After a long silence, Najenda finally broke the quiet.
"So, how do you choose to make a change?"
"To punish those corrupt nobles, there must be a reason. Otherwise, it will only cause panic. The common people at the bottom are just struggling to eat. Do you think they will feel anything when they hear nobles are being killed?" Ren didn't answer directly.
"They…" Najenda stammered, unable to find the right words.
"Let me tell you. They won't think about anything. They won't thank you. All they will worry about is where their next meal will come from. If too many nobles die, they might even be scared—because you are the ones creating the fear."
Najenda fell silent. What Ren said was true. The empire placed bounties on Night Raid, exposing their crimes, which caused the people to fear and hate them.
But the Inspection Bureau was a different story. Every time Ren judged a noble, the common people applauded. He was deeply trusted by the people.
Then Najenda looked surprised.
"You want to…"
"I do have that plan."
Najenda understood now.
If the Revolutionary Army wanted to build a new country, then Ren was undoubtedly their enemy.
Between a popular enemy and a Revolutionary Army that allied with foreign tribes, the people's choice was obvious.
If they tried to execute him, it would surely spark public outrage. At that point, intelligence in the imperial capital would probably be cut off, making rebellion much harder to continue.
"You really taught me a lesson, Ren. Getting to your position is no accident." Najenda sighed.
"General Najenda, the outcome is inevitable. Also, I never take the Revolutionary Army seriously. To destroy them, all I need is to spread the evidence." Ren leaned back on the sofa, holding Kurome close.
"Evidence of collusion with foreign tribes? That alone is a dead end. What do you plan to do?" Najenda thought of the Revolutionary Army's leader.
"First, completely eliminate the minister spies inside the Inspection Bureau. But the person to act can't be me." Ren smiled at Najenda.
"You're sure I'll help you?" Najenda frowned. She didn't like feeling like someone was pulling her around by the nose.
"Definitely, because what you want is a successful rebellion, the Inspection Bureau cannot fall into the hands of the ministers."
"Alright, you win. I'll help you eliminate the spies within your ranks. But what about Akame?" Najenda naturally did not forget her goal.
"She's mine now. There's no way I'll give her back to you," Ren said seriously.
"..."
"No negotiation," Ren added.
"Hmph, we must rescue our companion," Najenda refused to back down.
"Then let's fight. I won't hand over Akame to you."
"Hmph, fighting here will attract the Imperial Guard's attention," Najenda was a bit worried.
"No problem. Just use your Night Raid's methods," Ren suggested with a smile.
"Night Raid's methods are usually deadly."
"That's fine."
Then, Najenda raised her hand.
A beam of light shot rapidly toward Ren, but Ren just tilted his head and dodged the shot.
"No way, that's a gunshot! Damn it," Mine watched Ren tilt his head in shock. She didn't believe it, so she fired two more shots, but Ren easily dodged again.
Najenda increased the danger level of Ren. Even if someone knows they are being targeted by a sniper, dodging without cover is very difficult.
"If this is the best you've got, you owe me compensation for my sofa, thanks," Ren said calmly.
"It's not over yet."
Ren suddenly grabbed Kurome and Chelsea in each arm and moved away from his original spot as a strong gust split his sofa in two.
"Amazing. Can you actually see me?" Bulat appeared and guessed rightly because he sensed the direction of the attack and dodge swiftly.
"Mm." Ren just nodded in response. From beginning to end, he never took the initiative to attack.
"Don't get close to him." Bulat shouted loudly.
Ren simply turned and kicked a purple-haired girl away, sending her flying and causing her to spit blood.
"Sheele."
"Kurome, give me the sword."
"Okay." Kurome handed Yatsufusa to Ren directly.
Normally, Yatsufusa would resist, but feeling the terrifying aura from Ren, it gave in.
"The Teigu Yatsufusa." Najenda's face darkened. Although the sword's power was strange, its sharpness was currently the greatest threat to them.
Ren immediately used "Soru" and disappeared from everyone's sight.
"This is bad."
"I admit defeat." Najenda quickly shouted.
"If you had delayed any longer, one of you would have been killed." Ren sheathed the sword that had been at Bulat's neck.
"So fast, when?" Bulat's pupils trembled. As a former soldier with great strength, plus Teigu's support, he could fight most enemies. But in front of Ren, he couldn't even struggle.
"I hope you mean what you say, or I might have to take you down first." Ren snorted coldly.
"Let's go." Najenda didn't want to stay here any longer.
"The intelligence will be passed to you by my woman, Chelsea." Ren pushed Chelsea forward.
Chelsea rolled her eyes but didn't argue now. She said directly, "I will deliver it in a reasonable way."
"Good. Nothing else?" Najenda confirmed.
"Nothing else. You can leave now." Ren no longer stopped them.
Until everyone around had left, Kurome ran to Akame's room. Chelsea came before Ren and lowered her head.
"Sorry."
"Why apologize?"
"I thought things were simpler than they actually are." Chelsea had initially been disillusioned with the corrupt empire and wanted to change it, to rebel, without thinking about what would come after.
After hearing the conversation just now, she understood what Ren was doing.
She knew why the Inspection Bureau had become corrupt, why they were harshly judging the nobles, and why the nobles still wouldn't change despite everything.
She also understood why Ren kept insisting on his path.
Every trial Ren held was grand and public, letting everyone in the city know the crimes of the nobles on trial.
Now she realized this was to build the foundation in the hearts of the common people—that the Inspection Bureau were honest officials.
In the past year or two, Ren had deeply entered the hearts of the people.
This gave Chelsea hope.
"If that's the case, how did you think about my conditions back then?" Ren asked with a smile.
"Can we talk about that after this is all over?" Chelsea said shyly.
"You doubted me at first, you know. I'm a bit upset," Ren pretended to be angry.
"Sorry."
"Come sit here."
Chelsea shyly sat beside Ren, who pulled her tightly into his arms.
She struggled a little but couldn't break free, so she gave up.
After a long while, Chelsea slowly let down her guard.
In Ren's arms, she felt warm.
After the battle they had just gone through, she had never felt so at peace.
At that moment, Kurome came out.
Chelsea was already asleep in Ren's arms.
"Ren…" Kurome's playful mood toward her sister was completely gone now.
In this world, she knew it was normal for a man to have several women, but she still felt uncomfortable.
"Let's go to sleep," Ren said, lifting Chelsea up.
Kurome widened her eyes, unable to believe what she saw and what Ren said.
After Ren carried Chelsea into her room and settled her down, he left with Kurome.
Hearing the door close, Chelsea opened her eyes.
In the quiet night, she could hear her own heartbeat pounding fast.
She could feel her cheeks burning.
**********
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