Merchant Noble is out (2/4 chapters for today)
Turning the Tide
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Leading the charge into the center was Casablanca, clad in golden armor. On her left stood Fran, bearing the royal family’s crest, while on her right was Arc, holding the kingdom’s flag.
“Your Majesty the Queen…” (??)
The weary kingdom soldiers, battered by the fight and their exhaustion, stepped aside with astonished expressions.
“Her Majesty the Queen has arrived!” (??)
The soldiers erupted in cheers at the sight of Casablanca, resplendent in her golden armor.
“Long live Her Majesty! Long live Her Majesty!” (Kingdom Soldiers)
Their shouts spread across the entire force, causing a massive wave of energy to ripple through the central troops. Casablanca said nothing. She simply raised her right hand with dignity, acknowledging the thunderous cheers.
“This is the power of a ruler.” (Arc)
Standing beside Casablanca, Arc felt the overwhelming force of her charisma. It was different from what he had imagined. Arc had half-dismissed and half-belittled the power of Casablanca and the royal family, thinking it had waned. Indeed, the royal family’s authority had likely diminished to the point of being challenged by the nobles.
The noble disputes had exposed their unsightly weakness. But that was only within the upper echelons of society. To the common soldiers, she remained ‘the queen of noble lineage’. Casablanca removed her helmet, revealing her beautiful face. Though an incredibly dangerous move, it made a powerful appeal to each and every soldier. The soldiers roared with a cheer so loud that even those on the front lines turned their heads in astonishment.
Raising her sword high, Casablanca delivered a brief speech.
“Our army faces a grave crisis. To overcome it, your valiant efforts are paramount.” (Casablanca)
By then, they had reached the front lines. An arrow narrowly grazed her, but she showed no sign of fear, advancing boldly. Meanwhile, Arc felt like he was living a nightmare. Casablanca handed her helmet to Fran, who mounted it atop her spear and raised it high. It was an extremely risky move, drawing attention to their position for both allies and enemies alike.
“Follow me! Any who lag behind will be cut down!” (Casablanca)
At last, Casablanca charged into the thick of the melee.
“Protect Her Majesty!” (??)
“Let’s follow her lead!” (??)
Seeing their queen charge in herself, the morale of the kingdom’s troops surged back to life.
—
“Casablanca-sama!” (Alma)
Alma, the Fourth Unit of the Casablanca Seven, who had been leading the central forces, rushed toward Casablanca as she fought in the front lines.
“Alma, from now on, Fran will take command of the center. You will also follow Fran’s orders.” (Casablanca)
It was a change in command. The fact that Alma had managed to hold out until Casablanca’s arrival was commendable. However, the near collapse of the central army was ultimately Alma’s responsibility. This was effectively a dismissal.
“…Yes, understood.” (Alma)
Dropping her shoulders, Alma retreated.
—
Meanwhile, in the Lureid Kingdom’s camp, confusion spread. Though they had been on the verge of victory, the sudden resurgence of the kingdom’s army’s morale caught them off guard. They now found themselves being pushed back. As this was an invasion, the average soldier’s morale wasn’t particularly high. Amidst them, one man stood ablaze with fighting spirit.
“So, you’ve come, Casablanca!” (Louis)
It was Louis, dressed in the uniform of the Lureid Kingdom.
“I’m heading to the front!” (Louis)
“Louis-dono, it’s too dangerous!” (Lureid Soldier)
“No, this is my battle to reclaim the throne! Let me go.” (Louis)
Upon hearing that Casablanca had arrived on the front lines, Louis’s resolve ignited. Ignoring the protests of the Lureid generals, he took a horse and rode off.
—
The front lines remained chaotic.
“Protect Her Majesty the Queen!” (??)
The Laplace Kingdom troops fought fiercely to protect Casablanca, while the Lureid soldiers desperately sought to cut her down.
“Nobody told me we’d be at the very front…” (Arc)
In the midst of the battlefield’s chaos, Arc was trembling. His hands were full, one holding the flag, the other gripping his horse’s reins, leaving him with no choice but to trust in the surrounding soldiers.
“Uooohhhh!” (??)
An enemy soldier leapt at him, but the thick defensive line held firm. Even so, Arc, standing out beside the armored Casablanca, could do little but cower at the endless assault.
“Casablanca-sama! Casablanca-sama! How much longer must we stay on the front lines?!” (Arc)
He shouted at Casablanca, who stood beside him.
It was a yell so loud it might have shattered his eardrums, but anything quieter would have been swallowed by the cacophony of battle.
“Just a little longer. Hang in there.” (Casablanca)
Casablanca answered with a broad smile, as if amused by Arc’s fear.
“I can’t take this… How can she smile when her armor is full of arrows?!” (Arc)
Taking advantage of the battlefield’s uproar, Arc muttered his complaints aloud.
He wanted to run immediately. But he couldn’t be the only one to turn his back and flee.
—
“CASABLANCAAAAAAA!” (Louis)
A thunderous shout echoed across the battlefield. With a furious expression, Louis charged forward.
“So, you’ve come, Louis. Make way for him.” (Casablanca)
Smirking boldly, Casablanca ordered the soldiers forming a wall in front of her to step aside.
“Casablanca-sama, this is dangerous!” (Fran)
A flustered Fran reached out to stop her, but Casablanca shook her off roughly.
“This is a long-overdue reunion between siblings. Don’t interfere.” (Casablanca)
Her gaze was utterly unwavering. Her terrifying eyes contrasted starkly with the wide grin on her lips. There was something unsettlingly familiar about her demeanor, reminiscent of her brother, Leo.
“It’s been a while, Louis. I’ve been looking for you.” (Casablanca)
“Casablanca. I’ll kill you. Kill you and reclaim the throne.” (Louis)
Without another word, the two clashed swords.
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