SWNOVELXO Chapter 182 - Divine Cat Mii-chan Gives the Go-Ahead
182 Divine Cat Mii-chan Gives the Go-Ahead
After a man named Lichtenstein introduced himself, he began criticizing the late king’s policy of downsizing the nobility, launching into a speech that seemed to favor a pro-nobility stance. Naturally, he didn’t mention his involvement in poisoning the late king and instead argued that the poisoning was a justified outcome.
What exactly is this guy trying to do? Is this just a stalling tactic? According to the Queen, the main rebel forces are about five days away from the royal capital. Is he planning to continue this charade for five more days?
“Mii?”
Mii-chan, unsure of what to say, looks at me with a troubled expression.
“How bold to give such a speech.”
“It’s more for the nobility who aren’t involved. He’s trying to assert their legitimacy and solidify their position once they’ve taken control of the royal palace.”
Ah, I see. So they think they’ve already won. How carefree. Still, that loudspeaker device is poorly made. The sound is distorted, and there’s so much static. I bet Zelgado would be crying if he heard this—or maybe he’d be furious?
“Mii.”
I wonder if the king and the others even care? In this situation, it might not even matter.
“Without the First Knight Order here, they probably think they have a significant numerical advantage. But they don’t even have siege weapons for an assault on the castle. They’re underestimating us.”
“Still, that noise is unbearable. Can’t one of your expert archers shoot it down?”
“That’s their plan. Even for a skilled archer, delivering a fatal shot at this distance is difficult. If they miss, it will give the rebels an opportunity to mock us, lowering our morale.”
“How frustrating. If we could just destroy that noise-amplifying device, I’d feel much better.”
Hmm, should I give it a shot? If they told me to target the man himself, I’d refuse, but I wouldn’t feel guilty about destroying a loudspeaker. What do you think, Mii-chan?
“Mii!”
That’s a go-ahead! Mii-chan just gave the signal!
“If I destroy that loudspeaker, will that be enough?”
“Loudspeaker?”
“The device making his voice louder.”
“Nero, can you really do it?”
“Most likely.”
“You can’t afford to fail after saying that.”
The King and the Chancellor are glaring at me. Scary.
“Well, I’m expecting a reward.”
I ask them to bring Perro to the castle wall and then head up there myself.
“What’s up, Nero?”
“I need you to read the wind.”
“The wind?”
“I’m going to destroy that device with a rifle. I can’t afford to miss.”
“Hmm, got it. Leave it to me.”
I pull out the rifle and set the scope. The distance is 120 mel—perfect for a sniper shot.
“Ready? When you destroy that device, the battle begins. If you miss, you’ll be laughed at for generations.”
“I don’t really care about being laughed at. But for my friend’s honor, I will destroy it.”
“I don’t care about your reasons. Just destroy it.”
The archers prepare their bows so that they remain hidden from the enemy.
I place Mii-chan on my shoulder, aim the rifle over the castle wall, and peer through the scope.
“Perro?”
“The wind’s about 82 mel to the right—about as strong as a horse’s trot.”
“Got it.”
I take aim, breathe deeply, and hold my breath. Mii-chan stays still, watching the scene. The moment the man pulls the loudspeaker away from his mouth—
Bang! Crack!
I used a hollow-point bullet. As soon as it hit, the loudspeaker shattered into pieces, and the fragments lodged into the man, leaving him bloodied. Oops… total accident, right?
“Mii!”
“Nice shot!”
“Release the arrows! Send the signal!”
The archers rise and shoot their arrows. At the same time, something like fireworks go off, followed by several loud booms. The rebel army is thrown into chaos by the sudden attack.
“Well done. You may step back now. From here, this is our fight.”
Okay, I’ll gladly step back. I return to where the King and the others were.
“Well done. I feel a little better now.”
“Nero, that was brilliant. There couldn’t have been a better preemptive strike.”
Looking outside, the archery duel has ended, and the royal guards and soldiers have charged through the castle gate. To an outsider, this might look reckless, but the rear of the rebel army is already in disarray. Jin and his troops must have launched their surprise attack.
The rebel army is now being flanked. In this situation, a disorganized force like theirs is no match. Even though some of their troops seem to maintain order, they’re probably the ones directly under Duke Wittelsbach.
The rebel forces are retreating toward the east gate, which seems to be under their control. They’re desperately fortifying their defenses as they try to join up with the main rebel army. I can’t see them from here anymore, but they’re likely beginning to retreat.
“Mii.”
The King and the others rise from their seats.
“It’s frustrating to let him escape…”
“Julius, the next act is about to begin. There will be more opportunities.”
“You’re right. I’m a bit tired… I’ll rest for a while.”
Returning to the terrace with the Queen, I see Princess Lene and Perro stuffing their faces with what looks like snacks made by the royal chef.
“Princess! This is so delicious!”
“Grr.”
“Kyuu.”
Luca, Leia, and Noah are all licking something intently. Wait—Mii-chan just leapt over with a serious look and stuck her face into whatever Luca and the others are licking. It’s sweet bean paste.
Looking closely, they’re eating dorayaki. I try one myself, and it’s exactly like dorayaki—delicious! The skin is incredible. I’ll have to ask the royal chef for the recipe.
Even though the skin is so delicious, Mii-chan only eats the bean paste. Typical.
“Mii!”