The Girl Who Bore the Flame Ring Chapter 37

The six thousand men Noel had led to take Rockbell were heading west along the Kanan highway en route to capturing Madress. While they were occasionally a.s.sailed by those brave n.o.bles who led their troops on the offensive, Noel was able to easily repel their attacks. Riglette sentenced those brave fools to be burned at the stake.

"It feels weird to reverse roles so quickly."

"I never thought I'd be the one a.s.saulting Madress."

The road they took was the same that Ristih had at the head of the original Red Circle Army, the only difference being a lack of a coordinated counterattack from the forces of South Coimbra. Wilm may have decided that a head on collision with the soaring morale of the Red Circle Army was undesirable, likely opting instead to hold out for reinforcements in a siege before commencing a pincer attack. Given equal numbers of men, the defenders had an overwhelming advantage in their castle. Furthermore, they could buy time for the reinforcements to arrive from Bahar and Ribeldam. Although there would be no way to avoid sacrificing the people in the lands surrounding the castle, from the point of view of the commander, it was the correct decision.

"So Wilm's preparing for a siege after all? It's just like you said, Riglette."

"Obviously. There is no way that man would risk it all in an attack. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he used the plebeians as human shields."

"I think that's a bit much. Major General Wilm… I mean, Wilm is a viceroy, not just an enemy. To do that kind of thing to his own people would be…"

"Sir Cynthia, I think that's enough. When will you stop giving him honours? He's an enemy. Ah, but you don't have to apply that to me, though we are related."

Riglette regarded Cynthia with distaste. Going one or two words too far was her usual way. While Noel found it amusing, there were naturally many who kept Riglette at a distance because of it. The Willa islanders accepted it as a part of her character, but they were the exception. While she was a minor irritation, it was not particularly apparent, though Barbas would call out in a loud voice about how f.u.c.kin' annoyin' she had always been.

"That's right, I'm sorry. It is as you say, Sir Riglette. Wilm should be a detested enemy. I shall take care from here on out.

"That should be fine. What? There's no reason to worry, I was expecting as much. On that desolate island, I had plenty of time to think."

"Riglette and I did military simulations. Uhh, I think about a thousand times?"

"1 257 times. Incidentally, you cheated 124 times."

"In real wars, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and the like, all happen, you know."

"As if they would, you idiot!"

"Ahaha, you got mad again. Weren't officers not supposed to get angry?"

"Are you picking a fight!?"

Ignoring Riglette’s anger, Noel turned to Cynthia and explained everything that she had done until that point. It was in what was ostensibly free time on Willa island that Noel and Riglette had planned their liberation of Coimbra. Three years had already pa.s.sed in which they planned and planned and planned. Noel had been busy with angling, swimming, more fishing, and playing, but Riglette had done nothing but circle her desk in a melancholic mood, pondering the fall of North Coimbra. The plan had been built slowly on the gradual trickle of information from Gemb. Incidentally, the plan for dealing with a direct attack from Wilm was to ambush him on the beach. It would have been unfortunate if the islanders’ numbers had been severely diminished.

Thinking was but another pastime for Noel, but Riglette was a different matter, developing bags under her eyes, living with disheveled hair, and sometimes letting out strange voices as she plotted late into the night. All was for the sake of the father she had good reason to hate; all for revenge on Wilm. Sometimes Noel managed to stay up late enough to give her an uproarious applause, but it was always met with a tut of terrific proportions.

“To have thought it through that far… So all the youths and Irvan are to undertake a training program according to the Red Circle Army policy… only, it’ll be embarra.s.sing to just wave swords around on your own.”

“Distribution of roles is important too, you know. I mean, wouldn’t the army become a writhing mess if everyone just moved independently?”

“I think so, but don’t you say it. Are you not in the process of moving on your own after a brief thought?”

“Ahaha, it’s fine if it’s me.”

Noel stuck out her tongue, and Cynthia made to go for a jab, but whispered, “By the way, how is your relationship with Sir Riglette? It looks better than before, but…”

“Well I’m not her friend, but she’s an important friend of mine. I just can’t feel satisfied without her there. She is my priceless aide.”

“I see… well, I don’t, but good for you.”

Almost simultaneous with Cynthia’s murmuring came a seemingly purposeful cough from beside her. It was Riglette.

“Please don’t say meaningless things. Why don’t you inform Sir Cynthia of the plan from here on out?”

“Sure thing. Um… we’ll attack Madress with a strong and rappid attack to capture it in a timely fashion. If we couldn’t, there’d be no meaning to a rushed a.s.sault.”

“That… may well be impossible. The smallest estimate for the number of enemies in Madress is currently five thousand, and as Wilm gathers more men from the surrounding lands, that number should only increase. I’d say that we’re going to have to deal with ten thousand while we can only field six thousand ourselves.”

“We might have a disadvantage in numbers. Even still, the defenders in a castle won’t want to fight once the front breaks. They might not have the morale.”

Noel had a general grasp of the circ.u.mstances from what her spies had reported. The experienced soldiers were away on expedition. Things might have been equal for the moment, but if they became surrounded, it would be a fatal flaw, regardless of who was where.

“On top of that, Madress is a strong fortress with two walls. Even if we breach the wall surrounding the nearby city, the inner wall will still remain. And since they have a harbour, we can’t prevent their resupply. If we attack before fully prepared, the losses will be horrendous.”

Cynthia worried and Riglette snorted. Naturally, this angered Cynthia, whose face turned bright red.

“Just what do you find so funny, Sir Riglette? I thought to merely be frank!”

“I don’t need you to even say so much in order for me to understand. I am a member of the Coimbran military of sorts. Is it not expected for me to be able to think, unlike a certain white haired monkey from somewhere.”

“That’s right, there’s no need to worry. Riglette’s just messed up a bit. She’s really good at grabbing onto her opponent’s weakness.”

After a tut, Riglette coughed and began to speak, “Ahem… let’s leave that stupidity aside. As we discussed earlier, we shall put our plan into action immediately upon arrival at Madress.”

“The plan, you say? Just what are you going to do this time?”

“It’s a plan you can look forward to seeing. The hint is that Barbas and the White Ant Bloc might not be there. Hmmmmmm, I wonder what everyone will do? Could it be a walk?”

Looking around restlessly, Noel made sure to speak in a prodding tone.

“Could what you were on guard about…”

“To deceive one’s enemies, one must start with one’s friends. Now let’s aim for Madress!”

Noel took a banner from a nearby soldier, mounted her steed, and energetically waved it around. The familiar sound of the March of Noel Corps could be heard. The weather was good, and things truly felt right.

The soldiers of South Coimbra lined the ramparts of Madress castle without any gaps, set up with bows trained and ready. Ordinarily, a siege would involve being attacked while setting up siege equipment and trebuchets, but it was not the case on this occasion. Doing so would take too much time, and would harm the local plebeians. For the sake of future endeavors, she wanted the castle to fall quickly. She and Riglette were of one mind on the matter.

“I know you have a plan, but what are we actually going to do? You couldn’t intend to build catapults…”

“Just watch. I bet Cynthia’ll get surprised too!”

Six thousand of the Red Circle Army spread out in formation for a direct attack, and before them all rode Noel. All eyes fell upon the lone horseman. She was within arrow shot of the castle, and the enemy commander readied his men to shoot. Noel planted her twin hammer banner and blew the charge on her bugle with all her might. In that instant, a thunderous roar erupted on the southern wall, a bugle sounded a charge, and Noel’s twin hammer banner rose over the ramparts, as soldiers began to charge the archers at the sound of a man’s shout.

“W-what!?”

“All right, let’s go. Riglette, sound the attack!”

“You don’t have to tell me!”

Riglette blew her bugle. The soldiers who were just as dumbfounded as the enemy hurriedly began their a.s.sault.

“T-that can’t have been Barbas and the White Ant Bloc!?”

“That’s it. See, Wilm has been gathering all his soldiers to hole up in his castle, right? Well we snuck in while he did.”

“You had them sneak in?”

“We’ve sc.r.a.pped the bottom of the barrel, but so has the enemy. Suddenly adding as many soldiers as possible makes it impossible to distinguish between friend and foe. We’ve probably got some spies with us too, but aren’t our opponents the ones who lose the most?”

Noel urged her men toward the gate in a feint while the main force caused the southern rampart to collapse. The archers on the walls fell into a state of chaos having never expected an attack from within. It was possible to pressure the gate, not in a pointless attack, but to draw attention as if all the soldiers turned on the southern rampart, everything would have been for naught.

“To think you had been preparing this kind of plan… but how did you get on to the ramparts?”

“The combustion stones. We used them to undermine the walls, I’ll show you later.”

“I see, so that’s how you got into Madress…”

“But, we probably won’t be able to get away with it again. I bet this will be the last time it goes this smoothly. Well, it’s a price that has to be paid. Hey, we should get going too.”

“Fair enough. Okay, let’s go!”

Noel and Cynthia brought their troops to the breach in the southern wall. Riglette stopped, and set something up; an effigy of what had gained so much ill repute in Coimbra: a stand for execution by fire. A great blaze was lit so that the castle could clearly see. Those soldiers who witnessed it with their own eyes immediately broke into a panic and fled in an avalanche of men. Even their commander threw down his sword and fled ahead of many.

They had seen how Noel had resisted Bahar to the bitter end in the previous war, and the great many n.o.bles who had been executed by fire as punishment for their betrayal of Grohl. Tales of such a sort had spread beyond Coimbra and even as far as the neighbouring provinces, and it was widely believed that the fiend of Coimbra had not forgotten her grudge, and was waiting to enact revenge on Willa island. That very fiend had suddenly appeared before them, despite her banishment, and had even brought an execution ground. The threat that they were next had an immediate effect.

“I won’t stop even if you ask. It is absolutely a useful tactic.”

“The enemy… is running like they’ve seen a real fiend. It is shockingly effective, to be honest.”

“It’d be nice to win with ease, but I have mixed feelings about this. I thought it’d be fine just to blow down the wall.”

If Noel had to put a finger on what she found disagreeable, it would be that the children would be too scared to play with her, and getting them to warm up to her would take time. It was hard to deal with children screaming, crying, and running away as soon as they noticed her.

“Well, isn’t it fine? You said so too, the important part is winning.”

“I had other people in mind.”

Barbas continued on heroically with a laugh down amidst the din of weaponry as Noel got in a huff.

“It went well, Captain! But still, we took it down rightly! It’s truly refreshin’, a real thrill!”

“Pops went and used half o’ the stockpile o’ combustion stones! Even though I told him we’d regret it!”

“Even though it’d ruin our reputation if we failed! I’ll absolutely pull through in what I’ve been entrusted with. Isn’t that the way of the artisan!?”

Noel applauded Barbas as he started to get full of himself.

“It’s a great achievement, Barbas. I’ll give you a handmade medal later!”

“Hehe, thank you very much! Ah, and if you would be so kind as to include any Gembi wine that you could find…”

“Of course I can. I got that stuff for all of you. We’ll have a ma.s.sive party later, eh!”

“Much appreciated! Okay, you lot! Let’s take the castle in one sweep!”

“Yeaaaah!”

So as to add to the a.s.sault from inside the walls, Noel took control of the gatehouse, successfully allowing the soldiers outside into the bailey. The guards resisted sporadically based around a chapel they had converted into a headquarters. The plebeians had hidden themselves in their houses afraid of becoming wrapped up in the fighting. They had nowhere to run even as refugees. Along with guaranteeing the safety of the people, Noel had prohibited looting. Her offensive wasn’t over yet. She formed up her men, and turned to the keep and harbour, but they couldn’t take them as expected. Though Noel attacked with force, the defenders had hardened the defences to the point that she hadn’t been able to overwhelm them, and her own men began to fatigue. Barbas suggested blowing their way through, but Noel rejected that proposal.

“I won’t play the same hand twice in one battle. Of course I will make use of them, but now is not that time. Plus, it’d be a waste.”

They still had a stockpile, but if they wanted to blast down the walls, they were going to have to use the vast majority of it, and she wanted to have some ready for the most important battle of the war. Furthermore, that castle was a precious place to Cynthia and the young master; even akin to a home. If she could, she wanted to maintain its shape. If she could. If it was impossible, she’d just use the ultimate explosion to wipe the slate clean, leaving nothing behind, killing all occupants. Casualties would be mostly those close to Wilm, so it wouldn’t be a problem.

“Still, that way would require a ma.s.sive amount just to bring down the caslte proper. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d Wilm has really f.u.c.kin’ fortified it. a.s.saultin’ normally would cost us a mountain o’ corpses.”

“Hmm, well it’s war so it can’t be helped. Still, let’s minimise the number of sacrifices. At worst I thought we’d take the the harbour, though.”

Noel’s initial plan called for them to have already taken the castle, once again bringing to light how no matter much they trained, that things would never proceed exactly according to plan. At present, Cynthia was leading an a.s.sault, but the enemy was putting up quite a bit of resistance. The narrow streets were lined with walls in such a way as to efficiently allow for a small number of men to defend the castle. The port was incredibly important if they were to receive food or reinforcements from Ribeldam. Their ferocious willingness to defend it to the last breath was likely the reason why they had successfully protected it.

“Why don’t we go and see if we can take it? There will be sacrifices, but this is war.”

Losses could not be avoided. Naturally, she would do what she could to minimise the casualties, but there would be no meaning if she was so afraid that she never achieved anything. A commander had to aim for the optimum gain with minimum loss. Noel was burdened with the hopes of the dead soldiers, so she wanted to take to the front herself whenever possible. Of course, all this with no intention of dying herself.

“You are a commanding officer of sorts, but please don’t be so gung-ho about things. It is unbecoming,” Riglette b.u.t.ted in with her uninvited opinion.

Noel wondered just when she had gotten inside.

“But it’ll be bad if this drags on too long, I’m sure you know that much.”

“Of course. Reinforcements from Bahar will arrive if we tarry too long. Furthermore, if we press too hard, Wilm might try something.”

“Just what is that coward up to? Ain’t he just holed up in his castle?”

“If it came down to dooming the castle before reinforcements arrive, he’d burn the castle and flee, the cowardly worm. Most likely, he’s been able to place some spies disguised as plebeians. He could then escape in the ensuing chaos. If he’s lucky, we’d just die in that fire.”

“Oi, he wouldn’t go that far right!? Ain’t these your own f.u.c.kin’ people!?”

“You could bet your life on it, you white haired monkey. I would absolutely do that. If I would, he would, the worm.”

“Woah, that’s way too persuasive. I was impressed for a d.a.m.ned second there. *I couldn’t even complain.”

“Thank you for that. I’m so moved I might just cry.”

She repayed the inflammatory words in kind, and the usual response ensued.

“I wasn’t praisin’ you. If you take it wrong it’ll make me feel sick too.”

“I know that, of course,” replied Riglette, her mouth curving as she met Barbas’ disdainful gaze.

Her gla.s.ses shone dramatically. The time had long been coming, and so Noel too donned her gla.s.ses, eliciting a shocked look from Riglette.

“So, what is it? Your excellency, Noel? Do please offer up a command befitting of a commander. Only if you wish to become more famous, that is.”

“In that case, staff officer Riglette, I shall do as you so say. Perhaps you have something to mind? I shall accept full responsibility. This Noel Bosheit shall never run nor hide.”

Noel now gave instructions completely full of herself. The words had been polite enough, but the person in question had simply been fooling around, so the surrounding soldiers leaked a few laughs. There was even a man further in who hailed long life to her excellency Noel.

“Hey, don’t you idiots play along like that! I can’t have any more fools running about!”

“That’s harsh. You were even the one who started it with her excellency,” Noel objected.

“I can do it, I’m not a fool after all.”

“I wonder…”

Riglette glared at Noel for her jab, and some of the men from the White Ant Bloc spoke up to help pacify her.

“Uh, what are your thoughts anyway? If you could cooperate with us, we’d gladly help you out, though. We’ll do anything for the captain!”

“Hm, unfortunately, it is your turn now. I’m the only one capable of speaking with him.”

Barbas jumped in when he saw her waving her hand like they would only get in the way.

“What? Who exactly is this ‘him’. Don’t be so slow, just spit it out.”

“The one protecting Madress harbour, the Major General of South Coimbra: Leue Grambull. He is still my brother. Well, we’re connected.”

At the harbour at midnight Leue called out to the soldiers on guard and immediately turned to face his pavilion. They were the men he had brought under his wing to protect the harbour when he had become a major general. He had fully equipped them and was giving them healthy rewards. They had been chosen as elites in case the situation worsened significantly in the province. Leue had personally persuaded his father not to send them to the continent. He had foreseen the inevitability of a rebellion.

“Still, to think that the famed fortifications of Madress could have the outer wall breached in a single day. Is this another page to our shameful history? I’m sure father is in a rage.”

Leue derided himself. Things were not supposed to have come to this. Everything was supposed to be revived once they had removed Grohl, but reality was another matter. He wondered if things had only become more tragic since then. The territory had spent all its money and men on the expedition and what remained had fallen into desolation. Furthermore, the soldiers who return bring disease, causing great damage to the inner hearts of those poor survivors. Death was easy for those with poor nutrition. As the n.o.bles usually didn’t die, they gathered hatred from the people.

Sir Cynthia has probably joined the Red Circle Army with the young master.

Thoughts of the chivalrous female night floated through Leue’s mind. She had refused his invitation and been redeployed to the impoverished north to take care of Elgar. Likely, the only reason she even forced herself to serve the traitors was for Grohl’s sake. She walked the path she had chosen for herself. In comparison, Leue was only doing as his father instructed. If he didn’t, he would end up like Riglette. He would be thrown away and lose his status, and so he had advanced. There had been no reason not to deny himself when faced with a glorious and prosperous future, or so he had thought.

But what of it? Is this really the future I wanted?

Leue crumpled the report detailing the horrors of the war in his fist and violently threw it aside. Just then, a subordinate entered the tent with a greeting.

“Sir Leue. A, uh, guest has arrived, but…”

“A guest at this moment of crisis? Ridiculous, what were you thinking!? What kind of situation do you think this is!?”

“But, sir, I was instructed to convey this… your guest is Sir Riglette.”

“My sister, you say…”

Interrupting him, Riglette entered the pavilion in the uniform of the military police with her customary sour expression. Her skin was pale save for the dark circles under her piercing eyes. Apparently, her treacherous nature had not changed.

“Long time no see, Leue. Oh, you were a major general now, right?”

“To think you were still alive… I had heard you were dead from father.”

“Do you really think I could die before witnessing you two fall?”

“You really haven’t changed. Still, I don’t remember agreeing to anything. I am rather busy at the moment so I would prefer it if you retired for now, though.”

Riglette snorted as Leue indicated the direction of the door.

“Hold off on that sort of think for the moment, okay? Your elder sister’s words are to be regarded as correct. You’ve been below me from the start, and you always will.”

“Hahaha, even that intolerable att.i.tude is the same. You only ever say things that drive people away.”

“And you still appear to be that man’s marionette as always. Is it fun being a puppet?”

“I don’t want to be asked by the one whose strings were cut and thrown away to Willa island. This is how I’ve become a commander. Of course I am satisfied.”

His words drew out a composed smile across Riglette’s face.

“Huhuhu, I was not thrown away, but was the one to seize an opportunity. That is how I came here today. I also came to chase down you two fools.”

“Did you tire of your graceful island life? Shouldn’t you have been content there with the fiend? It would have only been for the best if you two had remained cooped up there your entire lives…”

Riglette’s life of observing her nominal superior had really just been a way of sweeping a nuisance under the rug, but she and Noel had come back to repay them and were a.s.saulting Madress. In short, Riglette had never had any intentions of observing Noel. Leue didn’t know how they had done it, but it seemed they had even involved the soldiers on Willa island.

“Shut your mouth. I couldn’t care less about that idiot.”

“I believe you are her henchman at the moment, dear sister. Ahaha, and I’m sure you’re happy about it. Have you no pride in your Grambull family heritage?”

Leue scoffed, and Riglette snorted in response, which only added more to his slowly building irritation. He really wanted to punch that smug face; maybe even understanding how much Wilm had wanted to keep her away in that moment.

“Huhu, I don’t need something like pride. I’d even sell my soul to the devil to stand over you two.”

“The fiend not the devil, right? Your master.”

“Be quiet. Like I said, those stupid things don’t matter to me.”

“Would you mind explaining why you are with that idiot, then? Your foolish little brother is curious.”

“She’s an idiot, easily excitable, gets in the way, and is a childish demon, but she can understand a conversation, and she has the ability to follow through on things. She’s preferable to some s.h.i.tty worms,” Riglette a.s.serted confidently.

It was the first time he had seen her so certain.

“Now then, your business? You surely haven’t come just to greet me. Or could it be you want me as an ally?”

“Huhu, this is a simple matter, Leue. If you want to help a member of the Grambull family, we two will have to collude.”

“What foolishness. I am a major general of South Coimbra. Please think more carefully before you come out with these jokes. Weather or not I behead you now is riding on not being pushed too far, you know.”

Riglette merely looked down on him for his attempted rejection with a nostalgic look of disgust. She was probably the best on the continent at making people feel like they had lost somehow.

“This is no laughing matter. Aren’t you only a major general in name? Wilm has all the true authority, right? That’s why you only have this many men despite being a major general who would normally oversee the entire army. Truly pathetic.”

“…”

She was correct. Leue had become a major general, but had never led so many as ten thousand men; at most three thousand. Military and civil affairs were controlled by his father, and Leue only carried them out. He had, of course, consulted Perius on how to deal with the situation, but had never been seriously considered.

“The only way to preserve the Grambull family name is to betray him. Wilm will have to die, though.”

“It is pointless no matter what you say. As if I could do something as cowardly as you by betraying my own father!!”

Riglette almost sang as she bore down on him, “At this rate you’ll be implicated in his crimes and executed with everyone else. Naturally, this includes those who surrender. There’s a grand fire to be displayed on the execution grounds we’ve set up out there. All those you hate will surely be dancing with glee. Didn’t you know? The Grambull family is hated all over. If you heard all the voices of resentment, I’m sure you’d go completely mad.”

“Even though you’re part of this family too!”

“Please don’t cast me aside and then suddenly try and make me a companion. I’ve cast aside this house Grambull. What need have I of it now when it is not but a symbol of traitors?”

Leue could only be struck speechless at her words. She had so simply stated that there was no more merit in their house. She threw away even n.o.bility with it. His former sister wouldn’t have been able to do that no matter how much she was condemned by her father. That was just how valuable n.o.ble status was.

“To be honest, I actually want you to decline. That way I’d get to wipe out all the filthy worms. I am the one who will give the execution order, of course. Don’t think I’ll let you all die easily. I remember every single Grambull family member who ever looked down on me, and not a one shall escape. Men, women, and children, not one will remain once I’ve killed them all.”

She had started to smile madly. Likely that was how she truly felt, no, there was no doubting that she would do it. In Leue’s mind, the decision to turn her down began to desperately flicker. He knew that the only reason she had even come to him was to further humiliate Wilm. She would gain merit for it if he cooperated. While he could kill her right there, it would possibly lead directly to the total eradication of the Grambull family. Either way Riglette’s desires would be fulfilled.

“Did you not consider that I might capture you right now? I might even kill you if it strikes me.”

“You really are an idiot. If I cared about my life, I wouldn’t be here. Kill me now and that fiend will get revenge. There can be no doubt. Even if I die, your ruin won’t be difficult to attain.”

Riglette now smiled, tremblingly blissful with eyes equally joyous and mad. Her eyes told no lies, Leue could definitively tell. Striking her down would bring some sort of calamity or at least death at the hands of the fiend.

“So, sister, do you want us to evacuate the harbour and surrender? Is that how you want to help?”

“That wouldn’t nearly be enough. If you want to be spared, you’ll have to do something that can turn away the ire of the plebeians. Otherwise you’ll never be forgiven. After all, you are the beloved son of that detestable Wilm.”

“Just what are you trying to say?”

“It’s simple. Enter Madress Castle, capture Wilm, and win a bloodless victory. Those are the terms. Loose a single arrow our way, and the deal is off,” her smile vanished, and she menacingly drew their faces close, “I’ll recreate the nightmare at Carness for you.”

Chills ran up and down Leue’s spine at her forcefulness, and he immediately declined, “This isn’t some joke! Such fowl play, how could I!?”

“You can. Aren’t you that traitor’s son? It’s only a simple matter for you. If you don’t I’ll just have to exterminate all the s.h.i.tty worms. You have until noon tomorrow to think this over. This sister so concerned for her younger brother will give you a clear pa.s.sage straight to the main keep. Make sure to be thankful for my favour.”

“I, I can’t! Surrendering despite my command, and capturing my own father on top of it all!! As if I could do something so disloyal!?”

He violently shook his head from side to side, but Riglette would not let him evade her. She aggressively grasped his hair and turned him to face her smiling visage.

“Think it over, Leue. The total a.s.sault begins tomorrow afternoon. That fiend feels no pity. All those inside will be killed. The fiend’s mood is going down so she might just burn the whole area down. You can spare all those people with just a little bit of effort. You are a hero, no doubt. But alas, what a wondrous thing it might be. To have such a wonderful brother will bring me glory too.”

Her rapid fire, shameless words pierced Leue through.

“S-sister!”

“Well, I don’t care either way. It isn’t much time, but reaaaly think it out. Isn’t that the first step to adulthood?”

Once she had said her piece, she released his hair, turned on her heel, and made to exit the pavilion.

“Sister… you are clearly of good humor. It must be because you can finally gain the upper hand over we who once looked down on you!”

“That’s right! I am incredibly, incredibly pleased to have survived!! I am supremely satisfied!!”

Riglette left with vigor and a full faced smile from the bottom of her heart.

The following morning, the gates of Madress Castle opened untouched. A white banner overhead, soldiers who had laid down their arms came forth from the gate. Replaced was the Coimbran Scale atop the tower by the Twin Hammer Banner of the Red Circle Army as proof of surrender and the laying down of arms. Confused Red Circle soldiers pushed past each other to watch Riglette accompanied by Noel to enter the castle, chest puffed up with pride. It was the moment that Riglette’s revenge had come. At long last the White Ant Bloc signaled magnificent victory on their bugles and gongs. The siege itself had lasted two days. The South Coimbra capital city of Madress had fallen. The viceroy, Wilm, had been arrested. Freed from his misrule, the plebeians rejoiced uproariously in celebration of the Red Circle Army’s triumph. Noel stepped into the castle after surveying it all with bored eyes.

Author’s Note:

Riglette’s way happier than the protagonist.

It’s her personal image.

カクト、キョユウ、ナガサカチョウカンサイ

Translator's Note:

I had no idea what that last bit of the Author’s Note was all about. Probably names or some references or something. The author made a pun when Barbas and Riglette were mouthing off at each other, but I couldn’t find a way to get it into English well, and I skim edited this about five minutes before I had to head out.

Editor's Note:

Alright, so I forgot to factor in visiting with family and a Christmas party into my editing time, so this one’s a bit of a rush job, but Merry Christmas! I uploaded these two or so hours before my timer wanted me to, but I don’t trust the automated systems, and I doubt anyone minds my being early, especially since I doubt anyone was actually watching the timer that closely.