"It's nothing special. I'm just not familiar with this place yet, so I thought it'd be best to read up on its history first," Shirou said awkwardly, scratching his head as he took out a heavy bag of gold coins from his pocket, placing it gently on the counter.
"What's the meaning of this?!" the green-haired young man instantly leaped back, eyeing Shirou with wary suspicion. His hands subtly moved behind his back, fingers twitching slightly as if manipulating invisible threads.
Seeing Shirou suddenly place a large sum of money before him had triggered a wave of anxiety in the green-haired youth.
He feared the Empire had finally discovered his information-gathering location and was now quietly surrounding him. This youth was Lubbock, a member of Night Raid. His bookstore was actually a hidden base for gathering intelligence and assisting his comrades with cover.
Usually, Night Raid's assassination clients would appear similarly, quietly placing a heavy pouch of coins on the counter. The sudden appearance of such a large sum of money from Shirou immediately set Lubbock's nerves on edge. After all, no ordinary customer would do this, and no outsiders should know this bookstore's true nature.
Thus, Lubbock immediately checked the hidden threads around his shop, trying to detect if there were any unusual movements.
"Um…your hand?" Shirou pointed curiously at Lubbock's concealed hand, where he clearly saw several nearly invisible threads extending outward.
"Ah, nothing," Lubbock quickly laughed awkwardly, pulling his hand forward and waving it dismissively. "My back was just itchy."
He felt somewhat relieved. It seemed he might have overreacted—using his Teigu so openly in front of a stranger wasn't wise, but safety always came first.
Fortunately, his Teigu's threads were practically invisible to normal eyes. Even Tatsumi, one of the strongest newcomers in the Imperial Army, wouldn't have easily noticed Lubbock's subtle trap threads without guidance.
On the other hand, if this truly had been an Empire ambush, quickly checking with his Teigu was the right move—life always outweighed secrecy. After all, the Empire killed first and asked questions later. If he was truly suspected, he'd have to abandon this place immediately.
Shirou didn't press the matter further, understanding that everyone had their secrets. The young man seemed harmless enough, so Shirou chose to let it go without exposing him.
"Could you read it aloud for me?" Shirou asked hesitantly, indicating the book.
Money was the one thing Shirou currently wasn't lacking.
Earlier that morning, Liver had generously handed Shirou a substantial amount of gold coins before sending him out into the streets. Shirou had initially tried to decline, but Liver had insisted, saying that people like them hardly needed money; almost anything they wanted within the Empire could be obtained freely.
Unlike Liver, Shirou was essentially a foreigner—a country boy unfamiliar with the Empire's customs. So Liver had pressed the coins upon him, stating frankly that Shirou could put them to better use.
Thus, Shirou decided the money was best spent on gathering intelligence, as he had no intention of remaining in the Empire indefinitely.
"Huh?" Lubbock stared blankly.
"What was that?"
Lubbock couldn't quite grasp Shirou's intention.
"I can't read your language," Shirou confessed honestly, embarrassment clear in his expression. "I can speak it fluently enough, but I'm completely illiterate. Could you do me a favor by reading this aloud for me?"
"…"
Lubbock had assumed Shirou was just another rural kid like Tatsumi. He never imagined the boy before him was actually some hidden, wealthy landowner's heir.
The amount of gold Shirou offered was enough to fund an entire assassination operation for Night Raid.
"Are you…sure you can't read?" Lubbock asked doubtfully. Shirou spoke fluently and appeared educated enough—certainly not the image of an illiterate villager. Even Tatsumi had received a basic education.
Shirou nodded sincerely.
As a trained assassin, Lubbock could judge people fairly well. Shirou appeared genuinely earnest, showing no signs of deception.
Fortunately, Shirou had approached someone like him first. If Shirou had wandered into a random shop and pulled out that money, it could have led to unimaginable trouble.
Shirou had indeed considered this, hence why he hadn't just randomly asked around on the street. Showing money openly might bring disaster not only to himself but to innocent people as well. Although Shirou cared little for the gold itself, he knew enough to keep his wealth concealed.
"Sure thing," Lubbock agreed cheerfully.
Easy money—who wouldn't take it?
Compared to assassination missions, reading a history book aloud was a relaxing walk in the park. It would be foolish not to seize this unexpected windfall.
...
As time passed and Lubbock narrated, Shirou gradually formed a clearer picture of the Empire's true nature.
When a country lacks internal justice and external threats, it inevitably falls.
Yet due to the Empire's unnaturally overwhelming strength, it had twisted into something utterly perverse.
Northern Tribes? Esdeath alone had wiped them from existence, posing no threat at all. Without external dangers, abundant resources quickly led people to indulge endlessly in pleasure. Without wise leadership or moral officials, corruption rapidly set in.
After the current emperor's father had died, the Empire's corruption had fully erupted, openly consuming it from within.
BOOM—!
Suddenly, an earsplitting explosion thundered from outside, violently shaking the bookstore. Both Shirou and Lubbock felt the shockwave ripple through the ground, sending a powerful gust blasting through the shop.
Outside, chaos erupted.
Lubbock lowered his head slightly, tension filling his expression. He knew exactly what had just happened—who had appeared outside and what was causing the disturbance. He'd monitored his surroundings carefully, and now he struggled to remain composed.
Yet Shirou had no such knowledge. Unaware of Lubbock's turmoil, he stood up immediately and headed straight for the door.
Cough! Cough!
Stepping outside, Shirou immediately choked on clouds of dust swirling violently through the air, making it hard for him to keep his eyes open.
Stumbling forward, he finally saw clearly the devastation before him.
The previously smooth, bustling street was now marred by a massive, deep gouge cutting straight through the middle.
Standing at the end of the destruction was a petite, adorable-looking girl with orange hair tied into a high ponytail. Both her arms had transformed into massive cannon barrels, and her face was twisted in righteous fury.
"Those who bully the weak must die!" she shouted angrily.
Shirou followed her line of sight, and his heart froze at the grisly scene before him.
Blood splattered everywhere. Several raggedly dressed people had been torn apart, their limbs and organs scattered across the shattered pavement, embedded into walls, and strewn inside ruined shops.
Some survivors lay trapped beneath rubble, desperately clawing their way out, screaming for help. Yet no one dared approach. Everyone fled in panic, consumed entirely by their own survival.
It resembled a disaster zone.
Shirou saw the severed limbs scattered around, eyes wide with regret and despair, forever frozen in shock.
And for a long, painful moment, he stood frozen, unable to look away.