Chapter 182

"The monster front will follow a completely independent route, separate from the Empire."

Yes, I had made up my mind.

Cooperating in maintaining the Empire's four major fronts.

Also, marrying Princess Yun strategically to benefit the Imperial Family,

And in return, having the Imperial Family send reinforcements to the Southern Front as promised.

All these matters - I decided to refuse them.

Not only that, I declared that the Southern Front would break away from the Empire's protection and become an independent front.

I had made up my mind.

"..."

The atmosphere in the room turned cold at my declaration.

After a brief silence, the Emperor stared at me intently and opened his mouth.

"Explain yourself. Commander of the Southern Front."

I met the Emperor's gaze. His expression seemed more curious than angry.

"Why did you make such a choice?"

"..."

Why, why indeed.

Sighing heavily, I swallowed a big breath.

'There are three main reasons.'

First.

It was because of the negative impact the Imperial reinforcements had on the Southern Front.

From Stage 1, I had requested support from the Imperial Family. Back then, Aider had said to me:

- ...Are you sure it's okay, My Lord?

Both Aider and I knew that asking for support from the central Empire would trigger a fatal 'event' in the middle of the game.

And that event was the erosion of control over the Southern Front by the Imperial Family.

As more and more Imperial reinforcements were sent to the Southern Front, they would gradually take control of it.

And eventually, they would deprive the player of authority, manipulating the Southern Front to the Imperial Family's liking.

'I remember when I was a naive beginner, abusing the command for reinforcements thinking it was good, only to lose all command authority and watch the game run automatically.'

Once the Southern Front was controlled, the Imperial reinforcements would never properly manage it.

They would send SR-grade or higher hero characters to the Imperial Capital and skim off high-grade items and Magic Cores for the Imperial Family.

The Southern Front would be reduced to a mere expansion base mining resources right in front of the enemy line, eventually falling into ruin when unable to fend off the monster attacks.

That's why I decided to use the reinforcement chance only once, and on a small scale.

Just enough help to allow the Southern Front to grow strong on its own, only once.

But if I cooperated closely with the Imperial Family as it was, they would continue to send reinforcements to the South.

Sooner or later, the Southern Front would be swallowed up by the Imperial Family.

So I refused.

That's the first reason. A functional reason for the management of the front.

Second.

"What I want to protect is not the Empire, but the people."

I lifted my head and spoke with conviction.

A look of bewilderment crossed the faces of the Emperor and the Princes. The Emperor asked, perplexed:

"People?"

"While standing on the Monster Front, I had only one goal."

I voiced the goal I had held from the beginning.

"To kill the monsters and save the people."

Yes.

Never to forget, that one sole purpose.

"Monsters don't discriminate between humans. They kill fairly. They don't kill the Imperial citizens first, nor do they kill other races later."

The monsters' goal is simple.

Kill humans. Destroy the world.

Therefore, the goal of the Monster Front fighting against them is simple too.

Save people. Protect the world.

"The struggle on the Monster Front has no ideology. No nation, no race. All that exists there is the simple goal of saving the people behind the walls."

A goal that is simple, and thus sublime.

But the moment I become subservient to the Imperial Family, this simplicity will lose its brilliance.

The Monster Front will prioritize the Empire's citizens, persecute other races, and exploit and discard people from other countries, just like the other fronts.

That cannot happen.

"The Monster Front must not be divided by ideology, nation, or race. The priority on the Monster Front must be the people alone."

"..."

"Therefore, the Monster Front must pursue its independent course."

The fronts commanded by the Emperor and the other two Princes were solely to protect the Empire.

Fronts to maintain the structure of the Empire, to protect the ideology of the Empire.

But the Monster Front is different. I am also different from them.

I don't fight to protect the Empire.

I fight to protect all the people within my reach. That's all there is to it.

And to not lose sight of this purpose, the Southern Front must be independent.

"...I've heard your splendid reason, Ash," the Emperor said, tilting his head to the side.

"But is there a need to sever ties with the Imperial Family just for such a nominal reason?"

"..."

"Humanity above the Empire! Good, very good! How beautiful this is. It may be a bit extreme coming from a prince of the Empire, but I like it."

The Emperor's sly eyes shone with a golden light as sharp as a needle.

"But will you refuse all the benefits that the Empire can provide you with, just for that reason? That seems like a hasty decision."

"..."

"Is there another reason? Speak."

I took a deep breath and swallowed dry saliva.

Yes. The Emperor is right.

"As I told you, I fight to save people."

My third reason for seeking independence for the Southern Front. It was...

"But Father, you and my brothers are killing people to save the Empire. Are you not?"

...Because they have strayed from the path of humanity and are walking a path of carnage.

I glanced at the three people whose faces had hardened.

'Serenade.'

Use the information you've risked your life to pass on to me for the good of the Southern Front.

Recalling the information gathered by Silver Winter's Merchant Guild, I spoke up.

"Lark, brother. In the Western Dragonblood Front, war crimes are rampant, are they not?"

"...!"

"Under the pretense of finding the escaped Duchess of Bringar, and to annihilate the base of the guerrilla forces, murder, arson, plunder... You're turning the entire Bringar Duchy into ashes."

Lark shook his head with a stern face.

"Due to a surprise attack by the enemy guerrillas, our supplies were burned, so I permitted a little plundering. It's not as you think."

"Really? Is that all?"

With a smirk, I turned my gaze to my second brother.

"Fernandez, brother. In the Central Dark Front, you are committing horrifying deeds here in the Imperial Capital."

"..."

"To root out the enemy's dark forces, you're kidnapping, torturing, and murdering innocent citizens as if it were a daily meal."

Fernandez stared at me with narrowed eyes. I shrugged my shoulders.

"The rumors are already widespread in the outskirts and slums of the Imperial Capital. Rumors of strange men who appear at night to abduct entire families."

"Rumors tend to be exaggerated. And to root out the enemy's dark forces, we have to do such things."

"Hmm. I wonder about that."

I glared back and forth at Lark and Fernandez.

"From what I heard, the prisoners captured in the Dragonblood Front, and the citizens kidnapped from the Central Front, are all... being sacrificed for human offerings."

"...?!"

Lark and Fernandez's eyes widened, their faces asking how I knew that.

I turned my gaze from them, slowly facing the Emperor.

"Yes, Father. To maintain the Northern Divine Front... you're conducting human sacrifices."

"..."

"To activate the Dark Black Water Everblack and foresee the future, and to connect to the spirit world through that tree... an immense amount of magic power is needed. More than can be supplied by the magic stones available in the market."

The Emperor's face was unreadable.

But regardless of what the Emperor was feeling, I continued to speak.

"So you captured magical beastkin slaves from all over the continent and offered them as sacrifices. Their souls were used as fuel so you could connect to the spirit world."

The divine beings were attacking to save their children, the beastkin, and the Emperor was burning those very beastkin as fuel to stop the divine beings. A cruel irony.

"But gradually, the number of slaves suitable for fuel decreased, and you had to come up with another solution."

"..."

"So, you began the invasion of Bringar Duchy that you had to strike anyway. If they were prisoners of war, if they were people of Bringar Duchy with even a faint trace of dragon's blood, they'd make excellent fuel. If you could catch the nobles and steal their dragon blood, it would be even more useful as fuel."

As I looked on, Lark avoided my gaze.

"In the Imperial Capital, you captured citizens and tortured them to identify the true faces of the hostile hidden forces, and after the torture and interrogation were done, you selectively sacrificed those with ability to human offerings," I said to Fernandez, who continued to stare at me without averting his eyes.

- No matter what happens, we must stop that fate of destruction. We must protect the empire at any cost, even if it means sacrifice.

It wasn't just talk.

They really did whatever it took, paid whatever sacrifice was necessary, to protect the empire.

"It really is an impressive circular structure. How closely the three fronts cooperate and mesh together."

"..."

"Without the slaves of different races, prisoners of enemy nations, and citizens of the outskirts... What will you burn next?"

I glared at the Emperor.

"To maintain this massive flesh called the empire, Father, you and my brothers are killing people."

"..."

"You're killing, and killing, and killing, and killing, and killing again."

I spat towards them.

"To protect the empire, you indiscriminately kill innocents. You're monsters yourselves."

My purpose is to kill monsters and save people.

This banner must not be damaged.

That's why I can't be with you, who have become monsters for the sake of a single nation.

It's such a simple story.

"...Ha ha."

And then,

"Ahahahahaha!"

The Emperor laughed.

He laughed heartily and refreshingly. I scowled. What's going on?

"So, what's your point, my son?"

The laughter stopped abruptly as the Emperor challenged me.

"To stand alone, fall into that monster-infested southern region, and distance yourself from wicked people like us! To proudly claim yourself as righteous and wither away?"

The Emperor's voice rumbled.

"That path is hell!"

"...!"

"You say you'll protect people? Then what is the definition of a person? Is it a human? A different race? Or is it a monster that speaks human language? Where does humanity end?"

Faced with the Emperor's onslaught, I gritted my teeth.

"What about traitors? Rebels? Thieves, robbers, and frauds? All this foul-smelling trash heap is human! You declare you'll protect them all?"

"..."

"The more you pursue a foolish righteousness, the more you will suffer! The place you're heading to is hell. Do you truly not understand?"

The Emperor roared, kicking his chair as he stood.

"Even if you raise a pure and clean flag! It will become soaked with blood and ash the moment you cross the battlefield. My young son, do you truly not understand?"

"..."

Clenching my fist,

I barely managed to speak.

"...I have already sacrificed much."

742 campaigns.

741 failures, and a single success.

In all those games, I had always sent my characters to death.

For the overall efficiency of the game, I had thrown countless subordinates into death without a moment's hesitation. I never questioned that act.

I was a monster.

A monster obsessed with efficiency, knowing nothing but strategy, not seeing people as people.

I won't be that way again.

"There will be no choice but to bend my beliefs sometimes. I may end up half a monster again at the end of this path."

But I will do my best.

At least, at the very least, I will not forget what matters most to me.

"Even if there's a single white part left on the flag in my hand at the end, no! Even if nothing but the flagpole remains in my grasp. Even so, I will march forward with this flag."

I will kill monsters and save people.

I won't let go of this banner.

For that,

"I will say it again. The Monster Front will follow a completely independent path, separate from the empire."

I told the empire's defenders.

"...I will protect people, not the empire."