Is she crazy? Maybe. But she didn't hate this feeling.
Under her father's guidance, Esdeath learned the importance of 'power' from a young age. Her father even used his own life to show her a truth — in this world, only power is everything!
And in her later wandering life, the importance of power was presented to her again. She still remembered the final outcome of the young girls who were unable to resist the slave traders, and she lived a much more comfortable life than others because of her power!
Some people had asked her for help before, but she chose to refuse. Looking at those people who cried and asked her 'why', she would only give them a sneer and a look of mockery.
'Why? There is no why. The weak are bullied, and the strong are respected!'
In every place she stayed for a longer period of time, she would be talked about by the locals, but she was disdainful of this. Was what she said fabricated?
The weak were devoured by the strong, while the strong wantonly mocked them. Wasn't the seemingly orderly empire like this? The nobles oppressed the rich merchants, and the rich merchants exploited the common people, and the common people were in turn slaves...
She was just directly stating the cruel reality that had been whitewashed by the 'rules'.
She couldn't understand those self-deceiving ideas, but she also disdained to communicate with those people. These people who were obsessed with what was in front of them would be surpassed by her one day even if they were stronger than her, and she, who was stronger than them, would be able to dominate them, that's all.
When that man first recruited her, she refused without hesitation, because for her at that time, even if she had to find a temporary shelter, she should look for the strongest one — the empire!
But later, she found that joining the imperial army was too slow!
The entire empire could be said to be very peaceful, and the only chaotic place in the west was also suppressed by that man. Even if she joined the imperial army, she probably wouldn't have a chance to show her skills, and it was at this time that the unexpected invitation appeared again.
"Leaving aside those ethereal things, you crave power! You crave authority! I can give you everything you crave! As long as you submit to me!"
"I refuse!"
This was the second time Esdeath refused the other party's invitation. Although she longed for power, she would not care about a recruitment from a guy who hadn't shown any capital at all.
But what she didn't expect was that the other party eventually became a wanted criminal, and the reason was the assassination of the emperor.
And it was at this time that the third invitation came.
"The war you crave has arrived! In this war, as long as you cooperate with me, I can give you the power you need and the opportunity to fight that man!"
"Then what's the price?"
"You just need to defeat him!"
Esdeath didn't believe that there was such a thing as an unprovoked favor in this world, but she had to admit that this time, what the other party said had moved her. Even if there were traps, she had to at least try, and then she succeeded and gained the power to fight that man!
Looking at the solemn expression on Lancer face as he constantly ran in the reflection of the ice crystals, she was extremely happy. The man who was unwilling to face her now had to face her existence!
But what she didn't expect was that the other party suddenly charged in her direction. At first, she didn't pay too much attention, after all, it wasn't the first time Lancer had passed by her vicinity, but what she didn't expect was that this time Lancer seemed to be completely different from before, as if he had already identified her existence.
What went wrong? Why was she exposed?
In the countless ice crystals that were like monitors, her body was reflected from all sides, and she finally found the 'culprit'.
A crack appeared above her head, and a pair of hands reached out from within the crack...
'Honest!!!'
Although she didn't know why that man would trick her, she knew that only his subordinate had this kind of ability.
'When I deal with everything in front of me, I will tear you to pieces!!'
As her anger rose, the strange pattern below Esdeath's neck climbed higher and higher.
This thing had appeared on her chest since she drank that 'Imperial Armament', and it was slowly growing as time passed. She didn't know what it was, but she knew that sometimes she would lose control, and it seemed to be related to it.
From that moment on, Esdeath knew that this was probably the 'price' for her to gain power.
'As expected of a demon? Even after turning into an Imperial Armament, it's not content to be lonely. Does it want to seize my body? Then come on!!'
The more she used this power, the greater the possibility of her body being taken away, but would she shrink back?
No! Power is power! A mere 'dangerous species' that has been dead for a thousand years wants to take her body?
Dream on!!
Lancer spear pierced the ice surface, and the terrifying spear tip was right in front of her. As if she was in a desperate situation, the patterns on her body climbed higher and higher, and the temperature around her got lower and lower.
From the tip of the spear, pure and transparent solid ice constantly attached itself, and with it as a starting point, it spread towards Lancer.
Although Lancer on the other side didn't know why Esdeath had exposed herself for no reason, he knew that this was an opportunity not to be missed. Even though his right arm had completely lost feeling at this time, he didn't have the slightest intention of letting go, and facing the ice spikes shooting from all directions, he activated his Imperial Armament without hesitation.
The blood-red cape turned into a solid wall, blocking his body from all sides.
This victory was his!
"Destroy!!"
But at this moment, a low shout suddenly appeared next to his ear, and then Lancer felt that the cape, which he could command like an arm, instantly lost contact.
"Crack~!"
"Pfft~!"
The completely frozen spear instantly shattered, and at the same time, Lancer right arm was also instantly frozen, but it didn't matter anymore, because his goal had been achieved.
The frozen right arm pierced through Esdeath's heart. Although he couldn't feel the temperature of her blood, Lancer knew that his goal had been completed, but before he could even let out a sigh of relief ——————
"Pfft~!"
"Pfft~!"
"Pfft~!"
Along with countless piercing sounds, his shoulder, his side...
In an instant, Lancer body was filled with ice spears.
The ice spears from all directions nailed Lancer to Esdeath's corpse. The blood of the two mixed together, and the blood-red cape behind Lancer was dyed even more enchanting with the blood...
"Haha!! Haha!!"
At this moment, a crazed laugh echoed across the battlefield. Next to the two corpses, Honest had a face full of insane laughter.
He won!!
He was the final victor of this war!
The 'strongest of the empire's' Imperial Armament was destroyed!
The monster he had personally created was killed on the spot!
The only 'executioner' who could threaten him died on the spot!
There were still two gems of the Imperial Armament, and as long as he destroyed two more, the remaining Imperial Armament users would have no chance to escape. He had already won by obtaining several Imperial Armaments at once!!
This empire was his!!