Although the sound was very light, in the silent night it still seemed extremely loud, startling the man dressed in a full suit and leather boots.
He poked half his head inside, cautiously scanning the room. Seeing nothing, he finally crept in on tiptoe.
He moved closer, seemingly afraid of the figure lying on the bed, his voice trembling slightly.
"Patrol Officer… Sir… are you asleep?"
Leo did not answer. The man's alertness was still high, now was not the time to make a move.
After calling twice more without a response, Viscount Orzak felt a flicker of relief in his chest. Sneering, he drew a dagger and aimed it at the other's neck, ready to strike.
The villain who failed to finish his task would die before long, he understood that principle well.
As a qualified villain, he believed in finishing the job. Seeing the other's face pale as ashes, he felt a twisted, vengeful pleasure.
"Kid, on the road to the underworld, don't blame me. Blame yourself for being too far from heaven and too close to the Imperial Capital…! All of this… is the minister's command."
Leo sneered coldly to himself. So many words, truly worthy of a third-rate villain.
Just as the dagger was about to fall, he casually struck it aside, sprang up, and seized the throat of this corrupt Imperial scum.
Leo's body was strong, standing 195 centimeters tall. In this world of chaos and starvation, he stood out like a lion among hyenas.
He lifted the thin old man, drained by indulgence, as easily as grabbing a chicken.
The situation instantly reversed, the viscount who had just thought he'd won became the prey.
The shadow of death made him break into a cold sweat; his legs trembled, and he nearly wet himself.
Leo glanced at him coldly. Seeing the man's eyes darting about, clearly scheming something, he snorted.
"What, surprised to see me alive? Shocked that your pathetic tricks failed?"
Orzak knew denial was useless. Pretending to tremble with fear, he begged,
"Patrol Officer, please spare this lowly life! All of this… all of this was the minister's doing…"
At the word minister, Leo's rage flared. He tightened his grip around the man's neck and shouted coldly,
"Utterly shameless! The minister is a pillar of the nation, how could he be associated with scum like you?!"
He knew full well that the minister was no saint, but the situation was unclear. Now was not the time to oppose the highest court official.
"I ask. You answer. Understand?"
The viscount nodded desperately. After a round of interrogation, Leo's fury only deepened. The man was utterly ruthless, his deeds showed no trace of human conscience.
In the Akame ga Kill world, villains at least had positions and principles. Esdeath, Kurome, Bols, he could grieve for them.
But the Aria family?
They were far beneath even that. A flash of disgust crossed his cold eyes. Such people deserved to hang from the street lamps.
As Leo fell silent, lost in thought, the viscount, his face red from choking, tried to coax him desperately.
"Cough… cough… Sir… please spare me! I'm willing to give you thirty thousand gold coins and a manor in the suburbs!"
Leo smiled mockingly. "Are you serious?"
"I'm serious! Absolutely sincere!" Orzak's face lit up with wild joy, though inwardly he schemed.
He had old connections, the Imperial Capital Guard Captain Owen, a minister's nephew, and with thirty thousand gold coins, he could buy protection… or even hire an assassin.
Hmm… recently, the wanted organization Night Raid was doing well. Almost a one-hundred-percent kill rate. He could just hire them to kill this idiotic brat.
Thinking this, Viscount Orzak involuntarily smiled faintly.
Leo looked at the viscount's expression, the face of a man who thought he had survived, and smiled as well.
"Viscount Orzak, what I want is not your money, but something else."
"Easy to say! Easy to say!" The viscount was startled but immediately put on a flattering, boastful smile.
"As long as I can do it, anything for the Patrol Officer!"
"Oh…?" Leo's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Then I shall borrow your head for a while."
Before the words finished leaving his lips, Leo suddenly tightened his grip.
Under Orzak's horrified stare, he strangled him to death. A trace of relief flickered in Leo's cold eyes.
Casually tossing the corpse onto the bed, he patted his slightly trembling hand.
After all, it was his first time killing a man. It felt uncomfortable, but the dead one had been just another piece of scum blocking his path.
The surge of adrenaline sharpened his senses. He suddenly looked up and noticed several figures flashing across the rooftops outside, under the pale moonlight.
Judging by their agile steps and smooth, rhythmic movements, they were no ordinary people.
Seeing the rainbow-colored hair among them, he raised a corner of his mouth slightly. Whoa… all familiar faces, Akame, Leone, Sheele, Mine.
Truly a coincidence. Tonight was Night Raid's mission night.