Eblana wasn't really forcing Akame to get this done within the time limit.
Honestly, even when it came time for the expedition, as long as Kurome showed no hostility towards her or stirred up any trouble, she planned to find some excuse to let the matter slide.
But then, sometimes you never know just how much potential—or in this case, eloquence—you can muster until you push yourself.
Only after telling Akame she could go find her companions did Eblana finally allow her weariness to show.
It was exhausting. Maintaining a mindset and acting in ways so unlike herself was far more draining than she'd imagined.
Thinking this, she couldn't help but want to vent to someone who truly understood her.
[Eblana: Ugh, I can't take this anymore.]
[Amber: You've worked hard.]
[Castorice: You've worked hard.]
[Amber: …The approval rating is rising pretty fast, though.]
[Eblana: …Yeah, but it's mostly from ordinary citizens. Among the story characters, only Esdeath and Najenda have given significant approval. Most other plot-relevant characters still don't accept me.]
[Amber: What does it matter? Approval is approval, no high or low about it, right?]
[Eblana: Should I thank you for the comfort?]
Choked off by that, Amber knew the character role she'd set for herself was indeed a tough one. Feeling awkward, she could only play dumb.
[Amber: Ehehe~]
Seeing her core self act like this, Eblana sighed and chose to let it go.
[Castorice: So, expanding our reputation like this yields far more approval than just sticking close to story characters. Actually, if not for the rate of approval increase, I wouldn't even know who the plot-relevant characters are in my world.]
After all, it wasn't based on strength. Sometimes a very weak person might be key to the story, while a strong one might not be.
[Eblana: That's true, but it still feels weird constantly being seen as a dangerous person… I'm just not used to it.]
[Jingliu: You'll get used to it.]
[Amber: Speaking of, do you want a landship? Hina's doing really well in Arknights now. We could get one without spending approval points.]
[Eblana: I'll pass. It'd ruin the worldview you've worked so hard to maintain, Miss Amber.]
[Amber: Be careful, or Saki will charge you copyright fees.]
[Sorasaki Hina: Children… I think I just saw this world's Togawa Sakiko… Not just her, but the rest of Ave Mujica too…]
[Amber: ?]
[Eblana: ?]
[Castorice: ?]
[Amber: This is a bit beyond my understanding. I didn't sense any new otherworldly presence on Earth? And I'm certain Sakiko and the others are still on Earth right now.]
Ave Mujica in Arknights? What kind of dream is this?
Eblana wanted to keep reading to see what was going on, but a knock sounded at her door.
"Lady Eblana, it is time for your meal."
Leone's voice came from behind the door. Eblana hesitated for a moment, then decided not to indulge further in idle online distractions. It wasn't proper, anyway.
She could always check later.
When Eblana arrived at the dining hall, the members of Night Raid were deep in their own discussions.
Not seeing Sheele there made Eblana regret her tardiness slightly, but there wasn't much she could do about it now.
As Eblana approached, the chatter died down. Najenda naturally stepped forward to greet her on behalf of the group.
Eblana took her seat at the head of the table, glancing at the Night Raid members seated along both sides. Finally, the place didn't feel quite so cold and empty.
Chefs and Servants of Lamentation wheeled the prepared dishes into the dining hall, arranging them one by one on the table.
They might not have been masterpieces of color, aroma, and flavor, but at the very least, they were beautifully presented.
After all, they were prepared by staff once trained for a former count's indulgence—superficial perfection was a must.
While waiting for the dishes to be served, Eblana spoke up.
"You may have heard from Akame or Najenda already. Three days from now, we will depart from here and march toward Lavis City to the southwest. Barring any surprises, that will be the greatest obstacle on our path."
"You mean Esdeath…?" Najenda naturally thought of her.
She knew exactly what had transpired before, and the threats Esdeath had made. Unlike others, Esdeath's threats weren't empty words. During this time, she would have been preparing thoroughly.
And the most likely place for her to await them was Lavis City.
Not only was it one of the primary sources of the Minister's wealth, with many skilled fighters available for battle, but more importantly, it matched Esdeath's undoubtedly impatient state of mind.
The thought made Najenda's heart grow heavy.
To preserve the city and civilian lives to the greatest extent possible, Eblana letting Esdeath escape wasn't hard to understand. Najenda would have done the same.
Yet the price of letting the tiger return to the mountain felt almost too heavy to bear.
Still, this situation was likely born from Eblana's extreme confidence.
"I understand. But before that…" Najenda produced a report.
This was something meant for a more formal setting, but she'd noticed Eblana preferred discussing matters over meals, so she seized the moment.
"This is a list compiled by dedicated individuals within the Revolutionary Army. Some are their disciples or children, others are the individuals themselves."
"Oh?" Eblana took the document, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"The numbers aren't large, but I can guarantee none of them are… unclean," Najenda explained.
"These people can help us gain control over subordinate territories where we haven't yet placed personnel more quickly."
Eblana smiled. "I hadn't expected you to move this fast."
Truthfully, she'd been prepared to let the lords of those subordinate territories enjoy their comfort a while longer.
After all, Chouri could only be in so many places at once, and the sudden influx of barons and viscounts required management and scrutiny—a task impossible for one person to complete swiftly within a month.
Simply put, her personnel couldn't keep up with her rate of expansion.
There were plenty of capable people, but far fewer she could trust with confidence.
Eblana respected Najenda's eye for talent. She might not be the most formidable combatant, but she was an excellent judge of character and an adept administrator.
Just look at the people in Night Raid—all idealists, brave, loyal, and upright. These were individuals Najenda had either gathered, nurtured, or spotted with a single glance.
When it came to cultivating and recognizing dedicated talent, Najenda possessed uniquely sharp instincts and methods.
Entrusting this matter to Najenda, Eblana felt entirely at ease.
Sensing Eblana's unwavering trust, the smile on Najenda's face grew brighter.
The other members of Night Raid didn't join the conversation, but they recognized the weight of responsibility Najenda held under Eblana's command, and the genuine joy it brought her.
Quietly, almost imperceptibly, the members of Night Raid added tens of thousands of approval points for Eblana.
Eblana: …
So this is how you win over Night Raid?
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T/N: We ran out of free raws, and since im paying for chapters, im lowering the count to two chaps a day.
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.