"How barbaric!"
Juna gave a sharp tug on the man's wrist, which she held in a punishing joint lock. Overcome by the pain, the man was yanked backward, his body arching helplessly...
"Gyah!"
He took the full force of the security guard's descending baton right in the face.
While the blow hadn't been delivered with lethal intent, a direct hit to the face with a wooden club was more than most could endure. The man slumped into unconsciousness, and Juna finally released her grip.
"Y-you! That's assault!"
"What are you talking about? You're the one who struck him," Juna replied coolly.
Though Juna possessed a gentle, approachable air with her soft, drooping eyes, she was actually one of the top practitioners of taijutsu among the younger generation. It was precisely this skill that had earned her a place as the Empress's personal guard.
As Juna began to radiate a menacing aura that stood in stark contrast to her usual mild temperament, the guard flinched.
"Gah!"
"Gyak!"
Two more cries of pain rang out. Looking toward the source, they saw two other men collapsed on the ground. It appeared they had been trying to sneak up on the Empress and Flora from behind.
(Who did that? Was it one of the escort knights?)
The Empress tilted her head in slight confusion. Just then, a deep voice boomed across the street.
"That's enough!"
"Ah, Captain!"
A man with a sturdy, powerful build stepped forward and signaled the two guards to stop. He was in civilian clothes, so Juna hadn't recognized him immediately, but he appeared to be the Security Guard Captain.
"You're quite something, young lady... Could I ask you to leave it at that?"
Juna didn't lower her guard for a second, keeping her eyes fixed on the man.
"Phew... Fine. Hey, you lot, back off for now."
"C-Captain?"
"This lady is probably stronger than I am."
"What?"
"Stronger than... the Captain?"
His admission seemed to do the trick. The three thugs—one of whom was still unconscious—and the two guards beat a hasty retreat, casting bitter looks over their shoulders as they left.
"For future reference, may I ask your name?" Juna asked the man.
"...Gereon Assman."
"I am Juna Brantes."
After the brief exchange of names, the two parties went their separate ways.
"Good work, Juna."
"My apologies, Your Majesty. That was an unexpected turn of events."
"Indeed. Flora, let's change our plans. We're going to pay the bailiff a visit right now."
"Understood."
In the directly controlled territories of the Shouro Empire, each town was governed by its own bailiff. However, as an organization, the bailiffs answered to a superior official stationed in the regional hub. Shubere was the town where that presiding bailiff was based.
The group walked until they were outside the town limits. Once they reached the carriage they had left hidden there, the Empress, Chief Lady-in-Waiting Flora, and the royal ritter Juna changed their attire.
"Ritter squad, assemble!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The escort knights were officially summoned. With that, the quiet incognito inspection transformed into a sudden, formal imperial progress.
The carriage itself was also transformed. After being washed down with water and having its camouflaging panels removed, it was restored to its true form: an imperial carriage emblazoned with the crest of the Shouro Imperial Family.
Dressed in their full regalia, the party headed back into Shubere.
"H-Her Majesty the Empress is here?!"
Shubere was thrown into a state of total pandemonium by the sudden arrival. The security guards were mobilized in their entirety, lining up on both sides of the Central Thoroughfare. The carriage moved slowly through the corridor of soldiers until it reached the bailiff's office in the center of town.
"I am beyond honored to behold your imperial countenance!"
"And you are?" Flora asked.
"I... I am Kuzanm Shupe, the acting bailiff."
"Where is the bailiff himself?"
"He is currently bedridden, recuperating from an illness."
"I see."
Following this brief exchange, the Empress and her party entered the building. Bypassing the reception room, the Empress marched straight into the main office. Her first words were a sharp indictment of the town's corrupt security forces.
"W-Why would you say such a thing...?"
A deathly pale Kuzanm Shupe could barely squeeze the words out.
"Now, summon the Security Guard Captain here at once," Flora commanded.
Kuzanm scrambled to send a subordinate to fetch him. Fifteen minutes later, the captain arrived, now dressed in his official security guard uniform.
"You. Your name?" the Empress asked.
"Yes! I am Gereon Assman."
"...I see. You certainly seem to have a firm grip on the security of this town."
"Your praise is more than I deserve."
Gereon bowed deeply. However, the Empress's next words struck like a physical blow.
"A 'cleaning fee,' was it? You certainly seem to go to great lengths to keep this town 'tidy.'"
"..."
Still bowed, Gereon began to break out in a cold sweat. How does she know that? Panic flared in his chest.
"Master Gereon Assman, have you forgotten me already?"
At the sound of a woman's voice, he looked up to find a young female royal ritter standing before him.
"I am Juna Brantes, Royal Ritter of the Shouro Empire."
Gereon's face went beyond pale, turning as white as a sheet of parchment.
"I have no intention of dragging this out," the Empress said. "Kuzanm Shupe, you will take responsibility for your own actions and settle your affairs. Those are my final words to you."
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty...!"
Leaving the shattered Kuzanm behind, the Empress called over several of the office clerks.
"Where is the bailiff's room?"
"He is in his private quarters on the second floor, Your Majesty."
The Empress proceeded to visit the sickroom in person.
"C-Could it be... Your Majesty!"
The bailiff had been lying in bed, but he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the Empress enter.
"Stay as you are. You still look quite unwell."
"I... I am deeply ashamed of my frailty."
"Falling ill cannot be helped. However, you should have kept a closer eye on your deputy."
"What... do you mean by that?"
As the bailiff looked on with a bewildered expression, the Empress explained the corruption that had taken root in his absence.
"They likely went to great lengths to ensure you were kept in the dark, but it is a failing of leadership to not have a single trusted confidant to tell you the truth."
"How could this have happened...? Such a disgrace... I have no excuse regarding my subordinates."
As the bailiff hung his head in shame, the Empress spoke firmly.
"It is not to me you should be apologizing, but to the people of this town. Dismiss the acting bailiff immediately and appoint a replacement. If you feel the weight of this responsibility, then recover your health as quickly as possible and fulfill your duties as a proper official."
"By your command!"
Thus, the Empress's imperial progress through Shubere came to an end.
Inside the carriage on the journey home, the Empress was heard to murmur:
"...I've always wanted to try making a grand entrance and sweeping up all the villains after Juna and Flora had a massive brawl... but I suppose things never go quite that smoothly in the real world."
'It seems the Quinta units protected Her Majesty well.'
Laojun had provided just a tiny bit of assistance from the shadows.