"If this strategy fails to bring down father, what then?"
Scalian said this meaningfully, idly waving a large fan in hand.
On the opposite side, Parekian had attached a fan to one of its six legs and was also gently waving it.
The recipient of the fanning was Violet, who sat in a fancy wheeled chair, sipping through a straw connected to a drink, fanned from both sides.
With her eyes fully relaxed, Violet suddenly made a strange sound like "Bleh~."
"So good~"
"..."
Violet, what are you doing?
She's categorized as reserve in this Black Dragon subjugation, so she won't be on the front lines... but why is she so utterly relaxed?
"Huh?!"A beat later, Violet snapped to her senses and flailed her limbs.
"Help, your Majesty! These dragons are coddling me too much! Before I knew it, I was indulging every whim...!"
"No matter how I look at it, you shouldn't be so broken down..."
Even a real princess wouldn't end up like that, geez. I clicked my tongue.
"Come now, Miss Violet. No need to think about other bothersome things. Just leave it all to us, and relax. There..."
"Oh no... I am... the leader of the Gambler's Club, Vi...olet..."
With those words, Violet spaced out and even began drooling from the corner of her mouth. She's completely gone.
Ignoring the severely pampered Violet, I turned to face Scalian.
"Scalian. Do you feel this plan is lacking?"
"No... I think it's well crafted. You've probed into father's only weakness as much as humans can, using your only known method."
Scalian narrowed his eyes and smiled.
"But, will that be enough?"
"..."
"Do you think your 'best' will be enough to bring down father? I don't think so."
"If our best isn't enough, then what should we do?"
"I've said it before. I initially believed you wouldn't be able to bring down father."
Scalian looked down at Violet, still fanning her, seemingly with affection.
"More than your best... perhaps something combined with chance, luck, and a miracle might be necessary."
"..."
I know.
That the tactics from the game alone are no longer enough to fully defeat these monsters.
This was proven with the King of Flies and became clear while facing the Black Dragon Legion. The transcendent will of these monsters had already torn through my playbook and escaped.
'So... what can I do?'
Beyond preparing diligently based on the information I have.
What else am I capable of doing?
"As promised beforehand, I will fight faithfully in this battle as you have directed."
Scalian said, brushing back his long bangs.
Yes. Instead of fighting and killing each other, Scalian had promised to fight his own father on our side.
Scalian's special abilities are focused on defense and evasion. They will be crucial in preserving the lives of our allies in this Black Dragon subjugation.
"How you will fight father, and how it will end. I want to see it up close."
"..."
I had always wondered, so I just asked.
"Scalian. If we do manage to bring down your father, you would enjoy watching that process, right?"
"Of course. Where else would you find such a thrilling story? A tale of humans defeating an indomitable evil dragon, ha..."
"Then, what if. If we utterly fail and are horrifically annihilated... Would that also be enjoyable for you?"
There was a brief silence.
Scalian hesitated as if caught off guard, sending a sheepish nerdy glance over his glasses.
"To be honest, that would be much more to my taste."
"..."
"When the noble history of humanity, their dignified will, is shattered into pieces and trampled like insects before overwhelming violence."
Listening to him, I clenched my jaw.
"If my beloved heroes despair, cry, and eventually die trembling in fear... Oh, what could be more entertaining than watching that right beside them?"
Even imagining it made Scalian shiver.
I didn't hide my disgust as I spit out my words.
"You're a pervert just like your father."
"Hahaha. It can't be helped. I've been holed up in the Lake Kingdom's library for hundreds of years, and I've seen too many stories end happily. I'm sick of them."
This hipster, nerdy kid...
Scalian shrugged.
"Defeating the evil dragon and living happily ever after~ is too cliché and boring. I find fresh and cruel tragedies much more entertaining."
"You're clearly not on our side."
"I never said I was on your side. Didn't I tell you? I'm part of the Black Dragon Legion. I wish for the world's destruction."
Scalian scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"However, while you fight my father, I want to watch that battle from the closest VIP seat, so I'll stand with you."
"..."
"So, Ash. If you don't want your long fight to end in tragedy... it would be wise to prepare more variables."
"..."
"The gap between my father and you humans is still vast. My prediction is that it will end too easily with a bad ending."
Scalian winked and then dragged away the chair Violet was sitting on. Parekian followed him closely.
As I watched the captured beasts move away, I turned to the side.
Dusk Bringar looked up at me with a worried gaze, still not fully recovered and wrapped in bandages.
"Are you okay, Ash?"
"...Your Highness."
Are you really okay, considering your injuries, is it really not too much to go into the next battle...
Those kind thoughts swelled in my throat, but I forced them down.
After closing and opening my eyes, I finally brought up the cruel story I had postponed.
"Please explain in detail about 'becoming a dragon'."
"...!"
Dusk Bringar's face went pale.
***
The next day.
Magic Condensers were distributed to all members of the expedition, and the heroes began training to convert their magic into light.
Depending on each person's magic, different colors of light lined up like spotlights, coloring the training field. As champions of reversal, they adapted quickly.
"..."
As dozens of beams of light dispersed and then converged at one point on a signal, someone approached me from behind.
I knew who it was without turning around because I had summoned him.
"King Poseidon."
"..."
Standing behind me was the merman king, King Poseidon, with his blue hair and beard.
I glanced at him.
"The resolve you conveyed to me before, it still holds, right?"
"..."
He didn't bother to answer. It meant there was no need for more words.
I sighed.
"You must come with me. Just the two of us, and keep it a secret from the others."
"...Where are we going?"
"To beneath the Lake Kingdom."
Even during serious training, the heroes began to play, shooting light at each other's faces, creating strange expressions with shadows, or using their fingers to cast shapes of dogs or crabs on the walls.
Watching their childish but endearing antics, I chuckled and then turned completely to face King Poseidon.
"We need to meet some people to prepare 'variables'."
King Poseidon's stern face finally nodded deeply.
"Anywhere you say. If there's something I can help with."
***
After several preparations...
Time cruelly passed, and it was suddenly the day before deployment.
Today was the day of the deployment ceremony.
It seemed a bit much for a deployment ceremony... but since the fate of the world was at stake and various kings were gathered here, we decided to hold it.
Hotel Crossroad. Hall.
All the kings, monarchs, and generals of the World Guardian Front gathered before the ceremony to chatter and share stories.
"So, we in the North have already done enough, haven't we?"
Blatantly trolling... one king was lighting up the room.
Miller Ariane, the king of the Ariane Kingdom and father of Yun, spoke out.
"Why should the North bleed so much for the monster outbreaks in the South? Even if the monsters breach this fortress, it has nothing to do with us in the North, does it?"
Reiterating an old argument once more, he was thoroughly ruining the atmosphere.
"My nation has lost its one and only airship, and numerous elite warriors have perished. Even my beloved youngest daughter is dying. What more losses do you expect us to endure?"
"..."
"We will withdraw from this senseless fight without proper compensation. You would all do well to consider your positions too!"
It's said that a person's true nature emerges in a crisis.
With destruction imminent, such a textbook troll had emerged. Oh dear.
'The problem is, this gentleman's words carry some weight.'
The kings and soldiers gathered at Crossroads were visibly frightened.
With the day disappearing and the sun blurred, this unprecedented phenomenon was causing morale to plummet and courage to slip quietly away.
The weather turned colder, the wounds left by the King of Flies were deep, and the terror spread by the Black Dragon permeated the city along with the darkness.
The once solid alliance was easily softening before an irrational fear.
People wanted to flee, and the King of Ariane was leading the charge, further widening the cracks in our fragile unity.
And now, it was my time to step in.
"Ahem!"
Clearing my throat, I approached the kings. The startled kings all turned to look at me.
"Prince Ash...!"
"Good morning, everyone. It's quite dark for morning."
I looked at the King of Ariane and pulled out a letter from my coat.
"This is the will of Princess Yun Ariane, who had served as the proxy ruler of the Kingdom of Ariane for the World Guardian Front. It was entrusted to King Kuilan and then passed on to me."
Kuilan, who had followed me, nodded. I smiled slightly.
"Yun asked that this be read in front of you all. So, I intend to do just that."
I unfolded the letter before the King of Ariane could say more.
"There are parts meant for her family and some for Kuilan, which I'll pass on for you to read privately... But there’s also a will addressed to me, which I intend to read."
Clearing my throat again, I began reading Yun's will.
"Prince Ash, when you commanded me to write this, I pondered what to say."
Yun's handwriting was as bold and clear as her personality.
"If a warrior representing the North, and one of the foremost heroes of the World Guardian Front, has fallen, it means the front lines are in dire straits and the monster invasion is perilous."
Her self-praising tone was typical, confident without hesitation.
"As desperate as the situation is, people will be afraid. They are not cowards; it is natural to feel fear in the face of monsters. I was very afraid too, even as I write this."
"..."
"To fight and overcome that fear is what makes the struggle here great."
The kings influenced by the King of Ariane's fanning looked at each other. Pretending not to notice, I continued reading.
"Heroes, soldiers, kings, and civilians—all can have moments of weakened courage. As a commander of the World Guardian Front, Prince Ash, please continuously reassure and care for them."
The next part made the King of Ariane's face turn scarlet.
"Especially someone like my father."
"What...?!"
"If I fall, my father will try to withdraw our troops. He is someone who doesn’t like to suffer losses. Because he fears losses."
The King of Ariane tried to shout to stop my reading but paused at the next sentence.
"But in truth, he is braver than anyone. He knows how to pursue the greater good, not just petty profit and loss."
"..."
"Please hold him back. Rekindle the courage that lies dormant within him. Prince Ash, you can do it, as you have for many others, including me."
How she had pre-written such aptly targeted content in her will was beyond me.
Knowing what kind of man her father was and how he would act if she fell, she was able to write such a letter.
I continued reading, meeting the King of Ariane's gaze.
"If he misses out on this great battle unfolding here, if he steps back due to immediate losses and fears, he will surely regret it later."
"..."
"As the princess of the Ariane Kingdom, I ask you. Even after I have fallen, please encourage Ariane, the North, and all nations to continue fighting."
Having already memorized the rest of the content, I set down the letter and continued to read while looking around the assembly.
"Many will fall after me. Many tears will be shed and much blood will flow."
"..."
"I hope you do not think of this as a loss. I hope you do not see it as a failure. This battle is beyond such calculations."
I closed my eyes and bowed my head.
"As an ordinary human, it was an honor to participate in this great war to protect the world. Prince Ash, I wish you fortune in my stead."
That was how Yun's will ended.
The assembly was engulfed in silence.
There were more personal details in the content, like when we first met at the New Terra ballroom, how my cooking was terrible, how she never had luck in love after I turned her down, to take good care of Kuilan, and other trivial matters... but there was no need to read those out loud.
"Before this deployment ceremony, I considered writing a declaration of war myself, but that proved unnecessary."
I lifted my head and smiled lightly as I looked around at the kings.
"Princess Yun has written such an admirable declaration for us."
--TL Notes--
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