Night passed quickly.
By morning, the residents of the imperial capital discovered something shocking.
A massive festival platform now stood in the imperial plaza.
It was tall. Grand. Clearly not something that could be built in a single day.
Yet everyone remembered it clearly.
There had been nothing there last night.
Now it stood in the open, as if it had appeared overnight.
At the same time, layers of soldiers surrounded the area.
No one was allowed to approach.
This only made the onlookers more curious.
What was this platform?
Why had it appeared so suddenly?
Why was it here?
People gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.
The soldiers showed no reaction.
They didn't chase anyone away.
They didn't explain anything.
They simply stood guard, faces cold and expressionless.
In truth, they didn't know anything either.
Earlier that morning, Great General Budo had personally ordered them to secure the area and remain at their posts.
They had no choice but to obey.
Before long, news of the platform spread through the capital.
More and more people came out of pure curiosity.
"So... what is that thing?"
In the crowd, a woman in a long hooded cloak stared up at the platform in disbelief.
Beneath the hood were blonde hair, golden eyes, and a determined expression.
"Who knows?"
The one who answered her had long pink twin tails, pink eyes, and wore a light pink dress.
She scanned the crowd casually.
"We shouldn't be here, Leone. We have more important things to do."
The blonde woman-Leone-patted her on the shoulder.
"Relax, Mine. If the person Akame met yesterday was really an enemy, would last night have been so quiet? Maybe he really was just a traveler passing through."
Mine almost spat.
"What kind of traveler can fly?"
"Maybe just a Teigu user."
"You..."
Mine wanted to hit her.
But with so many people around, she could only sigh.
Yesterday, during training at their base, Akame had rushed back in a hurry.
She said she'd met someone in the forest.
Someone who could fly.
Someone very likely sent by the Empire.
That meant only one thing.
Their base had been exposed.
After discussion, Najenda decided to relocate.
Before leaving, they set traps, planning to ambush the enemy.
They waited.
From morning to night.
From night to morning.
Nothing happened.
No enemy.
No pursuit.
It was baffling.
If the Empire had discovered them, there should have been a response.
Unable to understand the situation, Najenda sent Mine-who hadn't been exposed-into the city to gather information.
Halfway there, Leone followed her.
Mine couldn't shake her off.
So she brought Leone along.
And now-
They were stuck here.
Leone refused to leave after seeing the platform.
Mine clenched her teeth in frustration.
Just as she was thinking about how to drag Leone away, a disturbance erupted in the distance.
"What's going on?" Mine frowned.
The crowd suddenly parted.
Like the Red Sea.
Mine and Leone were pushed aside with it.
"What's happening?" Leone asked.
Mine rolled her eyes. "How should I know?"
Then it happened.
People began kneeling.
One after another.
As if welcoming someone of supreme importance.
Not wanting to draw attention, Mine and Leone knelt as well.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
The reason everyone was kneeling became clear.
The supreme emperor of the Empire had appeared.
Mine and Leone couldn't believe it.
The emperor had actually left the palace.
At this moment.
At this place.
"This is a chance," Leone realized instantly.
She leaned close and whispered, "If the two of us-"
"I know," Mine interrupted. "But do you really think we can kill him with just the two of us, surrounded by that level of protection?"
Leone froze.
Then sighed.
Right.
When the emperor moved, the protection would be overwhelming.
Just the two of them stood no chance.
Still-
Letting such an opportunity slip felt wrong.
Leone made her decision.
She slipped away from Mine and disappeared into the rooftops lining the street.
Soon, she saw them.
A procession approaching slowly.
At the front were fully armed soldiers.
One look told her everything.
Veterans.
If she were surrounded by them, escape would be nearly impossible.
At the center was an extravagant carriage.
The craftsmanship alone was excessive.
If she wasn't mistaken-
That was the emperor's carriage.
Killing intent surged in her chest.
But she waited.
Patiently.
She watched.
Finally, the carriage stopped.
The door opened.
Her killing intent peaked.
Then-
A tall man in armor stepped out.
Not the emperor.
A general.
Great General Budo.
The strongest in the Empire.
The moment she saw him, her skin crawled.
Her heart thundered.
Danger.
Pure danger.
The kind she had never felt before.
At the same time, Budo seemed to sense something.
He turned his head slightly.
Toward her.
Leone instantly lowered her gaze and hid.
She didn't dare let him see her.
Because she knew.
If he did-
She would die.
"So that's how it is."
Her heartbeat slowly settled.
"The emperor really isn't that easy to kill."
She shifted positions and peeked again.
Just in time to see Budo escorting a small boy toward the platform.
That boy-
Was the emperor.
Her target.
But with Budo at his side, there was nothing she could do.
She could only watch.
The young emperor stepped onto the platform.
And began speaking.
"People of the Empire. As your emperor, I have an extremely important matter to announce."
"Yesterday, our Empire experienced a historic transformation."
"A goddess descended from the heavens and came to our land."
Leone frowned.
"A goddess? What nonsense. Since when did this world have gods?"
"People of the Empire. This goddess is named Hephaestus, the Goddess of the Forge. She was entrusted by our ancestor, the First Emperor, to descend and help our Empire prosper."
Leone rolled her eyes.
"This is getting worse."
"The First Emperor has been dead for over a thousand years. How could he know a goddess?"
"Did a donkey kick this kid in the head?"
"He actually believes gods exist."
"Or is this another scheme by that minister?"
"People of the Empire. Now, call out her name and welcome her!"
Leone sighed.
At this point, she was convinced.
The donkey had definitely kicked him.
Still-
If the emperor was this foolish, the Empire's fall was inevitable.
Which wasn't entirely bad news.
With an emperor like this, victory felt closer.
Around her, the kneeling citizens began to shout.
It was an order.
Their thoughts didn't matter.
At first, the voices were scattered.
Uncoordinated.
Then rhythm formed.
Soon, tens of thousands shouted in unison.
"Hephaestus!"
"Hephaestus!"
"Hephaestus!"
The sound shook the imperial capital.
It surged toward the heavens.
Below the platform, Minister Honest narrowed his eyes.
He looked up at the young emperor.
The next second-
The sky trembled.
A brilliant light descended.
Dust across a hundred miles was swept away.
Clouds were torn aside by overwhelming force.
Above the imperial capital-
The sky turned a flawless blue.
Like a radiant sapphire.
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