Chapter 79

However, blinded by greed, they didn't want to think too much and acted immediately once they confirmed that the people were not locals from the capital.

But it's too late to regret it now...

The two fled for their lives, running for several dozen meters, when a huge mechanical hand appeared above them and grabbed them.

Unable to struggle, the mechanical giant hand was so strong that it crushed their bones when it grabbed them, causing them to scream in unbearable pain.

Then, the mechanical hand controlled by Svarog forcibly dragged the two back.

"Spare me, sir, spare me!"

"We will never dare to do it again."

Once captured, the two hurriedly begged for mercy from Svarog and Clara, admitting they had been blind to the power of such a formidable opponent.

However, compared to the mechanical lump of iron, Svarog, their pleading gazes were more directed at Clara.

At this moment, they suspected they might have been entrapped. They were quite worldly-wise in the capital, and the existence of Svarog reminded them of a legendary figure.

Imperial Guardian.

Only those who use Imperial Arms possess such power, and Imperial Arms come in all shapes and sizes... almost every form and ability imaginable: biological, mechanical, weapon, Mecha Warrior, armor transformation, auxiliary devices...

The Svarog before me might be the Teigu of the girl before me.

Whether it's a mechanical creature or another Living Imperial Arms require a master, a compatible Imperial Arms user, to use them.

We ask, you answer. Otherwise, you will be executed immediately!

Svarog didn't kill them outright; there must be someone more powerful behind them than these henchmen. Perhaps they could learn something from them.

"Yes, yes, we will definitely answer."

The two nodded quickly upon hearing this.

Clara, it's all yours now.

Seeing that the two were behaving themselves, Svarog turned to look at the little girl beside him.

He can't do everything. Although Clara is a bit timid, that's only on the surface. In reality, Clara has her own opinions and ideas.

She wasn't as timid or cowardly as she appeared.

"Me... me?"

Clara was taken aback and hesitated for a moment.

[Right.]

"Oh, Clara understands."

Clara carefully walked past the blood and gore-strewn ground before her, then looked at the two with a serious expression and began to ask them about them and the forces behind them, while also inquiring about the current situation in the capital.

And information about General Esdeath and the minister.

Although Clara seemed completely unapproachable, Svarog beside her was a different story.

The two, afraid of death, dared not hide anything and told everything they could.

Disappointingly, they were just henchmen and didn't know much, and most of what they knew was hearsay.

Chapter 11 Clara's Clara

In the shadows unseen by the entire capital, various bloody and violent industries permeate every area.

They do everything imaginable and unimaginable; they'll do anything to make money. But what's their most profitable business?

Naturally, it refers to those bloody industries, such as human flesh buns.

However, for the empire, there are plenty of these people, so it doesn't matter how many die.

After all, the ministers who control the government are the biggest beneficiaries, owning the vast majority of the assets. Even if they aren't theirs, they are either from their subordinates or gifts they receive.

With direct official endorsement, what's there to be afraid of?

They were almost doing these things openly and honestly, although... well, they were pretty much.

The people who were tracking Clara were working for a nobleman who had some connections with the minister. They were mainly responsible for usury, the sale of drugs like marijuana, and human trafficking.

This process also inevitably involves selecting suitable beauties with no background, either selling them directly to brothels or underground auctions, or offering them to the powerful figures above.

Whether these women who were targeted submitted or not, their fates were all tragic. Selling them to brothels was at least a better outcome, as it would at least allow them to live a little longer.

Even so, it was only a matter of prolonging its existence.

The number of clients they have to see each day is overwhelming. Those who don't cooperate are given addictive drugs to squeeze out every last bit of value from them.

This is the seemingly most prosperous capital of this millennia-old Empire, but inside it is almost entirely filled with demons who wear human skin, eat human flesh, and drink human blood.

They knew very little about the ministers and Esdeath, only that Esdeath was currently fighting against alien races on the border.

"We've told you everything we know, please spare our lives, sir."

After telling Clara everything they knew, they begged for mercy once again.

Even if they die, that person won't do anything to a Teigu user because of it. Trying to threaten her with that person is completely useless.

"Mr. Svarog ..."

Clara didn't answer, but looked at Svarog beside her.

Clara, close your eyes.

"Good."

Clara obediently closed her eyes and covered them with her hands.

Then Svarog struck, his merciless iron hand crushing the two to death without hesitation. Even as a machine, Svarog understood the fundamental principle of eliminating the root of the problem.

It's a pity we couldn't find out the location of that nobleman.

Each time, it was the nobles who unilaterally notified them...

"Alright, you can open your eyes now, Clara."

After killing the two men, Svarog threw their bodies aside before speaking to Clara.

Clara opened her beautiful eyes, and all she could see in front of her was a pool of blood that hadn't dried yet.

"Go away, you don't belong here."

After saying that, Svarog disappeared from sight once again.

Clara is definitely not suited to be here. It's not just these people who will be eyeing her. In the eyes of those forces, she is a top-tier prey. Whether they want to enjoy her or sell her for money, it's a good choice.

"I understand, Mr. Svarog."

Clara didn't want to be constantly watched, so she turned and walked towards another area.

Clara was lucky after that and no one followed her anymore, although she always felt that there were quite a few eyes watching her in the dark.

Is it because she's alone and doesn't seem to be a local from Beijing?

Then, at that moment, Clara met Tatsumi again by the roadside.

"Tatsumi?"

Clara walked over.

Looking at Tatsumi in front of him, compared to the beginning, he had completely lost his previous confidence and instead looked like a wilted eggplant, having lost his vitality.

"Hey, Clara? What are you doing here?"

When he heard someone call his name, Tatsumi looked up and was surprised to see Clara.

"I'm going to find a place to spend the night."

It was getting late, so Clara needed to find a suitable place to spend the night.

I wonder if the capital city has a curfew.

Clara then asked Tatsumi about his situation out of curiosity, even though she already had a general idea in mind.

"Hey, Tatsumi, weren't you supposed to be joining the army? What are you doing here, just sitting there daydreaming?"

"Well..."

Upon hearing this, Tatsumi immediately felt embarrassed.

He had been so confident before, saying that when they met again, he would be a famous imperial general, but things turned out like this.

Although embarrassed, he still recounted his experience.

He had enlisted in the army with the belief that with his abilities, he should at least become a general, or at the very least a squad leader.

Starting from the bottom rank is too much of a waste of time.

As expected, because he didn't understand the rules and didn't know how to bribe, he was directly dismissed.

But that wasn't the only bad thing. Then he met a kind-hearted man with a large chest who claimed to have connections in the military and could get him in as a general as long as he had the money.

So, the naive Tatsumi actually believed it and gave the other party all his money. The other party then said they would help him sort it out, but there's still no news.

It was only then that Tatsumi realized he had been tricked.

This infuriated and deeply affected Tatsumi. Tatsumi had failed to enlist, lost his money, and didn't even know where to stay for the night.

"So that's how it is."

Clara listened quietly to him finish speaking. It was normal that he hadn't succeeded in going to the Ministry of War; the girl had expected it long ago.

She just didn't expect that Tatsumi's money would still be swindled away in the end.

"So what are you going to do next?"

"I have no idea."

"But it's definitely not right to slink back like this; the village still needs me."

Tatsumi shook his head. He didn't know what to do either. This was completely different from what he had expected. He had only just arrived in the capital and had already been taught a lesson.

You really can't just trust the people here.

Even though he was penniless, he didn't want to just turn back.

Then he thought of his two closest friends.

"I wonder where Sayo and Ieyasu are now. I hope we can find them."

Given the circumstances at the time, they should have arrived in the capital a few days earlier than me, and perhaps they have already found jobs.

If we can find them, at least we'll have a place to stay, instead of being completely destitute like we are now.

"Sayo, Ieyasu ..."

When Tatsumi mentioned his two close friends, Clara opened her mouth, then hesitated.

If nothing had changed, those two people would probably be... dead by now, right?

And he was tortured to death...

It's a pity that Clara didn't know where the nobleman's mansion was, otherwise she wouldn't have needed to wait for Night Raid to make her move.

Even if she's not good at fighting, she can Mr. Svarog.

Chapter 12 The Development of Change

"Um... if you don't have a place to stay tonight, would you like to go find a hotel with Clara?"