Leazas Black Corps

About
The Leazas Black Corps (リーザス黒の軍, Rīzasu kuro-no-gun) also known as the Leazas 1st Army (リーザス第1軍, Rīzasu dai-ichi-gun), is the primary branch of the four main divisions of the Leazas Army. It is the largest of the four armies by a sizable margin, and makes up the majority of Leazas' military force. Compared to the more specialized roles of its counterparts, the Black Corps serves as a general purpose unit designed to overwhelm the enemy through sheer force of numbers during large scale warfare. As a result, it is considered to be the backbone of Leazas' military, and plays a vital part in maintaining the nation's reputation as the most powerful country in all of The Continent.

The soldiers that make up the Black Corps are of well-rounded ability and don't specialize in any particular field, meaning that the vast majority of people enrolled in the Leazas military serve in it. In addition, due to its large size, the Black Corps appoints three lieutenant-generals as opposed to just one to oversee smaller sections of it. By dividing control among four people, organization and management of the massive army becomes substantially easier to handle. Because of the crucial role the army plays within the nation's defense and the large amount of skill and experience required to effectively lead it, the general of the Black Corps also serves as the Supreme Commander of all of the Leazas military, making them one of the most powerful figures in the entire country.

The Black Corps is currently commanded by Barres Province, a veteran knight who has loyally served the royal family of Leazas across three generations. A living legend, Barres is one of the few individuals in possession of both the raw leadership ability and sharp strategic mind required to operate an army as large as the Black Corps. While Barres normally leads only a small portion of the Black Corps directly in battle, leaving the rest under the supervision of his three lieutenants, he is also perfectly capable of assuming direct control over the entire unit when the situation requires him to, and his leadership skills are said to become even more astounding when he is in command over all of his soldiers at once. Barres cares about each and every one of his men with the same amount of love that a father has for his children, and works hard to ensure that he minimizes casualties whenever possible. His leadership combines passionate and authoritative commanding with a reassuring parental warmth, and brings out the full potential of his troops without fail in every battle.

Early on into the RA Era, old age prevented Barres from continuing his duties as general of the Black Corps, forcing him to retire from the position. He was succeeded by Arlcoate Marius, a young soldier in possession of a genius intellect who he had personally trained as his protégé for several years. Once shy and lacking in self-confidence, Arlcoate proved her talents to the world throughout the 2nd Dark Lord War, where she served as Leazas' representative strategist within the United Human Army, and now stands proud as the Supreme Commander of the entire country's army. While Arlcoate lacks the skills as a field commander that made Barres a legend, her talents as a strategist far surpass his, allowing the Black Corps to maintain its great strength under her leadership.

Minor Members

 * Hayate Katou (加藤疾風, katō hayate): Appears in Kichikuou Rance. A talentless knight of the Black Corps who uses his daughter Suzume Katou as a tool to advance his own career by selling her body to influential people. If Rance becomes suspicious of Suzume's withdrawn behavior after sleeping with her several times, he can observe her being ordered by her father to sleep with a military financier. If Rance meets with Barres after witnessing this incident, he will demand him to fire Hayate from the army, which Barres complies with after carrying out an investigation into Hayate's activities. Without her father's oppressive influence, Suzume is able to live a happier life as a maid within Leazas Castle.
 * Nikunaka Tenka (ニクナク・テンカ, nikunaku tenka): Appears in Rance 03. A soldier of the Black Corps who attempts to lead a small squad to attack the Apostle Garnet during the Battle of The O, only to fall under the control of her brainwashing ability and be made to fight against his allies Shizuka Masou and Maria Custard. Possibly a relative of Sakanaku Tenka.
 * Evans (エバンズ, ebanzu): Appears in Rance 03. A soldier of the Black Corps who appears before Rance during the siege to retake Leazas Castle to report that the Leazas Liberation Army had successfully managed to capture the castle's eastern tower. Possibly the same person as Dodge Evans.
 * Borokov (ボロコフ, borokofu): Appears in Rance X. A young knight of the Black Corps who attended the Leazas Officer Academy at the same time as Arlcoate and bullied her relentlessly. During the Second Dark Lord War, he was coincidentally assigned to work under Arlcoate as her subordinate. Borokov attempted to take advantage of their previous relationship to manipulate Arlcoate into giving him special treatment, but was refused due to her having developed greater self confidence since their school days. While Borokov tried to save face by begging Arlcoate for forgiveness, his bullying was covertly seen by Rance, who slashed him across his body when he later attempted to formally introduce himself. Borokov was not killed by the attack, but was seriously injured and hospitalized in a clinic far away from Rance Castle, freeing Arlcoate from having to deal with him.
 * Morenol (モレノル, morenoru): Appears in Rance X. An elderly soldier of the Black Corps who served as Barres' superior during his days as a recruit. Despite having been retired for many years, he was forcibly made to resume his career as a soldier during the Second Dark Lord War after Rance ordered the maximum age of conscription within the Leazas Army to be raised from 60 to 80. While Barres was shocked to see his former superior working as a mere enlisted man, Morenol maintained an upbeat attitude and showed eagerness at getting to fight alongside younger men.