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"Nothing? Not even a trace of her Teigu?" Najenda's voice was filled with sadness as she received Akame and Leone's report.
"The Imperial Guard must have gotten to her first," she sighed, shaking her head.
After ensuring their own safety, Najenda had dispatched Lubbock to the previous battle site to gather intel, while Akame and Leone searched for Mine.
But they returned empty-handed.
They hadn't found Mine's body or her Teigu.
Najenda knew they had missed their chance to retrieve her during their escape.
But she had a responsibility to the remaining members of Night Raid; she couldn't risk their lives for a retrieval mission. Unless Mine was still alive…
However, no one, except perhaps Bulat and Leone, believed anyone could survive Tatsumi's lightning strike. They were unaware that its true power had been significantly reduced.
"Boss, I'm back!" Lubbock's voice interrupted their somber reflections.
After all, Mine wasn't the only one they had lost. Chelsea, too, had likely met a grim fate.
Having issued a false decree, regardless of whether her deception was discovered, her situation was dire.
The message she had left might be her last.
Therefore, they placed great importance on the intelligence Lubbock had gathered.
"Give it to me." Najenda snatched the note from Lubbock's hand. Her eyes widened in shock as she read its contents.
"Damn it!" Her shock turned to anger. "They've been toying with us!"
Akame and the others exchanged puzzled glances.
"What's wrong, Najenda?"
Najenda looked up, her voice filled with rage. "Our base…it was exposed long ago. The Emperor has been watching us."
"He even knew the exact timing of our attack."
"To him, we're nothing but insignificant pawns, easily disposable."
"What?!" Night Raid was stunned.
Leone, impulsive as ever, snatched the note from Najenda's hand, her eyes scanning its contents. The others crowded around her, eager to confirm the devastating news.
But facts were facts. Even though they were unwilling to accept it, the message was clear.
"Damn it!" Leone crumpled the note in her fist, as if crushing the Emperor himself.
Ignoring Leone's outburst, Akame asked, "What do we do now, Najenda?"
Najenda was silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "We retreat. This base is compromised."
"Retreat? Where to?" Leone asked, unwilling to accept such a defeat.
"To the Revolutionary Army's southern headquarters," Najenda replied.
"What?!" Disbelief filled their faces. They hadn't anticipated such an outcome.
"Could you explain your reasoning, Najenda?" Akame asked, her brow furrowed in concern.
Najenda took a deep breath and addressed her comrades. "We know we're being watched, but we don't know how. What if they can track our movements?"
"In that case, no matter how many times we relocate, we won't escape their surveillance. The Emperor could eliminate us at any time."
"Therefore, returning to headquarters is our safest option."
"After all, the Empire already knows its location."
"Furthermore, under the current Emperor and Prime Minister Mellie's rule, the Empire is thriving. Mellie's reforms have been incredibly effective."
"The capital is now free of corruption. Under Night Crow's watch, no one dares break the law. Even if they did, Mellie would deal with them before we could act."
"There's no place for Night Raid in the capital anymore."
"Therefore, instead of remaining here idle, we should return to headquarters and see if we can contribute to the revolution in other ways."
A heavy silence fell over Night Raid as Najenda finished speaking.
They had been persuaded.
Fearing their earlier conversation might also have been overheard, they quickly gathered their belongings, taking only essential items, and disappeared into the mountains, heading towards the Revolutionary Army's southern headquarters.
…
"They've all fled?" Mika chuckled, observing Night Raid's movements through his familiar. He knew his surveillance had been discovered.
"You told them, didn't you?" he said, turning to the figure lying beside him on the bed, her face hidden beneath the covers.
"What? Are you embarrassed?" He gently stroked her hair, then got out of bed and began dressing.
"Don't worry, I won't harm them."
"But it seems they're heading to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters. We're bound to cross paths eventually."
"We'll deal with that when the time comes."
Hearing Mika's words, Chelsea, still hidden beneath the covers, trembled slightly. But it was a situation she couldn't change.
Seeing her continued silence, Mika shook his head and left the room.
Last night, in his arms, she had seemingly surrendered.
But now she had changed her mind.
'Women are truly fickle,' he thought with a smile as he headed towards his study. As Emperor, he had duties to attend to.
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Soon after Mika arrived in his study, Tatsumi entered, reporting that he had captured Mine.
"You rescued her? I thought you had killed her," Mika said, surprised.
He genuinely believed Mine had perished under Tatsumi's lightning strike. After all, it had appeared incredibly powerful.
And Tatsumi's actions had seemed reasonable. Mika knew him well. He knew that Tatsumi, to protect his comrades, could unleash terrifying power.
In the original story, it was the support of his companions that allowed Tatsumi to reach his full potential.
Now, his allies weren't Night Raid but Seryu, Wave, Run, and Kurome—all formidable individuals. But his personality remained unchanged. He would still unleash his full power to protect those he cared about.
Therefore, Mika hadn't been surprised when Tatsumi seemingly killed Mine. After all, she had nearly killed Seryu.
In the original story, although Tatsumi was admired by many women, it was Mine who ultimately became his wife. And in the manga, she had even borne his child.
"But perhaps this turn of events is more interesting," Mika mused, recalling Tatsumi's report.
"I understand your concerns; you were right not to imprison her."
"As Alice mentioned last night, I intend to recruit these individuals. After all, like us, they're fighting to change this corrupt world."
"In a sense, the Revolutionary Army shares our ideals."
Tatsumi nodded in agreement.
"Therefore, keep Mine at your place for now."
"Use your persuasive skills and see if you can convince her to join our side. Talented snipers like her are rare."
"Me? But…isn't that inappropriate?" Tatsumi was taken aback. Keeping a girl tied up in his home seemed…problematic.
"Big Brother, I still have to fight Night Raid. You know their methods; I need to focus. I don't have time to watch over her."
"Don't worry about Night Raid; they're gone," Mika said with a dismissive wave.
"Gone? What do you mean?" Tatsumi asked, surprised.
"The Imperial Capital no longer offers them any opportunities. They had no choice but to leave. That's all thanks to Mellie."
Tatsumi fell silent, considering Mellie's reforms and the vast reach of the Night Crow intelligence network.
Under Night Crow's constant surveillance, who would dare break the law?
No one knew if they were being watched. The thought of their imprisoned colleagues must have terrified the remaining officials.
There was indeed no place for Night Raid in the capital anymore.
Tatsumi hadn't imagined that it would be Mellie and Night Crow, not Teigu users like himself, who would ultimately drive Night Raid away.
"What should I do then?"
"Return to the military. I trust you haven't forgotten what I instructed you to learn from General Budo?"
"Of course not!"
"Good. I need you to lead the army and continue our campaign against the northern tribes."
Thanks to Mellie's efforts, many regions that had slipped from the Empire's control were now back under their authority.
However, due to Minister Honest's years of neglect, many local authorities had become entrenched in their power.
The Empire's direct influence was limited, reaching only the county level. Below that, powerful families held sway.
This was one of the reasons the Empire had crumbled so quickly under the Revolutionary Army's attacks in the original story, a combined effort by local families, the Revolutionary Army, and foreign tribes.
Therefore, to truly rule the Empire, Mika needed to cleanse both its internal and external threats.
The question was, which to address first.
Conventionally, internal stability was paramount before engaging external threats. This was wisdom passed down through millennia.
But Mika chose the opposite approach. He would deal with the foreign tribes first, then cleanse the Empire's internal corruption.
His current situation was unlike any historical precedent.
His internal crisis was self-inflicted.
As the saying went, "Imperial power rarely reaches the countryside." This held true in this world as well.
Local villages and towns had always been under the control of powerful families, who had gradually replaced the Empire's appointed officials.
Compared to these entrenched families, the Revolutionary Army was a minor threat. As long as they weren't provoked, these families wouldn't rebel. They preferred exploiting the local populace.
But while they might not want conflict, Mika did.
However, challenging them would undoubtedly lead to widespread unrest, putting the Empire at great risk. If the foreign tribes took advantage of this internal strife, the consequences could be dire.
Therefore, he would deal with the foreign tribes first.
Then, under the guise of consolidating control over the newly acquired territories, he would build railways to the border regions, later expanding the network under the pretense of promoting trade.
Once the railways were complete, transporting troops and supplies would become significantly easier, simplifying future campaigns against rebellious local factions.
Moreover, this war against the foreign tribes would serve as excellent training for his troops.
"While Imperial authority rarely reaches the countryside, religion is everywhere."
"I will spread the Path of the Forge throughout the Empire."
"Ultimately, uniting secular and divine power to achieve absolute rule!"
A smile touched Mika's lips.
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