Chapter 154 - Chapter 16: "Charge!"
Whenever Onii-sama gave the signal, the cannons spat fire.
With the roar came a shockwave, and the castle walls and gates protecting the castle all crumbled. The castle soldiers were completely terrified by this.
After all, in this Kingdom of Orchesta, firearms are still unknown weapons. They were originally born from Fortesia's research, though House Fruitier had tried to do something with them. There's no way they could have any countermeasures.
While the soldiers hesitated to attack and fled in surprise at the cannons, another cannon was fired. And again, the castle's defenses vanished.
"Cease fire!"
When Onii-sama gave the order, the slaves operating the cannons all straightened their posture and ended the bombardment.
But by then, the castle walls had already been completely removed, making the royal castle clearly visible. Yes. It's a fine view.
...Now they must understand.
That we are not opponents who can be defeated by the swords and bows of a small number of soldiers!
"Do you understand!? Your resistance is completely futile! Now, surrender quietly! It is not my intention to destroy the castle any further!"
When I called out to the royal castle again, about half of the soldiers who had come out scurried back inside, and the remaining half stayed and surrendered!
Now, the royalty must finally be in despair.
Slowly but surely, the clock ticks away.
There are only thirty minutes left to choose to surrender. ...Now, I wonder if the royalty will be able to 'make a choice'?
"Ten minutes left..."
Ten minutes until the promised time.
There has been no movement from the royal castle so far. Seeing the soldiers being easily taken out by cannons and half of the survivors defecting, the will to resist should have vanished, but...
"Do they intend to not come out like this?"
"Hmm. They might be committing mass suicide."
Ah... I wouldn't like that. Well, I don't think they have that kind of courage or guts...
"But I will wait for twenty-four hours. It would be vexing to be told I broke my promise."
At the very least, since the remnants of the royal soldiers came out twenty minutes ago, I can assume all the royalty were alive at that point.
They wouldn't be able to resolve themselves to die in just over ten minutes... well, I think it's fine to wait.
"Sister. What will you do after this?"
Since Onii-sama asked, I shall answer.
"Seeing as they haven't surrendered, I believe they intend to resist until the very end. Therefore, I shall let them resist."
"Ho."
"If they still intend to resist, I will crush that resistance and thoroughly break them. I want to break everything that can be broken."
Not surrendering means they have the will to fight to the end. Then, I want to crush that will too.
...After all, once you kill a person, you can't kill them a second time, can you? Then, I want to do everything I can do before killing them.
I will break every single piece of that will! Otherwise, it would be a waste! The royalty is the last pleasure left to me, the main dish of this revenge! Therefore, I will do it thoroughly! I will kill not just their bodies, but their hearts, spirits, and beliefs!
...And so, the promised twenty-four hours passed.
"The protection of the wicked royalty's castle is gone! Elite squad, charge!"
Now, it's finally time to storm in! As per the instructions I gave in advance, I left most of the people here and attacked the castle with only a small elite group.
A small elite group. You understand, don't you? Me, Doran, Chesta, and Keeb, with Onii-sama joining in, and Lital and Chris tagged along too!
After that, there were about a dozen others, adventurers and slaves for show, but their role was mostly to block the entrance. The ones actually doing the royal hunting were us.
"Is that clear!? I will definitely be the one to handle the King! I won't yield on that point!"
"I understand."
"Then we can take out the others, right? Hey Keeb, want to compete with me?"
"I don't mind, but I'll win, you know?"
These guys seem to be having fun... Well, I'm looking forward to it too!
"Violia. Go and do as you please. I will handle any stragglers."
"I-I will also assist Contraus-sama! I won't let anyone escape!"
"Ah, why must I participate in such an evil deed... O God, please, lend a helping hand to the House of Orchesta..."
There's one person over here who doesn't seem to be having fun, but everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves! Lital has also become quite enthusiastic... has he also been tainted to the core... I've done a bad thing. Ohohohoho.
"Then, charge!"
...And so, we finally entered the royal castle.
It's the royal castle I entered just a few days ago, but it's taken on a rather lonely impression. Well, I suppose that's natural since there are no people.
The empty entrance hall. The deserted courtyard. ...A castle on the brink of destruction is such a melancholy thing.
"I thought it looked weird here, but maybe it's because the chandeliers are gone?"
"I stole them."
...Ah, so it's not a lonely atmosphere because there are no people, but because there are few things? W-Well, it can't be helped since they've already been stolen. Ohohohoho.
"What should we do with the royal portraits? Burn them?"
"Well, everything will be burned in the end anyway..."
"Oh, then I'll borrow this for a bit."
Chesta walked up to the portrait of the current royal family displayed at the back of the entrance hall, above the stairs... and started doodling on it.
"...I don't feel a shred of intelligence in that."
"It's fine, isn't it? We're going to burn it anyway, right? Then let's do something we could never normally do before burning it."
He has a point. Yes. He has a point. But still, seeing Chesta adding nose hair to the King's face, I really don't feel a shred of intelligence!
After that, we split up and started searching the royal castle. Doran for the royal private rooms. Chesta for the basement. Keeb for the back entrance. Onii-sama for guarding the entrance hall. Lital for the courtyard. Each took a role, prepared to let not even an ant pass.
By the way, when I told Chris, 'Search for the hidden royalty while assisting us,' he went toward Lital while muttering curses. It seems his action was based on the intention to help his relative who lacks judgment, as well as reading that someone might be lurking in the courtyard. Yes, an excellent slave is truly convenient. Ohohoho.
...Now then.
While everyone is searching here and there, my destination is only one.
The throne room!
"Pardon me!"
When I threw open the doors to the throne room with force, there was a nostalgic sight.
Yes, it's deeply moving. I was denounced here, framed for the assassination of Dactor-sama.
Of course, most of the people who were denouncing me then are no longer alive. The lot from House Fruitier and House Hornbone are already dead. As for House Clarino, they've fallen to slavery and are still being used by me. ...Thinking about it that way makes me feel quite refreshed.
Since the time I was being denounced here, I think I've worked quite hard.
Getting out of prison, working as a bandit, working as an adventurer while fighting the Pin-Hane Girl, almost getting imprisoned again because of the Pin-Hane Girl but escaping, arson, destroying the noble district of Elsemarin, releasing a large number of slimes, ruining House Fruitier, setting monsters on the Kingdom of Windry, burning House Hornbone at the stake after making them slaves. Having the Pin-Hane Girl executed. Winning the Martial Arts Tournament. Making the heir of House Clarino a slave...
...I've done quite a lot. Yes. It's deeply moving.
Therefore... at the very end, I will kill the King properly, burn this castle, and conclude it brilliantly!
"Now, prepare yourselves! You have nowhere to run!"
Beyond my gaze, the King and the other princes and princesses were trembling!
The click of my shoes echoed in the room.
The high-ceilinged throne room. The afternoon light shimmering through the stained glass created my shadow as I advanced, step by step, along with me.
Due to the light, it was my shadow that reached the King first. My shadow fell upon the King's feet, and he pulled his body back as if frightened by it.
But there's no way he can escape from me with just that.
"Good day. It has been a while. Have you lost a bit of weight?"
Even when I spoke to him, the King gave no proper response. I wonder if he's lost the ability to understand human speech.
"...Finally, this day has come. The day when the retribution for belittling House Fortesia is given to you."
I drew my sword and pointed the blade at the King. How sharp and beautiful the blade was, glinting. When I thought that this brilliance would cut through the King's flesh and spray red blood at any moment, I finally started to feel excited.
"Then... do you have any last words?"
"Ah... ah..."
The King's reaction was this, even when I spoke to him. I can't feel any human dignity.
"...I see. I shall take that as having nothing in particular."
Therefore, let's just end it.
"Then, good day to you."
I raised my sword and swung it down toward the King.
At that moment, as if the King were wearing invisible armor, the sword was deflected.
"Ah... ah... ah?"
The King himself looked blank. Yes. I was blank too.
What on earth is this? Is it equipment to protect the King's body? He is the master of the kingdom, after all, so he must possess a lot of equipment bought with money...
...If anything, it felt like 'the sword was blocked by magic' just now.
"Ah... ah... I see... it was already completed..."
The King muttered that, and his expression of fear gradually softened... into a smile.
"Then... you are not worth fearing!"
And then the King... transformed!
Yes. He transformed.
His appearance was like a demon, like a zombie, ugly, evil... giving the impression of a collection of parts or something patched together.
Yes.
The King became a grotesque monster and stood before me.
...Eh? What is this?