Chapter 1

There is a game called "Augustus ~The Supreme Throne~."

It is a simulation game set in a medieval fantasy world, and it is known for being a peculiar work that has gained a dedicated fanbase.

The term "peculiar" is not a typo.

It is not a masterpiece, but a peculiar work.

There are many flaws, such as various plot threads being left hanging and the sloppy setup of scenario flags that often lead to depressing endings.

However, it has received overwhelming support from a core group of fans.

The most notable feature of this game is the old-fashioned charm that retains the color of medieval fantasy and the unique armament known as the mobile armor.

The mobile armor, which is far more advanced than the level of civilization, is created by casting a preservation spell on the muscles of monsters and metal.

Imagine something like the bulky powered suits from science fiction movies, and you'll get the idea.

When soldiers mount these mobile armors, they become powerful units that can advance without fear of regular infantry.

If a character who is an ace pilot mounts one, they can achieve feats that are not an exaggeration to call one-man armies.

Guns have not yet been developed, and the basic armament of mobile armors is limited to bows and swords.

The greatest glory is to defeat an enemy general in single combat, and the code of chivalry has not been abandoned.

Knights, as mobile soldiers, continue to uphold the spirit of chivalry while piloting mobile armors.

In this somewhat twisted world, the player lives as the protagonist, Edward, the Second Prince.

Born as the second son of the Reinsgaya royal family, he battles neighboring country soldiers, mountain raiders, and his own brothers for the throne, growing both as a person and as a king.

The player must use various units to progress the story.

It takes skill to manage different types of soldiers, such as mobile soldiers, enhanced infantry wearing powered suits, and magic soldiers who gradually become obsolete.

Simply continuing to fight is not enough, as rebellions and coups can occur due to the soldiers' command and loyalty, so the player cannot afford to let their guard down.

Winning wars alone is not enough; if the player exploits defeated countries or colonies too much, they may face assassination attempts that the protagonist alone cannot prevent, or be killed by powerful mobile armors that even the royal guard cannot handle...

Because the player must pay attention to so many things, multitasking skills are essential.

Furthermore, this game has a major pitfall: important characters who influence the heroine and the story's progression can die or fall into darkness very early on.

As a result, if the player tries to clear the game without any prior knowledge, they will almost certainly end up with a bad ending, and to reach the desired route, they need to consult a walkthrough site at a very early stage.

The only way to achieve a happy ending where the protagonist and all the main characters, including his brothers and the heroines, can celebrate the succession to the throne together is to clear the grand route, the ultimate goal.

However, the grand route only saves the main characters, and if the player wants to save the side characters as well, the difficulty level increases significantly.

Introducing characters like the knight Rienbach and the court mage Soel, who die during expeditions, at an early stage is no easy task.

In the unofficial community, clearing the game while protecting all the characters is called the true grand ending, and it is said that very few players have achieved it.

--- The true grand ending is considered the ultimate happy ending, but there is one character who, despite being closely involved in the story and being related to the protagonist, is not saved in this route.

His name is --- Todd Al Reinsgaya.

The brother of the protagonist Edward and the first prince of the Reinsgaya royal family, who was supposed to inherit the throne from his father.

Todd is known among fans as the "Deficient King."

This nickname, a play on the name of the Deficient Land King John, aptly describes Todd as a person.

He is short-tempered and repeatedly acts with arrogance due to his status.

He does not see non-kingdom citizens as human beings and, until the fully mechanized mobile armors are excavated from ancient ruins in the late game, he dismisses mobile armors as mere monster waste and continues to look down on mobile soldiers.

It was Todd who caused the death of Takeru Hun Reinsgaya's mother from overwork and turned Takeru, who lost his mother, into a vengeful demon.

In the expedition ordered by his father, he displayed his incompetence, leading to the deaths of Rienbach, the captain of the royal guard, and Soel, the earth mage who was supposed to perform rear duties.

The contempt for other ethnic groups that he instilled in his eldest daughter, Enesia, made her rule of the colonies harsh, leading to many tragedies.

Among these tragedies are Rose, the strongest mobile soldier in the neighboring country of Reinfelt, and Hato Inashima, the baron who created the prototype of the mobile armor in Takeru's mother's homeland, Akitsushima.

It is difficult to save them unless the player intentionally progresses the story.

To achieve the true grand ending, where everyone is happy, it is essential to eliminate Todd, who spreads unhappiness around him.

On the internet, it is often said, "The world would be kinder without Todd" and "It's best to kill Todd in his childhood and then proceed with the story," which shows how much hatred players have for him.

In short, the true grand ending is a happy ending where all the main characters except Todd are happy.

"Without Todd, the world would be kinder, huh..."

The boy, holding a wooden sword, muttered softly and tightened his grip.

His sharp, upturned eyes, neatly groomed eyebrows, and flowing golden hair that reached his shoulders.

He wore finely tailored clothing and a red, glossy mantle that fluttered over his shoulder.

However, his clothes were covered in mud from falling to the ground multiple times, and he had scrapes all over his body.

The wooden sword he held tightly was worn out from training, and the cloth wrapped around it to prevent it from slipping had turned brown from dirt and sweat.

Clenching his teeth, the boy took a stance, and across from him, a man a head taller relaxed his stance and let his hands hang loosely.

The man's current skill level was such that he could handle the boy without even preparing himself.

Without saying it out loud, the boy felt as if he was being told this, and a sense of frustration welled up from deep within his heart.

"Your Highness, is something the matter?"

"…No, nothing. I'll win this time."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you keep getting hurt like this, you might incur the wrath of His Majesty."

"I'll convince Father. So don't hold back… Here I come!"

The boy ran towards the man and was sent flying backward by a direct counterattack.

Rolling on the ground, he forced himself up, his body covered in scrapes, and tried to catch his breath.

His lack of skill was obvious, and the difference in skill between him and Rienbach, the captain of the royal guard, was too great.

"Rienbach is so far ahead…"

"I've lived by the sword for thirty years. If I were to be surpassed by a prince who hasn't even lived a third of that time, I would have no standing."

"Haha… I haven't lost in terms of the years I've lived, though."

"…What do you mean by that?"

"…Nothing. Let's do it again."

"Of course, as many times as you like."

The boy, Todd Al Reinsgaya, was eight years old this year.

From the moment he was born into this world, he retained the memories of his past life.

As a devoted fan of "Augustus ~The Supreme Throne~," he rejoiced when he realized the world he was born into.

However, he was immediately filled with despair when he realized he had been reincarnated as Todd.

Todd is a character who dies in all endings, including the true grand ending.

Why did he end up as Todd, the "Deficient King," instead of the protagonist Edward?

He had endless questions and cried many nights until dawn, but his body continued to grow despite his despair.

What changed his days of lamentation and sorrow was a realization.

In this world, Todd is himself.

By being careful with his actions, he could avoid the many tragedies that were supposed to occur.

With the knowledge from his past life, he knew the approximate timing of major events and the moments when tragedies would happen.

He might be able to save everyone and create a world where they could laugh together, like in the true grand ending.

With the advantage of knowing the future, he could change his own fate, which was certain to end in death.

Once he started thinking this way, he stopped being negative.

A future where Todd could live together with everyone, an ideal future.

He might be able to reach it.

And he made a firm resolution.

In his past life, he was a man who did nothing but play games and work, living a life that was hard to tell if he was alive or dead.

But in this life, he couldn't afford to be like that.

He would take the initiative, never neglect self-improvement, and live actively.

Using all his strength and knowledge, he would save everyone from tragedy and overcome his own fate of death.

That's why he was currently receiving sword training from Rienbach.

There was little he could do at his young age.

So, to prepare for the future, Todd was tirelessly training both his body and mind.

He was already unsatisfied with the level of education at the academy and had scholars come to his home to sharpen his intellect.

Whenever he had free time, he would push himself to the limit, developing a toughness and perseverance that he was confident no one his age could match.

--- However, Todd was only eight years old.

No matter how high his aspirations, his body could not keep up with his mind.

Todd, who had been knocked down countless times, was sent flying by Rienbach again.

After using his brain in study sessions and pushing his body to its limits, Todd was on the verge of exhaustion, and his consciousness began to blur.

"…Gack…"

"Your Highness! …Someone, bring Slain here immediately!"

Seeing Todd fall, Rienbach hurriedly sent someone to fetch Slain, the head court mage.

Todd was taking his first steps towards leading everyone, including himself, to a happy ending, without caring how his actions would be perceived by others.

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