◈ 033. [Side Story] What you can do
The next morning.
As soon as the day dawned, I left the mansion. I was planning to go around the entire crossroads and supervise the preparations for a defensive battle.
First we went to the fort.
From early morning, I saw production union members sweating profusely at work. Everyone is suffering.
“Ah, Your Highness the Prince!”
The stonemason’s guild leader, who was in charge of repairing the wall, bowed his head to me. I lightly bowed face to face.
“How is the repair?”
“I broke the greatsword stuck in the wall a while ago.”
Looking at the place the guild leader pointed at, I saw metal shards that had been shattered.
The ghost knight who was the boss of the last stage. He broke the greatsword that had been driven into the wall and took it off.
“Today we will clear all the rubble and start repairing the walls in earnest.”
“There is no need to clean the remains of the greatsword.”
I gestured toward the field outside the castle wall.
“Sprinkle them in front of the wall. It will make a great barricade.”
The next stage monster corps is the rat corps.
The metal shards from the greatsword would be a great welcome to the rats. Perfect for a mousetrap.
I looked at the castle wall with my great sword. The part that was directly hit is dented unsightly.
I could see the inner steel frame bent like a candy toe.
“What is the estimated time for repairing the wall?”
When I asked, the head of the union hesitated slightly.
“His Highness supplemented the labor force and mobilized soldiers for repairs… … There is additional damage to the ramparts, confirmed by the removal of the greatsword. It’s worse than I thought.”
The walls of Crossroads were specially built to be strong against monsters.
The frame was made of dense iron cores, and stones were piled up to cover the iron cores. Then an iron plate was added over it.
It was the crystallization of the Empire’s architectural technology. Thanks to this, he boasted of ignorant defense and was able to withstand the Greatsword of the Ghost Knight.
If it were a normal wall, it would have split in two and the whole collapsed.
However, the construction process was complex. It was difficult to repair, so I couldn’t fix it by simply filling in some stones.
“Tell me with a grain of salt. What is the expected date?”
“It’s ten days from now.”
“Ten days… .”
I moistened my lips with my tongue.
There is still a week left until the next stage. Time is running out.
“Can you shorten it to a week if you spend more people and money?”
He was willing to invest any amount of manpower and money if he could buy the time.
However, the head of the union shook his head.
“There is a limit to the construction technology itself. It’s hard.”
“Still, isn’t there a part that can be shortened with manpower?”
“Well, if we use more people and materials to repair it day and night, we might be able to pull it off for another day… .”
“If you can pull one day, you can pull two days, and if you can pull two days, you can pull three days.”
I know it’s an unreasonable demand. But I pushed on.
“I will bring the manpower and materials by air. Whatever happens, finish the wall repair within a week.”
There was one reason why I made such unreasonable demands.
[Enemy Information – STAGE 2]
– Lv.? ??? : 3 bodies
– Lv.5 giant rat: 3251 bodies
It is not an illusion.
I didn’t even see it wrong.
After free exploration, enemy information was displayed, but that was it.
three thousand.
3,000 rats the size of that big dog I met during free exploration.
Of course, it’s only level 5. It’s just a big rat that even ordinary soldiers can kill without difficulty.
But 3,000.
If 3,000 animals just come together, it can make a city a mess. But these guys are even monsters.
‘It’s impossible without a castle wall.’
The walls must be repaired. You can’t block that number of monster waves without a wall.
I put my strength into the hand that gripped the head of the union. The union leader, who was breaking out in a cold sweat, nodded with difficulty.
“… All right. I will try my best.”
I patted the head of the union on the back.
“Thank you. I remember your hard work and everyone’s dedication.”
Looking around at the staff, I raised my voice.
“Come on, it’s to protect the world! Cheer up and let’s go!”
***
“Now go to the alchemist’s workshop.”
After descending the wall, I took Lucas and headed to the alchemist’s workshop inside the city. Hi, busy, busy.
“Oops, Prince?! You’re visiting yourself!”
“You are here, Your Highness!”
When I arrived at the workshop, the Alchemist Guild Leader and Lily came out to greet me.
Entering the workshop, I gathered up my business and brought out the business.
“What type and number of artifacts are currently being repaired?”
“We are repairing the five artifacts that are easiest to repair first. The three artifacts used in the last battle have also been rebalanced.”
“All current operations will be stopped and the artifacts specified by me will be repaired.”
First of all, we were fixing artifacts that were easy to repair.
Since the next enemy is over 3,000 rats, it would be better to select and repair the artifacts that can wipe out the rats as efficiently as possible.
I accepted the list of artifacts that were stuck in the warehouse.
Let’s see which of these can be used in the next battle… … .
“Three flamethrower artifacts. Make repairs a top priority.”
An R-class artifact that simply emits flames. There’s nothing more effective than fire against rats.
There are three of them in the warehouse, so I ordered all of them to be repaired.
“After these first repairs are finished, fix the artifacts you were repairing in the past.”
“I understand, Your Highness.”
The workshop immediately began repairing the flamethrower artifact as per my instructions.
I brought up the following agenda to the union leader who was giving orders to his subordinates.
“And this.”
I took out a blue magic scroll from my bosom and showed it.
It was the ‘Summoning Scroll: Automatic Defense Turret’ obtained from the dungeon during the last free exploration.
“Do you know what this is?”
“this is… ?”
The head of the Alchemist Guild, who received the scroll and examined it closely, soon became surprised.
“It’s probably an ancient summoning magic… … is it?”
“okay. Among them, it is a scroll that summons buildings.”
summoning magic.
In the game, it was a player-only skill.
It was one of the few elements in which the player, who always entrusted the battle to the game characters, could directly intervene in the game.
It is divided into two main skill trees.
The first is to summon the ‘Defense Tower’ that is additionally installed on the building.
The second is to summon a ‘boss monster’ that can be directly controlled.
You can only summon one summon at a time, but the effect is powerful.
You can build an overwhelming fire network with a defense tower, or beat up enemy monsters with a boss monster.
‘The conditions are a bit tricky, but… … .’
To use Tower Summoning Magic, obtain the Summoning Scroll and leave it to the Alchemist’s Workshop for research.
Tower Summon Scroll is a guaranteed drop. If you faithfully proceed with free exploration, you can obtain them one after another.
However, the research cost is quite expensive and the research date is quite long.
At least, the automatic defense turret, the first summon, has a low research difficulty, so you should be able to use it right away.
‘Boss monsters are more difficult.’
Boss monsters drop summon scrolls with a very, very rare chance when they die.
This can be used immediately without research, but the problem is that it is disposable.
Instead, the effect is certain. Unlike Defense Tower, it can be summoned anywhere.
‘I was worried that I, as a player, would not be able to use it as I was sucked into the in-game, but fortunately I can use it.’
This summoning magic is outside the character’s role, if you have to. is the power of the system.
Can you write this as is? It’s fortunate, but I also feel complicated.
‘Am I a character or a player in this game?’
Is it either him or both?
While I was thinking about this and that, the eyes of the Alchemist Guild Master who received the scroll almost turned over.
“Where did you get such a precious thing…? … !”
I couldn’t say, ‘If you progress through the dungeon, it will drop.’
“You don’t need to know that. Can you decipher it anyway?”
“of course! It’s a form hundreds of years ago, but it’s a scroll in our magic system. I can decipher it enough!”
“Good. please as soon as possible As soon as the repair of the castle walls is complete, I want to install the scroll’s summons.”
“Okay, Your Highness! Trust me and leave it to me!”
The Alchemist Guild Leader, who showed me his back several times, held the scroll tightly in his arms.
I understand that you want to study it because it is full of technologies that do not exist now.
If I work hard, my sister and brother-in-law are good.
After watching the guild leader rush into the office hugging the scroll, I flicked my index finger at Lily.
“Lily Irion.”
Lily came towards me with a frightened face.
“Why are you like that… majesty?”
He seemed nervous that I might order something dangerous again. I laughed softly.
“no. just. A lot of trouble. I wish you well in the future.”
I would do it, but not right now.
After giving Lily a handshake of encouragement, I left the alchemy workshop with Lucas.
“Are you trying to get me to do something weird again?! Is that dangerous?! yes? majesty! Highness haaaa!”
Lily’s scream echoed faintly from behind.
I’m sorry, Lily. But what about being a civil servant?
***
Temple.
The smell of disinfectant stung my nose as I entered this marble building on the north side of the city.
“… .”
I quietly moved into the temple without bothering to announce that I had come.
“The patient in bed 3 is in critical condition!”
“Bring more potions! Holy water and bandages too!”
The inside of the temple was filled with beds, and wounded soldiers were lying on the beds and receiving treatment.
Priests, including R-class healer ‘Saint’ Marherita, were busy healing and nursing the injured soldiers.
Among them was Damian.
I watched from afar as Damian sweated profusely while using healing magic.
Damian looks more comfortable now changing the bandages of wounded soldiers than when he sharpened his eyes while sniping at the enemy… … It must be unavoidable.
“… There seems to be nothing else to do here.”
I quietly walked out of the temple again.
Everyone is fighting to survive quietly behind the scenes.
In this temple, everyone was struggling to save people.
I also have to do my best as their leader.
He clenched his fists tightly.
Kill monsters and protect people.
that’s what i’m going to do
“let’s go. Next is the mercenary guild.”
“yes.”
Lucas and I left the temple and headed to the mercenary guild.
***
In front of the Mercenary Guild located in the heart of the city.
Standing in front of the door, I caught my breath.
‘I hope that the mercenary guild will be filled with useful talent!’
After a small prayer in my heart, I vigorously opened the door.
“Is there a new character for Tsuru!”
but.
“no! Isn’t this the prince!”
In the secluded mercenary guild, there was not a single light that announced a new mercenary.
Instead, Jupiter was drinking alone, exuding a dazzling purple aura.
‘I was excited to know that a new SR grade character was released!’
I felt a headache and put my hand on my forehead. Why is this old woman here again?
I nodded at Jupiter, who came up in front of me and seemed to salute me.
“What are you doing here, Jupiter?”
“What kind of house do I have? Do I have money saved up? I don’t have a decent place to stay, so I’m taking care of myself here.”
“I’m proud, I’m proud! With the salary I put in, I can build a house in this neighborhood!”
“Ah~ What does a mercenary buy a house for? I’m not going to settle down and live here.”
Jupiter smirked and raised the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth.
“The best thing for a mercenary is to eat, drink, and spend money as he pleases, as the wind blows.”
“So you’re sitting here… … ?”
“Isn’t it possible that I, who have already been discharged, can’t stay in the Imperial Army barracks? Would you like to live in a mercenary quarters with young children? The inn is too poor for the cost.”
Saying more makes my mouth hurt. Shaking my head, I looked around the empty guild.
“It’s okay, and it looks like you don’t have any new friends to use.”
“It’s too early to be discouraged, Your Highness.”
Jupiter shrugged. I raised my eyes. Does this old lady have any plans?
“Who am I? Aren’t you Jupiter, a veteran who has been steaming rice for 30 years in the Imperial Army and has been rolling as a mercenary for several more years?”
“So, the veteran warrior? So what?”
“This old man has a few, if not many, connections.”
sigh.
Jupiter, who had the usual villainous smile, spat out confidently.
“Rumors are spreading all over the continent. The new lord of the monster front is the royal family, and he is giving money away.”
