Chapter 1150 - The Game of King and King
Even in the circumstances of Arcadia's dungeons, of which there are a vast number, the concept of this [Fun Castle of Sweets] having 'luxury items as basic spoils' is a rare one.
If so, that alone would be enough as a feature... but the fact that there is a further "fun element" that doesn't stop at sweet heaven would also be a factor in having many fans.
That is the making of the boss enemy, which is quite elaborate.
In the boss room located in the innermost part of the [Fun Castle of Sweets], two types of 'lords' await the players by random lottery for each conquest. Namely, it is a choice between a 'King' or a 'Queen.'
Pattern A, the [Terpadore King Chocolatier], who sits on a throne of sweets and follows chocolate chess pieces as vassals, and is called a hit (atari) by players.
And Pattern B, the [Planchera Queen Patissier], who sits atop a wedding cake made to look like a giant dress and glares down, and is called a miss (hazure).
The reason they are distinguished as a hit or a miss is simply because there is a difference in the lottery probability of both. From the results of a vast number of trial investigations by endless challengers, the appearance probability of each is extremely biased toward the King at only 5% compared to the Queen at 95%.
However, the Queen, who has been given the rude nickname of the Disappointing Queen, is by no means unpopular. If anything, it would be categorized as a popular boss battle.
The reason is simply that 'the battle is fun' and 'the rewards are luxurious.'
As any player would realize within a second of the encounter from the expression (face) looking down from on high, the Queen of Sweets has a bad personality. Simultaneously with the start of the battle, she forcibly summons the soldiers in the castle with a shrill voice, and literally uses a gummy whip to force the exclusion of the players in a tyrannical manner...
And although it's hard to read because they're made of sweets, it's clear from the expressions of the soldiers, who are clearly 'disliking it.' ────And here, three conquest options are shown to the challengers.
Whether to shatter the pitiful soldiers, thinking it can't be helped if they attack.
Or to ignore the soldiers who are being forced and run to defeat only the Queen.
Or to show a mercy that the Queen does not have by neutralizing them without shattering them.
In short, it's a form where there is one normal end and two good ends. Needless to say, defeating the soldiers is a normal judgment, and the remaining two are good judgments.
In the Queen-only rapid-defeat route, the players can eventually receive praise and thanks from the soldiers who survived... namely, additional reward items.
And in the mercy route, the situation changes by showing intention (will) for a while after the start of the battle. By defeating the Queen in cooperation with the soldiers who have turned against the evil Queen, it becomes possible to receive a token of gratitude that exceeds the zero-sacrifice achievement reward of the rapid-defeat route.
The former if you want efficient laps even while aiming for a good end, the latter if you want catharsis and maximum rewards... thus, even positive route choices are prepared.
The grand hall is filled with an extremely chaotic frenzy, and combined with the cute atmosphere composed of a pop texture like a picture book world, it has a reputation that even players who are not very good at fighting can enjoy it────that is the [Fun Castle of Sweets].
Then, the other one.
If the one called a miss, the Queen, is that popular. What kind of making does the one called a hit, the King, have... one answer to that is,
"Rook to E-4."
This. An unexpected chess battle.
With a body of baked goods, joints of candy, and a smiling face drawn with a chocolate pen, he wears a flowing chocolate cape────against the [Terpadore King Chocolatier], who sits on the throne and operates the black pieces, the challenger is granted the white pieces.
The three girls who challenge it. The one entrusted with the moves was, of course...
"Pawn to C-3."
A serious gaze that didn't quite suit the innocent girl's voice.
And deep within that (her head). At the edge of the giant grid field that looked like the grand hall itself was a chessboard, the one who wielded the command at the opposite shore of the King was────
"Knight to H-3."
The partner of the [Hoshikake (Clown)], the 'Maiden of the Scales' as the world calls her... or for those who know, a master of command and a genius of board games who is extraordinary considering her age.
────And so,
"Hey, hey, Princess."
"Mm."
"I don't understand chess at all, though."
"Mm."
"Even so, I can at least tell which side is pushing. So,"
"Mm."
Behind her.
"In the end, how amazing is this? In an easy-to-understand way."
"Mm............ let's see."
The two companions, who truly had nothing to do and were watching the girl's "battle" leisurely and peacefully. Ahead of where Iris and Nia were watching with their respective expressions.
"────Checkmate."
『────, ────────......』
"............Enough that an uncle who holds the title of Grandmaster would clap with great joy, I suppose."
"What's a Grandmaster..."
A leisurely conclusion.
If you only dabble in it, victory is first of all impossible. It's a game where the concept is how much you can satisfy (him) by desperately resisting the moves of the strong King, after a certain amount of study and training has been accumulated by an expert who challenges it.
Of course, this is Arcadia. Just because one has deviated from the normal path doesn't mean a path hasn't been prepared, and even if one wins in a situation where victory is not originally assumed, the story continues.
"..................Phew... um, err"
While the girl who had surfaced from the depths of concentration took a breath.
『────────────────────────……』
Atop the throne. There was the figure of the King, who had begun to tremble while still having a smiling face.
Seeing that, Nia realized "Ah"... or rather, she noticed that the information she had known from the start was about to unfold before her eyes, and she signaled to the guard (the strongest) beside her.
And while Iris soothed the non-combatant (the frail one), saying "It's fine," she didn't even take a stance, let alone call her 'sword,' as if to show it with her own body────and,
"Ah..................────Thank you very much...?"
『────, ────────────────ッ』
Like a good girl, unconsciously, with pure innocence, she delivered the finishing blow... the winner of the almost complete game.
Basically, he is a person of character—or rather, a cookie of character. Just like the chess pieces that move loyally, it can be inferred from the point that the trust from the soldiers is thick, unlike the Queen.
However, however────
He has a bad habit of being an extreme sore loser who loses sight of his surroundings when he gets heated in a competition.
Namely... of the many [Terpadore King Chocolatier] conquest routes, the 'Completely Overwhelming Route,' which is the highest difficulty and promises a limit-breaking special reward...
『ッッッ────────────────！！！！！！！！！！』
"Hiee!? I-I-I-I'm sorry...!!?"
It has grandly opened.