Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? – Chapter 87

Author: B0ucha

“Yeah.”

At his indifferent response, Eden finally let out the breath she’d been holding.

Since there had been no way to track Hagenti down, she’d had no choice but to wait and hope. But ever since he disappeared, worry and anxiety had plagued her every moment, robbing her of sleep.

And now, with Hagenti suddenly appearing before her, an immense sense of relief settled deep in her chest.

“Were you worried?”

Hagenti asked quietly, watching her sigh with relief. Eden looked up at him, her eyes flaring with emotion.

“Of course I was!”

Her answer, saturated with worry and pent-up frustration, made Hagenti smile faintly.

“Did you find a way to cure your illness…?”

She asked cautiously, anxiety tightening her chest. At that, Hagenti’s faint smile faded, and after a short silence, he shook his head.

“…I see.”

Of course. If it were that easy, stopping Hagenti’s rampage wouldn’t be a final mission.

“It’s okay. You did well. We’ll figure it out together.”

Eden forced a smile, trying not to show her disappointment, and gently comforted him—only for Asmun to flash across her mind.

“Gasp—Asmun!”

At the mention of his name, Hagenti’s eyes turned cold once more.

“We have to get back to the plaza!”

“…It’s dangerous there.”

Hagenti stepped closer, lowering his head toward her.

“Someone just tried to kill you.”

Her eyes widened.

“What? Who?!”

Hagenti shook his head.

“I don’t know. A mage.”

A mage? That could only mean those black mages who orchestrated today’s attack.

Only then did Eden realize why Hagenti had suddenly grabbed her and fled the scene.

“I almost died just after making it this far…”

The thought sent a chill down her spine. She couldn’t help but feel grateful to Hagenti for appearing at the perfect moment.

“But what if Hagenti hadn’t shown up?”

Would that really have meant game over?

As she pondered the possibilities, Hagenti suddenly spoke.

“It’s because of that man.”

His quiet, unyielding tone left no doubt about who he meant by “that man.”

“If you stay by his side, this won’t be the last time something like this happens.”

His words were a clear warning, and Eden found herself momentarily speechless—because they were true.

‘Well… that’s just because this is a game…’

Eden swallowed her thoughts and shook her head.

“It’s not his fault.”

She stood up for Asmun, and Hagenti’s expression hardened in displeasure.

“Why do you have to make him emperor?”

The answer should’ve been simple: because the game would only end if Asmun became emperor—just as stopping Hagenti’s rampage was a fixed objective.

But was that really the only reason?

For the first time, a question she’d never dared to ask herself surfaced in Eden’s heart.

“Because…”

She started, then trailed off, unable to find the words.

“It just has to be that way. You wouldn’t understand, even if I explained.”

At her vague reply, Hagenti let out a small, breathy sigh. His face suggested he still didn’t understand—but also that he had lost all interest in trying to.

“Once he becomes emperor, you’ll stay with me, right?”

There was a strange persistence to the question that made her flinch slightly, a dull ache settling in her chest.

“Is this really okay…?”

And that’s when Eden realized: Hagenti’s eyes, for some reason, resembled Asmun’s. That oddly fervent intensity lurking behind a seemingly emotionless gaze made her face flush warm.

‘How did it come to this…?’

Of course, once Asmun became emperor and the only task left was saving Hagenti, she would have to stay by his side. She’d need to search desperately for a way to stop his rampage.

“I will.”

No sooner had she spoken the words than Hagenti grabbed her hand.
****

Because the dragon had been defeated so decisively, the tide turned in their favor. The black mages, overwhelmed and outmatched, all fled in haste.

Thanks to that, order returned to the plaza quickly, and that evening, the emperor convened everyone for a major announcement.

“Listen well, all of you. As of today, we declare war on black magic.”

His voice, taut with barely contained fury, turned the entire hall cold and tense.

The Hesromo Empire had always made efforts to suppress black magic, but for nearly 200 years, no black mages had emerged to wreak such havoc in public.

So, while suppression had always been a matter of policy, it had never reached the point of full-scale military engagement. But today’s events had finally driven home the severity of the threat—enough for a full-fledged crusade to begin.

That alone was enough to spell long and grueling days ahead, but the emperor didn’t stop there. What he said next sent an even deeper shock through the room.

“Among the three princes, whoever retrieves the Silversoul shall inherit the throne.”

A stunned silence spread through all those gathered, and everyone exchanged glances of disbelief.

It was the first time the emperor had openly addressed the matter of succession.

“……”

All eyes turned—cautiously, but unmistakably—toward Asmun. Even Ivatan, wearing a mask of impassiveness, stared directly at him.

At last, Asmun had forced the issue of succession into the emperor’s mouth.

「There mustn’t be too many people in the plaza that day. Please restrict access as much as possible. That’s all I ask.」

「…What exactly are you planning to do?」

「I can’t share that. I don’t yet have full confidence you’re on my side, Chancellor.」

Only now did those cryptic words fall into place.

Eden had known all along what would happen today—why Asmun had asked her to help control the plaza crowd.

But even if she had played a role, Asmun’s performance had far exceeded expectations. It had been remarkable enough that even Ivatan could no longer deny his capability.

‘…So she saw that in him from the start?’

As Ivatan began to understand where Eden’s blind faith had come from, a contradiction formed in his chest—one that only made his displeasure grow.

But Silversoul…?

Silversoul was a legendary magic stone said to hold immense power—enough to suppress all forces of evil.

With it, subduing the black mages wreaking havoc across the land would only be a matter of time.

Thus, by naming the one who retrieved Silversoul as his heir, the emperor aimed to both suppress black magic and settle the succession issue in one fell swoop.

“Your Majesty, wasn’t there once an oracle that foretold calamity would strike if Silversoul were unearthed again?”

Patrian, looking flustered, asked the question cautiously. But the emperor’s expression remained resolute.

“Black magic itself is the Empire’s calamity. If we are to combat dangerous power, we must be willing to face danger in turn.”

He seemed truly set on using Silversoul. His firmly set jawline showed he had made up his mind. The emperor’s resolve to launch a full crusade against the black mages was unmistakable.

And the fact that he brought this up now—right after Asmun’s major contribution—

“……”

Kyris grit his teeth hard. The emperor had been waiting for this moment. Waiting for Asmun to present a convincing enough cause.

Kyris knew his father well. Whatever affection he had for the Empire, he harbored none for his children.

Regardless of birth order, he would grant the throne to the most competent among the three. And because Kyris, the eldest and First Prince, had long failed to inspire trust, the emperor had merely waited for a better heir—Asmun.

Damn it… damn it all…

The thought made his blood boil. Everyone here could see it now:

Asmun had come far too close to the throne.

“I will find it.”

Asmun answered first, his tone quiet and composed. Kyris glared at him, eyes bloodshot.

Not only had Asmun stolen away the grand plan Kyris had crafted over months, but he had also, with that humiliating display before Leviathan, lost the people’s and emperor’s trust.

Asmun had ruined everything. That gloomy nuisance who’d always been a thorn in his side had finally caught him off guard and brought him down.

“……”

But it wasn’t over yet.

“I too will retrieve it, Your Majesty! I will find Silversoul and crush the vile black mages for the good of the Empire!”

Kyris swallowed his fury and shouted with fierce determination.

In the end, they were all starting from zero. If anything, this made things simpler. Whoever found Silversoul would become emperor—and Kyris would find it first.

Caught between the two, Patrian clearly looked reluctant, but eventually replied,

“I will do my best to search as well.”

****

Asmun returned immediately to his estate and headed for the garden where Eden was waiting. Right after the chaos had ended, he’d instructed Ronfell to secretly bring her there.

He could’ve waited a few days to see her again—but he didn’t want to. No, he couldn’t.

The thrill of driving his sword into the dragon’s heart still lingered in his hand. And before that sensation faded, he needed to see Eden.

He had spent too long at the palace, and by now the moon had risen high in the sky.

He quickened his steps through the moonlit paths, and at last arrived at the garden. There, sitting anxiously, was Eden’s silhouette.

Only after seeing the figure—now so familiar—did the pressure squeezing his chest finally ease with a gentle sweetness.

“……”

It was such a strange feeling. The garden, which had always seemed so desolate and empty, now looked full, resplendent, and breathtakingly beautiful—just because Eden was in it.

If he could, he would have captured this moment forever.

Asmun slowly stepped toward her.

“……!”

Sensing his approach, Eden shot to her feet and turned around.

“Your Highness!”

She greeted him brightly, then quickly ran over and stood before him. For a brief moment, Asmun’s calm gaze met Eden’s clear, bright eyes.

She beamed, voice trembling with excitement.

“Truly…”

“……”

“You did so well!”

Her tender praise stirred something painfully deep within him.

“I knew Your Highness could do it. I truly believed in you.”