◈ 010. [STAGE 0] End of tutorial
– Hyung!
A single message appears in the empty chat window.
– He’s really great. how did you break this?
I was speechless.
I didn’t know how to respond to the message from the first viewer after starting the broadcast.
One more message came up in my field of vision as I stood still in bewilderment.
– I’ll keep it for fun. Will you broadcast again next time?
and… .
… And what did I answer
***
“Whoops!”
I opened my eyes.
As I tried to forcefully raise my sweaty upper body, a burning pain ran through my arms and shoulders. Heck!
“Oh, it hurts… .”
I held back my screams and lowered my vision to see my condition.
Bandages were wrapped all over the upper body. Her hands were completely sealed like a mummy, so she couldn’t even lift a finger.
“What is this again… .”
“You’d better take a little more rest, Your Highness the Prince.”
As I was examining my immobile body, I heard a soft female voice.
“Damian treated it with healing magic, but the burns are deep and it will take a while to fully heal.”
Surprised, I looked that way.
While sitting on the bed next to me, I am writing down a pile of paperwork… … A red-handed wizard appeared.
I stupidly muttered her name.
“Lily?”
“You slept for three days, Your Highness.”
Lily put down her quill and smiled.
“I thought you would never wake up after defeating the Black Spider Corps.”
“live… left.”
“Thanks to His Highness’s command.”
Lily shrugged and shook the papers in her hand.
“How would you like to hear the report? Or would you like some more rest?”
I wanted to rest because my whole body was aching, but now I was more urgent to listen to the report. I requested a briefing on the current situation.
“The last bombardment killed the Spider Queen and the Black Spider Corps remained inactive.”
Lily spoke succinctly, starting with the results.
“We have won, Your Highness.”
“… .”
“All of the survivors were injured, but fortunately there was Damian, a healer… The next day, reinforcements arrived as we were giving first aid to the injured and doing maintenance.”
Lily pointed out the window. I saw the soldiers moving busily.
“Reinforcements have recovered the corpses of our allies and cleaned up the frozen spiders. Now, the probation is over.”
“… Right.”
Only then did I feel a little bit real.
Survived.
Really barely on this damn tutorial stage.
“His Highness suffered severe burns on his hands, arms, shoulders, and neck.”
Lily calmly told me about my injury.
“When you return to the Crossroads, you will have to visit the temple. But even if it is cured, the scars will remain.”
“A scar is cheap compared to life.”
It was sincere. If I could survive, only burns or scars were the medals I was glad to receive.
I let out a sigh of relief when I suddenly saw Lily. Lily also had bandages wrapped around her upper body.
“Lily, your injuries… ?”
“When I ran out of mana at the end, one of the spiders scratched my back. Although the queen died shortly thereafter and was not attacked anymore.”
Lily smiled bitterly and rubbed her leg.
“At that time, I couldn’t move the lower part of my body, probably because the nerves in my back were injured.”
“… .”
“Nothing to worry about, Your Highness.”
Lily said calmly to me who was at a loss for words.
“Because I’m just grateful that I survived.”
“… .”
I didn’t know what to say, so Lily changed the topic in front of me stuttering.
“The survivors are 4 artillerymen. Lucas. Damian. I. and His Highness the Prince. The ideal is all power.”
“… .”
8 people.
There were hundreds of them before the last battle. Only 8 people.
“Kuh… .”
I gritted my teeth and put my bandaged hand on my forehead.
Could there have been another way?
Could there have been a trick I hadn’t thought of?
Wouldn’t there be a way to save even one more person… … ?
“Your Highness the Prince. Your Highness is not a god.”
Lily spoke cautiously to me, who was in pain.
“There was no way to save everyone in that situation. Her Highness did her best.”
“… But I was the one who brought the troops here in the first place.”
Although it was Ash who did it, not me. It wasn’t even a situation where I could excuse myself for not doing it.
Since I entered Ash’s body, that was something I had to take responsibility for.
“majesty. No one knew that an army of black spiders would appear here. Nobody knew that the monsters would move on a large scale in a few decades. That’s why no one stopped Her Highness from marching.”
Lily looked at me and comforted me.
“His Highness’ mercenary skills may have been reckless, but they weren’t unreasonable. In the last battle, he showed his wits and carried out bold operations, and in the end he even won.”
“… .”
“so… Don’t beat yourself up too much.”
I bit my lower lip.
It was then. I opened the door to the hospital room and Lucas came in and looked at me and widened his eyes.
“majesty!”
Lucas gasped and ran to the side of my bed.
It feels like a big Golden Retriever is running around with a big, distracting guy like that.
“Lucas.”
“I’m so glad you woke up, Your Highness… … .”
Lucas, who came and stood next to me, had tears in his eyes.
“Where are you uncomfortable? I’ll call Damian right away.”
“No, it’s okay. I can bear it.”
I smiled and pointed at the bandages wrapped around Lucas’ body.
“Aren’t you also pretty badly injured? Can I go around like this?”
“You know? I’m a guy whose forte is being strong.”
well that’s it Because you are an SSR rank knight.
Still, seeing her unharmed made me feel relieved. Lucas smiled shyly and took out a stack of papers from his pocket.
“In the meantime, I have completed the drafting of the dead list. There are a lot of people who couldn’t even get a corpse… … We have collected all the corpses that can be recovered.”
“Where did you put the body?”
“It’s the field north of the outpost.”
“I’m going to see you.”
As I staggered back to my feet, Lily and Lucas stopped me.
“majesty!”
“No, Your Highness! You need to get some more rest… … .”
“Those who died under my command.”
A pain arose all over his body. But I didn’t give up.
“I will go see. Help me, Lucas.”
Lucas, not knowing what to do, turned around, knelt on the floor, and held out his back to me.
“Get up, Your Highness. I will see you.”
***
Lucas’s back was broad, and his walking posture was neat, so he didn’t shake much. this is convenient
“Lucas, would you like to drive my car?”
“As much as you command.”
“I’m kidding, man. Seriously, don’t listen.”
As he climbed out on Lucas’ back, he saw a boy leaning against the wall.
It was Damian, a healer with curly brown hair who stared blankly outside. Glasses with broken frames were not worn, but were held in hand.
“Damian.”
When I called, Damian slowly turned around.
“Prince. You’re awake.”
“How are your eyes?”
When I used the clairvoyance, I shed bloody tears, so I was worried that there might be a problem with my eyesight.
Damian smiled faintly with a haggard face.
“Fine… ok It started showing up again little by little from yesterday. It looks pretty much the same now.”
So, did you use recovery magic while blind? This guy also rolled really hard this time.
Facing Damian’s haggard and young face, I felt sorry for him and said,
“Damian. We were able to win this operation thanks to you.”
“… .”
“If you wish, I will give you an amount to live on for the rest of your life, and I will take measures to prevent you from coming to a battlefield like this in the future. Since you are a mercenary in the first place, you are free to do what you do in the future.”
“Prince.”
But Damian shook his head slightly.
“You told me then, I’m the prince’s trigger.”
“… .”
“I am… I want to know.”
Damian gazed over the wall again.
“The source of those monsters. Who made these monsters and why? Why half had to die.”
“… .”
“So, please let me follow the prince… … .”
I smiled bitterly and gestured.
“Okay then follow me right now. You will need a priest to honor the dead.”
Damian followed us hesitantly towards the northern plains.
***
Forward Base. northern field.
An innumerable number of corpses were arranged and lying in rows with fives.
At least, those who rescued the corpses were able to collect them and lay them down, but there were many who could not even leave a corpse behind.
A fire was kindled for them.
The holy fire brought from the Temple of the Crossroads burned in the middle of the empty field, splashing blue sparks.
I quietly looked into the flame. The flames danced as if swayed by resentment.
“… .”
Know.
There was no better way. There was no better trick. There is nothing more foolish than questioning what ifs happened in the past.
I chose a strategy, executed it, and this is the result.
If so, you’ll have to bear it.
I’ll have to carry it on my shoulder and move on.
“As soon as the summary funeral is over, collect all the bodies and transport them to the Crossroads.”
“yes?”
At my words, Lucas’ eyes widened.
“Aren’t you going to leave it here?”
Crossroads cause thousands to tens of thousands of casualties each year.
It was a world where funerals were more expensive than life. Cheap lives flowed into the monster front here and evaporated in exchange for maintaining the line.
If you make something like a graveyard, it will quickly explode beyond the limits of acceptance. So the corpse was usually scattered in the mountains and fields.
A world where death is more common than wild flowers.
I was going to change this world.
“There is an empty lot west of Crossroads. Build a cemetery there. Bury them all and remember them.”
I ordered a graveyard to be built in the west vacant lot where the memorial facilities were built in the game as well.
“And every year on the last day of February… It will be designated as a day to honor their sacrifice.”
This was not just to honor those who were sacrificed in this battle.
For all the characters I’ve killed without guilt while playing this game, resetting it hundreds of times. It was also my atonement.
Lucas, who was about to say something, swallowed his words and bowed his head slightly.
“I will follow Your Highness’ command.”
Shortly thereafter, an informal funeral was held.
The priest of the temple who followed the reinforcements sprinkled holy water over the corpses and blessed the dead for their afterlife.
Although the number of corpses is not usually large and it is an informal ceremony, the funeral took a considerable amount of time.
I watched the whole process without stepping back.
“Lucas.”
It was the night after the summary funeral was over. The brightly rising moon sprinkled cold light.
“I will never fail again.”
There was a chill in death. A cold air that could not be warmed even by the flames of the torch filled the field.
I shuddered and gnashed my teeth as I leaned against Lucas’ back.
“Twice again… You will not fail.”
“… .”
Lucas just kept his mouth shut and listened to me quietly.
“Let’s go back.”
One battle is over, but the real war is just beginning.
I held the corpses of the soldiers I killed in my eyes clearly and said it with all my might.
“To the crossroads.”
***
[STAGE 0 – CLEAR!]
[STAGE MVP – Damian (N)]
[Level Up Character]
– Ash (EX) Lv.5 (↑4) (You can choose a job!)
– Lucas (SSR) Lv .27 (↑2)
– Lily (R) Lv.17 (↑2)
– Damian (N) Lv.15 (↑5)
[dead and injured characters]
– Ken (N): dead
– Lily (R): seriously injured
[Acquisition item]
– Black Spider Corps Magic Stone: 388
– Black Spider Queen Magic Core (SSR): 1
[Stage clear reward has been given. Please check your inventory]
– EX Grade Reward Box: 1
> > Get Ready For The Next STAGE
> > [STAGE 1: City on the Grave]
