Faced with Esdeath's request to take the field, the Minister did not agree right away.
It wasn't that he was unaware of the prowess of Eblana outside the capital.
As someone familiar with every Teigu, he knew perfectly well how dangerous the Dragon Duke's Teigu was. If they couldn't wipe her out in one go, she would only grow stronger with each battle.
But... two things were still troubling him at the moment.
One of them was Night Raid.
Their existence had rapidly diminished his vast network of eyes and ears within the capital.
His control over the Capital was far from what it used to be. This was precisely why, despite not fearing assassination himself, he viewed Night Raid as a thorn in his side.
Every new agent he had to cultivate cost him money and time, something Honest found utterly distasteful.
And the other point was... he was starting to worry about Esdeath's safety if she were to go.
He remembered all too well how powerful the Dragon Duke had been back in the day.
If Esdeath were also subdued and turned into a servant, then there would likely be no place left in the Empire for him.
Therefore, if there was even the slightest chance Esdeath could lose, he didn't want to risk it.
Rather than taking that gamble, it was better to wait for the enemy to march on the capital. By then, with Esdeath, Budo, and the Ultimate Teigu all present, Honest couldn't even imagine how they could lose.
As for the loss of territory that would result... Honest didn't particularly care.
As long as they won this final battle, he would remain the supreme Minister ruling the Empire. Esdeath could always just go out and reconquer the lands afterward. It wouldn't be difficult.
Honest explained his thinking to Esdeath.
Of course, to avoid offending her by seeming to doubt her strength, he didn't mention the 'three-against-one' advantage, merely stating that Esdeath should strike after the enemy arrived at the capital.
Esdeath didn't play political games, but she wasn't a fool. She could easily piece together Honest's underlying concerns from the context.
Still, she didn't say much.
Because at least on one point, Honest was correct: by the time the enemy marched on the capital, they would undoubtedly be stronger. And after defeating them, she would get to experience a war on the scale of a nation's founding.
The very thought made even Esdeath's blood stir with excitement.
But... that didn't mean her enthusiasm was dampened.
Sure, playing cat and mouse with Night Raid was fun, but a bigger prey had now appeared. There was no way she could just sit still.
With that in mind, she simply handed over all capital affairs to the ever-reliable Ran.
Taking Kurome and Wave with her, she boarded a flying Danger Beast.
Though she considered herself the strongest, it didn't mean she would underestimate her foe.
In battle, one should go all out, devising every strategy to secure victory. Therefore, she estimated Eblana's strength to be close to her own, perhaps even on par.
Under such circumstances, external interference would be nothing but a nuisance—hence why she brought the other two along.
Kurome was somewhat puzzled by this unexpected mission, but she didn't object.
While she'd rather continue tracking her sister in Night Raid, a short mission away wouldn't hurt.
With both her and Esdeath absent, there was no way her sister, with her skills, would lose and die to anyone else.
Wave had even fewer reservations. Upon hearing that rebels outside had seized two territories, one even a Marquis's domain, he was filled with righteous indignation and determined to teach them a lesson.
But...
Was it really okay with just the three of them?
Wave hadn't quite anticipated this situation. He'd assumed they'd be leading an army to crush the rebellion.
"We're just going to say hello," Esdeath explained. "If that woman isn't strong enough, we'll kill her on the spot. If she is strong enough, we'll wait until she comes to the capital and kill her then."
If she were truly formidable, perhaps she wouldn't even have to die.
Aside from combat, Esdeath's other passion was torture. And if the subject of both was a powerful individual, her excitement only grew.
Depending on the circumstances, if her opponent's strength truly forced Esdeath to exert herself to the limit, she might actually find it a pity to kill them.
Rather than death, she'd prefer to keep such a powerful being, nurture them to become even stronger, and repeat the cycle of fierce battles and subsequent... interrogation sessions.
'Revived Dragon Duke, I hope you won't disappoint me.'
--+--
On the other side.
Having made her decision, Najenda didn't hesitate any longer. She went straight to Eblana and stated her willingness to consider joining her cause.
This was excellent news for Eblana.
As mentioned before, the only reason she needed the Revolutionary Army was their extensive connections.
Most of those willing to resist the Empire and speak out against the people's suffering were either within the Revolutionary Army or on their lists.
Najenda was one of the Revolutionaries' high-ranking officers.
Although Night Raid had been secretly marked as expendable by the leadership, Najenda was different. If Night Raid was seen as a tool, Najenda was one of the ones wielding it.
Therefore, Najenda alone was enough to compile lists for Eblana and secretly contact those sympathetic souls within the Revolutionary Army, effectively poaching from their ranks.
Honestly, the fact that Najenda was the one sent to liaise with her provided an incredibly important foundation for Eblana's rapid 'speedrun' through the Revolutionary Army's resources.
Once she decided to join, Najenda proved both capable and proactive, immediately strategizing on how to pull more people and resources from the Revolutionary Army.
She wasn't just a militarily capable general; she was also a skilled administrator.
Compared to Eblana, whose approach was strength-first with political savvy as a secondary trait largely derived from a broader perspective, Najenda might not grasp the grand scheme as clearly, but she was undoubtedly far more authoritative on the myriad practical details.
Chouri was responsible for managing and developing their territory.
Najenda would act as Eblana's inside agent, poaching from the Revolutionary Army. Her own faction was finally taking shape.
With their differing allegiances now resolved, the two women immediately hit it off, entering a honeymoon phase of highly productive talks.
The ambition evident in Eblana's every move, coupled with the magnanimity hinted behind it, made Najenda increasingly satisfied with her choice.
Conversely, Najenda's... clever, if somewhat dirty, tactics targeted at the Revolutionary Army made Eblana realize just how much benefit she could extract from a group she had initially thought useless.
Both were very satisfied with the day's discussion.
And with internal affairs on this front settled...
The next step was to continue expanding outward.
Eblana wasn't a warmonger, but her subjects and soldiers needed to eat.
The Marquisate she had just seized had indeed filled her coffers, but it still wasn't enough to satisfy her appetite.
Early the next morning, Eblana mustered her forces, now expanded to nearly 8000 troops, along with 4000 conscripted laborers.
Leading a force large enough to easily take another Marquisate, Eblana was naturally spotted by scouts, who immediately relayed the news to her target this time: the territory of Count Filz.
Meanwhile, having stopped to rest in Count Filz's domain due to their tired Danger Beast, Esdeath and her two companions had just stepped into a local restaurant.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.