Although Kaguya had made the worst preparations for this heavy snowfall, the storm still far exceeded her expectations.
The heavy snowfall continued intermittently for nearly a week before the sky finally began to show signs of clearing. Everywhere one looked, the world was covered in a blanket of white, with freezing temperatures and ice stretching for miles.
Due to the snow, the temperature plummeted sharply, breaking historical lows. With temperatures several degrees below zero, this was extreme cold weather, even by the standards of Kaguya's original world. Moreover, in the world of Akame ga Kill!, where technology is not very advanced, luxuries like air conditioning do not exist. Most people rely on chopping wood and burning fires to stay warm.
The snow, reaching depths of up to two meters, had already buried most houses, making it extremely difficult to venture outside to chop wood amid the falling snow. Some people, unable to find shelter from the storm in time, were frozen to death. Many houses collapsed under the weight of the snow, leaving their residents struggling to survive the harsh winter.
Fortunately, Kaguya had prepared for this in advance. On the first day of snowfall, she dispatched the Imperial Guard to investigate the situation, helping numerous ordinary citizens in distress by rebuilding their homes and providing food, greatly reducing the number of deaths caused by the snowstorm. If it had been the Empire's army, they would likely have ignored the plight of the people, or even taken advantage of the situation.
The princess's aid won her the gratitude of the common people, with those rescued from despair expressing their endless thanks and eager to personally thank the princess.
"Hmph," a charming girl with pink twin tails stood on a small hill, watching the Imperial Guard busy assisting the common people, and snorted disdainfully. "Just trying to show off and win people's hearts."
"Don't say that, Mine," said another lively, blonde-haired girl with a smile. "Whether she's showing off or winning hearts, as long as she genuinely helps people, isn't that enough? Why be so picky?"
"Leone, why do you keep defending her? You've been doing it all the way," Mine looked at the blonde girl suspiciously and asked, "Are you hiding something from us?"
"How could that be," Leone scratched her head and laughed, "It must be your imagination."
"My intuition is usually spot-on; you can't fool me." Mine wrinkled her nose, wagged her index finger back and forth, and snorted lightly.
"Really, there's nothing," Leone said, trying to reassure her. "I was just thinking about my past. I used to have a family, but because of a natural disaster, my parents died, and I ended up in the slums. If all the rulers of the Empire were as kind as this princess, maybe things would have been different…"
"You're overthinking it, Leone," Mine shrugged dismissively. "How could there be such nice people? It's already good enough that they don't take all our money."
"I feel this princess might be different from the Empire's soldiers," Leone said softly, looking at the busy Imperial Guard in the distance.
"What difference could there be? She's just buying people's loyalty. When she takes the throne, she might be even worse than that bastard minister," Mine said, clasping her hands behind her head.
"Maybe," Leone replied thoughtfully.
Suddenly, Leone regained her lively demeanor and sneaked up behind Mine, reaching her hands under Mine's arms to grab her chest, teasing, "Mine, what have you been eating lately? It seems like you've gotten bigger."
"Ahh!" Mine let out a startled scream, yelling angrily, "You perverted cow, let go!"
Mine's small body struggled fiercely, breaking free. Just as she was about to escape, Leone pulled her back into her arms, burying Mine's head in her own ample chest, swallowing Mine's words in the process.
"Mmph!"
"Hey, I'm not your mom," Leone teased Mine playfully, "And I'm not feeding you."
"Who's there?"
The unusual commotion on the hilltop immediately alerted the Imperial Guard. After a brief flurry of noise, a squad quickly assembled and moved up the hill, their movements nimble, as if the snowy path presented no obstacle.
"Oops, we've been discovered," Leone said, scratching her head, somewhat embarrassed.
"Are you trying to smother me, you cow?" Mine pushed Leone away angrily. "What now?"
"You're not very bright, are you?" Mine said, frustrated. "Of course, we run away. Are you going to stay here and wait for them, dummy?"
Mine started to run down the path, her words pragmatic yet shameless.
"Report to the captain: we have identified two suspects, but we are not yet clear about their affiliations. They are now fleeing east. Should we pursue?" a guard clad in armor, sword at his waist, asked respectfully.
"No, let them go. Continue monitoring the area and report any unusual activity to me immediately," the captain, Ieyasu, said, looking toward the distant hill.
"Yes, sir."
With most of the soldiers sent to aid disaster victims, the princess's palace seemed rather deserted, with only a few guards on duty. The rest were maids and craftsmen.
However, Kaguya did not mind. To her, as long as she was present, the palace was impenetrable, and the number of guards did not make much difference.
"You're saying the two people you spotted are likely members of Night Raid?" Kaguya asked, holding a milky white porcelain cup, taking a sip of hot tea, and speaking softly.
"Yes," Ieyasu replied respectfully. "According to intelligence, one is likely Mine, and the other Leone. They are important members of Night Raid."
Kaguya, who had been nonchalant, suddenly narrowed her eyes and placed her teacup on the table, asking, "Where are they now?"