Najenda and Night Raid hadn't arrived together. She had come the night before and was now standing at the entrance to the estate, clearly there to welcome the group.
One by one, they hopped down from the carriage. Akame, representing the others, stepped to the front. "Boss."
"Haha, just call me Najenda. After all, Night Raid has now been reassigned to serve under Lady Eblana."
Najenda laughed heartily. Even though she'd been demoted, her spirits were evidently high.
"It just feels more natural to call you Boss," Mine chimed in, though she wasn't exactly pleased with the transfer.
She would have preferred Najenda to remain Night Raid's leader, but seeing how cheerful Najenda seemed, she kept the rest to herself.
Of course, the fact that they were now on someone else's turf played a part too.
"Bo… Najenda… can I ask what kind of person Lady Eblana is?"
Lubbock spoke up, his words stumbling slightly.
Boss really was the more comfortable way to address her, but what almost no one knew was that the reason he'd joined the Revolutionary Army and Night Raid in the first place was because he'd fallen for Najenda at first sight.
Having a chance to say her name without it sounding awkward actually made his heart flutter a bit.
Though his question came from that flutter, it was also what everyone wanted to know.
They had asked Akame before, but her answer was too colored by her own perspective—useful for reference, but not the full picture.
"Well… let's talk as we walk."
Najenda gestured for them to follow and began leading the way at a relaxed pace, even slowing down deliberately for the conversation ahead.
Everyone understood this was a crucial chance to learn about their new superior. Even Mine perked up her ears.
"If I had to name her most defining trait… it would probably be 'self-will.'"
"Self-will?"
Bulat frowned slightly. He'd gathered a little from Akame, but Najenda's opening words confirmed that this new superior wouldn't be easy to deal with.
"That's right."
Najenda nodded. "She possesses a sense of self as formidable as Esdeath's."
"She doesn't change easily because of others and has an exceptionally clear, almost fixated, awareness of what she wants and what she intends to do."
"If Esdeath's self-will craves war and combat, then Lady Eblana's is about realizing her own worth."
"Her own worth?"
Mine was puzzled.
She could follow the part about Esdeath, but the next line lost her.
"She once told me something."
Recalling the scene, even now Najenda could still feel the shock she'd experienced then.
"'Power is the very reason to become king.' In her view, being born powerful, possessing strength that places her at the world's peak, means she rightfully belongs there."
"Authority, prestige, the people, land—all of it matters to Lady Eblana. But their importance doesn't lie in themselves. Rather, they are needed within her own sense of worth, to serve as its foil."
"How arrogant…"
Mine couldn't help but let her mouth twist downward.
"Less arrogance, more that she simply thinks in a way entirely different from everyone else."
Bulat, however, glimpsed the bigger picture and understood why Najenda had left the Revolutionary Army to follow Eblana.
Because once Eblana achieved the self-worth she pursued, she would become someone without desires—unless she found a new goal for that self-worth.
An Emperor without desires might not necessarily do good, but they'd also be unlikely to do evil. In that case, whether the nation thrived or suffered would depend on those beneath her.
And that, Bulat suspected, was the opportunity Najenda was aiming for.
"So… Lady Eblana is a frightening person?"
Tatsumi had actually been in good spirits these past couple of days. His hometown and the surrounding territory now fell under Eblana's domain.
Through Najenda, he'd learned that Eblana wasn't stingy about distributing grain from storehouses across her lands—his village had been one of the beneficiaries.
So, he'd felt rather positively toward her.
But from the way Najenda spoke, it sounded like she might not be the easiest person to get along with.
Seeing his misunderstanding, Bulat shared his own thoughts from a moment earlier.
To this, Najenda nodded.
"Exactly. Eblana seeks the throne not out of lust for power, but simply because it is there."
"From my interactions with her, I've learned she isn't the type of emperor to exploit or oppress the common people."
"Well then, that sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"
Tatsumi finally caught on.
Akame gave him a complicated look.
"Don't let your guard down, Tatsumi."
Bulat felt a touch of exasperation at Tatsumi's naivety, though that same earnest simplicity was part of why Tatsumi grew stronger so quickly.
Sighing, he shook his head and explained, "Boss already mentioned it—she's an intensely self-willed person."
"Treating the people well is, for her, just a byproduct of her path. Don't mistake her for some amiable, kindly benefactor."
Najenda didn't correct Bulat's slip in address right away, instead acknowledging his point. "That's right. It's best to be cautious and mindful in Lady Eblana's presence."
"I… I'll be careful."
Tatsumi hunched his shoulders.
Up to now, he'd only really interacted with fellow villagers and his Night Raid comrades—none of whom were difficult or required walking on eggshells.
Even Najenda, the only authority figure in Night Raid, was a gentle and generous leader.
So, he didn't have much experience with having to watch his words.
Afraid that his ignorance of protocol might offend their new superior and lead to unpleasantness, his face tightened with tension.
Seeing this, Najenda couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, no need to be so tense. Lady Eblana isn't some cruel, unfeeling type either. She shows considerable leniency toward those with ability."
She herself was the best example. She'd brought up plenty of provocative topics back then, yet Eblana had never punished her or even seemed angered.
Her words eased the group's nerves somewhat, but Tatsumi only broke into a colder sweat.
Did "those with ability" include him? Within Night Raid, his skills often felt… rather inconspicuous.
Carrying his anxiety, the group followed Najenda into Eblana's office.
Seated at the desk with her back to the sunlight, the figure was almost silhouetted in shadow. For a moment, she was hard to make out—then her features became clear.
A woman with platinum blonde hair and green eyes. As they entered, she set down the documents in her hands.
Those deep green eyes, like pools reflecting an abyss, swept silently over each of them, sending a collective chill down their spines.
Then, she smiled.
"Welcome, Night Raid."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.