Chapter 142: Are You Sure This Is Called Patriotism?
"Yo, I'm guessing you're General Najenda, am I right?"
"Who's there?!"
Hearing the inquiry from above, Najenda sharply looked up to see a young man sitting there, gazing down at her with a smile.
"You—"
Her pupils contracted sharply upon recognizing the figure.
"Oh? It seems you know me."
With a soft "heave-ho," Mahiro lightly dropped down from the ruined wall to stand before Najenda, offering a respectful bow as he said:
"Though you appear quite familiar with me, courtesy demands I introduce myself properly—"
"Pleasure to meet you, General Najenda. I am Yotsuba Mahiro, Head of both the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Assassination Department."
Upon hearing his introduction, Najenda grew wary.
She had heard numerous rumors about Mahiro within military circles—particularly about his defeat of Esdeath—and had even made indirect inquiries about him before.
Esdeath herself had admitted the defeat and vowed to eventually "put a collar on Mahiro."
Never did she expect to encounter him here. What was his purpose?
Had he come to hunt her down?!
With Esdeath behind her and this Mahiro in front, the situation couldn't possibly be worse!
"Now, now, no need to be so tense. I've already sent Esdeath away, so there's nothing to worry about."
Noticing Najenda's darting eyes—as if searching for something—and her heightened alertness, even with her hand already gripping the Teigu behind her back, Mahiro found it amusing.
He teased mockingly:
"Could it be that General Najenda, a decorated Imperial officer, is afraid of a feeble, pencil-pushing official like myself?"
A feeble civil official? Najenda nearly scoffed aloud.
A man who could appear here without her detection—and who had defeated Esdeath—could hardly be called "feeble"!
Yet, provoked by Mahiro's taunt, Najenda released her grip on Pumpkin's handle.
By her judgment, this man likely bore no hostile intent—otherwise, why bother with all this chatter?
Besides, he was stronger than Esdeath. What could she possibly achieve by resisting?
It would be futile resistance.
With this realization, Najenda relaxed.
Pulling a pack of cigarettes from her coat, she offered him one. "Care for a smoke?"
"No, thank you."
Mahiro declined with a smile.
He watched as Najenda placed the cigarette between her lips, flicked her lighter with a click, and lit it with a tiny flame.
She took a deep drag, exhaling smoke that hazed their intersecting gazes.
"Quite at ease, aren't you, General Najenda?"
"I'm no longer a general of the Empire."
"Then are you here to kill me, or to capture me and take me back to the Imperial City?"
"That depends." Mahiro shrugged, smiling. "It all comes down to your behavior. Who knows—I might even let you go."
"Heh..."
Seeing him laugh, Najenda laughed too, taking another deep drag before leisurely exhaling a plume of smoke, as if she had already given up resisting.
"Minister Yotsuba, whether you intend to take my head back for a reward or escort me to the Imperial City for trial, would you hear me out first?"
"Mhmm, I'm all ears."
Mahiro nodded, agreeing to Najenda's request, then moved a large stone from nearby and sat down to let the woman speak at her own pace.
Najenda pressed the finished cigarette butt into the damp soil. With a sizzling sound as the ember was extinguished, she began:
"Minister Yotsuba, what are your thoughts on the current state of the Empire?"
Since she had chosen to speak, Najenda saw no need for beating around the bush and asked directly.
"What thoughts could I have? Everything seems fine. I can't speak for other regions, but at least within the Imperial City, everything is peaceful and orderly. Those who should be arrested and sentenced have been dealt with, with no signs of favoritism or corruption."
"The security force hasn't received any public complaints either."
Mahiro wore a puzzled expression.
Seeing him play dumb, Najenda gritted her teeth but still held onto a sliver of hope.
She knew this young man was different from others—not obsessed with the Empire's decaying power structure nor interested in wealth and status.
Even in his work with the security force, he enforced the law impartially, earning the admiration of countless residents in the Imperial City.
She hoped that through her persuasion, this young man would awaken to the truth and join forces to resist Prime Minister Honest and his faction's gradual erosion of the Empire!
With Prime Minister Honest currently holding immense influence and General Budo being blindly loyal, the only one capable of opposing the minister was Mahiro, whose strength could rival Esdeath's.
If they could recruit him into the Revolutionary Army...
"Minister Yotsuba, since the late emperor's passing, Prime Minister Honest has monopolized state affairs. Many ministers with conscience have already suffered persecution. Although you're under General Budo's command and Honest can't directly reach you, if he truly decides to move against you, even General Budo's protection might not be enough to withstand him!"
"Oh... So what you're suggesting is?"
Mahiro looked at the woman before him wearing an "I'm doing this for your own good" expression, asking with a faint, ambiguous smile.
"I hope Minister Yotsuba can come to his senses in time and join forces with numerous patriots to oppose Prime Minister Honest!"
Gritting her teeth, Najenda spoke bluntly, her face still filled with passionate fervor.
However, her words completely amused Mahiro. At first, he merely revealed a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, then gradually began to laugh aloud. Finally, he slapped his thigh and burst into uncontrollable laughter.
It was as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
Najenda, initially stunned, gradually flushed red. His piercing laughter seemed to mock her, provoking her to angrily demand an explanation.
"Why is Minister Yotsuba laughing?!"
"Haha... Hahaha... I'm laughing, I'm laughing at how amusing you are, General Najenda."
Finally, having laughed enough, Mahiro returned to his usual self, his sharp gaze piercing through the female general before him as if to see right through her.
"Don't tell me the so-called patriots you're referring to are that group of rebels who call themselves the Revolutionary Army?"
"What's wrong with that?" Najenda still hadn't grasped the severity of the situation.
"What's wrong? Everything is wrong!" Mahiro thundered, glaring at the woman as he began to rebuke her:
"Stop pretending to be loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country, Najenda."
"In my eyes, you're not doing this for the empire at all. It's just that Esdeath's brilliance has overshadowed you, leaving you stuck in your current position with no hope of promotion for life, which is why you've turned to embrace those rebels!"
"You're talking nonsense!"
Najenda stood up angrily, retorting loudly: "I, Najenda, never joined the military out of greed for power, but for the sake of the suffering common people! The border people endure daily oppression and harm from foreign tribes, while the Imperial City revels in song and dance every day."
"Minister Yotsuba, doesn't your heart ache? Doesn't it ache for the empire's current state, for the persecuted people at the border?!"
It seemed Najenda's words had some effect, as Mahiro suddenly calmed down, pursing his lips slightly as if in thought.
Just when Najenda thought victory was within reach, the other party said something she never expected.
"What you say makes sense, but... what does that have to do with me?"
"...What did you say?!"
Najenda never imagined this young man would say such a thing—it was just like... just like that woman Esdeath!
Her mind instantly conjured images of Esdeath's cruel ways during this campaign...
No, that wasn't suppression—it was complete and utter slaughter!
Burning villages to the ground, allowing soldiers to abuse the foreign tribes, then as the blizzard descended, impaling those people on poles stuck in the ground, letting their blood drip and stain the earth red.
It was simply hell!
However, Najenda wore all these emotions plainly on her face, making them perfectly clear to Mahiro.
But he couldn't be bothered to comment anymore—not even to say "how naively adorable"—instead tilting his head with a slight smile:
"Is that not the case? I'm no savior, much less an emperor—why should I be responsible for all the citizens of the empire? Does General Najenda not understand the saying 'one should not meddle in affairs outside their position'?"
"And regarding the border turmoil you mentioned, may I ask why those foreign tribes suddenly dare to violate the empire's borders?"
"Isn't it precisely because these so-called patriots you speak of allied with the foreign tribes, encouraging them to attack the empire fiercely, so these patriots could hide themselves and prevent the empire from eliminating them immediately?"
"Most crucially, do you know what price these patriots of yours paid to persuade the foreign tribes to join them?"
"They promised to carve up and hand over imperial territory to them once the empire is overthrown."
"Is this how your so-called patriots express their love for the country? Is this how the Revolutionary Army saves the people from suffering?"
A cold smile curled on Mahiro's lips as he interrogated.
Each of his words felt like a direct challenge to the woman's soul, leaving Najenda unable to utter a single word in response, only able to clench her fists tightly.
Moreover, there were actually some things Mahiro hadn't said aloud.
For instance, if they were truly loyal to the monarch and patriotic, why didn't they secretly rescue those virtuous loyal officials when Prime Minister Honest was persecuting them?
Or do something?
Just like in the original storyline.
A virtuous minister who dedicated himself to opposing Honest's faction chose to return to the court for the sake of the people and the empire.
Yet he was ambushed and killed on his way back.
The Revolutionary Army took no action regarding this.
Was it because they were unaware of this intelligence?
Don't talk nonsense—such a large organization wouldn't fail to monitor the movements of these officials?
And how did they immediately know the intelligence when it came to framing Night Raid?
Ultimately, this Revolutionary Army isn't truly patriotic—they merely want to become another Honest.
"Alright, General Najenda, let's end this idle chat here."
Mahiro had completely lost his patience. He slowly rose from the rock and said coldly, "Hand over Romantic Artilery: Pumpkin, and you can leave. For the Teigu's sake, I'll let you go today."
That's right—he came specifically for the Teigu.
His goal was to give it to Mine as a souvenir. After all, how could Mine be considered complete without Pumpkin?
Moreover, wouldn't his earlier decision to have Mine participate in Tina's special training be wasted otherwise?
As for Najenda's life or death, he didn't care. But if possible, he'd prefer her to stay alive.
After all, he needed Night Raid to exist, intending to turn them into his pawns.
"Impossible!"
Najenda refused sharply, taking half a step back until her back pressed against the cold stone wall.
She then raised her Teigu, aiming the barrel at Mahiro.
"If you want the Teigu, you'll have to kill me first."
The Revolutionary Army was currently lacking combat power. With the support of the Teigu, they could greatly alleviate this shortage. So no matter what, Romantic Artillery: Pumpkin could not be handed over to Mahiro!
"Tch, what a hassle. I really didn't want to resort to force."
Mahiro scratched his head in annoyance. Even while being aimed at, he showed no sense of alertness, instead appearing utterly lazy and troubled.
At the same time, his feet shifted slightly, and under Najenda's gaze, he suddenly vanished from his original position.
When he reappeared, he was already standing right in front of Najenda!
He reached out toward the Teigu and grabbed it firmly!
"Hand it over!"
Najenda only felt a sharp pain in her arm.
Her entire right arm, along with the Romantic Artillery, had been torn away by Mahiro!
"Ah—!!!"
Then, clutching her torn shoulder, Najenda let out a heart-wrenching scream.
Looking down at the woman curled up on the ground in agony, Mahiro curled his lips and said, "Don't blame me for this. You brought it upon yourself. If you had just handed over the Teigu obediently, none of this would have happened."
So, in the end, Najenda still ended up losing an eye and an arm?
Was this the inevitable force of the worldline's convergence?
But Mahiro couldn't be bothered to dwell on it. As long as he got his hands on the Teigu, that was all that mattered.
Come to think of it, this Romantic Artillery: Pumpkin was quite similar to the CAD he used. Both were weapons that converted mental energy (thought particles) into attacks, though the CAD had more magical activation sequences.
The Pumpkin, on the other hand, only produced a simple impact.
But just then, the sound of hoofbeats suddenly echoed from the distance.
Was it the Empire's pursuit force?
No, it was a group of cavalry dressed in all sorts of outfits and armed with various weapons!
"General Najenda has been found!"
"Well, well, look—your rescuers are here."
Mahiro looked down at the woman. Even though her forehead was drenched in sweat, Najenda forced her eyes open despite the intense pain and shouted toward the approaching cavalry:
"Run! Get away from here!!!"
"Report! General Najenda appears to be injured and is being threatened!"
"Quick, save General Najenda!!!"
Ignoring Najenda's warning entirely, the cavalry raised their weapons and charged toward them.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad. General Najenda, how about I show you the proper way to use a Teigu?"
"No!"
Seeing him lift the Pumpkin with one hand and slowly raise the barrel to aim at the charging cavalry, Najenda immediately cried out.
But it was useless.
Under her watchful eyes, Mahiro pulled the trigger.
In the next moment, Najenda witnessed the most terrifying scene of her life.
A dazzling light erupted from the Pumpkin's barrel, like an outburst of emotion or a surging torrent of light.
In an instant, the torrent of light swallowed half of the thousand-strong cavalry. The other half, witnessing such a horrifying attack, hurriedly shouted orders to retreat.
Unfortunately, by the time Mahiro tried to fire a second shot, the Pumpkin had already been destroyed.
"Tch, the power is decent, but the durability is way too low, isn't it? I'll have to make some improvements after I take it back."
Without paying any mind to Najenda's shock, he bent down, grabbed her by the collar, lifted her up, and flung her toward the Revolutionary Army cavalry.
"Here, she's all yours!"
Najenda, thrown through the air, crashed into several cavalry soldiers. But now that they had retrieved their target, they didn't dare linger for even a moment and swiftly retreated from the area.
"They sure run fast..."
Watching the cavalry disappear into the distance, Mahiro couldn't help but chuckle.
And the destroyed Teigu in his hand, as if time had reversed, restored itself to its original state.
"Heh, I never expected you'd just let her escape like that."
At that moment, a cold chuckle came from nearby.
From the shadows of the ruins not far away, an icy blue silhouette gradually emerged, walking toward him step by step.
Her tall figure, surrounded by an aura of cold energy, made her appear like an ice queen when viewed from a distance.
"Capturing her wouldn't have served any purpose anyway, Esdeath."
Indeed, the newcomer was none other than Esdeath, whom he had previously dismissed.
In truth, she had been lurking nearby all along, quietly observing everything to see what Mahiro intended to do.
And this was what she witnessed.
"This could be considered aiding the enemy and treason."
"Don't make it sound so noble, Esdeath. If it were you, wouldn't you have deliberately let her escape too?"
That's right—in the original storyline, Najenda had escaped from Esdeath's grasp. Superficially, it was because the Revolutionary Army had arrived, forcing Esdeath to avoid confrontation.
But in reality?
Would Esdeath ever fear the Revolutionary Army?
Without Akame wielding Murasame, even if the entire Revolutionary Army joined forces, they wouldn't stand a chance against Esdeath alone.
What kind of "avoiding confrontation" would that require?
Though Esdeath didn't respond at this moment, her smile said everything—she would indeed have done the same.
Just like how she would let small groups of foreigners escape, she needed war, craved war, was obsessed with war.
If war and devastation could continue forever, that would be the greatest blessing for her!
"Alright, matters here are settled. I should take my leave."
"What about our agreement?" Esdeath grabbed him, preventing his departure.
"Enough. You're still too weak to be my opponent. Keep training."
Using skillful leverage, Mahiro immediately broke free from Esdeath's restraint and soared into the sky!
Although he'd entrusted Tsukinami City to the elite squad, he still felt somewhat uneasy and needed to check on the situation personally.
Esdeath watched his figure disappear into the horizon, feeling the lingering sensation in her hand as a wild smile gradually spread across her lips.
"Heh, next time I definitely won't let you escape, Mahiro!"