Chapter 29: External Wives  

"Damn it, that bastard in charge of procuring children dared to embezzle even this money?!"

By nightfall, only six children had emerged from the forest, two of whom had broken limbs and had crawled out through sheer willpower. Bill, the bald man, was furious. They had promised carefully selected candidates, and this was the result?

The only explanation was that the funds meant for procuring the children had been embezzled by the logistics officer. Of course, embezzlement was commonplace in the corrupt empire. High-ranking officials and nobles enjoyed the bribes from lower-ranking ones.

In this empire, where corruption was rampant, advancement wasn't based on ability but on how much money you could bribe your superiors with.

Similarly, to live a good life, squeezing money from the common folk and engaging in bribery and embezzlement was the clearest path.

But it was precisely this corruption that had brought the empire to its current state of decline. Rebellions were breaking out everywhere, and those dissatisfied with the empire's state of affairs were fanning the flames, aiming to overthrow it.

In this situation, the intelligence agency planned to form an assassination unit to suppress the unrest and eliminate the ambitious figures hiding in the shadows.

But even in selecting suitable children, they encountered internal corruption. How could Bill, in charge of this operation, not be furious?

"Those bastards dare to take any money. Why don't they just sell the ropes to hang themselves to the empire's enemies?"

"Sir Bill, someone actually did that. They sold not just ropes but also weapons and armor. Remember the guy who was selling military supplies? We hanged him in the square of Carter City."

A subordinate reminded him. Bill's face stiffened, and he glared at the subordinate before angrily saying, "Bring me the communication device. I want the logistics department to cut off the heads of those anti-empire scum who dared to embezzle funds!"

The subordinate quickly brought the communicator, and Bill dialed. The officer at the forest's edge, receiving the call, turned pale and hurried to a tent.

Inside the tent, the young officer who had beheaded the boy earlier was now on top of a girl with vacant eyes. Seeing his superior enter, he even invited him to join.

Then, with a bang, a bullet hole appeared in his forehead.

"Search his house. Anyone who dares to embezzle intelligence agency funds deserves to die."

The officer said viciously, then shot the girl beneath the corpse.

The truth didn't matter. What mattered was that the operation to deploy the children had failed.

Someone had to take the fall for Bill's wrath.

It couldn't be him, and he couldn't bear to sacrifice his trusted subordinates.

Fortunately, a recent recruit from a fallen noble family, though quite capable and respectful, was expendable.

The officer could only hope that this fallen noble's family still had some assets left to placate Bill's anger.

---

"Now, do you want those six children?"

At the forest's center, Bill, having vented some of his anger, calmed down and asked Gozuki.

"You brought me here to train elites, not trash, right?"

Gozuki retorted. He had seen the children who made it out. The two with broken limbs aside, the remaining four didn't seem to have the makings of elite assassins. While they were better than average, he was here for the best.

"Then we'll have to wait for the next batch of children to be procured."

"How long will that take?"

"At least ten days to half a month."

"So we just wait here like idiots?"

"The forest is more dangerous at night. We'll leave tomorrow by flying danger beast."

"Fine."

Gozuki looked displeased but had no choice.

"Hey, you there, go spread some mixed danger beast blood around. I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night and have to fight off attacking danger beasts."

The clearing in the forest's center was surrounded by the scent of mixed danger beast blood. This complex scent deterred the more intelligent danger beasts from approaching.

To them, the mixed blood scent signaled the presence of one or more apex predators in the area.

---

For example, in the southwest of the Jifunora Sea Tree Forest, near a river, a clearing had been blasted open by energy attacks. Piles of danger beast carcasses lay scattered, their mixed blood scent keeping many nocturnal danger beasts at bay.

Of course, some bold danger beasts still approached, only to end up as part of the food supply.

"Everyone, cut the meat into smaller pieces. It'll cook faster."

Broly had gathered over seventy children. After reaching the safe area he had created, they quickly began processing the food.

Some gathered firewood, others started fires, cut meat, or foraged for wild vegetables. Even some mushrooms were picked.

The logistics officer in charge of procuring the children hadn't embezzled funds. These children, forced into the assassin selection, were indeed skilled in their own ways.

"Broly, here's your meat."

A boy named Nahashu, after roasting a lizard skewer, didn't eat it himself despite being starving. Instead, he brought it to Broly and offered it to him.

During his time as a homeless orphan, Nahashu had occasionally banded together with other homeless children for survival. These groups were like wolf packs, where the leader always ate first to assert dominance.

Nahashu hadn't understood this at first, but after a beating, he learned the hard way.

Though Broly hadn't expressed any desire to be their leader, the children, awed by his strength and ability to easily kill danger beasts, naturally saw him as the core of their makeshift group.

"You're a good person."

Surprised by Nahashu's offering, Broly didn't refuse. He accepted the skewer and complimented him.

Following Nahashu's example, the other children seemed to catch on and began lining up to offer their roasted food.

"Here's my roasted stag meat."

"This is roasted two-headed snake tail."

"I made a wild vegetable and swamp crab soup."

"This is a mud-baked bear paw."

"I picked these mushrooms. They're colorful and must be delicious."

...

Among the offerings was something odd.

"Idiot, those are poisonous mushrooms! Don't give strange food to Broly!"

A girl named Ponni snatched the skewer of poisonous mushrooms and threw it away.

"My mushrooms!"

The girl watched her poisonous mushrooms fly into the river, looking as if she wanted to eat them herself.

Her poison resistance was impressive, likely from a childhood spent eating strange fungi without dying.

"You're all good people!"

Broly was touched. So many people were offering him food.

Though most of it was meat from the danger beasts he had killed, the processed food wasn't technically his.

He had promised to share food with those who helped carry the supplies, so the food should have been theirs. Yet they were willing to share it with him.

Broly was deeply moved. Even though only Akame and Kurome were recognized by the Crystal Palace as potential wives, he now considered this group, who had fed him, as his external wives in this world.

"You know, offering the first bite is a tradition where I come from. It's a way to acknowledge someone as the leader. Once you've acknowledged a leader, you're under their protection. Those who haven't acknowledged a leader can't compete with us for food."

"So that's why I could never compete with others in the city."

A child who had been a lone wanderer suddenly understood.

"Lothar, did you ever acknowledge a leader before?"

Another child asked.

"Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't be this well-fed."

The boy who had spoken about acknowledging leaders lifted his shirt, revealing a slightly plump belly.

Compared to the other emaciated children, he was relatively well-fed.

"Then where's your former leader now?"

"Dead."

"Huh?"

"While we were playing in the city, my leader accidentally bumped into a passing noble. The noble's guards whipped him to death.

After he died, we couldn't compete with others. I sold myself to a slave trader, hoping for a meal, but ended up here as food for danger beasts."

The chubby boy looked bitter. He had incredible strength and had carried the bear carcass Broly had killed to this spot.

"But now I have a new leader. Broly is clearly very powerful. He easily takes down danger beasts. Even the nobles in the city couldn't easily kill him. Following him, I'll definitely eat well."

The chubby boy, Lothar, looked at Broly by the bonfire, determined to stick with his new leader. The other children, inspired, also expressed their desire to follow a leader who could ensure they ate well.

The children chewed on their meat, chatting with those around them about their harsh pasts. As they learned about each other's struggles, their loyalty to their new leader grew.

This loyalty stemmed not only from being saved but also from Broly's willingness to share food and let them eat meat.

They had fed Broly, and in turn, Broly had fed them.