"Then... let’s go, Esdeath."
Having achieved her purpose, Selene found no reason to stay and watch the idle banter of these parasites any longer. She imdiately prepared to leave, taking Esdeath with her.
As they walked, with Esdeath obediently following close behind, Selene’s playful side got the better of her. Using her height advantage, she effortlessly lifted Esdeath with one hand, bringing her face to face and pinching her cheek.
"Hmm, you didn’t resist?"
Seeing Selene’s surprised expression, Esdeath replied emotionlessly, "The strong dominate the weak. I can’t beat you; you’re stronger than . Naturally, that makes your spoils of war. Why would I resist?"
Uh... Selene was montarily taken aback by Esdeath’s response before slapping her forehead in realization. It was no wonder Esdeath’s worldview was shaped like this—after all, she had been raised on the principle of survival of the fittest.
In the harsh world of the Empire’s borders, there was no concept of innocence or guilt, only strength or lack thereof. Today you kill , tomorrow I kill you—the law of the jungle was starkly apparent.
Coupled with her father’s final "advice" before his death, which served as a last lesson by example, Esdeath had firmly established her own values: the strong possess everything, and the weak eat dust.
Shaking her head slightly, Selene gently lowered Esdeath back to the ground, signaling that it was ti to leave the noble gathering.
"Please wait, Commander Selene."
"Is there sothing you need?" Selene asked, frowning as she turned to see a hotel attendant rushing after her.
"Baron Rex, Viscount Lauri, Lord Sidney, and Mr. Albert have invited you to join tonight’s ’hunting’ banquet."
Upon hearing the nas of these scum, Selene’s expression instantly darkened. Taking a deep breath, she responded as calmly as possible to the attendant, "Tell them to get lost! I don’t have ti to play their childish gas!"
This was Selene being as polite as she could be, understanding that the ssenger was rely passing along a ssage and didn’t deserve her wrath.
Without waiting for a reply, Selene turned and left. In her mind, those nobles were already dead. None of them would escape—she swore it. If I don’t show my teeth, do they really think I’m easy-going?
anwhile, Esdeath, slightly puzzled, followed Selene and asked, "Commander Selene, isn’t it just a hunting banquet? I used to go hunting every day in the North. Why are you so angry?"
"Their idea of ’hunting’ is different from what you’re familiar with," Selene replied as they walked down the bustling streets of the Imperial capital.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes."
"Then... see for yourself." With that, Selene placed a finger on Esdeath’s forehead.
In an instant, Esdeath found herself transported to a vast estate, surrounded by tall walls. She felt as though she was floating in the air, observing the expansive lawn from above.
"You can see it for yourself. I really don’t want to describe such disgusting practices," Selene’s voice echoed in her mind.
Behind the hotel, in a private "hunting ground," a group of nobles was preparing for the climax of tonight’s banquet. Among the participants were n and won, young and old, all of them people of status and influence.
Their gazes were fixed on a wide "racetrack," where nobles, mounted on tall horses, wore twisted, grinning expressions as they charged toward the "prey" frantically trying to escape within the estate.
"Hahaha, run for your lives! Run like your life depends on it!"
Their prey, however, were living human beings.
The fleeing people were emaciated, their faces filled with terror. They wore nothing but tattered, thin clothes, and had no shoes.
The nobles, mounted on their warhorses, held long swords and looked over the fleeing people with predatory eyes. They did not see these people as fellow human beings but rely as helpless prey.
The runners were clearly slaves, their skin tone and features indicating they had been captured from border regions, distinct from the Empire’s populace. But to the nobles, these differences were irrelevant—the runners were just prey to be hunted for sport.
Even those who were physically strong had no chance against the charging horses. It was a one-sided slaughter.
"First one!" A noble spurred his horse forward, quickly catching up to a frail man and slashing him down without hesitation.
The threat of death pushed the remaining runners into a state of sheer panic.
They wished they had more than two legs—even if they couldn’t outrun the horses, perhaps they could at least outrun the others. But such thoughts were futile; the nobles, astride their steeds, rcilessly cut down the "prey," taking their lives one by one.
"Second one!"
"Third one!"
"Fourth..."
"Ninth!" A noble slaughtered a young girl this ti, proudly admiring the blood dripping from his sword.
"Now, who will be the tenth?" the noble asked, eagerly scanning the area for the next "lucky one."
"Oh! It’s a little girl!" The noble found his final target.
Seeing the small girl, even the noble who had just killed a young girl without blinking was montarily captivated by her beauty.
She had rare, pink hair, and though she was small and covered in dirt, the noble, a connoisseur of countless won, knew she would grow into a beauty.
He licked his lips in anticipation. Greedily eyeing the girl, he dismounted and approached her step by step.
In his mind, he already envisioned in vivid detail how he would play with this girl.
Terrified, the girl tried to flee, but she was too exhausted from running. Stumbling backward, she tripped and fell, landing hard on the ground.
"Pretty girl, I’ll take good care of you, I’ll..." The noble’s lecherous words were cut short as the frightened girl grabbed a stone from the ground and threw it at him.
The noble had never expected this little girl to fight back so desperately and was caught off guard, the stone striking him just below the eye.
He had always been the hunter, but today, the prey had fought back. He had never suffered such an indignity, and seeing his fellow nobles stifling their laughter, he was instantly filled with rage. All thoughts of keeping her alive to savor her beauty vanished.
"I’ll kill you!" The noble raised his long sword, aiming to hack off the girl’s arm.
The girl closed her eyes in despair, unable to do anything but await her fate. In her heart, she prayed desperately...
Papa, Mama, or any gods above... please, save ...
But the world was rciless.
With a vicious swing, the noble’s blade slashed across the girl’s neck, severing her life in an instant.
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