Every lock had remained completely intact.
The hundreds of people they had painstakingly captured had all vanished without a trace.
"An ordinary person simply couldn't have done something like this."
"The other party must possess an Imperial Arm."
Tatsumi looked at Yorii Tsugikuni and voiced his certainty.
"What kind of Imperial Arm could it be?"
Although Yorii Tsugikuni had visited the Imperial Arm vault once, he knew little about the other Imperial Arms.
In fact, the specific abilities and weaknesses of every Imperial Arm were top-secret information in any organization that possessed one.
Not many people knew such things.
So Yorii Tsugikuni decided to ask around.
The disappearance of the prison's inmates was no small matter.
After investigating the entire situation, Yorii Tsugikuni reported the matter.
The next day.
After a busy day of investigation.
Yorii Tsugikuni boarded the carriage Esdeath had sent and headed to her residence for a banquet.
Led by Kurome, Yorii Tsugikuni met Esdeath in a room decorated with numerous crystal lamps.
"Esdeath."
"Yorii Tsugikuni."
Esdeath reclined sideways on a cushioned couch. Under the crystal lamps, her long, straight legs seemed almost translucent.
When she saw Yorii Tsugikuni enter, she slowly rose and gave him a brief introduction.
"Your eyes are very clear. I like them."
Looking at Yorii Tsugikuni's eyes, so clear they seemed devoid of any desire, Esdeath was slightly dazed.
"Please, sit."
Pointing at a chair beside the table, Esdeath gestured for Yorii Tsugikuni to sit down.
She took the seat across from him.
"May I ask why General Esdeath summoned me?"
"Is there something you need?"
Yorii Tsugikuni looked at Esdeath in confusion.
He could sense that something was off about Esdeath. From the moment he entered, her gaze had been assessing him.
"I heard that you fought someone from Night Raid."
"Your strength has made me somewhat... eager to try."
Esdeath watched Yorii Tsugikuni's guarded expression.
A sly smile appeared on her face.
The fact that Yorii Tsugikuni seemed rather poor at socializing made her find him somewhat... adorable.
After returning from the border, she had learned many things about Yorii Tsugikuni from Honest.
Most of them concerned descriptions of his strength.
Although Esdeath had noticed that Honest seemed quite pleased at the prospect of a battle between her and Yorii Tsugikuni.
She did not dislike the idea of such a battle.
Even if Honest had not brought it up, she had been greatly looking forward to fighting Yorii Tsugikuni.
Originally, after just ending the war with the Foreign Tribes.
Feeling that life was dull, she had wanted to start a romance to pass the boring days.
But after learning of Yorii Tsugikuni's strength.
She temporarily abandoned that idea.
Compared to sweet romance, she enjoyed the thrill of battle more.
"Then what is General Esdeath's reason for fighting?"
Yorii Tsugikuni was slightly stunned by Esdeath's words. He had assumed that she wanted to discuss official business, not fight him.
He looked at Esdeath seriously and asked.
"Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni truly is an interesting person."
"I enjoy fighting. I enjoy the feeling of constantly growing stronger. I also enjoy victory, as well as my enemies' despair..."
Esdeath paused slightly after hearing Yorii Tsugikuni's question.
It was the first time anyone had asked her why she fought.
"Of course, our battle will not begin immediately."
"I will wait until you have fully reached your peak."
Esdeath slowly walked behind Yorii Tsugikuni.
This opponent, who remained entirely unmoved by her, had sent her desire for battle soaring to its peak in a very short time.
"Then... all right."
Yorii Tsugikuni was not passionate about fighting. He did not like the feeling of beating others.
Yet he could sense from Esdeath's determined eyes and tone.
Esdeath very much wanted to fight him. Even if he refused, it would be of little use.
So he agreed, though he decided that he only needed to be a little serious when they fought.
Because he felt that his strength seemed to have increased again recently.
Speculation, Shira Gets Slapped in the Face
Upon hearing Yorii Tsugikuni agree to duel her.
Esdeath's lips curved slightly, revealing a faint smile.
"By the way, there's something I would like to ask."
"Is there an Imperial Arm that can make people disappear from one place?"
Yorii Tsugikuni recalled how every prisoner in a Security Force prison had vanished yesterday.
They still had no concrete leads.
"Make people disappear from one place?"
"Then Dimensional Grid is probably the only one capable of that."
After thinking for a moment, Esdeath answered Yorii Tsugikuni's question. "That Imperial Arm is in Shira's hands."
"Shira?"
Yorii Tsugikuni had only been trying his luck, wondering whether Esdeath might know.
But clearly, he had been fortunate.
Still, it was the first time he had heard the name Shira.
"He is Honest's son."
"Has Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni had dealings with him?"
Esdeath explained to Yorii Tsugikuni. Although she did not know what had happened.
From Yorii Tsugikuni's serious question just now, she could roughly guess that something had happened between him and Shira.
"All the prisoners in a prison under the Security Force's jurisdiction vanished."
"We suspect that someone used an Imperial Arm."
After hearing Esdeath's words, the case that had originally offered no leads now had a breakthrough.
Although Yorii Tsugikuni could not be certain whether Honest's son was responsible.
Compared with before, they now had a direction to investigate, which was undoubtedly good news.
But if they pursued the matter, gathering evidence would become extremely difficult.
After all, no one had witnessed it, and there was no evidence at the scene.
To convict that man under Imperial law would be very difficult.
"That does fit that fellow's temperament."
"But finding him will not be easy."
Esdeath returned to her seat. She knew Dimensional Grid's abilities.
If Shira wanted to flee, very, very few people could capture him.
"No matter what, thank you, General Esdeath, for providing this lead."
As the captain of the Security Force, he naturally had a duty to track down the person who had released everyone from the prison.
Therefore, no matter how difficult it was, he would not give up.
"It was a trivial matter."
"If you truly wish to thank me, then make sure you give it your all in our battle."
Esdeath raised the wineglass in her hand and gently swirled it.
Her eyes held a faint, elusive smile as she looked at Yorii Tsugikuni.
The fragrance of wine slowly drifted from the glass.
Its sweet and sour scent seemed to make even the candles on the table flicker.
"Mm."
Yorii Tsugikuni nodded seriously.
His expression remained as cold as ever.
His weathered eyes were as still as an ancient well.
Esdeath's aggressive gaze did not change him in the slightest.
"One month from now."
"I look forward to fighting you, Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni."
Esdeath withdrew her gaze, rose to her feet, and set the time for the battle.
"You caused quite a commotion yesterday."
"The prisoners of an entire prison all vanished."
Honest sat in a broad chair. From time to time, the sound of him tearing apart raw meat echoed through the spacious hall.
Wiping his hands with a clean handkerchief, he smiled, rose from his seat, and walked toward Shira in the hall.
"One of my men was captured by them."
"On the way to the prison, he learned that they were holding quite a few of Father's people there, so he casually sent them away."
Shira laughed. Having just returned to the Imperial Capital, he had heard that Honest had been so thoroughly suppressed by a young man that he could barely raise his head.
He had even turned a blind eye to his own subordinates being captured.
Before you continue