The mood at dinner was heavy.
Ever since learning of Akame's defection, no one had said anything out of respect for Kurome's feelings—but under the silence, everyone was clearly angry. After their last trip to the southwest, when Haruki and the girls had shared a night together, they had already started treating Akame as one of their own.
Just like Kurome, the southwest journey had completely destroyed any good feelings the women once had toward the Revolutionary Army. And more importantly, to them, Akame's betrayal of the Empire equated to a betrayal of Haruki himself.
"It's alright. I'll bring Akame back. Let's just leave it at that. No need to keep dragging down dinner with this."
Seeing the unspoken tension at the table, Haruki finally broke the silence.
"Brother, I don't understand… You treated Akame so well. Why would she betray you?"
This time, it was Nina who spoke.
Having lived with Haruki for nearly ten years, she was basically raised by him. To her, Haruki was far more important than the Empire itself. She wasn't upset that Akame had turned her back on the Empire—she was furious that Akame had turned her back on Haruki.
"You could say she betrayed the Empire, but not me directly. I may be the Imperial Capital's Head of Security, but I've never claimed to be on the Empire's side. If we're being precise, I just lean more toward the Empire's position, that's all."
Haruki explained patiently.
"Master, can you tell us what you really think about the Empire… and the Revolutionary Army?"
For once, it was Taeko who spoke, breaking her usual silence.
Maybe it was Haruki's twisted sense of humor, but ever since he brought Taeko and Chelsea back, he insisted they call him "Master." At first, Chelsea had strongly objected, but after a few rounds of Haruki's training, she had—regretfully—caved in.
Taeko's question caught the interest of everyone at the table. All the women leaned in a little, listening closely.
"You all want to know?"
Seeing their serious expressions, Haruki asked again.
"Yeah…"
They nodded in unison.
"Alright then. Let me take this chance to explain. If I had to sum it up in one sentence: the Prime Minister is a true villain, and the Revolutionary Army's leadership is full of hypocrites."
Noticing their confusion, Haruki went on.
"To the average citizen in the Empire, the Prime Minister is without a doubt a bad guy. That's a fact no one can deny. But the reason I call him a 'true villain' is because he doesn't pretend to be anything else. He's addicted to power, obsessed with wealth, and he knows full well that his actions are bad for the Empire and its people. But he doesn't lie about it. He doesn't try to paint himself as some kind of saint.
Now compare that to the upper ranks of the Revolutionary Army. They're chasing power too—don't think for a second they're trying to 'save the people.' You think a bunch of commoners could build an army that size? No chance. I'm betting most of their leaders aren't commoners at all.
They're just ambitious opportunists hiding behind flowery slogans. 'Justice,' 'freedom,' 'liberation'—all just bait for the masses. They need that public support to grow their army. If they truly cared about the people, they wouldn't have slaughtered entire villages just to cover up their own crimes, or allied themselves with the very same tribes that have terrorized Imperial citizens for years.
They want power—but they're too afraid to admit it publicly. That's why I call them hypocrites."
Haruki looked around at the girls, seeing that his words were sinking in, then continued.
"I support the Empire more than the Revolutionary Army not because I love corruption, but because I despise hypocrites more than I do villains. And let's be real—life in the Empire gives me a noble's lifestyle. If the Revolutionary Army ever took over, I'd probably be the first guy they kill to set an example."
"Have you ever thought about the lives of the common people?"
Chelsea suddenly interrupted.
"The common people? I'm not a saint. Why should I pretend to care about everyone? As long as the people I care about are living well, that's enough. If I happen to run into someone who needs help and I'm in the mood, maybe I'll lend a hand. If not… well, life's just unlucky sometimes.
Honestly, I agree with Esdeath on a lot of things. The world is survival of the fittest. The strong rule over the weak. That's the law of nature.
And do you really think if Akame did help overthrow the Empire, the people would thank her? No way. To the Revolutionary Army's upper ranks, she's nothing but a disposable assassin. She's useful now—but once she's not, her death will be the easiest way to bury their dirty secrets. They'll pin all their sins on her. No one will question it, because no one will know."
Haruki's tone sharpened as he mentioned Akame. Just thinking about the tragic end of the Night Raid in the original story—how those who bled for a new nation were discarded—only deepened his disgust for the Revolutionary Army.
"I'm not saying all this to force my views on you," Haruki finished. "I just don't want you getting fooled like those clueless villagers. Learn to look deeper—don't get played by hypocrites in pretty uniforms."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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