บท 221: Chance Encounter In The Forest
The town didn't seem to have suffered much oppression from the Empire. Although it appeared somewhat poor, it was much better than the tragic situation of other villages and towns. This might be because the revolutionary army blocked the Empire's forces, preventing them from extending their reach here.
The local customs were still very simple, and the neighbors were harmonious, being quite friendly to outsiders. Many of the older men and women even invited Kaguya to their homes as a guest, but she declined them all. She had things to do and wouldn't be staying here long.
Unfortunately, she didn't manage to infiltrate Night Raid, and her plan to gather information had failed. Staying here had no meaning, and she needed to return to her domain to take charge of things.
However, to Kaguya's delight, there was a shop selling her favorite dumplings here, which was an unexpected surprise. Of course, these dumplings didn't taste the same as those from the Naruto world; these had a lighter aroma, reminiscent of the osmanthus cakes from her original world.
This was probably Kaguya's biggest takeaway from this small town.
On the following morning, Kaguya wanted to get up early to prepare for her departure, but reality was harsh compared to her ideal. She didn't open her eyes until almost noon, groggy and half-awake. If she didn't have anything to do, she might have slept until the afternoon.
After freshening up and packing her things, Kaguya waved goodbye to the inn's female owner and headed out of town.
Outside the town was a vast forest, filled with dense trees as far as the eye could see. Since it was autumn, most of the leaves were already withered and yellow, swirling and dancing in the breeze before falling to the ground, forming a soft carpet. The sky was blue with floating white clouds, presenting a different kind of scenery.
But Kaguya wasn't in the mood to appreciate her beloved autumn scenery; she was preoccupied with her thoughts. Just now, she received information via carrier pigeon indicating that the northern tribes were about to make a big move. They had already begun gathering soldiers, and food supplies had been delivered to the northern border. At the signal, tens of thousands of troops could swarm south.
Their first target might very well be Kaguya's domain. Although her territory was surrounded by mountains, making it difficult to attack due to its natural barriers, the problem was that she had too few soldiers—only the 5,000 newly trained guards and the original 1,000 soldiers in her domain, which were essentially useless.
Moreover, the 1,000 soldiers were all old, weak, and sick, and many were just collecting empty paychecks. In reality, there might not even be 800 of them.
Once the pass was breached, it would be an open plain with no natural defenses. If the northern tribes didn't attack her domain, Kaguya would think they were a bunch of brainless idiots.
Even more concerning was that the information hinted at the involvement of Night Raid and possibly even the minister himself. This revelation made Kaguya furious.
Is he insane, trying to let the northern tribes in? Isn't this inviting disaster?
Then Kaguya's expression shifted as she realized the truth: this was Minister Honest's deliberate plot. He intended to use the northern tribes and the revolutionary army to eliminate her, the imperial princess.
Because of the little emperor's closeness with Kaguya, the minister couldn't directly harm her. But if she died at the hands of the tribes or the revolutionary army, the minister could wash his hands of the matter, claiming no connection.
Now, the imperial princess was caught in a dire situation, surrounded by internal and external threats, like an unsolvable dilemma.
But is this really a fatal predicament?
A cold light flashed in Kaguya's autumn-like eyes, and a breathtaking smile appeared on her lips.
While Kaguya was deep in thought, she suddenly heard the sounds of intense fighting and beastly roars from a distance. The falling leaves rustled loudly, startling the birds in the forest.
Kaguya frowned slightly. This area was remote, and there shouldn't be any battles here. She lightly tapped her toes and gracefully moved like a butterfly, swiftly heading toward the source of the sound.
This small town was technically within her domain, just a bit remote, located on the edge. The Empire had no control here, with no one stationed, so it was under the revolutionary army's de facto control.
When Kaguya arrived, the battle had already ended, leaving traces of destruction on the ground and trees.
The trees were broken off, showing jagged stumps. The grass and vegetation were uprooted, soil scattered, and the ground was crisscrossed with deep gashes, revealing the fierce battle. The scene was stained with crimson blood, indicating a violent confrontation.
In a clearing stood a girl with long orange ponytails, her face delicate and body slender, a true beauty. At her feet was a dog-like creature gnawing on something.
Kaguya's eyes focused, and through the thick foliage, she saw that what was being chewed was a human arm.
"Dad, I took down a villain," the orange-haired girl muttered to herself, then suddenly laughed maniacally, her face twisted and hideous, "The light of justice has illuminated the world!"
Kaguya frowned slightly. If she guessed correctly, the orange-haired girl was Seryu from the imperial police. She was an extremely distasteful character, harboring twisted beliefs and claiming to uphold justice. To Kaguya, she was nothing more than a deranged lunatic.
At her feet was the blood-soaked creature known as "Koro," Seryu's biological imperial arm "Hekatonkheires." It could transform during battle and regenerate as long as its core wasn't destroyed, making it a tough opponent for ordinary people.
In the original story, Seryu used Koro to kill and eat the beautiful glasses-wearing girl, Sheele, and later let Koro devour the dissected Chelsea by Esdeath.
If Kaguya had to choose the people she despised most, besides Minister Honest's son, Syura, it would be Seryu.
After watching Seryu and her dog leave, Kaguya furrowed her brows slightly. She hadn't expected the minister to act so quickly, although it was both unexpected and within reason. However, she couldn't alert them now and cause them to be on guard. The best strategy was to lure them all to one location and take them down in one fell swoop.
Kaguya emerged from the bushes and glanced around, preparing to leave.
Suddenly, a small notebook on the ground caught her eye. Kaguya bent down to pick it up, and as she opened it, her beautiful eyes focused, revealing a look of surprise.
This is...
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