I Became a Tyrant of the Defense Game - Episode 359
◈ 359. [Side Story] Order of convocation (2)
“…….”
Thorkell, leader of the leprosy extermination squad, was standing in front of the temple..
He was wearing his helmet as usual and his entire body was wrapped in bandages, so he could only look at the temple from a distance and not go inside..
He flinched, unable to take a step..
“Hey, Mr. Thorkel.?”
Damian, who was cleaning around the temple with a broom, discovered Thorkel. We got to know each other because we had been exploring dungeons together for the past few days..
“What's going on? Do you have business at the temple??”
“…….”
Thorkel, who hesitated, answered honestly..
“I was feeling frustrated and wanted to ask the goddess something. So I came.”
“Then you can come in.?”
“……But I am a leper. A body abandoned by the goddess. Can I pray at the temple?…….”
“Oh my. Of course it works. You were worried about that.?”
Damien smiled brightly and gestured toward the inside of the temple..
“Come in! Let me guide you..”
“……no.”
Thorkel shook his head and slowly folded his hands in front of his chest..
“If I'm allowed to pray, I'll do it here.”
“How about coming inside and doing it? There is a goddess statue there too..”
“The goddess statue can also be seen from here..”
Thorkel clenched his hands and lowered his head. Damian stayed by Thorkell's side..
At that time, Margerita walked out to the entrance of the temple. She also had a broom in her hand, as if she was cleaning in the morning..
“Damian! Why does it take so long to clean the front door?!”
“Wow, Chief Priest!”
“Lately, he's been acting like a joke, and if he keeps doing this, we'll have to increase the morning cleaning area... … oh.”
Only then did Margerita, who found Thorkel praying, silence her..
Damian laughed awkwardly, and Thorkel slowly released his praying hands and raised his head..
Thorkel and Margerita awkwardly bowed to each other. Margerita, who was embarrassed, asked Thorkel..
“This is the first time I've seen you here unscathed, Mr. Thorkel. What did you pray for today??”
“……Actually, I couldn't pray.”
“yes?”
“I don't know what to pray for.”
Thorkel continued speaking in his characteristic gruff voice..
“Since I had this disease a long time ago. I lived my life secretly praying to the goddess every day. please forgive me.”
“…….”
“Ask for forgiveness for my sins. Please forgive me. Please take this bottle away.”
Thorkel looked down at his bandaged hands..
“But last time, the saint told us. This disease is not like heavenly punishment. It's not because of the sins I committed..”
his hand was clenched.
“So now what should I pray to the Goddess? Who should I ask for forgiveness from? Otherwise, who should I blame??”
“…….”
“Rather, I felt at ease before. I just thought of it as a disease I contracted by mistake. It's okay if I'm someone who deserves to be punished. Because it was enough to blame myself... … . But now.”
Thorkel shook his head..
“I don't know anything. nothing…….”
There was silence.
Damian rolled his big eyes and didn't know what to do..
And the moment Margerita, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened her mouth to say something to Thorkel,,
Shut up! Compactly!
Ash's carriage appeared from across the street..
Squeak-!
Ash stuck out his face from the rough stop of the carriage and waved his hand..
“Thorkell! Damian! It all happened to be here. you are the last!”
“majesty.”
“Prince, what's going on??”
“It's a summons! We'll have a strategy meeting over lunch, so come to my mansion by noon! Oh, there was a saint there too. Please come with us too.!”
Ash then stuck out his tongue and panted, pressing himself against the carriage seat..
“Oh my, I should have just ordered someone to do it, but I started calling them all in the morning for no reason, and I lost all my strength... … Anyway, see you later.~!”
Ash waved his hand, and the carriage started again. Knock knock knock…….
Thorkel, who was watching the carriage moving away, bowed his head to Damian and Margerita..
“……Well then, let me go too..”
“Mr. Thorkel!”
Margerita spoke behind Thorkel as he walked away..
“I will also think about that issue. So, next time, please come to the temple without getting hurt again..”
“…….”
“Okay? I'll wait. please.”
Thorkel silently bowed his head once more and then walked slowly to the other side of the city..
The two priests were quietly watching the scene from behind..
***
“Wow, this is quite tiring..”
I unfastened the front of my clothes and fanned myself with my hands..
I walked around the city in the morning and summoned the heroes, and it was tough... … . I should have just ordered someone to do it. Why do I have to go through the trouble of buying it myself?.
On my way back to the manor house, I saw a busy city and suddenly said to the coachman:.
“for a moment! Stop the carriage!”
The carriage stopped, and the place I got off was right in front of the Winter Silver upper branch building..
The people at the top were busy packing their luggage..
Since I had issued an evacuation order, whenever possible, I was sending out all the civilians in the city to nearby cities..
Perhaps because they were from the top, their luggage was neatly packaged..
Is it because you move often? My packing skills are not average. Would you make money by running a moving company?.
“majesty!”
At that time, Serenade found me and ran to me..
She, too, had sweat on her forehead as if she had been working since morning, and her light-colored hair was tied behind her neck. Her exposed white neck glistens with sweat..
“I was already planning on visiting you in the afternoon. You came first..”
I thought he would be sad if I told him I stopped by while passing by, so I just smiled shyly. haha.
“I'm leaving today?”
“yes. Most of the upper evacuation has been completed, and today I and the last person will go to the northern city..”
Afterwards, Serenade looked to the side and gestured..
“Ah, Elise! Come on! As I said before, please stay by His Majesty's side..”
“…….”
Elise, who appeared dragging her sword across the floor, seemed to be displeased with the situation and reluctantly answered, ‘Yes.’.
I laughed bitterly. Although it may be unpleasant to leave the owner's side, the SSR level inspection is still useful. I'll put it to good use in this battle..
Elise, with a dark face, stood behind me. Serenade nodded her head as she looked at us..
“Although we will be leaving Crossroads for now, we will continue to send military supplies secured from nearby cities to Crossroads..”
“thank you. It's just you, really.”
For reference, we requested reinforcements from nearby cities and countries... … There hasn't been a single answer back yet..
The only support coming from outside the city was mercenaries who came of their own volition, and military supplies brought in by the Winter Silver Merchant Marine. Everyone is so mean…….
“And this time, I also acquired some rather amazing military supplies..”
Serenade smiled brightly..
“We will send it here as soon as possible. I hope I can be of help to you..”
“Oh, I'm looking forward to it.”
I don't know what it is, but if the Winter Silver top is amazing, it must be a pretty good item. Is it something like an SSR grade artifact?.
At that time, Serenade took a step towards me and looked up at me with worried eyes..
“……Your Majesty, I wish you good luck. Don't get hurt.”
“thank you. You too, please be careful..”
I smiled bitterly as I looked at this young lady who came all the way to Mallita Township and even took refuge in the next city because of me..
Serenade looked up at me for a moment, reached out and took my hand, and gently kissed the back of my hand..
Her soft lips fell on the back of my hand, leaving a brief lingering impression..
I was looking at this in a daze and came to my senses late..
“uh… … What does it mean??”
Does this kiss the back of your hand mean something like wishing you good luck??
“No, it doesn't mean anything.”
After answering confidently, Serenade smiled with her silver eyes curved like the moon..
“I just did it because I wanted to..”
“…….”
My face heated up first. Serenade, whose ears were also red, slowly bowed her waist..
“Then, your majesty, by all means. I hope to see you again safely..”
“……okay.”
I have no intention of getting game over in a place like this..
I also answered with confidence..
“See you again, Serenade. please.”
***
At noon. manor house.
Even though only the main heroes and leaders of the reserve party were gathered, the reception room was full..
‘I think we should build a large hall so all the heroes can gather..’
Since there were a lot of people and it was lunch, the meal was simple tea and sandwiches instead of dinner..
“Listen while eating. First of all, I have something to tell you first… … Only for this defense battle, we will change the organization of some parties..”
Lucas and Evangeline, who were chewing their sandwiches, looked at me in surprise..
I nodded. Yeah, it's your story..
“Main party disbands.”
“ancient?!”
“to?!”
“Lucas, Evangeline, Damien, Junior. Each person becomes a party leader and directs their own party..”
Lucas is a swordsman and knight party.
Evangeline is a shield tank party.
Damian is an archer and sniper party.
Junior is a wizard party.
We have selected useful hero characters from among the reserve party members. It was decided to organize them into their own parties..
“We will call them Lucas Party, Evangeline Party, Damien Party, and Junior Party..”
Evangeline shook her head with a shocked expression..
“You really have a great naming sense, senior..”
“shut up. Since it's a temporary party anyway, let's go intuitively..”
This battle will be a large-scale battle the likes of which we have never experienced before..
Enemies are goblins.
It is an army of volume offensive driven by numbers. Instead, each individual object is not that strong..
Therefore, this side also needs to spread its troops widely to maintain its combat superiority..
The main party is certainly powerful, but it is too powerful to be grouped together as one party..
For this battle, I decided it would be better to split it up into smaller pieces..
“As soon as today's meeting is over, please get in touch with your party members. It won't be difficult since we only have friends with similar fighting styles..”
For reference, Elise was included in Lucas' party. I'm already looking forward to the synergy between the SSR-level knight and swordsman duo..
“I'll call you the list now. Have each party sit at the same table and get familiar with each other..”
I called out the list of newly formed parties, and soon the heroes were moving around chaotically and sitting down at their respective tables..
It's like a college group project team meeting for the first time, just glancing at each other.……
I'll give you an A+ grade, so I hope you can quickly overcome the awkwardness and become friends in your own way..
Lucas, who was greeting his party members, looked at me as if he had suddenly remembered something..
“Then who will be in charge of guarding the lord??”
“You don't need my escort. If possible, I won't go to the front line..”
……No, what is it? Why is everyone staring at me like that? You look like you don't believe anything.
Since no one was looking at me with suspicion, I reluctantly added it..
“I'll always bring more than one party anyway, so don't worry about my safety..”
Still, the party members still showed concern... … Okay! These guys! I ignored it and continued talking..
“same here. Two more people are also assigned to the shadow unit. After all, this is a temporary formation only for this defense battle..”
It was difficult for the shadow unit, which currently only had three members, to function as a complete party. So, I added one shield warrior and one archer..
For reference, the selection criterion was ‘how mild is the hostility toward elves?’.
As for the composition of the combination, all you have to do is assist while the three shadow troops project firepower..
The punishment unit, the Dragon Blood Knights, the leprosy extermination unit, and the Holy Grail Exploration Team that promised to provide support will remain in their original formation..
This side is made up of one party, and each person has their own belonging issues..
Afterwards, I looked towards Margerita and said,.
“Holy woman. You won't be fighting this time. Please focus on treating the injured at the temple..”
“All right.”
“Instead, we will build a teleportation gate in the temple. Easily transporting the injured is possible..”
If hero-centered battles were possible, Margerita would be accompanied to the front lines and used as a field medic..
This time, it is expected that casualties among ordinary soldiers will be significant. We decided that it would be better to respond at a temple with well-equipped treatment facilities..
Margerita nodded..
“Expansion of beds and first aid supplies has been completed. This battle, all priests are prepared..”
“Thank you every time. Let’s go through a little trouble this time too..”
In addition to this, we decided to announce various party reorganizations and post the list of reorganized parties outside..
“Well, I said this and that, but in fact, this change in programming may not have any meaning..”
I grinned..
“I set a huge trap that can catch them all..”
“……?!”
All the heroes looked surprised..
Lucas asked back.
“It's a trap?”
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