The restaurant was extravagantly luxurious. From its opulent decorations alone, it was clear this was a place for the nobility—far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
As soon as Haruki and Nina entered, a wave of quiet whispers spread through the room. However, the murmurs quickly subsided as the patrons returned to their own conversations. After all, those dining here were either nobles or powerful merchants—people not easily surprised by anything.
Some of the officials aligned with the Prime Minister recognized them the moment they walked in. But none dared to approach. The Prime Minister had already informed his faction of Haruki and Nina's appearance after their last meeting. He had strictly warned them not to provoke Haruki or anyone close to him—or they'd answer to him personally. And when they saw that the Prime Minister had even handed over the villa he had built for himself to Haruki, they were even more convinced that Haruki was not someone to trifle with.
If their appearances weren't so different, some might have even suspected Haruki was the Prime Minister's illegitimate son. A good number of these officials were already planning how to curry favor with Haruki in the future.
Haruki, unaware of their thoughts, found a quiet corner in the restaurant and sat down with Nina.
A waiter quickly approached, respectfully presenting the menu. Years of experience had sharpened the waiter's instincts—just from their attire and mannerisms, he could tell that Haruki and Nina were far from ordinary nobles. At the very least, they weren't people a lowly restaurant worker like him could afford to offend.
"What do you want to eat? Order whatever you like."
Haruki didn't even glance at the menu before handing it to Nina.
Nina didn't hesitate. After two years together, she knew Haruki's tastes well and quickly picked out a few dishes they both liked.
The restaurant's service was efficient. In less than fifteen minutes, all the dishes were served.
As Haruki ate and chatted with Nina, he also kept an ear on the conversations around them. From these aristocrats, he was able to pick up quite a bit of valuable information.
Most nobles were talking about the young emperor's coronation. Of course, some had drifted into more personal topics.
Noble A: "Now that the little emperor has taken the throne and the Prime Minister is handling state affairs, looks like the court's about to shift again."
Noble B: "Yeah, the Prime Minister is rising fast. We need to choose sides carefully, or one wrong step could bring ruin."
Noble C: "I heard the Prime Minister gave away the villa he built for himself to some guy named Haruki. No clue who he is, but he must be someone important."
Noble D: "Hey, I heard you took in a new concubine recently. When are you going to show her off?"
...
Official A: "Life for the people has been getting harder lately. Let's hope things improve now that His Majesty has ascended."
Official B: "Sigh… with the Prime Minister holding all the power and the emperor so young, the nation's future looks bleak."
Official C: "Yeah, the Prime Minister's already building his own faction in the court. Things are starting to spiral. And the only one who could check him—Great General Budo—refuses to get involved in politics. The Empire's in danger."
Official D: "I've heard rumors of a rebel group called the Revolutionary Army out near the southwestern border. They've allied with local tribes and grown quite powerful. And just recently, the northern tribes have begun stirring again. A lot of them have been wiped out, including the Partas Clan—you know, the ones famous for hunting Danger Beasts."
Official E: "Tch, what's the point in worrying? None of them can threaten the capital. With Great General Budo protecting the Empire, we've got nothing to fear. You should focus on aligning yourself properly in this political shift."
...
Through all this, Haruki gleaned quite a bit.
First, Budo had already been appointed as the Great General.
Second, the Revolutionary Army had indeed formed. But since the Empire hadn't yet decayed to the point of collapse and the people's lives were still manageable, their support base was small. For now, they were holed up in the southwestern frontier, collaborating with foreign tribes.
Third—and perhaps most striking—was the news that the Partas Clan, Haruki's favorite tribe from the original story, had been wiped out. He figured Esdeath was likely training somewhere in the Empire and would probably appear in the capital in a few years.
To be honest, learning that the Partas Clan had been destroyed left Haruki feeling a little melancholic.
Technically speaking, he was part of the Partas Clan too. The modern Partas had evolved from the village where he once lived. Although his memories of most villagers weren't particularly fond, there were always a few who had helped him.
Back then, in between his own training, Haruki had taught some of those people how to hunt Danger Beasts. He never imagined those skills would one day turn the Partas into a clan known across the Empire for just that.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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