New chapter of Merchant Noble is out! (4/6 chapters)

Explosion

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*Dooonnnnn!!!*

At that moment, the unit led by Arc, which was advancing toward the royal capital, was struck by a shockwave. A tremendous sound echoed, loud enough to make the horses rear in fright.

“Ah! Smoke is rising from the capital!” (Soldier)

“The royal palace exploded!” (Soldier)

The soldiers shouted one after another. Flames rose from where the royal palace had certainly been visible, and the entire capital began to be covered in smoke.

“Casablanca… To think she would go this far…” (Arc)

Arc turned pale. It was not a mere explosion. It was a massive explosion capable of blowing away the entire city. There was no way such an explosion happened by accident.

“All troops, advance at full speed. Randal and the others attacking the palace are in danger.” (Arc)

Arc rushed toward the capital to rescue his allies.

“Arc Warden-sama, 3,000 troops entering the city!” (Gatekeeper)

With the gatekeeper’s call, Arc entered the royal capital.

Inside the capital was a vision of hell. The central part of the capital, where the palace had towered, had turned into a mountain of rubble. The surrounding buildings had collapsed from the shockwave. Perhaps they had been blown away by the explosion. Several massive stone pillars were embedded in the ground, and civilians had died crushed beneath them.

“Arc-sama!” (Soldier)

The soldiers who had been conducting rescue operations earlier rushed over. Judging by their uniforms, they were likely Laika’s troops. Laika had been stationed outside the capital to stop enemy reinforcements, so they were probably not caught in the explosion.

“What happened?” (Arc)

“The royal palace suddenly exploded. We rushed inside and began rescue efforts, but there was a strong smell of gunpowder from the entire area where the palace had been.” (Soldier)

“So, it was gunpowder after all… What about Laika?” (Arc)

“She is frantically searching for General Randal, almost like she has lost her mind.” (Soldier)

“I see…” (Arc)

If Randal had been inside the palace, survival in this devastation was likely hopeless. Considering the strength of the bond between the siblings, Arc could easily imagine Laika’s current emotional state. Arc’s unit also joined the rescue operations, carrying the wounded one after another from the collapsed houses. However, there was little they could do with only several thousand soldiers. That was how utterly devastated the capital had become.

“Did she blow herself up and take General Randal with her?” (Yulia)

Yulia, who had been stunned by the overwhelming destruction, finally spoke after a long silence. Indeed, given this scene, Casablanca must have also lost her life.

“…A terrifying woman.” (Arc)

Gazing at the scene before him, which had completely turned into a wasteland, Arc murmured quietly.

 

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