◈ 035. [Side Story] Don’t protect the world (2)
Fifth day of full-scale wall repair.
Two days left until the start of the stage.
“Everyone has a lot of trouble!”
I shouted as I climbed to the repair site of the castle wall.
“Let’s take a break while eating this.”
Behind me, the servants of the manor house climbed up the walls and brought drinks and snacks.
Everyone who was sweating and clinging to the repair of the wall cheered.
“Yaho I’m going to eat!”
“As expected, His Highness the Prince! Because you are the one who uses it when you write it!”
“By the way, Your Highness, do you have any alcohol?”
“You noisy bastards, eat up and get to work!”
When I shouted Barak, everyone giggled and took their share.
Everyone chatted, quenched their thirst, and ate snacks. I watched the scene from a distance.
Time is urgent, but humans are not machines. Without adequate rest, efficiency plummets.
“How is the repair situation?”
I asked while bringing my own drink to the head of the masons’ union. The head of the union accepted the cup with a sense of happiness and smiled brightly.
“Thanks to Your Highness’s sufficient manpower, I think we’ll be able to make it on time. The repair of the wall will be completed in the next two days.”
That’s why I was pouring manpower into it.
All the workers that could be hired were mobilized, and all the soldiers in the city were mobilized.
“As you can see, the foundation has been completely restored and the steel frame has been rebuilt. Now, the repair is complete by laying bricks and adding iron plates.”
“You’ve had a lot of trouble.”
The hardest task is the finished situation.
After congratulating the masons’ guild leader once more, I turned around. Among the people who followed me was the Alchemist’s Guild Leader.
“I waited a long time. I will install it today.”
At my words, the head of the alchemist’s guild took out a blue magic scroll from his bosom with sparkling eyes.
“Are you finally able to use this!”
Summoning Magic Scroll.
It is an item that can be used to install the defense tower obtained during the last dungeon exploration.
I was going to install it as soon as the foundation repair of the wall was finished, but it happened that it was finished, so I decided to install it right away.
I accepted the decrypted scroll. Then a system window popped up in front of me.
[Do you want to use ‘Summon Scroll: Automatic Defense Turret’?]
– Yes/No
Yes, of course.
Roaring!
As soon as I chose Yes, the scroll burned in front of me leaving a blue flame, and blue particles flowed from the remaining flame and permeated my body.
[Ash (EX) acquires player skill!]
> Summoning Magic: Automatic defense turret
“Gotcha!”
You’re mine, automatic defense turrets!
I smiled happily and called the head of the stone masons’ union standing behind me.
“Chief of the masons’ union!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Will you gather some of the materials you specify from now on? It’s all around them.”
“Is it possible, Your Highness? Please do it.”
After a while, the materials I ordered were piled up on the wall.
These are pieces of stone and steel. Junk and junk left over from construction work here and there.
‘This should be enough.’
You don’t have to worry about quality because you only need to match the absolute amount of ingredients.
‘The last ingredient is an R-grade or higher magic core.’
I took out the ‘standard advanced magic core (R)’ from my chest. This is the item from the reward box the other day. With this, all the ingredients were gathered.
‘Location… … Should I do it around here?’
[Summoning Magic: Automatic Defense Turret]
– All necessary materials are prepared.
– The level of the summoned character is the same as the level of the summoned character. Also, you can only keep one minion at a time.
– Please specify the installation location.
In the system window, the entire castle wall was unfolded like a 3D drawing, and places where turrets could be installed were displayed.
I put my hand on the nearest one among them. It’s here!
Koo Goo Goong-!
The materials piled up in front of me rose all at once into the air.
The workers and soldiers, as well as the union leaders who were watching, were frightened and stepped back.
Chunk! Less! Clap!
The rising stones and steel frames were split into small pieces and eventually fell onto the wall and were assembled into a single structure.
‘It’s like Tetris.’
Watching the process of putting the tiny pieces together to form a big lump, I thought that in my heart. It’s interesting.
Within minutes, construction of the automatic defense turret was complete.
Looking up at the completed massive turret, I smiled contentedly.
The people around them exclaimed in unison, “Oh-oh” in exclamation.
It is designed like a naval gun installed on a WWII warship on Earth. From ignorantly large gun barrels to massive guns.
“beautiful.”
Unknowingly, I clapped. I haven’t eaten yet, but I feel full.
“This is a magical construction technology that was lost hundreds of years ago… .”
The alchemist guild leader standing behind me muttered with his mouth wide open. I nodded.
“I will be looking for scrolls from time to time, so please do your research.”
At my words, the head of the Alchemist Guild nodded vigorously.
Haha, if you liked being pampered like that, you would steal some tears later.
“Now, thanks to everyone, the defense line is getting stronger!”
I smirked as I pounded the automatic turret with my fingertips in front of the onlookers.
“I wish you well in the future!”
Oh oh-!
Everyone cheered in unison as they raised their drinks and snacks in their hands.
The atmosphere is very good. It would be nice if it stayed like this in the future.
***
Forge.
The heat emanating from the hearth is hot. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I stepped inside.
“Are you done?”
When I asked about it, the head of the blacksmith’s union bowed down to me.
“I was still waiting for you, Your Highness.”
The guild leader held out a piece of armor hung on an armor rack to me.
“Here it is.”
It is a metal armor with a transparent blue light.
Swallowing dry saliva, I examined the detailed options of the armor.
[Ghost Armor (SR) Lv.30]
– Category: Armor
– Defense: 50-55
– Durability: 12/12
– Increases the wearer’s physical resistance by 33%.
– The wearer acquires the characteristic [Ghost Mode].
It is an armor made using the ‘ghost knight’s magic core’ obtained as a reward from the last stage as a key material.
The defense was compliant and the options were well attached. From solid physical resistance to the [Ghostification] trait.
[Ghost Lv.1]
– For 5 seconds, you will be unable to interfere. All attacks are invalid, but the user cannot attack other targets either.
Simply put, you become a ghost for 5 seconds. Can’t attack, but can’t attack either.
This is a lot more useful than you think.
‘I don’t like the durability of glass cabinets, though.’
Compared to this armor’s decent stats, its durability is slim. If you don’t take good care of it, it might get damaged during battle.
“Lucas.”
After checking all my options, I gestured to Lucas.
Lucas, who couldn’t hide his anger while looking at the finished armor, quickly ran to my side.
I smiled and handed the armor to him.
“Try it on.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Lucas quickly went inside with his armor and came out a few minutes later wearing all of his armor.
“Hwiyu~!”
Involuntarily, I blew a whistle.
The armor on display and the armor worn by the knights were different in power. The armor looked absolutely stunning when Lucas put it on himself.
“How are you okay?”
“It couldn’t have been better.”
Lucas grinned as he clenched his fist while his gauntlet-clad hand trembled.
“I will use it well, Your Highness.”
“Gorum. I personally ordered it for you. You have to write well.”
I was just being sarcastic. Ahem.
I also nodded to the head of the Blacksmith Guild.
“Thank you for making good armor.”
“I was really happy to be able to touch good material for the first time in a while.”
The Blacksmith Guildmaster bowed deeply. Looking at the armor, the union leader’s eyes were full of pride.
“If you leave it to me again, I will do my best to make it. Please order often, Your Highness.”
“I’m willing to do that.”
Until the end of the game, the blacksmith’s manufacturing equipment is very important for attacking. Of course I will come often.
The cost of making the armor and the compensation had been paid in advance, so Lucas and I left the forge.
The blacksmiths politely bowed to us.
“Let’s go west of the city.”
Checking the last schedule of the day, I adjusted my clothes.
“Because we have the most important event.”
***
This evening.
The western field of the fortified city.
pop! Pervert!
Gunfire honoring the dead echoed in the air.
A funeral was held. It was a funeral for the soldiers who died in the last stage.
The new coffins were covered in dirt beneath the orderly rows of tombstones.
The number of deaths in the last stage was not very high. I was a little confused whether this was good or bad.
Hymns rang out and priests sprinkled holy water on each grave.
I bowed my head to each newly created grave.
Everything went by in an instant. After the funeral, I stood on a hill overlooking the cemetery and looked down.
The graves of those my command had killed lined them.
“Whoa… .”
A dreary wind blew. It was a moment when I felt like I knew why, even though I didn’t smoke.
“A significant portion of the city budget is devoted to funerals… .”
An old voice came from behind. huh? I looked back.
“In addition, they even set aside post-mortem support. It’s like a royal family.”
“The Marquee?”
Marshal Cross was slowly walking this way.
I thought I’d be stuck in that old villa all day, but I thought I’d make it this far on my own.
To me who blinked in surprise, Marshal Cross clicked his tongue.
“But this is a monster frontline, the young lord. It is a place where lives are swept away like an earthen dam during the rainy season. There will come a moment when you will not be able to handle it with such good intentions.”
“… .”
I, who was momentarily speechless at the advice of my former lord, changed the topic.
“Did you come all the way here to talk about that? Or what, are you running out of alcohol?”
“Alcohol is always in short supply. I even come to buy it myself. But I came today for a different reason.”
Standing next to me, the Marquis looked down at the tombs with emotionless eyes.
“I asked my old comrades-in-arms, who were once my enlisted men, for their opinions. Would you cooperate in defending the city?”
“… !”
I’m talking about veteran members of the Cross family. I unknowingly swallowed my dry saliva.
“so? What is the answer?”
“Everyone said they would. I will defend the city again.”
Unknowingly, I raised my hands up high. hurray!
“The happiest story I’ve heard in the past week, Marquis!”
With this, the problem of shortage of troops was solved at once.
Marquis Cross shook his head slightly as he looked at me with delight.
“I don’t know how helpful those old friends will be… I’m currently rearmamenting. I don’t hand over command to you. Please write carefully. All of them are as old as me.”
“Thank you very much, Marquis. really.”
Marquis Cross was so stubbornly unwilling to help, I was wondering what to do, but I never thought he would help himself.
To be honest, I am very surprised, but thank you.
“You have nothing to thank me for. You should thank them.”
“Still, Marquis, thanks to what you said, no. Thank you.”
I grabbed the Marquis’ hand and squeezed it tightly. The Marquis gently shook my hand as if it were burdensome.
“At this level, it seems that I have helped everything I can.”
Marshal Cross looked at the city with dim eyes.
“Take care of the city, new lord. Good luck.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Marquis. I will do well in the future.”
I laughed out loud.
“If I ever need your wisdom in the future, I will borrow it.”
“What is wisdom… Get me a drink or two.”
“I’m worried about your health, so I’ll send you plenty of good medicine instead.”
“Yeah, just don’t give me anything to send that kind of thing!”
Marquis Cross, smiling, waved his hands roughly and started walking south.
It must be going back to his orchard.
I felt like I wanted to hold onto it.
Even though he is old, Marquis Cross is a commander who has kept this front for the rest of his life. It will surely be of great help in the defense.
But he has already lost too much in this city.
So, unable to hold on to it any longer, I looked at his back as he was moving away.
Thinking that next time I could talk more and listen to advice as a lord.
At this time, I did not even know in my dreams that the ‘next opportunity’ would never come.