interesting suggestion. But the distance between the ecliptic and the Crossroads is very long. The roads are not properly paved, and security is unstable. How are you going to distribute the magic stones to the ecliptic??”
My first thought was, wouldn't it be okay to transport it through the sky on an aircraft carrier?.
That can't be possible. Airships are the most important military force that there are only a few ships in the empire..
You can't deliver a package using a fighter plane. In that case, it is clear that he will not accept the magic stone..
Transportation by sea is also difficult. Crossroads is an inland city, and the southern seas are teeming with pirates..
Ultimately, it is an overland route. must be transported by ground.
“It's just as Abama said. Although the national road project is said to be in its final stages, the road to the southern front is not properly paved. Because it was a remote area that was not included in the road project in the first place,.”
“Yes.”
“So, I talked to the owner of Winter Silver in advance..”
Here, you need Winter Silver..
“Winter Silver Merchant Company decided to take responsibility for building a road to the southern front and also take full responsibility for the distribution of magic stones..”
“Hoo…….”
“Winter Silver Sangsang, which has already been in charge of the national road project, will pave the road well to remote areas in the south, and since it is well-versed in securing a distribution network, Maseok will also be transported safely to Hwangdo..”
The smile on the emperor's lips deepened..
Not paying attention, I turned my eyes to Larque..
“In addition, the Winter Silver Merchant Marine promised to supply supplies needed for the Western Front at cost price..”
A look flashed across the face of Lark, who was listening with his arms crossed..
“Then there will no longer be a need to burn the Principality of Bringer. There would be no need to plunder innocent citizens..”
This time I looked at Fernandez..
“Additionally, the information gathering power of Winter Silver's upper management is at a considerable level. There are informants all over the country. Right now, the information sources for the words I said today are all from the top of Winter Silver..”
Of course, the information that Winter Silver brought was only fragmented information, but.
As I am fully aware of the various events that will occur in this world in the future, I was able to figure out the truth without difficulty..
“…….”
Fernandez is still glaring at me, as if he was quite offended that he had discovered what Ambu had been doing in the imperial capital..
I smiled at Fernandez..
“The Aegis Special Forces seems to have a lot of gaps due to the hasty expansion..”
said the emperor. It is said that the Aegis Special Forces tripled in size to maintain the central front..
Due to the rapid expansion of the organization, many gaps were exposed..
The priest who was being used as a spy is discovered, the attempt to kill Serenade by fire fails, and even detailed information is leaked to the private sector.…….
The name ‘Special Task Force’ has become meaningless and sloppy..
Repair is needed.
Fernandez, the commander of the dark side, must feel this more keenly than anyone else..
“If the Winter Silver Merchant Marine cooperates in gathering information from the Dark Department, it will help fill in the gaps..”
“…….”
“Then, instead of blindly arresting and torturing innocent citizens, we can definitely hunt down suspicious criminals..”
The emperor, who had been quietly listening to my story, is now smiling and showing his teeth..
“ash. my son What you mean, in short, is that keeping the Wintersilver family alive will not only benefit all four fronts, but also eliminate the need for innocent lives to be lost??”
“That's right.”
“So, I'm asking you to cancel your plan to eat the top and save your ex-fiancée.?”
I nodded honestly..
“That's right.”
“Ahahahaha!”
The emperor smiled brightly and stared at me intently..
“Your offer seems tempting at first glance, but why bother? It's okay to kill the countess, eat her upper class in the royal family, and then do it.?”
- These are things I can do after killing you and taking over the southern front from the imperial family.?
I felt that kind of implication..
“There is no need to kill and take over..”
I shrugged calmly..
“The current usefulness and efficiency of the Winter Silver Merchant Marine are all due to the fact that the Lady of Wintersilver is leading the merchant merchant as the owner of the merchant..”
The current usefulness and efficiency of the Southern Front comes from my leadership as commander..
“There is no need to complicate the process of removing the Countess and putting someone else in her place, thereby reducing efficiency. Even if you leave me alone, I will be loyal to the imperial family anyway..”
There is no need to reduce efficiency by removing me and replacing him with another Southern Front commander..
After all, the southern front is the land of the empire..
“The Countess and Winter Silver tops will be useful. On all four fronts and here in the Empire.”
I will also be useful to you..
There is no one who can control the southern front better than me..
There is no one who can kill monsters more efficiently than me, or mine magic stones and give them to me..
“Please save the top of Winter Silver. Also, please allow the southern front to take its own route..”
acknowledge my usefulness.
Also, acknowledge the usefulness of serenades..
Me and Serenade - your empire needs it.
“…….”
The emperor withdrew his smile and glared at me expressionlessly..
It was a golden gaze that seemed to scan not my appearance, but my soul. I caught his gaze without backing down..
“good night.”
Finally the emperor said.
“However, the decision will not be made by you, but after meeting the Countess of Wintersilver. Where is the Countess??”
“You haven't come to the party yet.”
Fernandez's eyes flashed sharply..
“A special task force has been dispatched. You won't come back alive..”
“well.”
I grinned..
“You'll have to watch to find out.”
***
And the serenade arrived at the grand banquet hall..
Even though I looked like a mess, I came here despite going through hardships to keep my promise..
Before going to be serenaded, I first approached Princess Yun..
He knelt down on one knee in front of her and gently took her hand..
“I'm sorry, Yoon..”
Princess Yoon's eyes widened at the sudden apology..
“It was short but fun. But I guess we're done here.”
“……?”
Astonishment suddenly filled Yun's bright yellow eyes. You're quick-witted, this princess..
“No way, as soon as they announce their engagement, I’m dumping them.?”
“That's it..”
“No, I didn't say you were going to marry me.?”
“I'm sorry, I've never said that before..”
I told my brothers that I would break off my engagement with Winter Silver, and that I would meet you. She never said she would accept marriage?
“The engagement announcement was also something Abama did on her own, and she never gave the OK sign. I had fun dancing, but.”
“no…….”
“You also regret this marriage, right? I hope you meet a man with nice muscles of your taste, not a badass with a bad reputation like me..”
I slowly stood up in front of Princess Yoon, who was frozen with her mouth open..
“Don't worry. The alliance between the Aryan Kingdom and the Empire will be strong. A functional alliance through a clean contract, not through an old-fashioned arranged marriage. Let's go for a cool and refreshing relationship like the snow falling in the summer..”
“…….”
When she returned it exactly as she said it, Yun was dumbfounded and finally said,.
“Prince Ash. You're such a flirtatious son of a bitch..”
I shrugged..
“That's what I always hear.”
Then I went down the platform and walked towards Serenade, who was standing in the middle of nowhere..
***
today.
In the middle of the party, with everyone's eyes on me.
As I serenaded and danced barefoot, I whispered softly in her ear..
“……This is the conversation between me and Abamama..”
I told Serenade the conversation that took place at the guardian meeting a little while ago, without adding or subtracting anything..
Serenade quietly listened to my story while waltzing softly with me..
The complexion is pale, but the silver eyes are sharp..
“serenade. This is the final ordeal you must pass..”
For you to survive. And for me to survive.
The song is ending.
Before ending the dance, I made direct eye contact with Serenade and asked,.
“I'm ready to take on the highest man in the land?”
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