Young King Simulator [Western Fantasy]

When the Black Dragon rampages again, a young Red Dragon will rise to oppose it.

Erland never took this simple prophecy to heart. But as it happened, he was a redhead, so he could make use of it. After defeating the black plague and putting down a rebellion, Erland returned in triumph and had his subordinates find ways to build up his image, marketing him as the great Red Dragon Lord from the prophecy.

As expected, that trick never gets old, even after hundreds or thousands of years.

After surviving several common bad endings, such as "dying young" and "brother killing brother," and nearly spending his entire life as nothing more than a "boy king," Erland finally ascends the throne, full of satisfaction. But just when he thinks he's finally reached a happy ending, someone tells him the prophecy is real.

Erland: ?

Erland: Didn't I just make that up as a publicity stunt?

The envoys who visit in the dead of night or the following day: No, the prophecy is real, and the Black Dragon is about to awaken. Hurry up and get to work, our lord, or your border towns will be in trouble!

Erland, furious: I don't believe you. You're all lying to me!

Erland, still: But what if the people really do get hurt? (Tears in his eyes as he sends people to help) (Then he stares in shock when the Black Dragon really shows up.)

And so Erland says: I don't care what you are. I'll beat every last one of you back!

Years later, the history books record the truth:

When the evil Black Dragon rampaged again, a young Red Dragon rose to oppose it. The army advanced like a forest, its banners billowing like a sea. Our lord led the army up from the hillside, rising majestically, outshone only by the crimson dawn.

"Today, we fight," our lord said. "We fight so that the sun will rise again tomorrow. And even if we never see its light shine upon the land of soft green grass, trickling streams, and golden crops, upon the vast sea where waves spray like pearls, upon the snow-white fields and the rolling mountain ranges

"Our descendants will see it!"

(Previous blurb:)

In the year 764 of the Western Calendar, Erland held his coronation ceremony. After being anointed and blessed with chants, Erland could now claim to be king of the vast empire, at least in terms of ceremony. After all, our boy king was only five years old.

In time, he would grow up. He would understand the responsibilities and meaning of being a "king." He would wait to ascend the throne, waiting for his father, old Erland, to hand him the seal that symbolized supreme authority...

Or he would take it by force.

Would he become a good king? Or would he become a bad one? Would he launch a failed rebellion and be imprisoned for the rest of his life? Would he die of plague or illness before he even had a chance to grow up?

Or would he accidentally stumble upon the true nature of this world and discover, to his astonishment and delight, that

The myths and legends sung by those wildly off-key wandering bards, the tales of the ancient, immortal races waging war across the continent, all the beauty and cruelty unique to those immortal races, far beyond the limits of human imagination

It was all real.

Theme: An ode to humanity and fellowship