I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game-Chapter 563 -

When Candler came to her senses, she was sitting in a bustling tavern.

"Come on, let's toast first!"

"Cheers~!"

"You've worked hard today too!"

The 'uncles' party vigorously clinked their glasses together.

Nobody, Chain, Zenis, and Torkel were sitting at one table, lifting their beer glasses. Candler, who had been dragged along somehow, also raised her glass in a toast.

"Ah~!"

"There's nothing better than a drink after finishing work."

"I thought I was going to get heatstroke because of the heat today, but this drink really hits the spot."

Apart from Torkel, who was drinking quietly, the three made their remarks. Candler, who had been sitting blankly next to them, suddenly shivered.

'...Why am I here?'

She had been swept up in the atmosphere and dragged along, but how had she ended up here?

Candler hurriedly gulped down the drink in her hand.

"I, I'll just drink this and then I should go..."

At that, Nobody and Chain's expressions suddenly darkened.

"What? What are you talking about, Candler."

"You're saying you're ditching the mercenary work, so now you won't hang out with us?"

"No, it's not like that..."

...Isn't it the other way around.

Could she, who had retired because she could no longer be on the battlefield, who had run away because she was scared of monsters... continue to mingle with them?

Seeing Candler like this, Nobody and Chain handed her a new glass of beer with a cluck of their tongues.

"Why are you being like this? We've been comrades who've suffered together all this time."

"You can't become cold just because you've moved to a better job!"

Zenis and Torkel also joined in.

"Was it the Gorgon sisters when we last fought together? We really went through hell then."

"Hehe... But it was worth it, wasn't it."

Following Torkel's words, everyone's expression softened.

"Because we saved Sid."

"..."

That's right.

Everyone here had been comrades who fought together that day to save pregnant Lilly and newborn Sid.

Holding the newly filled glasses of beer, the group toasted once again.

"To Sid!"

"Grow up fast! Your uncles and aunts will give you lots of pocket money!"

Eventually, Candler could not leave her seat and swallowed her drink while sneaking glances around.

It was around the time when the second glass of beer was half empty.

Creak- Bang!

The tavern door swung open forcefully, and someone stormed in.

The other customers seated near the entrance looked in that direction and jumped back in surprise.

"Eek!"

"Look over there!"

"Why are they here?!"

Startled by the fearful reaction, Candler turned around and was equally surprised.

"Keke."

"Kukuku..."

"There's a delicious smell coming from here."

Leading the way was Evangeline. Following her were Lilly, Elize, Yun, Junior, Verdandi, Rosetta...

A group of renowned female heroes from the front lines strutted in with a swagger.

"Ah, it's the 'CrFeHeMeRiCo'!"

"The 'Terrifying Sisters' are here...!"

"Ahh! They've come to obliterate this tavern today!"

"Everyone run! With them here, this place's drinks and snacks are doomed!"

Terrified customers hurriedly settled their bills and scampered out of the tavern.

Evangeline, who was enjoying the atmosphere with a wicked laugh, soon spotted this group and sauntered over.

"Oh? Who do we have here? It's the 'uncles', isn't it?"

"Welcome, Miss Evangeline."

Torkel greeted Evangeline politely.

"I should mention, Captain Lucas will be joining us shortly."

"Ah! Thanks... wait a minute. Why did you assume I'd ask about that first?"

Regardless, the women took over the next table.

And true to their fearsome reputation, they placed an enormous amount of orders. The waiter, sweating bullets, densely filled the order sheet.

Seeing the order size nearly double that of their own table, everyone broke out in cold sweat. Then, Torkel spotted an unexpected figure buried among the women.

"But why is Damien there...?"

Among the female heroes, who were drooling over the menu with sinister smiles, Damien looked out of place with a bewildered expression.

"Evangeline said she'd treat me to dinner, so I just came along..."

Damien mumbled with a downcast look, clearly uncomfortable sandwiched between the fearsome sisters.

"Wasn't the Fearless... whatever a female mercenary group? Why am I here...?"

"Damien, brother! It's okay to be happy about eating with such pretty ladies."

However, despite Evangeline's words, Damien was far from happy and began to sob.

"Woohoo, I miss... the squad..."

"There, there, cry it out."

"Alright, alright. Then, brother Damien, go over to those gloomy uncles!"

As soon as she said that, Damien visibly relaxed and quickly stood up from his chair. He must have been really scared.

That's when Lilly, looking over at the 'uncles'' table, brightened.

"Oh, Candler! Long time no see!"

Candler, who flinched, pointed at herself.

"Me, you remember me?"

"Of course. You were the one who got hurt protecting me and my child. Did you think I was so heartless as to forget my savior?"

Lilly smiled broadly and gestured with her hand.

"Great! Damien, sit there, and Candler! Come over here! Let's catch up after such a long time."

And so, somehow, Damien and Candler ended up switching places.

Lilly, who had seated Candler next to her, introduced her to those she didn't know.

"This is Candler. She's a Golemancer, and she helped save me and Sid in the past... Nowadays, she's helping with base reconstruction at the production guild."

Yun and Junior clapped their hands.

"Ah, I saw her by chance. She was the one building the walls with that golem!"

"I've heard about her too. Thanks to the golem, we could avoid the hassle of installing a medium-sized construction device, and the work efficiency skyrocketed..."

Why does everyone know me?

Candler's hand, holding the glass of beer, trembled slightly.

After she had quit being a mercenary, the city had already faced more than ten defensive battles, and she was just one of the many mercenaries who had passed through...

Why did these people still remember her?

Evangeline, naturally approaching Candler, leaned in and said in a warm voice.

"So, Candler? Joining the CrFeHeMeRiCo, are you?"

"CrFeHe...? Join...?"

"The abbreviation for the Crossroad Female Heroes and Mercenaries Rights Committee. The benefits of joining are..."

As Evangeline elaborately explained the benefits of joining their gatherings and drinking sessions, Candler hesitantly asked.

"But... I'm no longer on the front lines... Can I still fit in here...?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

The response came from a young man who had just entered through the tavern door.

"We are all fighting together, each from our own places."

It was Lucas who had arrived by then.

Lucas looked around at everyone with a neat smile.

"No matter where we fight, our hearts are all in the same place, trying to protect the world. That makes us all comrades."

Evangeline furrowed her brows as if she was amazed.

"This guy, saying the same things as when the senior gives speeches..."

"I just met with our lord. That's probably why such comments come out naturally."

Lucas, who had grinned at Evangeline's teasing, picked up his beer glass from the bar and approached the table, raising his glass.

"According to our lord, the next battle is predicted to be quite challenging... But if we all join forces, we can overcome it again."

Having often taken on the role of lord in Ash's absence, Lucas was quite skilled at such remarks. Lucas initiated the toast.

"Then, to everyone in this city who fights together!"

Everyone, regardless of table, cheered and raised their glasses.

"To that!"

"To that~!"

Evangeline was the only one with a sulky face.

"No, I was going to make the toast! Why do you get to do whatever you want?!"

"You'll have plenty of chances when you become a lord. Just borrowing the opportunity."

"Eeeek!"

After everyone had downed their glasses, they began to talk loudly, sharing stories about their hard but rewarding day.

"..."

Candler slowly lowered her head.

Her reflection in the glass, along with the alcohol, rippled.

***

The drinking session dispersed.

Lucas, Evangeline, Damien, and Junior had things to discuss among the main party members and parted ways.

Zenis and Rosetta left with serious expressions on their faces...

And so, after everyone had scattered in small groups,

Candler, the last to leave the tavern, stepped out with Nobody and Chain.

The three of them naturally headed west out of the city, towards the graveyard, and stood in front of a familiar grave.

It was the grave of two comrades who had moved together during their 'Blacklist' days.

When the Gorgon sisters invaded the city, the two had fallen and were buried here. And the three who survived were still bound to this city.

"Here, you guys drink up too!"

Clink-

Nobody opened the bottle of liquor he had brought and poured it over the grave. Soon, the empty bottle was neatly placed in front of the tombstone.

After a long silence, Candler cautiously broke it.

"...I was scared."

Nobody and Chain looked at Candler, puzzled. Candler glanced at them, gauging their reactions.

"I thought you wouldn't treat me the same as before... after I ran away from the battlefield..."

"Look, Candler, I don't know why you would think that."

Nobody chuckled and patted Candler on the back.

"You never ran away, not even once."

Chain chimed in with agreement.

"Yeah, that's right! Far from cashing out early, you were always the one who played till the last penny of your stake was gone!"

Even when they were fighting the Gorgon sisters.

It was her, Candler, who, despite being yelled at to run away, ended up getting injured while protecting Lilly and Sid to the very end.

In front of Candler, who stood silently with her lips tightly sealed, Nobody and Chain laughed.

"Now that you understand, don't avoid us! Next time, let's hang out at the casino, just like old times!"

"You've been working hard, so you must have saved up some money, right? Time to blow it all!"

After a bit more chit-chat, Nobody and Chain left first.

Candler was left alone in front of the graves of former comrades.

"..."

As the summer sun set and the surroundings turned into a dark night, Candler slowly looked down at her legs.

The legs that had not walked properly, limping since the day of the battle, making her unable to continue working as a mercenary.

"...No, I'm not as great as you guys..."

The Golemancer's hands clenched into fists.

"I... I ran away..."

***

At the same time. The non-human barracks.

Ash, who had visited the Elf Queen to meet Burnout and Bodybag, was sweating coldly.

In a dimly lit room illuminated only by faint candlelight, four kings were having a meeting.

The Elf Queen, Skuld.

The Dwarf King, Kellison.

The Merfolk King, Poseidon XIII.

And Kuilan, now officially the Beast King.

The kings of the four major non-human races were whispering among themselves when Ash suddenly barged in, causing them to look startled.

Feeling awkward, Ash cautiously asked.

"...What is this meeting about?"

"Hehe, you've caught us."

Skuld, touching the teardrop-shaped mark under her eye, covered her mouth and laughed.

"As you see, this is a secret meeting held by the kings of the four major non-human races..."

"..."

"We call ourselves the 'Outsiders'."

As Ash took in the meeting of these so-called outsiders, he internally groaned.

'Why do more and more secret... no, private groups seem to be forming without me knowing?'

It would be nice if the heroes got along on their own, but...

'I feel a bit left out, Your Highness?!'

...Ash felt slightly hurt as if he was being excluded from their gatherings.

"So, Prince Ash. What brings you here today?"

Prompted by Skuld's question, Ash snapped back to reality.

The original purpose of his visit was to recruit Burnout and Bodybag, but having met these kings, he had something else to discuss.

"I have something to tell you all."

Taking a deep breath, Ash declared.

"This defensive battle. It won't be easy."

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