"Livestock... livestock... livestock..."
"The expressions on their faces are truly wonderful."
"Those weak pigs serve no purpose other than being slaughtered for meat."
In a luxurious room, a fat man adorned in expensive clothes and jewelry snacked while relishing the sight of miserable citizens through a glass window. He took a sip of wine, his face contorted with satisfaction.
"Wine bought with the taxes of the commoners truly tastes the best."
"Master, it is time for your massage."
A sweet voice echoed from behind. A lecherous glint flashed in the fat man's eyes as he spoke excitedly.
"Today, I want a full-body massage, from top to bottom."
However, something was amiss. The girl behind him approached silently and spat a needle from her mouth, piercing his neck. Though the puncture was microscopic, it struck a vital point with lethal precision. The fat man died before he could even react.
Amidst a swirl of smoke, the maid transformed back into Chelsea.
"Mission accomplished. I wonder what kind of 'massage' he was actually expecting?"
Chelsea whispered to herself, but as she prepared to make a leisurely exit, she heard a commotion from outside—the sound of rapid, heavy footsteps. She activated her Teigu once more.
"We are the Jaegers!"
"This is an emergency; we must inspect the building."
The duo of Wave and Kurome burst into the room. Receiving no answer, they checked the upper floor only to find they were a step too late; the target was already dead. As for Chelsea, an extra cat wearing a bow had appeared in the nearby cat bed, unnoticed by either Wave or Kurome.
"And that's how I escaped when I was nearly caught by the Jaegers."
"To be able to slip away so easily in that situation... you really are skilled," Mine admitted.
Despite her usual irritation with the teasing Chelsea, Mine had to acknowledge her talent. If she had been in that situation, it would have been difficult to escape without spilling blood. Chelsea's Teigu, Gaea Foundation, was remarkably useful in such scenarios.
"From now on, you can leave everything to me," Chelsea said.
"Chelsea..."
"So, while I'm out on missions, make sure to look after the base, you little reserve member!"
Any hint of sentimentality was instantly wiped away by Chelsea's provocative words. Mine's hair stood on end as a blue vein throbbed on her forehead.
"How dare you insult your comrade?! Unforgivable!"
"Hahaha, catch me if you can..."
The cat-and-mouse game between the two brightened the atmosphere in the room. Tatsumi could only think that Mine had it coming; after all, she had teased him constantly when he first joined, and now the roles were reversed.
He took a sip of coffee. Perhaps influenced by Asahi, he had grown quite fond of the drink and had even started brewing it himself, despite his first few attempts being terrible.
It had been several days since his return to Night Raid, and his spirits had improved significantly, no longer as heavy as they were when he was separated from Esdeath.
"Looking at this recent turn of events, the Jaegers are clearly focusing all their strength on us."
"Obviously. The monsters have been completely wiped out; their only remaining target is Night Raid," Akame and Leone discussed. Suddenly, Leone turned her gaze toward Tatsumi, who was quietly drinking his coffee.
"I wonder if they'd leave Night Raid alone if we just handed over our little Tatsumi? Right, Mr. 'I-just-had-a-vacation-on-a-deserted-island'?"
"I told you, that was forced by circumstances!!"
"Tatsumi, taking down an enemy general... I'm proud of you!" Lubbock added.
"Bro, stop teasing me..."
Tatsumi spat out his coffee in a flustered rebuttal. Lubbock, who was dropping sugar cubes into the cup he had brewed for Najenda, continued his assault.
"Spending a whole day on an island with a beautiful girl... don't misunderstand, I'm not jealous at all..."
Despite saying he wasn't jealous, Lubbock's tone was as sour as vinegar and filled with a sense of desolation. He hadn't even made a move yet, and Tatsumi's relationship had already progressed that far. Truly, the heavens were unfair!
"Why didn't you just leave her there? She's the enemy, after all. Or did you two... no, I'm not jealous!!"
"Wipe your tears, Lubbock. They're about to fall into the cup. And Tatsumi, come here—let your big sister overwrite those memories!"
Leone pulled Tatsumi into her chest, making him struggle for air once again. However, he didn't truly mind; thanks to everyone, his mood had completely recovered.
"Tatsumi didn't do anything wrong," Najenda said, entering the room after her bath and taking a sip from her cup. "If you had left without a word, she would have just kept searching for you. It's better to have a clean break with Esdeath; that way, you won't hesitate when you face her again."
"It's a bit sudden, but we will discuss our strategy as soon as we finish eating."
"The time is near. We are about to take our first major step in overthrowing this corrupt Empire!"
After dinner, everyone gathered in the meeting room, which now featured a large strategic map on the table.
"It is time for the Revolutionary Army to rise," Najenda began. "I will explain our mission. Have you all heard of the religious organization called The Path of Peace? They are currently very popular with the people."
"Is that the group that believes doing good deeds brings rewards and longevity?"
"They even came to my village to preach," Tatsumi added. "The statue the village chief gave me is actually an artifact of that sect."
Najenda nodded, her finger moving across the map from the Capital toward the east.
"For a decade, they have grown and established deep influence in this region. Soon, they will launch an armed uprising. And that is our advantage."
Tatsumi frowned. If they rebelled without cause, wouldn't their fate be the same as the northern tribes? How many innocent people would die?
But he didn't believe Najenda would stand by and watch so many people become ghosts at the hands of the Imperial Army. Besides... this nation truly oppressed its people. Rebellion was inevitable.
"Of course, we won't remain idle. The Revolutionary Army will deploy!"
Najenda pointed to a location in the west and traced a path toward the Capital. When The Path of Peace begins their uprising, the allied tribes residing there will launch an attack. But that's not all; the main Revolutionary Army will advance from the south. The Capital will be forced to face three simultaneous offensives.
Previous rebellions failed because they were isolated. The Capital will never expect all these uprisings to converge at once, catching them completely off guard.
"To reach the Capital, we must cross several territories. However, most governors in those regions are already on the side of the Revolution. Most of them are honest officials who were exiled from the Capital."
"The Capital will be shocked to see us advancing so rapidly without shedding a drop of blood. However, they still have their trump card: the Guard Army under Grand General Budou. He will certainly lead his troops to stop the Revolutionary Army."
"And that," Najenda concluded, "is the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the palace and take the Prime Minister's head while their defensive forces are thinned out!"
"We will destroy the Capital from within."