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Her Majesty’s Swarm - Volume 3 - Chapter 6




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The Pirates’ Banquet 

A merchant ship sailed along the shores of the Popedom of Frantz. The vessel, which belonged to Frantz, was on its way back from the Eastern Trade Union. It was full of priest vestments made by members of the union’s Crafters’ Guild as well as precious jewels and gemstones that would serve as a donation to Frantz’s leadership. 

“Hey, something’s coming,” said one of the sailors. The ship was only a short distance away from the dock. 

“Well, what is it?” asked a nearby deck officer. 

“Err, it’s a ship. It’s going pretty fast... and it looks like it’s heading our way.” 

That was when he noticed it: a black flag emblazoned with a skull and crossbones was flapping at the top of the ship’s mast. 

“Oh no... That’s a pirate ship! We’ve got pirates, everyone! They’re closing in fast! We need to get out of here... Full speed ahead!” 

“No good! They’re gaining on us... There’s no way we’ll make it!” 

Chaos broke out on the merchant ship as it opened its sails wide, hoping to catch the wind and escape the pirates’ pursuit. The pirate ship was aggressive and finely crafted, however, and it had nearly caught up. At this rate, Frantz’s ship would be in trouble. 

“They’re heeere!” 

At last, the pirate ship was upon them. 

“Board ’em!” 

“Ahoy there, mateys! Our li’l Kingfish here has come to say hello!” 

The pirates cheered and then leapt aboard the trade vessel. 

“Eek! Don’t kill me!” pleaded the ship’s captain, quivering in fear. 

“Heh, be good, and we’ll consider it,” replied a pirate, prodding him with his cutlass. “How about you start by lettin’ us see everythin’ you’ve got?” 

“W-We’ve got priest vestments and jewels in the hold. That’s all, I swear!” 

“Ugh, priests’ robes? Guess we can use ’em to wipe our asses. But hey, those jewels look mighty tempting.” The Kingfish’s captain greedily eyed the chest full of gemstones. “All right! You an’ your crew, get on those boats. This ship belongs to us now! If you got any complaints, you can take ’em up with my cutlass.” 

“Fine, fine!” 

Thus, the merchant ship’s crew fearfully boarded the smaller boats. They were left behind in the water as the pirates took off with their vessel and all its contents, and soon they could see the ships no longer. Eventually, their boats drifted to shore, and the crew wasted no time in reporting the incident, informing the authorities that the pirates were on the move. 

In truth, the number of ships attacked by pirates was increasing by the day. Pirate raids usually only happened once every week or so, but now they were happening almost daily. As a result, the Eastern Trade Union felt trade with the Popedom of Frantz was much riskier than before. Other countries took notice, and Frantz’s stream of imports had grown scarce. 

By now, the commodities lined up in the Popedom’s markets were all low-quality products, to the extent where even high-ranking clergymen were beginning to feel something was wrong. Like the gradual tightening of a noose, the Popedom of Frantz was enduring a crippling economic chokehold. If left unresolved, this situation could result in civil unrest. 

“Allow me to deploy our men and strike the pirates down!” exclaimed the admiral of Frantz’s navy. At present, he was involved in a meeting on how they should deal with the pirate menace. 

“Has the navy done nothing as of yet?” asked the general of the Popedom’s ground forces. 

“For the last few weeks, we’ve been on standby to attack Schtraut and liberate it from the insects.” 

Just as Grevillea feared, Frantz’s navy had been set aside to stage a landing on the former Dukedom’s shores. As such, the admiral had been instructed to ready the ships and fill them with soldiers. 

“Well, things have changed. The pirates are taking advantage of the war to raid us, and our supply line is in shambles! If we don’t do something, this war will end in our complete economic collapse, regardless of the actual outcome!” 

Like the admiral of the navy had said, the pirates’ influence on their economy couldn’t be ignored. With commerce grinding to a halt, the Popedom couldn’t exact taxes from its citizens, and without taxes, the military had no funds. As the leader of the alliance, the Popedom needed to exhibit the greatest military strength, so naturally it needed the budget to match. 

With that in mind, the shrinking of the economy and the diminishing taxes were serious blows to the Popedom. If they dallied any further, the nation’s economy would collapse before the fighting even began. The lifeblood of the country—its funds—would be severed, and the Popedom would simply perish. 

“You say that, but sea routes aren’t our only option. We can send caravans to handle trade,” replied the general. “The navy should attack the Dukedom’s territories as planned. There is now a wall built along the border.” 

“You think caravans can transport as many goods as a ship, or travel anywhere near as quickly? Only a bumpkin who’s never stepped on a deck in his life would believe such a thing!” 

“What did you just say?!” 

The situation could only be described as critical. 

“Now, now. Settle down,” said Cardinal Paris Pamphilj. “Those pirates are no real threat. We’ll be drawing up a countermeasure for them soon. Once that’s done, we can have our navy stage the landing on the coast of Schtraut.” 

Seeing that the right-hand man of the pope was taking the reins of the conversation, the admiral and general fell quiet. 

“We must remain united,” Paris urged them. “That is why our faith exists. Those insects are enemies of the world, and that makes them enemies of our faith. For that reason, His Grace’s will is that we commence an inquisition.” 

“Inquisition?!” Everyone’s faces stiffened. 

An inquisition was a large-scale massacre of those who did not accept the God of Light as the one true God. The Church of Holy Light had become the primary religious organization on the continent because the inquisitors of the past had hunted down most of the heretics. They had skinned the nonbelievers alive and burned them at the stake in city squares for all to see. 

It was a hellish sight. Inquisitors in white clothing would stride through the streets with torches in hand, and screams of agony rose from the squares every day. People would rat out their neighbors to prove their loyalty to the faith. Parents would betray their children to the inquisitors and vice versa. 

During that time, the Popedom of Frantz was a crucible of doubt and paranoia. Its citizens could trust no one, and they lived in constant fear of being burned at the stake. Consequently, the Church of Holy Light was solidified across the continent, and inquisitions were thereafter abolished for being far too dangerous. With that, the terrors of the inquisition were sealed away as a part of the dark, unpleasant history of the Church of Holy Light. 

Or so it should have been. 

“We will need the army to take part in the inquisition. After all, we must ensure there are no heretics in our ranks, yes?” Paris said. 

“There are no heretics in our army, Your Eminence.” The general shook his head, his face pale. “The Popedom’s military is filled to the brim with believers. There can be no mistaking it.” 

“I know nothing of the sort. Anyone who would turn their backs on an enemy of the faith and run is a heretic. Anyone who shows mercy to a heretic is, likewise, a heretic. Anyone lacking the drive to fight the heretics is also a heretic. And all heretics will be expelled. Wouldn’t you agree?” 

If they complied with Paris’ proposal, the resulting inquisitors would be no different from military officers during the Soviet regime. 

“True enough, Your Eminence,” the admiral said. “We must remain unified under the banner of faith. This faith is our weapon, and we must remain true to it even as we handle the pirates. They’ve turned their backs on the God of Light.” 

“I’m quite pleased to find you’re one to see reason, Admiral.” Paris regarded him with a satisfied smile. “For now, work on dealing with the pirates. Schtraut’s old shores will come later.” 

With this, the Popedom’s policy for the immediate future had been decided. A new set of inquisitors donned their white garb and began patrolling the cities in search of heretics. Within the military, the soldiers’ faith and willingness to fight was constantly under scrutiny. 

Any people reported to the inquisitors were promptly executed. As they watched the inquisitors peel the skin off their neighbors and loved ones before putting them to the torch, the populace trembled in fear. 

It was the beginning of a dark, dark era. 

 

Yet another merchant vessel sailed along the shores of the Popedom of Frantz. And sure enough, a menacing shadow appeared on the horizon; this time, it was the Albatross. 

Isabelle’s ship slowly crept toward the other vessel, the pirates’ flag nowhere in sight. It stealthily approached the ship, masquerading as another trade vessel. 

“You ready, boys?!” Isabelle called to her crew, cutlass in hand. 

“Aye, ma’am! We’re ready to fight!” 

Ripper Swarms were waiting on the ship as well. The Arachnea had lent them forces, and the Ripper Swarms contributed greatly to the pirates’ efforts. Isabelle’s pirates had enacted numerous raids on the Popedom’s ships. They took over vessels full of treasures, and the spoils of their exploits were filling Atlantica’s vault with a delicious glimmer. 

“We’ve been ridin’ high. Thanks to us, Atlantica’s gettin’ rich. This, right here? This is the pirate’s life. And I don’t know about you, but I’m lovin’ every second of it. We steal, we profit, and our vaults are full of gold and silver. Bless the pirate life, lads!” 

“That’s right, Sis!” 

Isabelle and her cronies took everything the trade ships had. Gold bars, silver candlesticks, countless gold and silver coins—every single one of them piled up in Atlantica’s vault. And all the while, the pirates celebrated with loud, boisterous cheers. Every day was a banquet. 

A toast to gold. A toast to silver. A toast to the Arachnea. Life was an all-you-can-steal buffet. 

Frantz’s fearsome navy hadn’t shown itself despite all their raids, and Isabelle’s pirates were free to pillage and harass the trade ships as they pleased. At this time, Atlantica’s earnings far exceeded what Achille had been able to bring to the table. Everyone could keep nearly all of what they plundered, which did wonders to whet their ambition. 

But for better or for worse, Isabelle and her pirates never killed any of the merchant’s ship’s crew, nor did they take any hostages. After all, the merchants and sailors didn’t resist the pirates, and any sign of resistance was silenced as soon as a couple of Ripper Swarms gnashed their fangs. 

“I wonder what’s on that one...” 


“I hope it’s a whole lot of gold coins, personally.” 

The pirates bantered among themselves as their ship quickly caught up to the trade vessel. 

“Right, it’s about time. Hoist the flag.” 

“Aye aye, ma’am!” 

Once their skull and crossbones flew proudly at the top of the mast, the pirates prepared to board. The Albatross sailed alongside the other ship as the pirates drew their weapons. They were ready to suppress the sailors on board and steal all the cargo. And indeed, it seemed like any other raid. 

“Board ’em!” Isabelle shouted as she herself jumped onto the merchant’s ship’s deck. 

The rest of the crew followed suit with practiced, almost graceful leaps. Dozens of pirates hopped from one ship to another in the blink of an eye. 

However... 

“Men, get in formation!!” 

What greeted them wasn’t the terrified screams of innocent sailors, but the war cries of soldiers. 

“What the...? It’s the navy!” Isabelle quickly realized all the sailors were armed. 

Unfortunately, it was too late. The battle had already begun. 

“Waaagh!” 

The pirates were cut down by Frantz’s naval officers and toppled over, bleeding. Isabelle’s men tried to fight back with their cutlasses, but they were nowhere near as organized as the disciplined naval squadron. 

“Don’t fall back, boys! We’ve got just as many men as they do! Kill ’em!” Isabelle cried, trying to inspire her men as she desperately fought back. 

But the pirates were falling one by one. 

“Dammit! Bring out the bugs!” 

Heeding her call, the Ripper Swarms fired their threads and swung onto the ship. 

“Those are the monsters that destroyed Schtraut!” 

“You damn heretics!” 

The sailors recoiled at the sight of the Ripper Swarms. While the men had arms, they were lacking in armor. The Ripper Swarms lunged at them, driving the sailors into a frenzy. Some men were hacked to pieces by scythes; others were pierced with giant, sharp fangs. 

“It’s a good thing we’ve got the Arachnea to help us! C’mon, lads, let’s turn the tables on ’em!” Isabelle cheered. 

“Yeah!” 

Isabelle’s men moved in to join the counterattack, encouraged by the Ripper Swarms’ fighting spirit. They engaged the naval officers with their cutlasses, and the tide of battle temporarily turned in Isabelle’s favor. 

At this rate, they would win the fight. They would survive, and then they’d go back to Atlantica’s shores, where their riches were stashed away. It was this hope that drove the pirates to fight back with all their might. 

“Keep goin’, boys!” 

Isabelle herself largely carried the fight. She fought alongside the Ripper Swarms on the front lines. By now, she had no intentions of taking control of this ship; she was merely buying time so they could get back on the Albatross and flee. 

All she needed was a bit more time. Just a little more. She only needed to keep the sailors pushed back a bit longer, and the Albatross would be able to turn its rudder and escape. Some might have called her a coward for this, but she wasn’t going to let her crew die in a battle they couldn’t win. Pirates survived; that was all that mattered to them. 

“Mages, kill those bugs!” 

“Yes sir!” 

There were mages among the marines. They fired off a series of spells, which exploded beside the three Ripper Swarms fighting next to Isabelle. One of the Swarms was blown to bits. 

“They’re coming! Call the heavy infantry!” 

At that moment, heavy infantrymen stepped onto the deck. They’d been hiding in the ship’s hold and only now revealed themselves. They wore dense suits of armor that the Ripper Swarms’ scythes couldn’t penetrate, and in their hands were claymores, halberds, and mallets. Rising onto the deck, they charged at the Ripper Swarms. 

“For the God of Light!” 

“For the God of Liiiiight!” 

In the end, the Ripper Swarms were an expendable, early-game unit. They lost their viability as the enemy upgraded their units. All they could manage in this battle was to cut an arm off a single infantryman. 

“Capture the pirates! Don’t let them get away!” 

Now that all the Ripper Swarms had been killed, Isabelle was left with just a few pirates. The navy’s sailors quickly surrounded them. 

“Goddammit...!” Isabelle was desperately trying to think of a way out, but nothing came to her. 

“You must be the captain,” said the naval commander. “Surrender peacefully, and we’ll spare your subordinates. What do you say?” 

“Are you serious?” Isabelle asked cautiously. 

“Of course.” He nodded. 

“Then... I surrender. Spare my men.” Isabelle chucked away her cutlass. 

“Sis, no! If you do that—” 

“You guys surrender, too. It’s the only way they’re gonna let us live.” 

“Shit...” 

At Isabelle’s request, the pirates discarded their weapons. 

“Good. Capture them.” 

The sailors surrounded Isabelle and tied her up. 

“Oh, and, uh... Do ‘help’ those pirates over there,” he added. 

Those words filled Isabelle with dread. 

“Aaah!” 

“Help usss!” 

The surviving Albatross pirates were grabbed by the sailors and thrown overboard. They were dropped into the water one after another. Considering how far out the ship was, they wouldn’t be able to swim to shore. 

“You lyin’ bastard! That wasn’t what you promised!” 

“That’s funny coming from a pirate and a heretic. As if we’d strike any deals with the likes of you. Not a single one of your pirates will be left alive; those are our orders. Take her to the hold and lock her up!” 

The sailors ignored Isabelle’s screams as they dragged her away and threw her into the ship’s hold. 

“Shit... Remember this, you bastards!” Isabelle growled, biting her lips hard enough to draw blood. “You won’t get away with this! You’ll pay for this, with bloody interest! I’m gonna make sure you freakin’ dogs and your holy masters suffer! I swear it on my name as Isabelle, the one and only lady pirate! I’ll teach you all a goddamn lesson!” 

“Keep flapping your tongue, scoundrel, but there’s nothing you can do,” said one of the sailors, sneering at her. “The Popedom of Frantz is sanctified by the God of Light, and thus it will never be destroyed. We are unified by our faith, and no one can defeat us. You’ll see soon enough.” 

Word of Isabelle’s capture soon reached Grevillea, the queen of the Arachnea. One of the Ripper Swarms had spent its last moments transmitting this conversation to the collective consciousness. The drowning pirates had fortunately been rescued by their comrades, and they were soon questioned in regards to Isabelle’s whereabouts. 

“They’re taking her to Fennelia, no doubt about it,” her subordinates said. “All captured pirates get hauled off to Fennelia.” 

“Fennelia, huh?” 

“What shall we do, Your Majesty?” asked one of the Swarm. 

She thought about it for a moment. Should she save Isabelle, or leave her to her fate? 

“We’re going to rescue her. Our alliance with Atlantica only exists because of her. We can’t have her die on us.” 

The queen had made her choice. After that, the pirates set out alongside the Swarm in order to rescue Isabelle. 



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