"It's been a long time, Najenda."
"The last time we met, I believe it was when you had just been promoted to General."
Just as Cerydra had predicted, while the Chrysos Heirs were away subjugating the Super Class Danger Beast, the Empire dispatched a General to deal with the Northern Country.
As the newly appointed Dux Benevolentia of the North, Najenda had considered the possibility that the newcomer might be an old friend—after all, the Empire had many Generals.
However, Najenda never expected that the man standing before her now would be the Great General of the Empire himself—Budo!
Wasn't he the personal Imperial Guard for the Little Emperor?
Why would he leave the Imperial Capital to appear here?
Precisely because she was once part of the Empire, Najenda felt such intense dread toward the man before her. Since Esdeath had never joined the Empire, the strongest person in the entire nation was undoubtedly this Great General, Budo.
Me? Fighting Budo?
Although she had grown significantly stronger recently, Najenda still lacked the confidence to defeat him.
Budo, however, ignored her tense expression. He looked up at her on the city wall, his face solemn.
"Najenda, tell me. Why did you betray the Empire?"
More than fighting her, Budo cared about one thing: the reason for her betrayal.
That this young woman could become an Imperial General at such a young age was due not only to her innate talent but also to the joint sponsorship of Minister Honest and Great General Budo.
Budo actually had a favorable opinion of this female junior; in the cesspool that was the Empire, Najenda was one of the few who could be called a good person. Even Budo had once considered making her a Great General. But those thoughts had vanished with her betrayal.
"..."
In that moment, every eye was fixed on Najenda. From the soldiers behind Budo to the colleagues standing beside her, everyone looked her way.
The pressure was immense.
Everyone was waiting for her answer. Najenda knew she couldn't remain silent; doing so would have dire consequences for her future.
But lying in a setting like this would surely be seen through by those around her. It would not only make her a target for the Empire but would also alienate her from her new peers.
So, Najenda chose a different path:
Sincerity.
"In the beginning, I was forced to join because of my defeat... Her Majesty the Empress's Dux Alptraum was truly powerful. She annihilated my army of 300,000 single-handedly. I didn't even have the chance to commit suicide."
"Later, I met Her Majesty. She gave me no choice, forcibly bestowing a special power upon me that made resistance impossible... Heh, when that first happened, I cursed Her Majesty as a 'little shorty' in my heart!"
Najenda smiled self-deprecatingly. As she spoke, the "Super Beast Warrior" Nobles beside her cast icy glares her way.
A mere surrendered general dares to disparage Her Majesty in public? Who gave you the nerve?
Conversely, many within the Imperial Army brightened up. If Najenda could speak like that, it suggested there might still be a chance for her to return to the Empire.
"But later, I changed my mind."
As she said this, the crowd that had been on the verge of erupting fell silent. It wasn't because they wanted to hear more, but because they were stunned. They hadn't expected Najenda to say such a thing.
"I walked the streets of the Empire many times. After my surrender, I walked the streets of the North many times. It is because of this comparison that I can tell you with full responsibility, Budo..."
"The people of the North are a hundred times happier than the people of the Empire!"
"In the Empire, I saw human trafficking, smuggling, corruption, theft, and deception... people die every day. Smiles are rarely seen, and if they are, they are fake."
"But here, I see smiles that come from the heart."
"Her Majesty Cerydra is never soft-hearted when it comes to killing. I have seen her execute corrupt nobles several times. But that coldness is never directed at the people of the North; she even puts great effort into making their lives better!"
"I finally understand why the Empress gave me the title of 'Dux Benevolentia.' I really was seen through at a single glance..."
"So, for the first time, I had this thought: I want to fight for the North! Perhaps the North isn't perfect yet, but I believe it can become a beacon of hope!"
As Najenda finished, the gaze of the colleagues beside her shifted. They hadn't expected the "Dux Benevolentia" to think this way.
The Imperial side was the exact opposite. Budo's face had turned an alarmingly dark shade, as if he might explode at any second.
"Is that your reason for betrayal?"
Budo's voice was thick with fury. Tiny bolts of lightning began to crackle around him, yet he suppressed his temper, glaring at Najenda with a look that suggested the silence before a storm.
"Perhaps our Empire is not perfect, but is it not our duty as subjects to build it into something better? What right do you, a traitor, have to speak?"
Hearing this, Najenda laughed.
Anyone with eyes could see that her smile was filled with unprecedented mockery and contempt.
"Great General Budo."
"You have sat in that position for quite a few years now. Has that 'Our Empire' you speak of been built into something better by you? It seems not."
"I see everything clearly now. You always claim to follow tradition, that 'military men do not interfere in politics.' Thus, you have done absolutely nothing all this time, allowing a parasite like Honest to seize the core of the Empire."
"It sounds like it's all Honest's fault, but what about you? Watching Honest hollow out the entire Empire with your own eyes—is that not your greatest act of support for him?"
Najenda raised her chin, looking down at Budo with a condescending attitude.
"Listen well, Budo!"
"The Empire that has endured for a thousand years on this continent was destroyed by the hands of Honest—and you!"
Najenda's words were like a bolt of lightning striking Budo directly. The powder keg that had been holding its breath finally detonated.
"NAJENDA—!"
"I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU TODAY!!!"
Vast thunder and killing intent erupted from Budo's body. The clear sky from moments ago was instantly swallowed by dark clouds and lightning.
"Heh, did I hit a nerve?"
"But let me remind you: even if you kill me, you cannot save the Empire. Furthermore... you might not even make it back alive!"
Najenda picked up her long-unused "Pumpkin." She swept her gaze over the soldiers and colleagues whose attitudes had completely shifted, her expression solemn.
"Comrades, the time has come to show our 'Loyalty'!"
"For the people of the North..."
"For Her Majesty the Empress..."
"TATAKAE!"