Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 612
◈ 612. [Side Story] The last festival (2)
Squeak-
Two glasses on the table were filled with wine.
Emperor and Grand Duke.
The two rulers shared a glass with each other and smelled the scent. Dusk Bringer spoke first..
“It smells nostalgic.”
“What you liked before... … Everblack is a western wine..”
“There's nothing difficult to say. Isn’t this the wine made on the border between the principality and the empire?.”
“you're right. This is a bottle produced there this summer..”
Dusk Bringer raised his glass and looked at the red color of the wine reflected in the sunlight..
“The entire border area there must have been burned, but they managed to produce wine..”
“More than a year has already passed since the war between the two countries stopped. The farm was quickly restored..”
“Hmm, is this a fruit grown in soil filled with blood and ashes?…….”
Dusk Bringer held the wine in his small scarlet lips for a moment, then swallowed it with his slender throat..
“I thought it would taste like blood, but it was just sweet. Ha, right.”
“do you like it?”
Not only the taste of wine.
The question was whether you liked the aftermath of the war between the empire and the principality..
The Everblack Empire provided full support for the restoration of the Bringer Principality. Generous compensation was paid and manpower and materials were provided..
This wine, produced again in the border area between the two countries, was a symbolic token of that..
“…….”
Dusk Bringer kept his mouth shut..
No matter how sincere the Everblack Empire apologized, the anger in their hearts would never go away. A trampled life, a shattered honor, cannot be brought back..
But I have no choice but to accept that apology..
Because a king must live for the brightness of tomorrow, not for revenge of yesterday. Because he is in a position to look at the joy of the living people, not the sorrow of his dead subordinates..
Other fallen kings gathered in the World Defense Front were also in the same situation as Dusk Bringer..
Emperor Traha and the Everblack Empire contacted them from behind the scenes and forcibly washed away the past silver lining and offered peace that they could not refuse..
This was the reason why the emperor deliberately visited a few days early ahead of the festival..
Negotiations with the fallen kings gathered here at the front have largely been concluded..
While the World Defense Front was fighting desperately against monsters, world politics was being reestablished from the bottom up..
“sister. I will make Ash the next Emperor.”
The emperor held his cup, inhaled the incense, and exhaled quietly..
“To that end, I will take on all the darkness that remains in the empire..”
“…….”
“Ash is brilliant. But it's pure. That purity may lead to fame, but it alone cannot rule the world..”
soft.
It's extremely fragile.
From the banner we hold up to the ideals we wish to protect,…….
‘Everyone who tries to communicate is a person, and if they are someone, I will protect them all..’
The emperor laughed..
Everyone is fighting together here, captivated by that fragility, that purity, that cause, but in the end, it is only effective as long as the common enemy exists..
Once the common crisis of monsters disappears, the world will once again become a competition where people bite each other. The emperor wanted to prepare for that time in advance..
“That kid... … I don't know the darkness. Purity will be needed to protect the world right now. But the hundred years beyond require darkness..”
“…….”
“I will go into that darkness instead. I will carry all the hatred and resentment that Everblack has sown and be buried together..”
Dusk Bringer grinned and cast a sharp gaze..
“Aren't those stories all about after saving the world from destruction??”
“It is the prince's responsibility to prepare for the future..”
“It would be his responsibility as a prince to defeat the enemy at hand. Monsters are not easy enemies. In particular, the following enemies… … Even more.”
Next enemy - Black Dragon.
Dusk Bringer remembered that existence and bit his lip, then looked at the emperor again..
“As long as Ash is the commander of this front line, the child's life will continue to be in danger. How about worrying about that first??”
“That's why I gave the Glory Knights to Ash..”
The emperor nodded heavily..
“That knighthood will protect Ash. Even if it means covering that child with darkness,.”
“…….”
Dusk Bringer, who was silent for a moment, sighed and shook his head..
“They are not knights. Anything can be brought down to darkness for the sake of the empire's brightness... … Aren’t they evil spirits?.”
Demon of the Empire.
It was another derogatory term for Glory Knights. And when that name came out, the emperor burst into laughter..
“Aren't you the one who turned the Glory Knights into an order of evil spirits??”
“…….”
Dusk Bringer lowered his amber eyes..
The Principality of Bringer was originally the shield of the Everblack Empire, and fought on the front lines when the empire went to war..
The position of leader of the Glory Knights of the Imperial Guard has been held by Archduke Bringer for generations..
Therefore, Dusk Bringer was also the leader of the Glory Knights at one time..
A hundred years ago, during the racial war, Dusk Bringer, as the Grand Duke of Bringer and leader of the Glory Knights, took the lead in trampling and burning the countries of other races - while protecting the emperor..
“……The emperor at the time had requested.”
And in this fierce war.
In the face of a desperate counterattack by the allied forces of different races, with dozens of loyal knights dying, and after overcoming death several times, the emperor requested her..
“We need a force that will never give up..”
Invincible).
You don't have to be the strongest. Just never lose and maintain the front line... … A force capable of protecting the emperor was absolutely necessary..
“The blood of a guardian dragon who swore to protect the empire flows through my body. I am… … At that time, the emperor's request could not be refused..”
Curses, magic, and forbidden arts)…….
and hemorrhage.
By all means possible, dark and dirty.
The Glory Knights, once a simple Imperial Guard, were reborn as undefeated monsters that would never be defeated..
And the person responsible for creating this was none other than Dusk Bringer..
“The darkest shadow among the many darknesses of the empire... … That is Glory Knights. And you were once the leader of that darkness..”
“Because I knew it was the right thing to do at the time..”
Dusk Bringer was also young..
It was a hundred years ago now, and I was only about twenty years old at the time..
The young Dragon Lady was young, and the country she inherited from her predecessor, the Grand Duke, was engulfed in war..
I had to do something, and I easily reached out to the darkness..
The knights created were powerful, and in the end, the empire and principality won..
…….
His messy life continued, and the messy legacy he left behind at that time was also twisted and distorted..
Under the name of patriots, in the guise of evil spirits.
“It's not just politics that needs darkness. The same goes for battlefields..”
Dusk Bringer glared bitterly at the dark red goblet, but Traha spoke softly..
“Just like Glory Knights, you too... … I believe that you will bear the darkness on Ash's behalf..”
“joy.”
Dusk Bringer snorted..
“Your youngest son will shine even in the dark.”
Ash was never foolishly innocent..
The young prince experienced countless deaths and realized his limitations..
I knelt before the harsh reality, became frustrated, and even broke down, blaming my own weak beliefs..
And, nevertheless… … I stood up again.
That's why that innocence was more valuable..
The great thing was the goodness that never gave up even after experiencing the cruelty and bitterness of the world, and that even after throwing it away once, it held on again..
As an emperor, a grand duke, and a politician, he willingly became a villain. This was because I had already realized that ideals, although beautiful, were childish complaints that were difficult to carry out..
But they both vaguely knew.
That is the excuse of someone who has given up.
Because maintaining purity is difficult, because it is painful, because it hurts, and above all, because the benefits are not great.…….
Those who let go are probably the weak ones..
The fact that the young prince who is still struggling to hold on to his innocence may be the real powerhouse..
“At the light your son emits, at that glare... … The evil spirits may also be colored and influenced, melting away and disappearing..”
Like the warmth of a bonfire in the autumn field as winter approaches…….
‘iced coffee.’
Suddenly, Dusk Bringer closed his eyes and recalled that day two years ago..
- Thank you for your hard work coming a long way... … Well, welcome back..
- Let's come to Crossroads, a unique route for everyone who fights monsters in the southern fortress city..
The warmth the boy gave off that day was really warm.…….
Just like this, I couldn't even control my body and just melted away..
Traha cautiously asked Dusk Bringer, who was gulping down the rest of his drink..
“Even you. Are you going to melt away like that??”
“…….”
“Like the previous princes... … Are you going to scatter like foam??”
widely.
Dusk Bringer, who placed the empty glass on the table, smiled sagely..
“I've lived too long, Traha.”
“sister.”
“you live long Live long, and carry the darkness of the Empire instead of Ashe, as you said. Carry as much as you can carry..”
Traha had a hunch.
The fact that this place, now, is the turning point of fate.
To the world, and to the Dragon Blood Duke in front of me who had the appearance of a girl.…….
“Instead I... … As you said, guard the fire next to the child..”
the world is dark.
After this fall, winter is just around the corner. The rain will sting, the wind will be cold, and the frost will bite your flesh..
Winter night is coming. The master of the night - the Night Bringer himself will cast the curtain..
Just like putting fire back to stop a fire. If you need darkness to keep darkness at bay, then yes. I am willing to be the leader..
Mistakes left by my past self... … Even the evil spirits of the empire can be dragged in if necessary..
I will guard this little campfire..
Dusk Bringer made a promise, and Traha could read its meaning without having to say it..
From then on, the two rulers exchanged drinks in silence..
“I remember the day I first met the ancestral archduke, Day-Bringer..”
Dusk Bringer whispered softly as he inhaled the scent of the last drink..
“That day was also the day of the fall festival..”
“What was the festival like a century ago??”
“How is it different from now? Drink, dance, sing, and…….”
Dusk Bringer was about to say something but paused and then laughed..
“This is how the last festival of my life goes..”
“What are you saying? It's just beginning.”
The emperor stood up and stretched out one arm..
“Please go, sister. It will be a festival day and night for the next three days. Go laugh and have fun. No, you should..”
“…….”
“After a long time, I will be your escort..”
Dusk Bringer, who was looking up at the emperor with pointed eyes, let out a sigh..
“I like your son much more than you.…….”
“ha ha ha! Please be sure to check your conscience before going out..”
“okay. Well, let's say chicken instead of pheasant. Shall we go?.”
Lightly put on a cape over your negligee, slip your feet into comfortable sandals, and.
The Dragon Lady walked out together, escorted by the Emperor..
And I started walking slowly towards Crossroads in the afternoon, where the festival was in full swing..
***
“Everyone looks happy.”
Honey from Inn Eti. on the roof.
Hecate was dressed in a dress, wearing a hat with a large brim, and a white parasol draped over her shoulder... … She was sitting on the roof with her mat spread out.
“…….”
She surveyed the cityscape with dim eyes..
People laughing, talking, drinking, and being happy.
“Yes, I decided to become like this to protect this kind of scenery..”
The faint smile slowly faded from Hecate's lips..
“But, still…….”
In a plaza not far away, Lucas was seen having a drinking contest among the heroes gathered together..
The silver-red werewolf sitting opposite him downed several beers in succession with great excitement, and then seemed to have reached his limit and fell backwards..
Cheers erupted from everyone around him, and Lucas stood up from his seat and raised his empty glass in the air... … Then he fell down with a crash to the side..
People burst into laughter, and a brown-haired priest ran over to Lucas, who was stretched out to his side, and cast a healing spell..
The platinum-haired girl knight quickly began scribbling on Lucas' face with a pen, and the cone-hatted wizard brewed a hangover-relieving drink next to him..
The black-haired lord who was watching this scene - Ash was laughing while holding his stomach, and then his shoulders trembled as other heroes approached him and laughed evilly..
Ash let out a long scream as he was dragged into the next drinking contest. Everyone chanted Ash's name and mixed all kinds of alcohol into his glass..
Hecate, watching the joy and happiness of her former classmates, buried her face in her arms..
Between the long sleeves of her dress and the white gloves, a bandage with magic characters on it suddenly appeared..
Smelling the horrible smell of blood coming from his own body... … Hecate muttered lowly..
“……I feel like being a little grumpy.”
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