◈ 205. [STAGE 8] A lucky day (2)
The day the boss monster was defeated and the rest of the normal monsters were cleaned up and the defense battle ended cleanly. dinner.
A victory banquet was held to celebrate the victory without damage.
Under the hot summer night sky, dishes piled up in the square in the center of the city and cold drinks continued to flow.
Somehow, it felt like a scenery I hadn’t seen in a long time, so I was a little bit emotional.
My celebration of the day was simple.
“Let’s keep doing this!”
At my words, the soldiers cheered and raised their glasses. I smiled, told them to have fun, and came down the podium.
I saw many wounded soldiers today. It was because of the hand-to-hand combat with the unexpected boss monster.
Soldiers were bruised from shielding tentacles and burned from being doused with acid.
My whole body is covered in bandages because I was soaked in acid.
‘It’s fortunate that there are few serious injuries, but there are too many light injuries.’
Even Lucas and Evangeline have bruises and burns all over their bodies, so they can’t attend the banquet tonight and are resting in the temple.
‘They were both mad at me… … .’
It is said that they both jumped at the Slime Emperor to save me because they were both very surprised that I was devoured by the Slime Emperor without giving a proper explanation.
The Slime Emperor, who went into digestion mode, didn’t budge, but attacked the body like a rock, which was hardening like a rock.
‘Actually, I went in with safety insurance.’
In the game, Slime’s belly was treated as a small dungeon of sorts.
So that the captured characters can escape on their own, and on the contrary, they can rescue them by mobilizing physical force from this side. It was a place judged as a dungeon.
In other words, you can use the [Emergency Escape Teleport Scroll] inside it.
I’ve gotten a few of these items, but haven’t used them yet.
If you use this emergency escape teleport scroll, safe escape is possible, but there is a problem with the reward item evaporating.
If you don’t have luck, there was a concern that the boss skill reward would be reduced.
So I looked at the situation until the very end, and when I decided that self-escape was impossible, I tried to escape using the teleport scroll. This was my insurance.
But before I could use the teleport scroll, Quylan’s fist hit the jackpot and we escaped unharmed.
I said I moved with these safety devices in place, but Lucas and Evangeline didn’t stop nagging me.
‘Senior doesn’t take care of himself too much.’
The contest I had with Evangeline just before flashed through my mind.
‘I’ve felt it for a long time, but you don’t have too much desire for the body you should have as a human being. It’s a completely special situation from the frontline commander fighting on the front line.’
‘That’s because the situation on the front lines is poor. Isn’t there a side that can’t be helped?’
‘But you are too willing to throw yourself into the battlefield. like… .’
Evangeline, choosing her words, carefully raised her green eyes and stared at me.
‘like… As if it wasn’t his life.’
‘… .’
Those words left me a little out of breath.
But I smiled and stroked Evangeline’s hair.
‘I’ll be careful from now on.’
‘Really?’
‘I promise, I promise. From now on, don’t spare my body more.’
‘Don’t just promise me, make a promise to Uncle Lucas over there!’
On the bed next to Evangeline, Lucas was drooping in a hospital gown with a grim expression on his face.
It seems that I was in a lot of trouble during the 10 minutes I was swallowed by the slime, in case I did something wrong.
Like a Golden Retriever injured by the owner’s cruel prank, he’s just staring at me, crouching.
In the end, I went back to the two knights and promised them with my little finger. I will be very careful in the future.
Only then was he released and allowed to come here to the central square.
‘But it can’t be helped. The situation on the front lines here is more difficult than the difficulty of Hell, and I am the only one who has the experience of clearing it.’
In my heart, I made excuses for my own reckless actions.
‘Free exploration of dungeons, commanding defense battles… … Everyone needs to move on their own to achieve maximum efficiency, and only then can they follow the path to clearing.’
therefore… In the future, to some extent, I will have no choice but to take risks.
Moreover, even though my actions like these are definitely accompanied by risks,
“Ah, His Highness has come!”
“Did you come, water lord!”
“Savior of life!”
“Loyalty, loyalty!”
… It can also have unexpected effects.
The penal unit, which had been snatching drinks and food from each other in the corner of the square, immediately stood up and gave a sloppy salute as I approached.
I smiled and waved my hand.
“Stop doing things that don’t suit you and rest comfortably.”
Then the bandits in the penal unit looked at me and quietly sat down. It doesn’t suit you, you wretch.
The fact that I personally jumped in to save Quylan and the party… … It seems to have been a shock to them in many ways.
“I really reflected a lot, Your Highness… .”
One of Quylan’s party members poked his head at me.
“We were only thinking of pretending to fight and skipping around, but… Your Highness risked it for our sake… … .”
“It was a pity that the equipment I brought to Kuylan was broken, so I saved it, you guys. Don’t be moved.”
I replied coldly, but these guys were rather smiling.
“Keuhehe, you’re just shy and pretending you’re not!”
“I think I’ll fall in love with that look once more… !”
“I… Now we can betray our captain and join His Highness! Please accept my integrity!”
“I’ll accept it, bandits. The premise of betrayal is unreliable.”
The one who shot me is 8! He groaned and raised the glass he had been carrying.
“Okay, have a drink!”
We drank one drink at a time.
I am the prince of the empire. I am the commander of the Imperial Front. I, a human from another country. who risked their lives to save themselves.
What exactly did it mean to them? I don’t know for sure though.
“… .”
From these young and inexperienced people, I suddenly saw the images of the sub-party members I had lost.
In the meantime, all of the sub-parties under my command could not remain intact. wounded, dead, or annihilated.
No matter what process you went through, you also became a sub-party under my command.
‘So don’t get hurt easily, don’t die, don’t be annihilated.’
I groaned and licked my lips, then uttered a stern voice again.
“From now on, I hope you diligently follow my orders. I’ll turn a blind eye to your mistakes this time because you’re recruits, but from next time on, there’s no point.”
“Is it possible!”
“If you risk your life, the wires here will risk your life too. I hope you will not forget this.”
to put it the other way around.
Since the wires here risked their lives for you, it also means that you should risk your lives too.
This one has already shown sincerity.
We’ll have to see how these bandits perform in their next defense battle, but we’ll give them another chance.
“Can I call you boss from now on?”
“No, your boss already exists.”
“Then, the boss of the bosses… I will call you the Great Boss!”
“Ooh! Big Boss!”
“Are you dragging me into a group of bandits…? … done.”
I raised my head in search of Kuylan, who had been invisible for a while.
“Where is your ‘boss’?”
***
Quylan was sitting alone on a low hill next to the plaza, drinking from a bottle.
“What did you do well today, are you maintaining your form here?”
As he approached with a shot, Quylan grinned.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Your Highness.”
“me? why?”
“Because I never said goodbye properly.”
Standing up, Quylan gathered his fists in front of his chest and took a pose, then slowly lowered his back.
“Thank you for saving my life.”
I stared blankly at Kuylan. Cuilan raised his head and smiled shyly.
“Me and my men. It would have been possible if he had been put to death and put away, but he gave me a chance and even saved me. I honestly don’t know how to pay off this debt.”
“… .”
“Although this quillan may be a ruffian who steals other people’s money in broad daylight, he is not so shameless as to forget his life debt.”
Without releasing his grip, Quylan spoke seriously.
“I can repay you in my own way. Anytime, anywhere.”
I chuckled.
“Then, from now on, you just have to serve faithfully on this front.”
“What you want is very consistent.”
Quylan slowly moved in front of me. A giant over 2m tall stood right in front of my eyes.
“… Prince Ash. Killing monsters and saving people is the banner of your front here. And you said that you would protect us prisoners and a different race like me.”
“okay.”
“Then, does that mean that if I cooperate in defending the front here, I can also cooperate with the banner and help defend my people?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“Let me be clear, Kuylan. The front lines here are not the borders of the empire.”
At least for the next 3 years.
“It is a front that protects everyone from monsters. If you dare to name it, you could call it the final line of defense of this world itself.”
Quylan slowly repeated my words in his mouth.
“The world’s final line of defense… .”
“Guard everyone in the north from this wall. Including your brother and all the refugees you stayed with.”
“… .”
“They said they needed money, Kuylan. can you tell me What do you need money for?”
“Homeland.”
Quylan unexpectedly responded in a cool way.
“I’m trying to buy the land of my hometown that was stolen from me as a child with money.”
A longing flashed in his eyes. I nodded.
“To protect the front lines here is also the way to protect the homeland.”
I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.
“The targeted money will be collected soon.”
“… .”
Quylan grinned at him.
“I hate idealists, but I don’t hate idealists who act like you.”
Quylan embraced again and bowed his back.
“I can promise you. I won’t let you down until the next defense.”
“Don’t expect it. Bandit King.”
I tapped Quylan on the high shoulder and gestured toward his men.
“Let’s go. All of your subordinates waited for you with their heads bent.”
It is unknown whether these ragtag bandits will really become useful soldiers later on. however.
If those who are of different races find the possibility of harmonizing even a little bit to the front lines here, those who hate the Empire.
Today’s work must have been worth it.
That alone was a pretty lucky day.
I decided to think so.
***
[STAGE 8 – CLEAR!]
[STAGE MVP – Jupiter Junior (SSR)]
[Level Up Character]
– Jupiter Junior (SSR) Lv.55 (↑1)
– Quylan (SR) Lv.42 (↑2 )
– Lily (R) Lv.29 (↑3)
[Death and Injury Characters]
– Ash (EX): Slight
Injury – Lucas (SSR): Slight
Injury – Evangeline (SSR): Slight
Injury – Quylan (SR): Slight Injury
[Acquired Item]
– Slime Corps Manastone: 209
– Slime Emperor Magic Core (SR): 1
[Stage clear reward has been paid. Please check your inventory]
– SR Grade Reward Box: 1
– Slime Room Key: 1
> > Get Ready For The Next STAGE
> > [STAGE 9: The arrow that left the demonstration]
I just love this novel!♡