Chapter 386

"No, think about it, Lucas."

I opened my mouth with a smile.

"It's not just about simple self-destruction. If we use these guys as targets, the monsters will be effectively lured in, and it's efficient for us to concentrate our crossfire."

"..."

"Is that all? Imagine dropping these prisoners behind the monsters. We can reverse their direction of advance. We can even control the speed of their advance!"

"..."

"The applications are endless! Just think about how efficient it is that 'just one person can lure the monsters without fail.'"

"Lord."

Lucas, who usually never interrupts me, cut in this time.

"It's not about efficiency, is it?"

"..."

"Treating human lives as expendables to be used and discarded. This is... not like you, Lord."

"What's the difference?"

I smirked, tilting one corner of my mouth and glared at Lucas.

"Whether we treat human lives as expendables or value them, the result is the same. Over five hundred died in this battle alone. If you include the casualties of the relief troops, it's over six hundred. The number of injured is countless. All died or were injured fighting as per my orders."

"..."

"In any case, people die fighting the monsters. So why not use those who deserve to die? It will save others who need not die. Isn't that right?"

"Those who deserve to die?"

"Yes, look at these bastards."

I gestured towards the prisoners shivering behind the iron bars.

"These are the damn special forces bastards who tried to kidnap me and destroy Crossroad."

"..."

"Their comrades tried to kill us and ended up dead. These four lucky bastards have been living in luxury in prison. Don't they deserve to die?"

"These men surrendered. They were support in the Aegis Special Forces Team 1, not directly harming our frontline."

Lucas countered me with a calm voice.

"You know that many of the special forces were conscripted against their will and forced to follow orders. The Shadow Squad, who dedicated themselves to our frontline, also came from the special forces."

"..."

"They were just following orders as members of the special forces. As prisoners, they deserve to be dealt with according to military law for their wrongdoings."

"Lucas."

I declared shortly.

"I am the law here. I am the principle and the rule of this place."

"..."

"I am the commander holding the power of life and death over this monster front. I judged that these bastards deserve to be executed, and so I decided their method of execution as 'monster bait.'"

Lucas briefly eyed the prisoners inside the iron bars.

"Let's assume, for argument's sake, that these people deserve to die. And let's assume your 'new method' is very efficient."

Lucas looked back at me with his intense blue eyes.

"What about after? When there are no more prisoners to use, what will you do?"

"..."

"Will you sentence to death those who are not deserving of it? A neighboring country's envoy caught on suspicion of espionage, a soldier who broke military discipline by drinking, a petty thief who stole bread because he was hungry, will you kill them all?"

"..."

"What are the criteria for 'those who deserve to die' and 'those who need not die'? Are you saying you will decide all of that, Lord?"

Eventually.

Just like the other three fronts of the Empire had done.

"Are you planning to maintain this front by differentiating and selecting people, thus burning those 'not chosen by the Lord'?"

"For those we must protect, we kill those deemed unnecessary."

This monster frontline too, will walk the same path.

I didn't deny it. Lucas shook his head slightly.

"Lord. There is no one in this world who wishes to die. But if someone must die, it should be a choice made by their own will."

"...Are you saying then. That all my people who have died so far... died of their own free will?"

I asked with a sneer,

"I do not know if that is true for everyone."

Lucas replied with a serious face, slowly nodding.

"But at least I am fighting and risking my life of my own free will."

"..."

"And the reason I willingly risk my life is that here on this monster frontline... and in the flag you, Lord, have raised, there is something more meaningful than mere survival."

Lucas took a step towards me.

"Who made the soldiers here believe they were fighting for something more noble and dignified, not just for mercenary money? It was you, Lord."

One more step.

"You declared independence from the Imperial Family because this monster frontline is a place to protect not just a specific nation but all people of the world. That was also you, Lord!"

Another step closer.

"And who taught us that people are not a means, but the end... It was none other than you, Lord."

Lucas, standing right in front of me, asked with a passionate voice.

"That's why we willingly fought, got injured, and died for the people behind the walls, for our comrades beside us. And now you're going to overturn all of that?"

"..."

"What have we been fighting for all this time? What did our fallen comrades, our subordinates, die for?"

My lips twisted.

"...For what did they die?"

I rose from my chair.

"Ask the opposite, Lucas. They died 'for something,' so what's left?"

"...!"

"What does the cause matter? What does the flag matter? What use are motives or will after death, these fanciful notions!"

I grabbed Lucas's collar and yelled at him.

"Precious people died! Comrades who laughed and chatted! Soldiers who believed and followed me! They're dead! They're dying! They've died!"

They were lured by my flag and died.

Under the pretense of protecting the world, just as many precious individual lives evaporated.

"No more. I won't just watch my people die anymore."

"..."

"If necessary, I will select and differentiate people! Use them as a means, not an end! Burn the rest as bait if I have to!"

I glared at Lucas as if I would kill him, grinding my teeth.

"I won't let you die."

"..."

"I won't let you die. Not anymore, never."

Lucas looked at me with a pitying gaze,

"Lord."

Then, with a voice slowly but firmly resolute, he said,

"I cannot agree with this method."

"...Are you defying me now?"

"No, Lord. It's not defiance."

Lucas gave a faint smile.

"I am simply following your true intention."

I stared blankly at Lucas's smile, then scrunched up my face.

***

Lucas was imprisoned just like that.

I decided to keep him locked up until the end of this defense battle. The reason was that he might interfere with my plan.

"This operation is already decided. We will definitely conduct a test using death row prisoners as bait."

I called the rest of the main party members to explain the outline of this defense battle.

"Know this: if you defy my orders, you'll end up locked up alongside Lucas... Any questions?"

As I looked around at the main party members, Evangeline, Damien, and Junior glanced at each other. Then,

"Damn it!"

Evangeline was the first to raise her hand and speak.

"Please lock me up in the prison."

"...What?"

"I'm here to follow and protect my senior. I'm willing to die for that."

Standing up, Evangeline began gathering her things.

"So, I can't follow this path. This isn't the way of my senior."

"..."

"Lock me up, please. But, reconsider this operation just once more, Senior."

Shocked, I looked towards Junior and Damien.

"Do you two feel the same?"

Junior and Damien slowly nodded their heads.

"Sigh..."

I let out a long sigh and gestured to the guards outside.

"They're guilty of insubordination. Lock all three of them up in the central prison."

Handcuffs were placed on all three.

Evangeline bowed her head to me and was the first to be led away silently.

Then Junior came before me and said softly,

"Your Highness... I'm sorry."

"For what? Not following orders?"

"No."

Junior spoke with a tone of genuine regret.

"For not being able to alleviate your burden during all this suffering... I'm sorry."

"..."

I stared blankly at Junior being led away.

Then Damien approached me.

"Your Highness."

Struggling to find words, Damien lifted his hand in front of my chest,

"Be healed, be healed..."

He uttered these words, swirling his hand in a circle.

Damien's hand, imbued with holy power, left a white trail in the empty air.

I laughed involuntarily at the absurdity.

My body had no injuries.

I wasn't in pain anywhere.

***

The next defense battle.

The day the monsters were expected to emerge from the Black Lake. Morning.

Since all the heroes refused to follow my orders, I had no choice but to lead the soldiers out myself, taking four prisoners in a wagon reinforced with sturdy iron bars.

We arrived at the forward base through the teleport gate.

The outer walls were still in a sorry state, incomplete, with only one newly constructed gate standing alone.

Today's objective was not to annihilate the monsters.

It was a practical test of the human bait-cum-bombs.

The four prisoners, each in an iron-barred wagon, were to be positioned at strategic points in front of the base to test their lure and killing power.

Looking at the stage information display, I said,

"We have some time before they appear."

The monsters were expected to emerge around noon. It was still early morning, so there was time.

"Everyone, take a break and have some food."

"Yes, Your Highness."

At my command, the soldiers began to relax and settle down around the base, distributing simple meals brought from Crossroad.

I too slowly chewed on a sandwich with smoked ham and cheese between bread slices. Both the ham and cheese, being preserved food, were disgustingly salty.

Then a soldier approached and asked,

"Your Highness?"

"What is it?"

"Should we also provide meals for the prisoners?"

"..."

"You know, it's customary to give a proper meal to those sentenced to death before their execution."

I snorted. This world had such needless compassion.

Despite my reluctance, I wasn't so callous as to deny a final meal to those about to die.

I nodded, and I saw the soldiers managing the prisoners push sandwiches through the bars.

With explosives and detonators strung all over their bodies, the four prisoners took the sandwiches with gaunt faces.

The cries for mercy had ceased, and the four resigned prisoners were now idly chatting.

"Hey, look over there. The flowers have bloomed."

One of the prisoners gestured with his chin. The others followed suit, turning their gaze.

Next to the forward base, a forest and field unfolded. The ashen plants that had laid barren all winter were now holding buds.

It's still chilly out.

Among them, one eager bud was blossoming, revealing its pink petals.

"Eating with the flowers in view, doesn't it remind you of that time?"

"When? The Imperial Capital's spring festival?"

"Yeah. In front of your house, under that fence bursting with magnolias and forsythias, we spread out a mat and..."

"Ended up all passed out from drinking, and a thief swiped our bags?"

"Damn... Hey, how many years ago was that?"

"That was really fun."

"Fun my foot, my first paycheck was in that bag!"

One of the laughing prisoners muttered while looking at the petals.

"It's spring."

"Indeed."

"Nice weather today..."

As I listened to their conversation, I silently chewed on my sandwich.

"..."

Salty.

The sandwich was terribly salty.