Akame ga Kill: Starting with Dual Kamui

"Forget it. Go take your bath. I'll look around on my own," Esdeath said before casually stepping into the nearest room.

It happened to be the Assassination Unit's break room.

Inside were Seryu, Kurome, and the others.

Despite seeing so many people inside, Esdeath showed no surprise. "You're the members of the Assassination Unit, correct?"

"Yes, General Esdeath," Kurome responded respectfully.

The others also showed expressions of reverence.

Though this was their first time meeting Esdeath in person, they had seen her portrait before, so they recognized her immediately.

"General Esdeath, where is Commander Blayn?" Kurome asked.

"He took a cat to bathe," Esdeath replied.

"Oh, I see."

Kurome relaxed a little.

She had been worried that General Esdeath had come to trouble Commander Blayn over the incident from last time. After all, the mysterious disappearance of those staff members would eventually come to light.

"What's on your mind? Are you worried that I'd do something to Blayn?"

Esdeath's sharp eyes immediately caught the brief flicker of relief on Kurome's face, making her curious.

However, she wasn't thinking about the missing staff members.

Not only was she completely unaware of that matter, but even if she knew, she wouldn't have cared in the slightest.

"No, not at all," Kurome quickly regained her composure and shook her head as if nothing had happened.

"Is that so...?"

Esdeath smirked, her presence completely overwhelming Kurome.

As a general of the Empire, Esdeath already had absolute authority over her. Having been conditioned by the Imperial Assassination Unit for so long, there was no way Kurome could openly defy a superior.

"General Esdeath, is there a reason for your visit today?" Seryu asked, standing at attention out of habit.

"Nothing major. I came to see Blayn and check on his work," Esdeath replied casually.

"It really seems like General Esdeath and Master are close. You always make time to visit him," Seryu said, her voice full of innocent admiration.

"That's right," Esdeath admitted without hesitation. "He even saved my life once. You could say I still owe him a favor."

Hearing how close Commander Blayn and General Esdeath were, Kurome became more interested.

And judging from Seryu's words, Esdeath made time to visit Blayn despite her busy schedule.

That wasn't just a good relationship—it was a close one.

If there were urgent matters, that would be understandable. But if Esdeath was coming just to see Blayn, then that was... suspicious.

"Eh? Master actually saved General Esdeath before?"

Seryu was visibly surprised.

The rest of the Assassination Unit members were also caught off guard.

It seemed Commander Blayn was even more extraordinary than they had imagined. After all, General Esdeath was known as the strongest in the Empire.

Kurome, however, remained indifferent. She had already witnessed Blayn effortlessly slay a Super-Class Danger Beast with her own eyes.

Even though the beast had been hibernating and not in peak condition, the fact that Blayn had defeated it so easily spoke volumes about his strength. If she had been the one facing it, she wouldn't have had such an easy time.

"Hm."

Esdeath didn't bother explaining and didn't care how they interpreted it.

Back then, she hadn't yet acquired her Teigu, Demon's Extract. If she had, no mere Super-Class Danger Beast would have been a threat to her.

But she never made excuses for her losses. The truth was, Blayn had saved her, and there was no denying it.

"So, soon enough, I'll make him my deputy general. That should settle the favor."

Esdeath spoke as if it were a simple matter.

Of course, she never intended for Blayn to stop at deputy general. Her real plan was to push him into the position of general.

This was the ultimate goal of Esdeath's Blayn Development Plan.

In her eyes, promoting Blayn directly to deputy general was already a generous reward.

And from a normal perspective, it certainly was. Who else could rise so many ranks in such a short time?

Even Esdeath, the Empire's strongest, had climbed her way up through years of effort. When she first arrived in the Imperial Capital, she had participated in numerous tournaments, winning every single one before she was finally accepted into the military.

But Blayn had his own ambitions, and becoming Esdeath's second-in-command didn't align with his plans.

"I see! General Esdeath is so kind!"

Seryu beamed, genuinely happy for her master's bright future.

To her, this was nothing but good news.

However, Kurome and Kelly had different reactions.

If Blayn became Esdeath's deputy general, wouldn't that mean he would no longer be in charge of the Imperial Assassination Unit?

Kurome's expression wavered. She hesitated for a moment before asking, "So Commander Blayn won't be our superior anymore?"

"Of course. But if you miss him, you can always visit him at my place," Esdeath said casually.

She was completely unaware of the strict regulations governing the Imperial Assassination Unit—otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a suggestion.

"...Alright," Kurome muttered, looking slightly downcast.

She had hoped Blayn would remain their commander, but in just a matter of days, he was already being reassigned.

And the next leader...

No, it was almost certain that whoever took over wouldn't be any different from the previous ones. Not everyone had Blayn's guts—to outright defy orders from high-ranking officials.

But in front of General Esdeath, Kurome couldn't voice any complaints.

...

Meanwhile, on the other side, Blayn had already taken the small black cat to the bathhouse.

He planned to bathe the kitten first and worry about himself later.

As for what he had said to Esdeath earlier, it had just been an excuse.

Knowing full well that this black cat was actually someone transformed, there was no way he was going to bathe alongside them.

As he prepared the warm water and was about to place the kitten in the basin, a thought struck him—

He should probably confirm whether it was a male or female cat first.

So, he lifted the black kitten up for a closer look...

At that moment, Chelsea felt utterly hopeless.

She kept reminding herself—these sacrifices were necessary, they were worth it for the mission.

Because of that, the black kitten in Blayn's hands showed no signs of embarrassment.

"A female...?"

Blayn was taken aback.

Didn't that mean this black kitten was likely a woman in disguise?

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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