Published: July 4, 2025
Part Two: The Final Chapter of the Western Nations Arc Begins!
Twenty days before the papal inauguration in the Western Nations.
This is near the western border of the Handalu Federation, one of the three major nations of the Central Nations.
In the City of Kurucho, close to the border with the Naitorei Kingdom.
While the population is only fifty thousand, making it not a particularly large city, it is one of the cities along the western border of the Federation, hence a border guard unit is stationed there.
However, that guard unit consists of only about five hundred men.
In the past, the Federation has clashed with the Kingdom multiple times.
Thirteen years ago, they even experienced a full-scale war known as the ‘Great War.’
Yet, currently, they have achieved the best relations in recent years, such as sending a large delegation to the Western Nations together.
Of course, they are not to be underestimated, but compared to the Empire, which shares a border further north, they are much better...
Until that day, many citizens thought so.
A border guard unit stands watch at the observation tower in Kurucho.
“Captain, what is that?”
A guard member questions the captain beside him, suspicious of the sight visible through the mounted telescope.
“Hm? Let me have a look through the telescope,” the captain says, peering through it himself.
The telescope is a tubular device that magnifies distant objects.
“Dust... Is that cavalry?”
In that instant, the image of the horseback people, who had once invaded the Empire and slain the emperor, flashed through the captain's mind.
However, after a moment’s thought, he realizes that this could not be the case.
Beyond the border lies not the Empire or the Corridor Nations but the Kingdom.
Finally, they can see the flag that has been raised.
Look, it’s the flag of the Kingdom!
...Wait a minute?
“The flag of the Kingdom? The royal army? There are about ten thousand of them…”
The captain says, handing the telescope to the first guard.
“Indeed... they are flying the flag of the Kingdom... Is this an invasion?”
The guard's murmured words finally bring the captain back to reality.
“R-Ring the bell! Close the castle gates! Quickly contact the capital!”
He issues commands in rapid succession.
“There are no flags other than that of the Kingdom. We can’t tell if it’s the royal army or a noble's personal army…”
The guard reports while still looking through the telescope.
“What the hell is going on...”
The captain’s words echoed hollowly within the observation tower.
Thirty minutes later.
The City of Kurucho has fallen.
In the administrative office of the regent in the capital of the Handalu Federation, Jakelea.
“Your Excellency, we have received news that Kurucho has fallen!”
“Too soon! We just heard about the attack thirty minutes ago…”
Lord Aubrey could not hide his surprise at the report from his aide, Lumber.
Indeed, the City of Kurucho only had a guard unit of five hundred men.
It is off the main roads and does not have any large cities nearby that could be targeted.
However, it is still a border city, with thick, tall walls, and the soldiers stationed there are not at all inexperienced.
Even if they were attacked by tens of thousands of soldiers, if the gates were closed, the city should not be taken in less than an hour...
“Yet the reality is it fell in less than thirty minutes…”
Regaining his composure quickly, Lord Aubrey mutters and begins to think.
Reinforcements had already been dispatched to aid Kurucho.
They are led by one of Lord Aubrey's trusted subordinates… trained from childhood, they would likely act correctly according to the situation.
For example, if Kurucho has already fallen, they might surround it from a distance and wait for further reinforcements to arrive...
There’s no need to issue detailed commands on that matter.
What he should really consider is...
“Is it really the royal army?”
Lord Aubrey's murmured question reaches Lumber, who reported it.
“Eh? But there’s a report of a group flying the flag of the Kingdom…”