Even the fact that she has a huge appetite can be considered a cute point~
Of course, none of that is important. What matters is that Iori took a liking to her pure and noble soul. 'It has absolutely nothing to do with her looks, mm-hmm.!'
"Special treatment? Using what I just said, it should be called 'favoritism.'"
Iori spread his hands. "You know I'm a man who never hides what he's thinking."
"..."
Akame touched her cheek in distress. To be honest, she also had a very good impression of Iori, not just because he had helped her, but because Iori himself gave off a mysterious sense of charm that made her want to get a little closer.
And the occasional gentleness that slipped out from his wild, outrageous words was deeply moving.
But this guy's usual behavior always gave people the feeling that he wasn't very serious… Akame couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth or joking.
Because of that, the black-haired, straight-haired girl felt vaguely uneasy, to the point that she didn't want to dig deeper into this topic.
What if Iori was serious? How was she supposed to respond?
From childhood to adulthood, the only education Akame had received was various techniques for killing people and destroying evidence. She had zero experience in romance, and no examples to learn from.
For an assassin, charging headfirst into an unknown Asura battlefield without any intel is an extremely dangerous act!
So Akame shamefully retreated… but honestly, it worked really well.
Iori indeed didn't continue talking about the matter, and instead brought up another topic.
"Oh right, I've got something I want to ask this time… uh, does your Revolutionary Army have any private contact with the 'Path of Peace'?"
The Path of Peace was a typical "commoner sect" that spread rapidly during chaotic times.
Here, "commoner" meant that their main targets for preaching were the lower and middle classes, especially those struggling at the poverty line.
By drawing them in, they expanded their influence and power, while at the same time providing people with difficult lives some material support and spiritual comfort, giving it a bit of a mutual-aid society nature.
The earliest form of Christianity on Earth was quite similar to this.
Of course, the wool comes from the sheep themselves. If you want to keep aiding the people and spreading doctrine, you must have a stable source of income.
Generally, this meant asking wealthier believers from the middle and upper classes for donations… but even then it was basically never enough, so the "aid" provided by commoner sects was often just some trivial, low-cost gestures.
Even so, it was enough to make the people feel grateful. After all, even a little kindness was far better than the bone-scraping exploitation of imperial officials.
The darker and more brutal the era, the more important this kind of visible hope became. Even if it was just tiny, flickering sparks, it was enough to earn the people's faith.
The Path of Peace was exactly like this. It started out as just a small sect, but quickly grew into a large organization with considerable influence around the imperial capital and even in the border provinces.
A large part of the reason was that the "Cult Leader" of the Path of Peace was very special. It was said that he possessed extraordinary personal charisma, was born with the ability to heal wounds and foresee the future, could see through people's hearts, and could even remember every believer's name and number.
This was practically the perfect template for a religious leader.
Because of his healing abilities, the powerful and wealthy around the capital were generally willing to be on good terms with him, and they often made things very convenient for the Path of Peace's activities.
In the current deteriorating situation, his influence among the people had already made him a target for recruitment by all sides.
The Revolutionary Army, nobles, and local powerholders had all privately sent people to communicate with him, but the Cult Leader himself had yet to make a clear statement, perhaps to maintain the Path of Peace's independence… or perhaps waiting to sell himself at a good price.
And although his status had become increasingly exalted, he had never forgotten his original intentions.
He still often personally went to the slums to provide relief, and would also help upper-class figures with confessions or medical treatment, using this to accumulate connections and operating funds.
Today, the Cult Leader received two letters of introduction. One came from the imperial authorities, apparently a general was very curious about the doctrines of the Path of Peace and wanted to try it out.
The other had no sender, but the coded message indicated that it came from the Revolutionary Army.
The visitors pointed to by these two letters of introduction didn't leave names, only stamped their own seals. What was interesting was that these two people, who by all rights should belong to opposing camps, had exactly the same seal.
It was a blue character reading "Soul." Although the Cult Leader couldn't understand the true meaning of this character, he was very familiar with it, because this seal pattern had been spreading widely among the people recently.
It was said to be the mark of a general who hated evil as an enemy. Wherever this seal appeared, it meant that the local governor or lord was about to be purged.
Some people who could no longer bear oppression would secretly carve this pattern onto doors or walls, silently praying for that general to arrive sooner, using it as a way to vent their dissatisfaction.
And it seemed that quite a few officials, because many such patterns had appeared in their jurisdictions, had become terrified and noticeably more restrained in their daily conduct.
Because of this, stories about the "Masked General" spread even more widely, and even near the imperial capital there were many people who were very interested in him.
Faced with such a suspected peer, someone in a similar line of work, the Cult Leader of the Path of Peace naturally paid extra attention.
He just hadn't expected that before he could even send people to investigate, the other party would directly come knocking on his door, and with letters of introduction from both the Revolutionary Army and the Empire.
Was this a show of force, or a hint at something else?
'It is hard to guess the intentions of this unknown individual… very interesting indeed~'
The Cult Leader wasn't intimidated by the two letters. With a smile as warm as a spring breeze, he received this mysterious guest whose entire body was hidden beneath a cloak and mask.
Iori really did ask about the doctrines of the Path of Peace, and the Cult Leader went along with it naturally, using his magnetic voice to give Iori a detailed explanation.
He had no intention of preaching, just pure explanation, and it was extremely thorough, even a bit… overly straightforward.
For example, he bluntly admitted that believing in the Path of Peace couldn't truly free one from suffering, and could only bring "peace" on a spiritual level.
He also said that he could only heal ordinary illnesses, and didn't possess the "power to save the world" described in the doctrine.
And he said all of this without even avoiding other people.
Four attendants stood behind him serving all along, turning a deaf ear to these words, as if they were already used to it.
"Being this honest with an outsider like me, is that really okay?"
Iori asked curiously. "Aren't you afraid I'll spread this around and damage your authority?"
"Those who truly believe in the Path of Peace, even if you tell them the truth, will automatically ignore it. And those who already harbor doubts about the Path of Peace will likewise pretend they didn't hear it."
"This isn't because they're foolish; on the contrary, it shows that they're clever enough, clever enough to know how to survive."
The Cult Leader said frankly, "The relief that the Path of Peace itself can provide to believers is very limited. After all, there are too many people; it's impossible to take care of everyone."
"But the act of 'joining the Path of Peace' itself is very meaningful to believers. Through this identity as believers, they can unite together and support each other through hard times."
"Individual humans are fragile, but once gathered in sufficient numbers, they can produce considerable strength… even the poorest commoners understand the importance of huddling together for warmth."
"So that's how it is. The fundamental reason the Path of Peace could grow so quickly is that it gives ordinary people a legitimate reason to band together." Iori realized.
"There are also true believers."
The Cult Leader said calmly, "After all, when everyone around you believes in the same doctrine, it's only natural for your mind to be influenced."
"Interesting… Sorry, I previously thought you were either a charlatan or a decorative puppet. Looks like I really underestimated you."
"Now it seems you're actually a very rational, very intelligent person who sees things clearly."
"The rumors say you have the power of prophecy and mind-reading… perhaps that really is true."
Iori smiled slightly behind his mask, but his voice was unusually cold. "But this confirms another one of my guesses..."
"Your deputy, Bolik, uses your name to amass wealth and seduce female believers. Outsiders all think he does these things behind your back, taking advantage of your trust in him…"
"But in fact, it's the exact opposite. He's just a 'lamb' you've raised, ready to be thrown out as a sacrifice at any time, isn't he?"
The four attendants all grabbed the blades hidden in their wide sleeves. As for the Cult Leader... He simply smiled without speaking.
The Cult Leader raised his hand, signaling the attendants to loosen their grip on their weapons, and calmly said to Iori, "I have always trusted Bolik. Everything you mentioned, I know nothing about… let's just assume that's the case."
"Heh~"
"Both the Revolutionary Army and the Empire believe that I wield enormous influence among the common people and hope I will state my support for one side."
"But I know very well that my believers are nothing more than farmers, small merchants, and craftsmen. Just surviving in this world already takes all their effort."
The Cult Leader looked deeply at Iori. Although he couldn't see the expression behind the mask, he always felt that this person wasn't saying these things merely to test him.
"Today's sermon is over. Sir, you should leave now. I have no interest in which side you belong to..."
Thud~ thud~ thud~
A series of dull groans and the sound of bodies falling rang out, followed by something heavy hitting the ground.
The Cult Leader turned back in shock, only to find that Iori had somehow appeared three or four meters behind him, while all of his attendants were already on the ground, rolling their eyes, unconscious.
What alarmed him even more was that two masked figures in white had also fallen… these were guards secretly protecting him, highly skilled, yet now…
"They're just unconscious, don't misunderstand. I just think talking one-on-one is more conducive to opening one's heart."
Iori made no attempt to hide his dominance. "Also, you need to understand the order of importance."
"Killing me would benefit neither the Revolutionary Army nor the Empire." The Cult Leader remained composed.
"But I don't belong to either of them." Iori chuckled.
This time, the Cult Leader couldn't stay calm…
"Aren't you able to distinguish lies and see through thoughts? Then you should know that what I'm saying is my true intention." Iori said leisurely.
"Let's have a heart-to-heart talk, Cult Leader."
"Just which faction do you belong to? Don't tell me you're a royalist…"
"They're not worthy. No one can control me, so this is just a personal conversation between you and me. No need for concern."
The young man asked gently, "I'm very curious, what stance do you actually take in this chaotic era?"
"…I can't control which side my believers choose, nor will I impose my own will on them."
"All I can do is try my best to maintain the Path of Peace and provide relief to as many people as possible."
"Even so, you're extremely indulgent toward Bolik."
Iori strolled leisurely around the hall, admiring the exquisite paintings on the walls, while speaking unhurriedly. "A religious leader who can develop a sect to this scale cannot possibly be a fool, especially when rumors say you also have the ability to 'see through people's hearts.'"
"Such a wise Cult Leader, how could you not know what your right-hand man is doing on a daily basis?"
"If you were just a figurehead, that would be one thing. But the power of religion lies in the people's recognition of it."
"You have unparalleled prestige among your believers. Bolik has no possibility of sidelining you, let alone covering the sky with one hand."
"So there's only one answer, this is the result of your deliberate indulgence."
The Cult Leader's gaze shifted for an instant, then quickly returned to meet Iori's eyes. "Bolik is not a good person, greedy, despicable, incompetent, and easy to see through."
"He's a very good puppet… although he thinks he's cooperating with Minister Honest, that's not actually the case."
"However, precisely because of his incompetence and stupidity, even when he does evil, it's only for personal gratification and won't shake the overall situation."
Hearing this, Iori felt increasingly pleased. He had originally only wanted to see what the internal situation of the Path of Peace was like and whether it had any value to exploit, but now he had developed an interest in the Cult Leader himself.
'This guy really has something going on!'
"Then let me guess…"
"You yourself always uphold neutrality, but privately lean toward the Revolutionary Army. As your deputy, Bolik is secretly Minister Honest's man, and his words carry huge influence over the 'weak and incompetent' you."
"...As long as you maintain this balance, both the Revolutionary Army and the Minister will believe the situation is under their control, and neither will make a move against the Path of Peace, because that would mean pushing the organization into the opposing camp."
"And when the situation gradually becomes clear, if the Empire gains the upper hand, you continue being a 'muddled' Cult Leader."
"If the Revolutionary Army wins, you eliminate Bolik as the scapegoat, this way you can wait and sell yourself at the right price. Is that it?"
An expert... Iori almost wanted to applaud him.
This level of finesse was so high it didn't even feel like something a character from Akame ga Kill should have.
"…Sell myself at the right price?"
The Cult Leader was silent for a moment. For the first time, the smile vanished from his face. He asked Iori in return, "If not, what else could I do?"
"If I called on my believers to join this brutal gladiatorial struggle, they would be the first to be sacrificed. Even if they won, the price paid would be enormous."
"And although the Empire is corrupt, its border armies and central guards are still powerful. If the Path of Peace were to fail… do you know how the Empire treats 'heretical cults' and 'traitors'?"
"The Revolutionary Army is much gentler toward the people, but they haven't yet demonstrated their ability to govern."
"Even if they took the world, they wouldn't be able to restore the destroyed farmlands and cities in a short time. After all, no one can conjure food out of thin air."
"The lives of the lower classes wouldn't immediately change… and if the war dragged on and the young and able suffered heavy casualties, it would stir unrest among neighboring non-human races."
"In such circumstances, what should I do?"
"All I can do is protect more believers and preserve as much strength as possible."
"But you turn a blind eye to what Bolik does?"
"Anyone who can be toyed with by Bolik's rhetoric is foolish to begin with. Besides, for the sake of overall stability, these are necessary sacrifices!"
"I see. I understand what kind of person you are now. It's a bit awkward… but you're a pretty good target to make use of."
Iori nodded, then suddenly said, "Wait here for a moment. Don't wander around. I'm going to buy you a gift."
"…What did you say?"
Before the words even finished, the Cult Leader blinked, and Iori had already vanished without a trace, leaving him standing there in a daze for a moment.
"What is going on?"
He originally wanted to leave, but after seeing the guards and attendants unconscious on the ground, he thought it over seriously and obediently stayed where he was.
Sure enough, Iori kept his word. He soon returned to the hall and tossed a round, ball-shaped gift to the Cult Leader.
The ball rolled to the Cult Leader's feet, leaving behind a long trail of blood. Even with his vast experience, when he saw that face clearly, he couldn't help but be horrified.
"Bolik!"