The carriage began moving again.
Looking at Yoriichi, who sat across from him, Kaven Devonshire slightly narrowed his eyes. He exchanged a brief glance with his wife, Kalitan, before speaking with a faintly probing tone.
"Mr. Yoriichi, you seem to be from outside the Imperial Capital as well."
"I wonder which region, or family you might come from?"
"Perhaps our families might even have crossed paths."
"To be honest, the situation in the Imperial Capital hasn't been very stable lately. I've even been considering relocating the center of my business to another region."
Leaving aside Sayo and Ieyasu, Kaven had already determined their backgrounds through brief interaction.
They were unmistakably outsiders, true commoners. People like them could disappear without attracting any attention.
But Yoriichi was different.
The difference between a peasant and someone raised within a family of status was obvious.
Whether it was temperament, manner of speech, or subtle habits, Yoriichi stood apart from Sayo and Ieyasu. Kaven had navigated the Empire's complex aristocratic circles for years—his observational skills were naturally sharp.
Thus, he intended to test Yoriichi.
He needed some basic information first. Otherwise, he wouldn't allow his wife and daughter to act recklessly. If they kicked an iron plate, they might not even know how they died.
Being a Count in the Empire sounded impressive—but in the Imperial Capital, it was merely respectable, nothing more.
In the original timeline of Akame ga Kill, part of the reason Tatsumi wasn't immediately captured by Aria's family was that they first needed to confirm whether he was someone they could afford to target.
"I am indeed from elsewhere."
"To be honest, I'm not even sure how far away my homeland is."
"Something unusual happened to me."
"When I came to my senses, I had already appeared in this prosperous city."
Yoriichi had noticed the small interaction between Kaven and Kalitan, but he didn't pay much attention.
Looking at them, he spoke calmly.
"I come from Asakusa, Tokyo. that's what we call it where I'm from. Our land is surrounded by the sea on all sides, so it's likely very far from here."
"I am the second son of the Tsugikuni family."
"Oh, and our naming conventions differ from yours."
"My surname is Tsugikuni, and my given name is Yoriichi."
Yoriichi didn't feel there was anything he couldn't share with Aria's family.
He essentially repeated what he had previously told Sayo and Ieyasu.
Although he had noticed several subtle, unusual gestures from Aria's family, too many strange things had already happened today. The Empire's customs also differed greatly from what he knew, so he didn't dwell on it.
Yoriichi wasn't someone overly suspicious or scheming.
At least for now, he wasn't.
"Oh?"
"So you suddenly appeared here without knowing how, Mr. Yoriichi?"
"That must indeed be quite troubling."
"Even your naming conventions differ from ours… it seems you truly come from a distant land."
After hearing Yoriichi's explanation, Kaven nodded thoughtfully.
His guess had been correct, Yoriichi was clearly different from the two commoners beside him. He had obviously received a high level of education and couldn't possibly come from a low-status background.
That made Kaven hesitate.
He now wondered whether to proceed against Yoriichi, Sayo, and Ieyasu.
If he acted, Yoriichi's identity suggested he belonged to a family with some background. Offending an unknown family might not be worth the risk.
But if he didn't act, who knew how far Yoriichi's homeland truly was?
Even if it were just outside the Empire, their influence likely wouldn't reach the Imperial Capital.
As a Count of the Empire, Kaven shouldn't need to be overly cautious about someone from outside Imperial jurisdiction.
Still…
In that brief moment, Kaven considered countless possibilities.
In the end, he decided not to act, for now.
Yoriichi was clearly different from ordinary outsiders. Unlike commoners who could vanish without consequence, someone with a family background required caution.
After all, special powers existed in this world.
Kaven couldn't guarantee whether Yoriichi's family might possess such abilities.
Kalitan and Aria reached the same conclusion.
For now, it was best not to touch Yoriichi or the two commoners accompanying him.
"Teacher… you're actually from a noble family?"
"I thought you were like me and Sayo—without a surname."
Compared to the calculating Aria family, Ieyasu's thoughts were much simpler.
He felt only surprise, admiration, and envy—nothing more.
And soon enough, his attention drifted back to Aria.
It was obvious that if Aria merely beckoned, Ieyasu would instantly become her most loyal admirer.
Sayo, meanwhile, felt slightly embarrassed watching him.
She was far more rational than Ieyasu.
She understood that they and this seemingly kind noble family belonged to entirely different worlds.
Forcing unrealistic expectations would only make things awkward.
After chatting a little longer, the carriage slowly came to a stop before a massive and luxurious estate.
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