Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

This time, she changed her target to Violet.

Just as the back of the blade was about to strike Violet, she suddenly felt a gust of air pass by and quickly used the blade to block it beside her.

Bang! !

A tremendous force struck her, and she was sent flying, crashing into a wall.

"cough!"

The impact made her cough twice. When she looked up again, she saw Violet holding a three-meter-tall ice axe that she had just forged. It was this huge axe that had sent her flying.

Such a large axe could be swung with one hand, which is completely disproportionate to Violet's slender body.

“Miss, although I don’t know what your purpose is in seeking out Lieutenant General Isaac, deliberately attacking an officer of Amestoris is not permitted. You need to be taken back for questioning,” Violet said.

With some difficulty, the girl got up and looked at Violet, asking, "Will I be able to see Lord Isaac when we get there?"

"I can ask around for you."

"who are you?"

"Violet Evergarden, Lieutenant General Isaac's adjutant."

"I see." The girl sheathed the knife in her hand and offered it to Violet. "I admit defeat."

Violet took the weapon from her and casually asked, "What's your name?"

“Chise,” the girl said, “Toudou Chise.”

------------

After Isaac left the lord's manor, he ordered all entrances and exits to be sealed off, and no one from any city was allowed to leave. All the original plans were also canceled today.

The people here had some reservations about Isaac's actions, but dared not speak out.

Who says Amestris of Japan is in charge now? Their orders are absolute. If they say the city must be sealed off, then it must be sealed off.

Isaac stood in front of the soldiers outside and said, "Now you will start by searching all the Jun Castles in Iwato Station. If you find any weapons that have not been declared, detain them along with the people and the goods."

"Yes! What if there is resistance?"

Do I need to say more?

"Need not!"

The soldiers knew what to do.

Beep!

Isaac's communicator rang at that moment.

“Violet? Weren’t you and Nameless playing in the street?” Isaac asked. “Did something happen?”

“We arrested a little girl who attacked us. She kept asking to see you, as if she had something to say to you in person.”

"Huh? Where is she now?"

"Temporary military camp".

"I'm coming now." Isaac said to the soldiers after hanging up the communicator, "Alright, get to work. The search will only last three days."

"Yes!"

……

In a room in the military camp, Isaac and the girl named Chise stared at each other.

“According to this girl named Todo Chise, she is a subordinate of Horikawa, one of the elders under the former General Amaterasu Okimasa,” Violet explained.

“Old Chinese…” Isaac said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

The Rōjū was a position under the shogunate of Japan, directly under the command of the shogun, and possessed the power to govern the entire country.

Of course, that was only because they used to have a lot of power. After Amestoris arrived, they were demoted, and every decision had to be approved by Amestoris before it could proceed.

Of course, some of these people did not want Amestoris to visit, since invaders are never welcome anywhere.

However, some people welcomed Amestoris's visit, believing that it would not only bring stability to the country but also open its doors, allowing resource-poor Japan to become prosperous.

Among them, the older Chinese, mainly from Hori River, were supporters of Amestoris.

"Hey, I heard you came here specifically to see me. Is there anything I can help you with?" Isaac asked Chise Todo.

"Yes, I have received orders from Lord Horikawa to stockpile a large number of weapons at Iwado Station and distribute them to the anti-Amestoris forces..."

“I already know what you’re talking about,” Isaac interrupted her. “I came here specifically to investigate this matter.”

"Not only that, but the lord here hired a very skilled assassin a long time ago to prevent Lord Isaac from investigating," Toudou Chise hurriedly said.

"So, you came here this time for..."

"I will inform you of the lord's plot, and then serve as your personal bodyguard during this time," Qian Shi said.

"..."

Isaac looked at the girl in front of him speechlessly. He didn't think he was so weak that he needed to ask for a bodyguard.

Violet also said, "I am responsible for Lieutenant General Isaac's safety. There is no need for you to trouble yourself, Miss Toudou. Please go back."

"but……"

“Alright, that’s indeed the case.” Isaac said, pointing to the door. “Go back and tell that guy named Horikawa that I’m not afraid of assassins. Let him come if he wants. Besides, I don’t need a ten-year-old girl to protect me.”

“I’m not ten years old, I’m sixteen this year,” Qian Shi retorted.

"……What?"

Isaac took a closer look at her figure. Like Natsumi Senju, she was petite and adorable, practically a child.

In contrast, the twelve-year-old kid, Wuming, already had a curvy figure.

"Is it because you're developing too slowly, or is it because that brat Wuming is developing too fast..." Isaac murmured to himself.

Qian Shi looked at Isaac, who was still thinking, and suddenly got up from her seat and knelt in front of him.

"I implore you to grant my request; this task is of utmost importance to me."

"...Get up first, can you tell me why?" Isaac really couldn't get used to the habit of people kneeling down so easily, so he pulled her up.

"I know this assassin."

"I see, so you want to take revenge yourself?" Isaac asked.

Qian Shi pursed her lips but did not answer.

"Alright, you can stay here, but since we're still conducting a search operation, you must follow my orders in everything you do."

"Yes!"

Chapter 441: The Assassin Appears

The search is proceeding intensively.

They found almost nothing on the first day, so on the second day, Isaac personally supervised the search. This was partly to improve efficiency, and partly to linger around Iwado Station to see if they could spot the assassin Todo Chise had mentioned.

However, nothing seems to have happened.

When Isaac entered the city to participate in the search, the little girl, or rather the young woman, Chise Todo, followed him around like a shadow.

"Lieutenant General, who is this child?" Some soldiers asked Chise with some confusion.

“It was sent by a senior official of the shogunate named Horikawa, who said it was for my protection.” Isaac chuckled. “Look at me now, I need a brat to protect me.”

"Hahahahaha."

The soldiers in Amestris were quite lively, but the officials in charge of the various cities they were searching didn't look so pleased.

If they find anything inappropriate on the premises, they could get shot.

"Lieutenant General, I've found it here," a soldier suddenly said.

"Let me see."

Isaac and the other soldiers walked toward the sound and found that the soldier was prying open a floorboard, revealing many wooden crates inside.

"Bring them all out."

They took out all the wooden crates, opened them with a crowbar, and found them filled with steam guns and steel balls. Some of the crates also contained thousands of samurai swords.

"Could the person in charge over there tell me what these things are?"

Two soldiers escorted the person in charge to Isaac. Perhaps out of fear, the person in charge suddenly knelt down before Isaac and cried out, "I...I'm so sorry! It was all the lord's idea!"

Looking at the person in charge kneeling before him, weeping and wailing, Isaac said indifferently, "Do you know that even if I were to execute you right here, no one would speak up for you?"

"Please don't!" he cried in terror, his body trembling uncontrollably. "I have children at home who need my support..."

“None of my business.” Isaac grabbed his hair and pulled him in front of him. “But I can give you a chance. Tell me where this shipment is going.”

“Ningshi Post Station…and Badai Post Station, and finally Jingang Guo.” The person in charge immediately rattled off several names.

"Are you sure? That's all?"

"I...I'm sure." He was so scared that he could barely speak.

Isaac stared into his eyes for a moment, then released his hand: "I believe you. Don't do this kind of anti-Amestoris work again, or you won't be so lucky next time."

"Yes...yes! Of course!"

The person in charge scrambled away from the Juncheng. Isaac looked at the pile of wooden crates at his feet and said, "You guys keep searching. I'm going to find Maeda and ask him about the situation."

Seeing Isaac's eyes grow colder, everyone knew that some people might be in trouble.

……

Inside the lord's manor, everyone was surprised by Isaac's return, but more than anything, they were wary.

Maeda remained kneeling in his original spot. He looked at Isaac and Chise Todo as they entered the room and asked, "Lord Isaac, may I ask who this girl is?"

“Is it your place to ask me questions?” Isaac retorted.

"Hey! You bastard!"

"Stop! Itagaki!" Maeda quickly stopped him.

When Isaac spoke rudely to Maeda, the fierce-looking samurai Itagaki wanted to cause him trouble, but he was stopped by Todo Chise as soon as he stepped out, and then Maeda called him back.

"Lord Isaac, what brings you here today?" Maeda forced a smile. "How is the search progressing?"