Akame ga Kill: Starting with Dual Kamui

Finally, Blayn and Esdeath arrived in the Imperial Capital.

The moment the guards at the southern city gate saw Esdeath, they immediately stepped aside to let them pass. There was no way they wouldn't recognize General Esdeath.

Though they didn't know who Blayn was, it was clear that he was traveling with Esdeath, so they didn't stop him either.

"Only two of them returned? I remember General Esdeath leading thousands into battle. What happened to the rest…?"

"There must have been an accident. If it were just a single Special-Class Danger Beast, it wouldn't have turned out this bad."

"Still, General Esdeath looks completely fine, so there's no need for us to worry."

"…"

As Blayn and Esdeath disappeared into the city, the gate guards exchanged hushed whispers.

Upon entering the Imperial Capital, the contrast was immediately apparent—it was far more prosperous than Jisei City. But that was to be expected; it would be laughable if the capital were less developed than a regional city.

In the distance, the grand and imposing Royal Palace stood tall, the residence of the Emperor himself.

However, even in such a prosperous city, poverty was still visible. There were destitute people scattered along the streets, some barely surviving.

Well, this is a feudal empire, after all… and a corrupt one at that.

"General Esdeath! We've got new dishes on the menu today! Be sure to stop by and try them—I guarantee you'll love them!"

A restaurant owner called out enthusiastically as they passed.

"I will. I'll come by when I have time," Esdeath replied with a friendly nod, showing no signs of arrogance.

"General Esdeath! Our shop is offering huge discounts! Come take a look!"

"General Esdeath!..."

"..."

As they walked through the bustling streets, Blayn noticed that many shopkeepers seemed to know Esdeath personally, greeting her with familiarity.

More surprisingly, Esdeath responded with equal warmth, carrying herself without the air of a high-ranking general.

Blayn found himself seeing another side of her.

She was kind and approachable toward the common folk, but when it came to the truly downtrodden—the impoverished, the abused, the persecuted—she held not a shred of sympathy.

In other words, Esdeath treated her people well, but that didn't mean she actually cared about them. If a powerful individual committed atrocities against the weak, she wouldn't even bat an eye. To put it bluntly, in her worldview, the weak deserved to be trampled by the strong.

The strong could do as they pleased with the weak. The only reason she didn't personally harm them was because she had no interest in doing so.

But if they were her enemies? Then it wouldn't matter if they were old, young, sick, or disabled—she would show no mercy.

Blayn couldn't help but think to himself, This woman's personality is truly something else…

—

"I need to meet with the Prime Minister to handle some matters and arrange your status and position. In the meantime, take a look around and familiarize yourself with the capital. If you run into any trouble, just mention my name—but try to avoid it if possible."

As they neared the Royal Palace, Esdeath gave Blayn these instructions.

"Got it."

Blayn nodded slightly.

It was the perfect opportunity to sell the Danger Beast materials he had gathered along the way. Keeping them on him served no purpose.

With that, the two temporarily parted ways.

—

As he wandered through the city, Blayn came across a shop that dealt in Danger Beast materials.

"You looking for something, young man? Or maybe you've got something to sell? I can give you a fair estimate," the shopkeeper greeted him with a wide grin.

"These are Danger Beast materials."

Blayn placed a bundle of cloth-wrapped materials on the table.

The shopkeeper's eyes widened—there were at least a dozen different kinds.

This young man looked fairly young, but if he could hunt this many Danger Beasts on his own, he was clearly powerful.

Sensing a valuable customer, the shopkeeper quickly adjusted his offer, giving Blayn a slightly higher price than the market rate.

Of course, he wouldn't take a loss—his profit margin would just be a bit slimmer.

"Consider this my way of making a new friend. If you ever need anything, be sure to come back to my shop," the shopkeeper said with an even brighter smile.

"Alright."

Blayn accepted the bag of coins, tucking it into his inner pocket before leaving.

Carrying so much physical currency was a hassle. He suddenly found himself missing the convenience of digital payments from his previous life.

Here, money was divided into gold, silver, and copper coins, each with its own value.

Since he was paid entirely in gold coins, it wasn't too bad. But if he had been given silver or copper coins, the sheer quantity would have been an even bigger headache.

—

After finishing his business, Blayn continued to explore the city, taking in its sights and observing the daily lives of its people.

As he aimlessly roamed the streets, a carriage suddenly pulled up beside him, accompanied by several guards.

Having spent some time in the capital, Blayn had already gotten a sense of the social hierarchy. One glance was enough to tell him that this was the carriage of a wealthy noble. Ordinary citizens couldn't afford such luxury—let alone travel with an escort.

Inside the carriage sat a young noblewoman.

She wore an elegant blue dress, her golden curls framing a delicate, adorable face. She was slender, and the jewelry she wore was clearly expensive—far beyond what any commoner could afford.

Blayn wasn't sure why the carriage had stopped next to him, but then he overheard the girl speaking to her escort.

"My lady… you're at it again…"

"I can't help it! I just like doing this."

With that, the girl stepped down from the carriage and walked straight toward him.

"Do you need something from me?" Blayn asked.

"Um… are you from out of town? You don't look like a local," the girl said with a bright, cheerful smile. A faint blush dusted her cheeks.

"Yeah. I just arrived in the capital," Blayn replied with a slight nod.

It didn't surprise him that she could tell—his attire was noticeably different, and he had been wandering aimlessly, looking as though he had no particular destination.

"Do you need any help? You seem a little lost. If you don't have a place to stay, why don't you spend the night at my house?"

She was warm and enthusiastic, her demeanor exuding the innocence of a kind and simple noble lady.