The sense of danger lingering around them quietly faded, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Tatsumi had nearly stumbled to the ground just moments ago—if not for his rapid improvement during this period and his previous experiences confronting the pressure of powerful figures, he would have truly made a fool of himself.
Even now, though, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
Leone's perception was even sharper. In fact, she had already felt her hair standing on end the moment they arrived at the mansion.
This feeling, like a lamb stepping into a tiger's den, was something she had never experienced before—it was as if a weak, helpless human had entered a pitch-black cave with nothing but a torch, unable to see more than a few meters ahead.
The ever-present sense of crisis made it difficult for her to maintain her composure.
Only now could she finally manage a smile that wasn't too stiff.
"Good morning, Lady Eblana."
Najenda had also directly faced Eblana's imposing aura moments earlier.
She wasn't surprised by this show of dominance—after all, Night Raid had been taken under Eblana's wing with the expectation that they would serve as her personal guard.
Through conversations with Liver, who had regained his senses but now wore a complicated expression, Najenda had learned about the situation the Three Beasts faced when confronting Eblana back then.
Aside from him, the other two had been so overwhelmed they couldn't move, let alone speak.
Liver wasn't exactly an acquaintance, but they had both served the Empire and crossed paths a few times, so they weren't strangers either.
Eblana hadn't expected Night Raid to be much stronger than them, but at the very least, they couldn't be less impressive than the Three Beasts.
"Morning."
The purple-scaled dragon's voice sounded somewhat lazy, carrying a casual tone.
At this moment, she didn't seem like someone in a position of authority but more like an elegant, easygoing young lady… though anyone who truly thought that wouldn't be qualified to remain here.
"I did say you could wait for me in the dining hall, didn't I?"
Eblana curled her lips into a slight smile.
"That may be so, but everyone was quite eager to meet you."
Najenda knew that while Eblana was tolerant of talent, she didn't care for those who lacked ambition and initiative.
It wasn't that she disliked them—it was just that such individuals wouldn't earn Eblana's respect. They would only be seen as useful tools.
Of course, this didn't mean frequently defying her was a good choice. But as subordinates, they needed to demonstrate a more proactive attitude at the right moments, showing Eblana their desire to grow.
On their way here, the members of Night Raid had already gained some understanding of Eblana's preferences regarding her subordinates, so no one showed any inappropriate reactions.
If anything, aside from the meal, they genuinely wanted to meet her sooner rather than later.
"I see."
Eblana didn't reveal any particular emotion and continued, "My first impression of you all isn't bad. We'll have plenty of opportunities to interact and get to know each other in the future. Shortly, I'll give you your first mission. You may withdraw for now—Akame will stay."
Seeing her attitude, Najenda guessed that Eblana was relatively satisfied.
As for why Akame was asked to stay, most of Night Raid were clueless. Only Akame and Najenda had some idea.
Once everyone else had left, Eblana finally spoke. "Akame, you should be well aware of the power of Yatsufusa."
"…Yes."
Akame nodded. "If used properly, Yatsufusa could rival multiple Teigu users on its own."
After all, it was an ability that manipulated corpses. With several supreme-class danger beasts under its control, facing multiple opponents alone wouldn't be an impossible feat.
Moreover, it was a direct counter to Murasame—since those who were already dead couldn't be killed again by Murasame's curse.
In that scenario, Murasame's only advantage would be its durability compared to ordinary blades.
Thus, Akame understood perfectly why Eblana had taken an interest in Kurome and intended to bring her under her wing as well.
As Kurome's older sister, Akame knew Eblana wouldn't overlook such a connection.
The thought that if she failed, Eblana might personally step in to kill Kurome and turn her into a Servant of Lamentation made Akame's breath catch.
That absolutely must not happen…
Her sister should either live properly in this world, even if it meant hating her, or die by her hand, resting peacefully underground forever.
Eblana's approach toward Kurome was something Akame could not accept.
So, whether it was due to orders, the situation, or her own personal feelings, Akame had to persuade Kurome.
"Since you understand this, you know what you must do, correct?"
Eblana continued.
"Yes. I will convince Kurome to pledge her loyalty to you, Lady Eblana."
Akame nodded.
"Then… how do you plan to do it?"
"I will explain the corruption of the Empire to her, make her realize that the Empire cannot bring about the peaceful, happy world our comrades strive for."
Her response left Eblana speechless.
Eblana considered herself a fairly grounded individual, so she didn't claim to understand the bond between Akame and Kurome all that deeply.
But even now, Akame's approach to communicating with Kurome missed the crucial point.
It wasn't entirely off the mark—it was indeed important—but this would only temporarily pull Kurome out of her hatred. It wouldn't truly help her move on from the past.
"Akame, you know."
Eblana decided to give her a hint. "Sometimes, I can't help but marvel at the beauty of blood ties and familial bonds."
Hearing this, Akame looked at Eblana with confusion, sensing that she was referring to her and Kurome.
"If a warrior has nothing to lose, they will fear no death, fighting fearlessly and charging toward their end without hesitation."
Eblana's tone was calm, yet carried a compelling quality that made one listen intently. "But such a warrior can never be controlled, for they know no fear and will not bow to anything."
"Those who can be controlled, who can be restrained, are the ones who have family."
Eblana finally reached the core of her point.
"When one has family, they have a weakness. Death will make them afraid—not of death itself, but of the uncertainty of their family's safety and happiness after they're gone. Such a warrior will also develop even greater strength out of this fear of death."
"This is the beauty born of blood ties and familial bonds."
Akame understood this well. Countless times in life-or-death situations, it was her thoughts of her sister and the hope she placed in her that kept her going.
She didn't ask why being controlled was considered beautiful—that was obvious. Eblana was the one in control, so of course she would see it that way.
But she wasn't entirely lacking in emotional intelligence either. After Eblana finished speaking, she grasped her meaning. "You mean… I should use our bond to reach Kurome?"
"She is precisely that kind of warrior now—one who knows no fear of death, living only by obsession and the past, a ghost whose true self has long since died."
A cold glint crept into Eblana's eyes.
"Such an existence holds no value in this world. The next battle against the Empire is in three days. You don't have much time, Akame."
The black-haired girl felt a chill run down her spine under that gaze, her expression firming. "I will complete the mission."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.