With a thud, Bulat hit the ground heavily. His armor was covered in scratches, some of which oozed scarlet blood, and his mask had been shattered, revealing a rather handsome face.
A long sword was pressed against his neck, its blade radiating a chilling coldness he could feel.
"Go ahead, kill me," Bulat said, blood trickling from his lips, his gaze resolute. "But don't expect me to surrender."
The silver-haired girl in the fox mask glanced at him, then withdrew the sword from his neck, flicked it into its sheath, and turned to walk away into the distance.
"Why didn't you kill us?" Bulat shouted as he rose.
"Hey, hey, don't ask. Why ask such stupid questions?" Lubbock said urgently. "What if she changes her mind?"
The silver-haired girl appeared not to hear, ignoring his words as she turned and walked toward the forest, disappearing into the dawn's light.
"Leone!"
Suddenly, a clear voice called out, and a figure emerged from the bushes, running toward Leone. She had arched eyebrows, moist eyes, fair skin, pink twin-tails, and wore a pink dress, holding a large sniper rifle.
If Kaguya were here, she would recognize her. The girl was Mine, a member of Night Raid.
"How are you?" Mine asked urgently after checking Leone's injuries. "Are you badly hurt?"
"Not really, I'll be fine in a bit," Leone replied with a hearty laugh.
"That's good." Mine sighed with relief.
"Hey, I'm injured too, you know," Lubbock protested. "Can't you show some concern for me?"
"Eh, you're not dead yet?" Mine looked at Lubbock with surprise.
Lubbock: "..."
"Come to think of it, that girl went easy on us," Leone said, her expression grave. "She could have killed us all, but for some reason, she didn't."
"Is she really that strong?" Mine asked curiously.
"Yes," Bulat said, coughing and wiping away a trickle of blood from his mouth. "If you encounter her again, don't fight her alone. She's dangerous."
"It would've been great if Akame were here," Mine lamented. "But she's on another mission."
"It's useless," Bulat shook his head, looking in the direction the silver-haired girl had vanished, speaking solemnly. "I can tell Akame wouldn't be her match either."
"What?"
Mine's eyes widened. As a comrade, she knew Akame's strength well, so hearing Bulat's evaluation was surprising. Could that person really be so strong?
The guards stood vigilant around the carriage. Although dawn was breaking, their training kept them alert, closely watching their surroundings.
Suddenly, a noise came from the dense bushes.
"Who goes there?" the guards shouted, aiming their weapons at the bushes. But instead of an enemy, a silver-haired girl wearing a fox mask emerged.
"Princess," the guards said, half-kneeling in salute.
"Mm." Kaguya nodded slightly and turned to the captain, asking, "How are things here?"
"Reporting to the Princess, as per your instructions, the civilians have been settled nearby, and food has been distributed," the captain reported gravely. "Additionally, five or six people tried to loot, and three attempted to assault innocent girls. They have been executed on the spot."
"Good job," Kaguya said. "Tell the steward that all guards involved in this mission will have their salaries tripled this month. Those injured will receive five times their salary, and families of the fallen will receive fifty gold coins in compensation. If the families wish, they can be brought to the capital and settled properly."
"Thank you, Princess."
The guards looked pleasantly surprised. They hadn't expected the Princess to be so generous. Typically, while their salaries were decent, living in the high-cost capital made ends meet difficult. Injuries often went untreated, and the fallen received little compensation.
Seeing the Princess's compassion, the guards' morale soared.
This was Kaguya's strategy: to ensure loyalty by offering adequate compensation and addressing their concerns, encouraging them to fight bravely without hesitation.
As Kaguya prepared to board the carriage, a commotion erupted nearby, with someone calling for her.
"Princess! Princess!" a young voice cried urgently.
"Move aside, don't obstruct us," a guard said impatiently.
"Please, let us through," the young voice pleaded.
"Move, or you'll be detained," the guard warned sternly.
"What's going on?" Kaguya approached, asking.
"Apologies for the disturbance," the guard said quickly. "These girls insist on seeing you. I'm concerned they might be assassins."
"Let them come over," Kaguya smiled.
"But..."
"Do you really think they can harm me?" Kaguya chuckled.
"As you wish, Princess."
Indeed, with the Princess's formidable strength, what harm could a few little girls do?
Soon, three distinctly different girls came into view. One had yellow hair and wore a yellow outfit, exuding energy. The girl beside her had blue hair and eyes, appearing shy and introverted. In the middle stood a girl with pink hair, seeming slightly more mature than the others.
All three had innocent faces and were quite pretty, charming, and full of potential.
Seeing their innocent faces, Kaguya paused, feeling as if she had seen them before.