“Prince!”

  Someone pounded on the door to my bedroom. It’s still morning, you know. Who the hell is it?

  “Nate, please open the door,” I asked Nate, my servant, who had been sleeping beside me.

  I sat on the edge of my bed, rubbing my eyes and gathering my strength. The long green-haired woman, about the same height as me, got up, fixed her nightwear, and walked over to open the door to my room.

  Laode, my father’s messenger and someone close to him, stood in front of the door. His face looked worried and exhausted. The dark-skinned, muscular man took a deep breath before speaking again.

  “Prince! Your father has been killed on the battlefield! Please, take command of the royal army!” the messenger shouted as he rushed toward me.

  Both of his hands shook my half-awake body.

  Oh boy.

  So it’s finally happened. I’ve officially become the main character in this game.

  Before that, let’s rewind a bit.

  My name on Earth was Hideo Takatsugi. Here, my name is Ezia Laon, the main character of this kingdom-building game with RTS elements.

  How did I end up here? Well, simply put, back on Earth I accidentally found a strange book. Reading it somehow granted my wish to be reborn into this game world. The gods I met actually granted my request.

  This game is fairly simple. As the heir to the throne, I have exactly 25 years before my country is destroyed. My task is simple: prevent this small kingdom of mine from falling into enemy hands or being wiped out entirely.

  Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could really do it. But I’ve learned a lot and know a lot about this world. On top of that, after living here for 18 years, I’ve learned politics, economics, and warfare firsthand.

  And with my knowledge of this game on top of that? Yeah. This should be doable.

  “My prince?” Laode gently slapped my cheek.

  “G-give me a moment!” I asked the messenger.

  “Prince, at a time like this, it would be best for you to head straight to the battlefield and take command!” he pressed me.

  “Prince!” the messenger urged again.

  “Can you really bear to watch your people suffer under the rule of the Rajian Empire?” he asked, pushing me further.

  “All right!” I said, my energy returning. “Come on, Nate. Help me become a hero!”

  The messenger looked relieved. I asked for permission to change my clothes and clean myself up first. Laode agreed and waited in the front yard of my two-story mansion in Junek City.

  “Are you sure, Ezia?” Nate asked as she followed behind me toward the bathroom.

  “I’m sure,” I replied firmly. It’s time for the MC to step onto the stage.

  Once we reached the mansion’s bath, Nate washed my body, and then I returned the favor by washing hers. At the very least, getting rid of last night’s sweat was good enough. After finishing our bath in the backyard, we returned to our room.

  Slowly but surely, my lover, who was also my servant, helped me put on my clothes. Why do noble outfits in this era have to be four layers thick? Since it’s the dry season and obviously hot, I only wore three layers and ditched the stifling noble coat.

  Then I helped my lover get dressed as well.

  “Now wait here. I’ll pack our belongings.”

  Kicked out of my own room, I obediently went to meet Laode, who was sitting on a garden chair in the front yard. He was drinking tea served by the mansion’s servants.

  “What caused my father’s death?” I asked Laode.

  I sat beside him and leaned back against the garden chair.

  “Please prepare my horse and Nate’s, Zima,” I ordered the male servant who had served Laode tea.

  “Yes,” replied Zima, a pale-skinned man, before excusing himself.

  “The physician who examined him said it was heart disease and exhaustion,” Laode answered. “The soldiers still don’t know about his death. It’s being kept secret to prevent morale from dropping further. You must come and take command quickly!”

  “Lord Verzhina is currently acting as interim commander. He told me to bring you as fast as possible!” Laode added, finishing his tea in one gulp.

  “I know. But don’t panic, Laode,” I replied, yawning widely.

  Not long after, Nate arrived riding her own horse, while Zima led mine. I noticed Nate carrying a large bag—probably filled with my spare clothes and supplies—and the sword I gave her as a gift was strapped to her belt.

  Zima grabbed a wooden step ladder near the front door of my mansion to help me mount my horse.

  “Yosha,” I muttered as I finally got onto my horse. Zima handed me the reins. “Let’s go!”

  My mansion is located outside the walls of Junek City, to the northeast, surrounded by fields owned by me and cultivated by the villagers. We rode through Junek City and headed south.

  Exiting the southern gate, we were greeted by a seasonal tropical forest biome. Since it’s the dry season, many trees had begun shedding their leaves.

  We pushed our horses without rest, and before long we reached our army’s camp at the foot of a hill about 8 kilometers from Junek City.

  The camp had been built in a circular formation, surrounded by palisade walls. To the south stood a hill that served as natural protection and concealed the camp.

  I urged my horse forward into the camp and found the area almost empty. I quickly dismounted, and a stable hand took my horse and ran toward my father’s tent.

  Nate followed behind me. Inside my father’s tent, a priest and a physician were already there. My father’s body lay stiff. His eyes were closed, and his hands were folded over his chest.

  The physician, dressed in cloth that covered nearly his entire body except for his face, approached me.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “King Dafonso has passed away. The cause of death was heart disease compounded by exhaustion,” he whispered and embraced me.

  “Where is Verzhina?” I asked. There was no time to grieve. Forgive me, Father.

  “Lord Verzhina is on the battlefield,” the physician replied.

  “Please arrange for my father’s body to be brought back to Skalu,” I requested of the physician and the priest.

  “Yes, my prince,” they replied in unison.

  I let out a long breath as I exited my father’s tent. I shook my head wildly and slapped my cheeks.

  “Time to perform.”

  I headed to the command tent, where Nate was preparing the armor I would wear.

  “Which one will you use, Ezia? I recommend just a gambeson. It’s hot, and you’ll need mobility.”

  Since it’s the dry season and definitely going to be hot, I followed Nate’s advice. The battle would last a long time, and I could die from heat exhaustion otherwise.

  I skimmed through the report detailing our total forces laid out on the briefing table.

  1st Army of Skradings

  Infantry (Melee): 1903

  Archers (Ranged): 1606

  Cavalry (Light Cav): 670

  Artillery Crew: 30

  Cannons: 15

  “Stay strong,” Nate said as she hugged me and kissed my cheek.

  My beloved servant gently stroked my cheek before finally seeing me off. She stood gracefully at the entrance of the command tent, helped me mount my horse, and sent me off to the battlefield. Nate stayed behind to prepare my tent and organize my belongings.

  Thankfully, the battle hadn’t started yet. Our forces were still neatly lined up, blocking the road to Junek City. The battlefield was relatively flat, with a wide, open retreat route behind us protected by a hill.

  Verzhina—my father’s advisor and Nate’s father—looked at me with pride and relief.

  The elderly bald man approached me.

  “Prince! The troops are ready to operate under your command!” he reported, hugging me.

  “Call all unit officers,” I ordered as I returned the embrace.

  The first thing I needed to do was make it clear that I was their new boss. Of course, I would keep my father’s death a secret for now. I was afraid they wouldn’t trust me to lead and might abandon the battle.

  Verzhina sent out a messenger and then spoke to me.

  “The Rajian Empire’s forces have begun to appear, Prince.”

  He handed me his spyglass. I looked through it as he pointed south of our position. The banners of the Rajian Empire were already visible among their ranks.

  “Their total force is over ten thousand,” Verzhina explained. “That’s from incomplete early reconnaissance.”

  Oh boy. A 2-to-1 disadvantage.

  I examined our formation. Verzhina had split our forces into two mixed groups on the left and right flanks. Something felt off. He was too focused on deploying troops at the base of the hill.

  This hill would be a solid position for our archers and cannons.

  If this were the game, this battle would still be part of the tutorial.

  Not long after, the messenger returned with four officers commanding each division.

  “From today onward, I will be leading you here,” I said to them. “There will be changes to our strategy.”

  Alright. Time to lock in and use the hundreds of hours I spent playing RTS games back on Earth.

  “Artillery officer Valde, move your cannons to the top of this hill. We’ll use it as our main defensive point.”

  “For the archers, move them up the hill as well. We need to take advantage of higher ground. Can you handle that, Hilxa?” I asked the archery officer.

  “Then regroup the infantry and station them at the base of the hill to protect the archers. As for the cavalry, I’ll command them directly.”

  “Yes!” they replied in unison.

  I helped reorganize the formation myself, changing it from a standard extended line into a defensive hill formation.

  Ideally, a fortress should have been built here. But my father focused too much on constant offense and neglected preparations like this. Once I ascend the throne, building a fortress and supply depot here will be my first priority.

  “Faster!” I ordered, pulling a cannon uphill with my horse.

  Sweat poured down my body under the blazing sun. The soldiers watched silently—maybe even grateful that I was suffering alongside them instead of resting comfortably in a tent.

  After that, I helped them construct our defensive positions: digging trenches, building barricades, and setting up anti-cavalry stakes.

  “P-Prince, are you sure you’re okay?” an artillery crewman asked. “I-I rarely see you doing physical labor.”

  His expression was full of concern.

  “I’m fine. How could I rest when the enemy is right in front of us?” I replied, giving him a thumbs-up.

  “Come on! For the survival of our nation!” I shouted as I began digging a defensive trench for the cannons.

  Thankfully, the hill was barren and easy to climb and dig, though the downside was all the dust. I opened the army management UI and switched to third-person view.

  As a reincarnator, it was actually useful that I asked the gods to fully implement game mechanics into this world. All my units were properly positioned on the hill. Their morale was still above 85%, and camp hygiene remained high.

  I didn’t need to worry about disease. Supplies of food, cannonballs, and arrows were flowing steadily from Junek City. Junek could be considered an invaluable industrial city for our kingdom.

  According to the system, our supplies would last another six months, with the next shipment arriving in three days.

  Night fell, and the troops returned to their camps to rest. I stayed behind with Verzhina, observing the enemy camp through the spyglass. They were setting up camp as well.

  They lit campfires, making them easier to see. The night was clear, with the moon shining brightly, unobstructed by clouds.

  “Shall we return, Prince?” Verzhina asked with concern.

  “Let’s go,” I replied, retrieving my horse and riding downhill toward our camp.

  Not all troops were resting; some remained on guard at our positions. I was exhausted, my entire body aching. I figured I’d ask Nate for a massage later.

  I was also starving. As I rode through the camp gate, I saw Nate waiting in front of my tent.

  “Welcome back, Ezia,” Nate said, helping me dismount.

  I hugged her, completely forgetting that her father was here. Not her biological father, though—if I remember correctly, Nate is the daughter of Verzhina’s third wife, a widow.

  “I’m home,” I said as I released her.

  I tied my horse to the hitching post near my tent, brought it water from a wooden bucket, and gave it fresh grass. I stroked its head and hugged it.

  “It’s nice to see young love,” Verzhina teased as he dismounted and ordered his men to take care of his horse. Nate greeted her father and returned to my side.

  “Thank you for bringing Nate into my life,” I said to Verzhina as Nate helped me remove my armor.

  Since I’m going to be king, that means I can change the stupid rule that forbids me from marrying my own servant, right?

  Verzhina looked at me in shock.

  “If you’re thinking of changing the nation’s laws to marry Nate, please reconsider, Your Highness,” Verzhina said bluntly. “Public opinion toward the Gratels hasn’t changed yet. It could be dangerous if they end up with a queen they don’t want.”

  Looks like the bald old man read my mind.

  “So you noticed…” I scratched the back of my head.

  “It’s okay. I like our relationship just the way it is,” Nate said softly as she carried my armor into the tent.

  “In that case, I’ll take my leave and rest in my tent, Your Highness,” Verzhina said, bowing before leaving.

  I lay on the grass with Nate beside me. One more obstacle stood between us and marriage: Nate is from the Gratels—a barbarian tribe driven from their homeland and accepted by my father, then integrated into our people.

  However, the Gratels’ history of raiding our lands made their sudden integration a controversial move. That’s why my father spent so much time suppressing rebellions.

  The upside was that our troops gained combat experience and discipline. My father also upgraded this camp and taught the soldiers proper sanitation—no relieving themselves carelessly—to prevent disease.

  There were many other things I couldn’t list. Unfortunately, just as our military improved, the economy stagnated. We were forced to rely on expansion and raids to seize valuables to keep our economy moving.

  “Hah…”

  “Don’t lie down here. Go inside the tent,” Nate reminded me, guiding me back.

  I lay on a bed made of stacked straw covered with cloth. Comfort isn’t a priority on the battlefield. Nate moved the candle aside and lay down next to me.

  “You smell like sweat. Oh my,” Nate giggled. “I’ll wipe you down before you sleep.”

  “Sure,” I replied, sitting cross-legged.

  Nate left the tent and soon returned with a bucket of water. I took off my clothes until only my underwear remained. Nate began wiping my body with a towel soaked in cold water.

  “Ahh, cold water after sweating all day feels amazing,” I said, raising my arms.

  I grabbed a clay bottle inside the tent.

  “This is boiled water, right?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Nate replied, still focused on cleaning me.

  I drank deeply, the relief washing over me.

  “You’ve got a lot on your mind, don’t you?” Nate asked as she gently stroked my face.

  “Of course. I woke up today and suddenly got told to become king, you know—in a country whose economy is nearly collapsing because my father focused entirely on building the military,” I replied with a small laugh.

  “After this war, I think I’ll ask for peace with the Rajian Empire. No matter what they demand,” I said seriously.

  “Maybe I’ll develop our trade, invite talented people from other nations to create things here, fix our education system. There’s so much I want to do.”

  But all of that was just a dream. I know the treasury is nearly empty.

  Damn it… I can’t stop thinking about what will happen to the soldiers if I’m forced to dismiss them. I’m afraid they’ll rebel, and that would be a nightmare to deal with.