Ch. 61Interesting Developments
Key Plot Points and Events
- Esdeath takes new Hunter members, including Run, to the west to fight invading Foreigners, believing combat is the best way to test strength.
- In the Imperial Capital, Lilith remains indifferent, Liva trains elsewhere, and Leona investigates the Wild Hunt but finds no opportunity to act due to Lilith's influence.
- Esdeath leads a brutal massacre of western Foreigners, scattering their army of hundreds of thousands, and then ambushes and burns the survivors.
- The Rebel Army in the south captures a city without bloodshed, worrying the Empire.
Character Developments
- Esdeath demonstrates her ruthless and bloodthirsty nature, finding joy in slaughter.
- Leona struggles with her loyalty to Lilith and her desire to act against the Wild Hunt.
- General Budou decides to intervene in the Empire's politics after years of inaction.
Significant Themes
- The corrupting influence of power and the moral decay of those in power (Esdeath, Ozneth, the Empire).
- Loyalty and its limits (Leona's struggle, General Budou's decision).
- The cyclical nature of violence and its futility (Esdeath's slaughter, the Empire's response to the Rebel Army).
Character Interactions
- Esdeath and her Teigu users work together to carry out her brutal plan against the western Foreigners.
- Leona's internal conflict is highlighted as she considers acting against the Wild Hunt despite Lilith's influence.
- Ozneth and General Budou's differing views on the Empire's politics and their potential conflict.