"After seeing this, do you still want to make a name for yourselves in the Empire?" Kaede asked, looking at the two people before her. But she didn't need to ask; looking at the dimness in their eyes, covered by a layer of gray, Kaede already knew their choice.
"We... we..." Ieyasu opened his mouth, no longer the sunny boy Kaede had first seen.
"Let's go back to the village..." Sayo, standing nearby, also had disappointment in her eyes, along with a hint of fear. After seeing this, she actually felt a trace of fear toward the Empire.
Ieyasu opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything and lowered his head.
"Is that so." Kaede nodded, not surprised. She had originally encountered these two by chance. It was only because she had seen their unpolluted smiles back then that she had the sudden whim to let them witness the darkness of the Empire. If they passed, perhaps she could recruit them. But, as expected, Kaede smiled self-deprecatingly.
"Um, Lord Kaede, we have another companion who got lost." Sayo said at this moment.
"Oh, I will keep an eye out and have him go back." Kaede nodded.
"Mm, okay." Without thinking too much, Ieyasu and Sayo walked back toward the direction of their village as if they had lost their souls.
"Sigh..." Kaede shook her head. Now, even if they came back and said they could stay, she wouldn't agree.
She didn't need people like that under her command. They hadn't even realized that Kaede had never met their remaining companion, nor did she know his name.
By all requirements, they should have reacted immediately, even in such a soul-lost state. But looking at it now, they would probably only realize it when they were halfway there or already back at the village.
Looking at the white clouds in the sky, a bitter smile appeared on Kaede's lips. "Budo has dumped a mess on me. The order of this Empire... Tch!"
That's right. After returning to the Empire, Kaede had received a mission from Budo to be responsible for managing the Empire's order. But was it easy to manage? The darkness hidden within the Empire had already reached this point, and the decay within was deep-rooted.
"However, Nahash and the others should be arriving soon." Kaede thought. Surely there would be someone to help her with such things, so she had requested the Elite Group from the General to be her subordinates.
Originally, she had thought about whether to include Ieyasu and Sayo, as their skills were quite good and they had considerable potential, but it seemed they didn't pass the test in terms of mental fortitude.
However, that was normal. How many people could pass in both skills and mental fortitude?
While thinking about what to do in the future, Kaede suddenly felt something. Something seemed to have scurried past under her feet. Kaede looked in the direction of the movement and saw a carriage in the distance.
"A Level 1 Danger Beast, Earth Dragon." Seeing the behemoth emerging from the ground, Kaede recognized it. She had absolutely no interest in a Level 1 Danger Beast, watching the people in the caravan panic.
Hmm, Kaede had no intention of helping. That's right, Kaede did not plan to help. This wasn't the Imperial Capital, and there was no public order for her to maintain here.
However, Kaede then saw a young man pull out the sword on his back, and after exchanging a few blows with the Earth Dragon, he slew it.
Kaede raised an eyebrow. His skills seemed pretty good. And looking at his attire, the corners of Kaede's lips suddenly twitched. No way, right?
She had just persuaded Ieyasu and Sayo to leave, and had just agreed to tell their companion, yet in the blink of an eye, she had run into their companion?
"Sigh." Kaede sighed. Since she had run into him, she had to do what she promised.
Seeing the young man separate from the caravan, Kaede walked up to him.
"Who are you?" Tatsumi couldn't help but ask, looking at the young girl before him. He had originally thought she was just passing by, but after seeing her walk toward him, Tatsumi realized that wasn't the case.
"You must be that lost companion of Ieyasu and Sayo, right?" Kaede looked at Tatsumi with a bit of amusement. Someone as old as him could actually get lost.
"Uh, you know Ieyasu and Sayo?" Tatsumi asked with wide, pleasantly surprised eyes. Then his expression changed, and he jumped a little, "I didn't get lost!"
"Oh, whether you got lost or not is none of my business. I'm just here to tell you that Ieyasu and Sayo have already returned to the village. They asked me to pass on a message: you'd better go back too."
"How is that possible!" Tatsumi widened his eyes, looking at the expressionless young girl, and said: "We promised to make a name for ourselves, and we are going to save our village!!"
"Mm, I'm just passing on the message. Also, I advise you not to go to the Imperial Capital." After saying this, Kaede turned and left. This time, she didn't test Tatsumi; she felt it wasn't necessary. Since his companions were like that, he probably wouldn't be any better.
Testing him further would just be a waste of time.
"It's impossible! We made a promise!" Tatsumi still refused to believe it. In the end, his eyes turned resolute. "Even so, I will make a name for myself alone, then become a General, and save the village."
Then, as if thinking of something, Tatsumi's face flushed. "When I return to the village then, I'll properly mock Ieyasu. Hmm, Sayo will probably admire me a lot! Yes, yes!"
"Hahahaha!" Tatsumi laughed to himself. If anyone saw him, they'd probably think he was crazy!
"Imperial Capital, I'm here!!! Oh!!!"
Kaede didn't know that the young man wasn't affected by her words. He was still excitedly heading in the direction of the Empire—the direction he had just asked about.
As for Kaede, she had already returned to her house, which could be considered a mansion, but its interior decoration was quite simple.
"They haven't arrived yet?" A hint of disappointment appeared in Kaede's eyes, and then she heard a knock at the door.
"Hmm?" They arrived just as she stepped inside? Thinking this, Kaede opened the door, and as expected, several old acquaintances appeared: Nahash, Chikushi, and Poney.
"Yo! Captain, Chikushi, and Poney." Seeing her old friends, Kaede also smiled.
"I can't bear the title of Captain, Imperial General." Nahash's usually cold face showed a slight ripple, and he said playfully.
"Wuwu, Kaede!" Chikushi didn't care for formalities and rushed to hug her.
"Alright, alright." Kaede gently patted Chikushi's back.
"Where are Green and my sister?" Kaede asked when she noticed no one else behind them.
"Kurome is on a mission. Green..." Nahash hesitated before saying, "He was injured and left the Elite Group. Alas, ever since Akame left, he hasn't been training, and sometimes he gets distracted during missions."
"Is that so." Kaede nodded, a dim light in her eyes. But... at least he's alive.
"Come in and sit." Kaede said, and then a young woman, Koujo Shizuka, walked out of the room.
"Oh? The Imperial General is back, and..." Koujo Shizuka looked at the members of the Elite Group with some hesitation.
"They will be your comrades from now on." Kaede smiled.
"Uh, hello, everyone. I am Koujo Shizuka, currently responsible for taking care of the Imperial General's daily life." Koujo Shizuka said.
"Hey, hey, I didn't ask you to take care of me..." Kaede was a little helpless. Koujo Shizuka was someone she brought with her from the frontier, but now she seemed to have voluntarily taken on the task of looking after her. However, Kaede didn't need it, but every time she told Koujo Shizuka, she wouldn't listen and insisted on taking care of her...
However, Kaede's words were once again ignored by Koujo Shizuka.
"Hmm, hello." The members of the Elite Group also introduced themselves.
"Then, why did you call us here?" Nahash asked.
"Hmm? Didn't Budo tell you?" Kaede was startled and couldn't help but ask.
Nahash shook his head.
"Alright, I'll tell you." Afterwards, Kaede began to narrate the task Budo had given her, while Koujo Shizuka started serving water and tea to the members of the Elite Group.
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