I play a Evil God in Otome Game

Simon, to be honest, still didn't fully trust the prisoner army. Even after spending the entire morning patrolling among them to get accustomed to their presence, Simon couldn't bring himself to trust them completely.

Unlike the elite Imperial soldiers, the prisoner army was nothing more than a group of farmers. Aside from the calluses from years of scythe work and their natural brute strength, the prisoner army wasn't particularly effective at applying the Empire's military doctrines.

Still, according to the plan, the prisoner army was to act as nothing more than cannon fodder. Even someone like Simon, whose heart had slowly hardened over time, couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for their fate.

The prisoners were humans too. They had families, elderly mothers waiting for their return. Like Simon, they had been dragged to the frontlines to protect their families.

Most likely, after this battle, thousands of elderly people would be left in longing, mourning their sons and brothers. Simon, deeply familiar with the pain of missing family, empathized with their suffering.

He found himself connecting with them emotionally, even questioning himself at times. Was it right to destroy other families for the sake of his own?

But for the long-term interests of the Empire, this was necessary. This was the greatest burden that hardened Simon's heart.

After this war, the Empire would likely see a significant decline in the Aurelion population. Simon sighed deeply, then turned to Urien beside him with a serious expression.

"The time has come…"

"I understand," Urien replied, nodding before slowly guiding his horse forward to organize the prisoners into defensive positions.

The scouts had already reported. The Republican Army was waiting until 2 p.m. to attack. Simon stood silent in thought for a while, then shook off his musings and headed to his tent to prepare.

---

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man with a beard, Audie, was gazing affectionately at the letter in his hand. It was filled with well wishes from his son and wife, hoping for his safety.

"Is there a new child on the way, Audie?" A curious voice asked. It was Pat, a 20-year-old man with black hair and a clean-shaven face, looking at his friend with interest.

Hearing Pat's question, Audie smiled broadly and nodded. "I'm expecting a girl this time… After so long, I should finally have a daughter."

"I'm happy for you," Pat said as he moved to sit beside Audie, who was still gazing at the letter with tenderness. Pat couldn't help but let a smile form on his lips as well.

"I hope you live to see them again," Pat said with a soft sigh. Audie smiled brightly, filled with hope. "Yes, and if it's not a girl but a boy, I'll name him after you, Pat."

"After me?" Pat was momentarily surprised. Audie chuckled. "We've been best friends for so long, Pat. If I have another son, naming him after you would be an honor."

Pat fell silent for a moment before looking down at the ground with a somber expression. Then, his gaze shifted back to Audie. "Don't worry, my friend. I'll protect you so you can see them again."

Pat offered a playful grin, but Audie hesitated slightly, keeping his feelings to himself. Unlike Audie, Pat was an orphan.

He had been raised by an elderly couple who treated him like their own grandchild, despite their struggles as farmers. When Pat learned that the Republic Army offered high salaries to soldiers, he had joined to support his family.

Unfortunately, his grandfather had passed away, and his grandmother was now struggling. Pat had become increasingly anxious and withdrawn lately.

Though not much wealthier than Pat, Audie had tried to help his friend in small ways. However, Pat was a proud man who disliked being seen as someone who couldn't care for his family.

Now, as prisoners of the Empire, Pat's hope for survival was dwindling. His only reason to keep going was his grandmother.

"Look, I'm grateful for your help," Pat smiled. "But you're already in a tough spot yourself. I don't want to burden you."

"Pat—" Audie started to protest, but Pat cut him off with a firm look. "No. That's enough. You've already done more than enough for me. I don't need anything else."

Audie sighed and forced a smile. "Fine, but if we make it out of here, you'll let me help you then."

Seeing Audie's determined expression, Pat paused before sighing and offering a faint smile. "Alright. If we make it out alive, I'll accept your help."

"Promise?" Audie held up his pinky with a small smile. Pat laughed and linked his pinky with Audie's.

"Promise. We'll survive and get out of here."

Just then, an Imperial officer entered the tent with a stern expression.

"Get up. You're heading to the front."

Without waiting for a reply, the officer left coldly. Pat glanced at Audie before standing and offering his hand to help his friend up.

Taking Pat's hand, Audie stood and let out an anxious breath. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the letter in his hand, still carrying the faint scent of his wife's perfume.

Seeing his friend's worry, Pat placed a supportive hand on Audie's shoulder and looked at him resolutely. "We'll survive, Audie. We will."

Audie took a moment to calm his breathing. Pat's words brought him some comfort, and he straightened his posture. "You're right. We'll survive and return to our families."

"That's the spirit," Pat said with a grin.

They stepped out of the tent and joined the other prisoners, who were being lined up and positioned just behind the frontline.

From here, they would be shielded from cannon fire but still vulnerable to archers. The enemy cavalry wasn't expected to attack the center, focusing instead on the flanks. Yet, a nagging sense of foreboding gnawed at Audie, making him tremble as he clenched his fists.

As 2 p.m. approached, the Republican Army came into view, and Audie held his breath. For a moment, both sides froze. It was so quiet that even the slightest sound could spark chaos.

"Charge!"

The silence was shattered by the commanding voice and blaring horns from the Republican side. Their soldiers charged forward, while cannon fire erupted from behind, crashing into the front lines of the prisoner ranks.

"Stop! We're Republican soldiers! We—"

Some soldiers threw down their weapons and called out to the attacking Republican army, but it was futile. The tension was already in everyone's blood, and no one could hear the other's voice.

The captured soldiers who had laid down their arms were quickly killed. With survival as the only option left, everyone who feared death began attacking the Republican Army.

Amid the chaos of battle, Audei gripped his sword tightly. Hours passed quickly, and at times, he was bewildered by what his eyes witnessed. The sounds of battle, cannon fire, deafening screams, and cries...

Holding onto his leg that had been severed by an enemy's sword, Audei tried to feel his trembling hands, numb from gripping his weapon for so long.

Audei's head spun as he stared at his bloodstained hands. He couldn't help but let his sword fall to the ground and sobbed. "I-I..."

Feeling as though he had betrayed his own country, Audei gazed at himself in disappointment. He had long lost track of Pat. The battlefield was so chaotic that Audei no longer knew what to do.

Seeing the Republican army mercilessly and indiscriminately slaughter the captured soldiers, Audei fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

As if even the sky was mourning, the weather turned cloudy. Rain made the already muddy ground even worse. People tore each other apart like animals.

"H-ha..." Audei let out a dry, reluctant laugh. The fear that had gnawed at him from the beginning had already paralyzed him, numbing his entire body.

"Jessica... Sam... Will I die without seeing you even once?" Audei pulled out the dirty, torn letter that had already sustained some damage.

"If I die, who will take care of you? To die without even knowing the gender of my unborn child... Is this the will of the Goddess?" Audei collapsed to the ground, sitting as though all the chaos around him had faded into silence.

The pain in his leg and the gradual fading of his breath panicked Audei, causing him to sob uncontrollably. For a brief moment, the thought of taking his own life crossed his mind, but he was jolted back by a voice.

"Audei! Audei!"

"P-P-Pat?" Audei lifted his head and saw Pat, covered in mud, running towards him. Pat grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up.

"Come on! We can do this! We just have to get out of here!" Pat said urgently, supporting Audei as he tried to move step by step. Thankfully, despite the intensity of the battle, the Republican army was still busy fighting the waves of captured soldiers.

Escape was difficult but not impossible. With the last of his courage, Pat held onto Audei tightly and pushed forward. The Republican army's use of archers to target the middle and rear lines of the captured soldiers made the situation even more dire.

"Pat, leave me. I can't survive with these wounds," Audei said hopelessly. "My children and wife are in your hands, my friend. Don't risk yourself."

"Don't be ridiculous! You have a family! You have an unborn child!" Pat shouted angrily, continuing to move. Audei sighed and fell silent.

Finally, after half an hour, with a bit of luck, Pat managed to escape the battlefield and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Pat? What's wrong?" Audei ignored his own pain and looked at Pat with concern. Pat simply chuckled and revealed a deep wound under his broken armor.

Blood flowed continuously onto the ground. It was a miracle that Pat had lasted this long. Even walking with such wounds was a living Hell.

"But-but you have a family too, Pat..." Audei said weakly. Pat smiled again, looking at his friend with a hint of sorrow.

"I lied to you," Pat admitted with a sigh. Breathing was becoming increasingly difficult as the adrenaline left his body.

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"My grandmother passed away recently too, Audei," Pat said with a pained smile. "I have no family left. That's why I was willing to die. At least so you could be happy with yours."
Discover exclusive tales on empire

"You-" Audei began to cry, wiping his tears with his hand. Pat coughed up blood, his eyes slowly losing their light as he looked at Audei one last time.

"Take care of yourself, my friend..."

"Pat? Pat? Can you hear me?" Audei said in fear, shaking Pat's lifeless body. "Pat! Damn it, open your eyes! We haven't even lived life to the fullest yet! You haven't even gotten married! Are you going to die like this without having children?"

Audei looked at Pat with desperate hope, but his eyes were lifeless. "You always wanted to fall in love, didn't you? To live happily with a beautiful woman and have children! So get up! Open your eyes! Damn it! Damn it all!"

Audei let out a growl of anger and ignored his wound—or perhaps, he no longer had the strength to care.

"You were always better than me—smarter, braver..." Audei whispered in pain. "You deserved to live more than I did. Unlike me, you deserved so much more!"

"Pat!" Audei cried, shaking Pat's lifeless body before slamming his fist into the ground. Slowly retreating, he leaned against a tree.

"Your friend is dead," Urien said quietly, approaching with a somber expression. As the Paladins and cavalry tore through the Republican army, Urien had lingered behind.

Unfortunately, he had witnessed the tragic moment shared by the two captives and mourned with them silently. Though he wanted to help, it was too late for Pat.

Urien calmly approached Audei and crouched down, using a gentle healing spell on him. Unlike Pat, Audei's wounds could be treated.

As his fatal injuries began to close, Urien saw Audei faint and sighed deeply, standing up. He looked out at the battlefield, now filled with the retreating Republican forces.

"War is no different from a massacre..."

Staring at the countless corpses strewn across the ground, Urien's gaze narrowed before he turned back to Audei's body, carrying him to his horse.

He then crouched down to retrieve Pat's body, lifting it carefully. Out of respect for the two soldiers, Urien decided to hold a proper burial for Pat.

With one final glance at the battlefield, Urien took note of the Empire's partial success in halting the Republican attack.

The next task was to stop the remaining assaults. Urien wasted no more time, mounting his horse and heading back to the camp with both soldiers.