บท 216: Eliminate Traitors And Eradicate Evil
Kaguya had originally planned to stay longer in the capital, but an unexpected event changed her mind: the northern tribes had allied with the Revolutionary Army and were preparing to move south, with their first stop being Kaguya's territory.
This information came from Kaguya's intelligence department, obtained at the cost of more than a dozen lives. Even the capital's ministers and officials were unaware. This highlighted the extent of the Empire's decay, as they could not even obtain such crucial information; the Empire's intelligence department was utterly useless.
Yet, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning, clearing away her confusion. She envisioned a person, someone known as the Empire's strongest general. With her presence, those tribes could indeed be ignored entirely.
This might not be due to the Empire's incompetence but because of their overwhelming confidence, confident enough that even a rebellion could be easily crushed.
If this were the case, Kaguya had even more reason to leave the capital. Once war broke out, her territory would become the battlefield, turning it into a wasteland, and the tens or even hundreds of thousands of people living there would be caught in the crossfire.
Kaguya did not want to see her lands become a blood-soaked wasteland, as she had her own plans. She intended to use her territory as a base to develop the economy, train her army, reorganize military equipment, and expand her influence. When the time was right, she would kill the ministers, eliminate Esdeath, destroy the Revolutionary Army, and march her army into the capital to take control of the situation.
If she was weak, it would be difficult to achieve her goals or take control of the Empire. Even if she killed all her enemies, the Empire would fracture, making it much harder for Kaguya to pick up the pieces.
Kaguya had originally intended to train her army, cultivate some officers, and expand her influence while in the capital. But the situation no longer allowed her to wait. Although she regretted it, she had no choice.
In a lavishly decorated room:
"My lord, it is said that the Princess has voluntarily requested to return to her territory," a small, sleazy-looking official said with a fawning smile.
"Hmph, that girl knows her place," the minister said, biting into a greasy roast lamb leg, smirking coldly. "She probably knows what I told the young Emperor. This works well for us since the young Emperor was hesitant. This saves us a lot of trouble."
"I heard the Princess requested to take her trained troops, some officers, and a portion of weapons and supplies," the sleazy official whispered.
"She's just a little girl. Does she think having these will keep her safe?" The minister's face twisted into a sinister smile. "The northern tribes are restless and will move south soon. She might end up crying and begging to return to the capital. In the chaos, a missing princess would be perfectly normal."
"My lord, you are wise," the sleazy official flattered with a grin.
The room echoed with malicious laughter.
Kaguya stayed in the capital for a short time before setting out for her territory again. In the past half-month, she had completed the transfer of military supplies. Five thousand well-trained soldiers in armor had already set out for the Princess's domain.
Kurome and the three little girls accompanied the army on the journey.
Since Kaguya had expelled the toxins from Kurome's body, her physique had changed dramatically, her potential greatly enhanced. After Kaguya's extensive training, Kurome's strength had increased significantly, even surprising Kaguya with the extent of her improvement.
With Kurome accompanying the journey, Kaguya felt at ease. Kurome was no longer the sickly character she was in the original story. With Kaguya's special training, her vigilance had improved greatly, and she wouldn't easily fall prey to someone like Chelsea.
However, Kurome seemed sullen during the journey, seemingly unhappy because with Kaguya gone, there was no one to guide her training or to ambush Kaguya to sharpen her skills, even though each failed attempt came with embarrassing punishments.
The three new girls, however, were delighted. Although Kaguya was kind and sisterly, the palace's atmosphere was oppressive, and the maids were strict, making it hard for them to breathe, like birds trapped in a cage.
Now that they were finally out, they felt joyful, especially since they were heading to the Princess's territory, where their village was located.
Kaguya, however, traveled alone, as she had some matters to attend to.
In the evening, the full moon hung high in the sky. As the city lights came on, the neon lights of the capital gradually lit up, casting a soft glow on the streets.
It was late autumn, and the fallen leaves rustled in the chilly autumn wind, which carried a hint of cold. Yet, the red-light district of the capital was ablaze with lights, exuding a warm, inviting glow.
From afar, a slightly taller building stood out among the densely packed structures. The neon lights on the building were dazzlingly colorful, and the red lanterns hanging around it added a touch of allure. It was the largest brothel in the capital's red-light district.
Kaguya's form flickered like a ghost, moving quickly yet appearing slow. In a blink, she had reached the opulent building's interior. Before even entering, she could hear faint moans and joyous laughter from inside.
As she gently pushed the door open, her eyes were met with a group of scantily clad girls. They were attractive and slender, not stunning but possessed a certain charm. Their eyes were glazed, bodies swaying as they lay on the floor, smoking something from pipes.
A strange scent wafted through the air, causing Kaguya to wrinkle her brow slightly and cover her nose.
Her gaze turned to the room's center, where a large incense burner was emitting purple smoke. If Kaguya guessed correctly, this smoke was a hallucinogen, essentially a drug.
The brothel's owner used these substances to control innocent girls, forcing them into prostitution. However, these hallucinogens had strong toxic side effects, severely damaging the body over time, usually leading to death within months.
In the brothel, girls deemed physically unfit were disposed of without hesitation, replaced with a new batch, perpetuating a cycle of inhumanity.
A cold gleam flashed in Kaguya's eyes. Her purpose here was to eliminate this blight from the capital, ensuring it could no longer harm innocent girls.
As she prepared to act, a piercing scream echoed from nearby.
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