After Sayo left, a figure appeared in the alley moments later—it was Leone from Night Raid.
"Let's go."
She patted Tatsumi on the shoulder, said nothing more, and took the lead in leaving the alley.
But before she left, Leone paused, staring in the direction Sayo had gone. A curious glint flashed in her eyes. It was unclear what she was thinking.
In truth, Tatsumi's push to get Sayo to report on Haruki hadn't come from him alone—it had everything to do with Night Raid.
The last incident on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital had left a deep impression. Beyond Haruki's godlike power—able to unleash a tornado that carved out a vacuum spanning kilometers—the women around him had proven themselves terrifying in their own right.
Take Kurome's Teigu, March of the Dead: Yatsufusa. If she went all out, it was doubtful anyone in the Revolutionary Army could stop her.
A single Super-Class Danger Beast could annihilate an entire army. If eight were deployed together, no number of troops would be enough.
Then there was Gin, who effortlessly defeated Rock—the Revolutionary Army's top fighter.
Cornelia took out Loki, a formidable Teigu user in his own right, with no difficulty.
And none of Haruki's other women seemed like anyone to take lightly.
All of this cast a shroud of mystery over Haruki and those around him. Najenda, the leader of Night Raid, was sharp enough to realize they were a massive wildcard in the revolution.
What's more, Haruki's stance toward the Empire was ambiguous. Unlike other officials, he wasn't clearly aligned with the regime, making it impossible for the Revolutionary Army or Night Raid to gauge his position.
Normally, the best course for dealing with unpredictable threats like Haruki and his inner circle would be surveillance. But none of the Night Raid members, not even Najenda, had the confidence to monitor them without being discovered. Haruki's chilling line about Lubbock's death being a mere warning still echoed in their ears.
Then came an unexpected stroke of luck. Leone discovered that the girl Tatsumi had been searching for—Sayo—was now living under Haruki's roof.
That led to the scene Tatsumi had just experienced with her.
Persuaded by Najenda, Tatsumi—driven by his overwhelming sense of justice—immediately agreed to convince Sayo to become their spy in Haruki's mansion. After all, he believed their childhood bond would move her, and that she'd surely come to share his ideals once he explained the Revolutionary Army's cause. To him, Haruki was just some outsider in her life.
From every angle, Tatsumi had thought she'd agree. So did the rest of Night Raid.
What they hadn't accounted for was: What did Haruki have that made the people around him so loyal? Why were they willing to give up everything for him—even Sayo, who wasn't one of his lovers, but merely a maid?
That question lingered in Leone's mind as she left. And it was the same question everyone in Night Raid now wanted answered.
...
Meanwhile, after leaving the alley, Sayo had no more interest in wandering the city. The encounter with Tatsumi had shaken her. She quickly returned to Taeko and the others and went back to Haruki's mansion with the group.
Knock knock...
A knock at the door startled her. Sayo hurried to open it.
At Haruki's estate, the staff were treated extremely well. The fact that Sayo, a maid, had her own room was proof of that.
"Ah, Young Master... Is there something you need?"
Seeing that it was Haruki, she tensed up and asked nervously.
"What, I'm not allowed to come in for a visit?"
Haruki noted her nervousness and spoke casually.
"Ah! Forgive me, Young Master—please, come in."
Thinking he was displeased, Sayo quickly apologized and invited him inside.
"Sayo, you don't need to be so nervous. I just wanted to ask what happened today. You've been acting strange since you got back, like you're hiding something."
Ever since the afternoon, Haruki had noticed her looking gloomy. She seemed to be avoiding him, hesitating like she had something on her mind. Worried that some ignorant noble might have harassed her during the outing, Haruki had come to check on her personally. He couldn't stand the idea of anyone close to him suffering, even slightly.
"Um..."
Faced with his question, Sayo hesitated, unsure whether she should tell him what had really happened.
"Sayo, did someone bully you today? Tell me who it was. Don't worry—even if it's a minister, I'll tear them apart."
Seeing her hesitation, Haruki assumed the worst. His aura surged, and a faint killing intent crept into his eyes.
The sheer force of it overwhelmed Sayo. She collapsed in front of him, trembling like a frightened rabbit. The sight was heart-wrenching.
"Sorry. I got a little too worked up... couldn't help it."
Haruki rushed over, helped her up, and apologized without hesitation.
But his power was so overwhelming that even the slightest leak of it was too much for an ordinary person like Sayo to bear. Even now, her body was limp. She could only lean against him to keep herself standing.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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