"Do you know why the Western Defense Army completely ignored your calls for help?"
"There's a rather interesting piece of news... I think I should share it with you."
This wasn't part of some elaborate scheme—just a sudden whim of Selene's. She wasn't one of those lunatics who spent every waking moment plotting against others.
In the original history, after the Imperial Assassination Unit's Elite Seven lost most of their members during the Sun Moon Lake mission, the Imperial high command disbanded the unit. The survivors were scattered across different assignments, carrying out assassination missions independently.
Among them, Akame achieved an almost perfect record of completed assassinations.
Until one day—she received a mission to assassinate the Imperial defector, General Najenda. But during the mission, she was swayed by Najenda's words and eventually defected to follow her, abandoning the Empire completely.
Afterward, Akame had planned to flee the Empire together with her younger sister, Kurome. However, Kurome's close friends in the Assassination Unit's Enhancement Division—Natala and Gin—were both killed while fighting against the Revolutionary Army.
With such irreconcilable hatred, Kurome could not accept her sister's choice. She refused outright, viewing Akame's defection as a betrayal of the Empire and an insult to her fallen comrades.
Thus, the once inseparable sisters became bitter enemies.
Kurome sought to personally execute Akame and add her to the ranks of the Eight Puppets so they would never be separated again. Akame, in turn, resolved to kill her sister—not out of hatred, but out of a twisted sense of salvation, to free her from being a mere killing machine of the Empire.
Tragic. Truly a tale of 'sisterly devotion.'
Later, Akame would go on to kill her final remaining comrade—the Elite Seven's No.6-ranked assassin, Tsukushi—and eventually, her adoptive father and mentor, Gozuki himself.
From that moment, she completely severed her ties to the Empire, cutting off all emotional attachments and turning her blade against her former homeland as one of the deadliest members of the Revolutionary Army's assassination group, Night Raid.
But if I send Akame and her comrades to assassinate Najenda now, with so many of her teammates still alive... will she still be swayed by Najenda's persuasion? Will she really defect to the so-called Southern Revolutionary Army?
Selene was very, very curious.
Like a bolt of thunder, her words drew everyone's attention. The once-quiet dining hall suddenly burst into commotion.
Bang!
"What?!"
"Great General, what do you know?!"
"Please, tell us!"
Since their return to the capital, Gozuki had already reported and launched an inquiry into the Western Defense Army's blatant inaction—their so-called "immovable as a mountain" response to allied distress calls.
Why had they done nothing? Was it incompetence? Internal interference? Or had the local garrisons already conspired with the rebel forces?
No one knew.
"Mind your manners! ...My deepest apologies, Great General. My disciples meant no disrespect," Gozuki said sharply, scolding them before turning back, his face taut with urgency. "What... what is this news?"
Selene's gaze swept the room. Even the gluttonous Akame had stopped eating, everyone staring at her in tense silence.
"Najenda," Selene said flatly, setting down her teacup.
"What?!" The five surviving members of the Elite Seven gasped in unison.
"General Najenda? That can't be! She's been one of the Empire's rising stars, ranked alongside General Esdeath! She has everything—a brilliant future! Why... why would she conspire with rebels?"
Cornelia's disbelief was palpable.
To her, both Esdeath and Najenda were the shining icons of the Empire's younger generation. Especially Najenda—unlike Esdeath, she was kind, composed, and highly respected. Cornelia had even looked up to her as a role model.
"You don't believe me?" Selene said, raising her hand. A stack of documents materialized out of thin air. "See for yourself. This is Najenda's personnel record from her time stationed in the Western Province, at the White Wolf River region, before she was promoted to General."
Standing up, Gozuki respectfully accepted the documents with both hands and began to read through them quickly. The longer he read, the darker his expression became.
Though he already had his suspicions, Gozuki gritted his teeth and asked, "Great General... with only this much, I fear the evidence may be insufficient."
"Hmm... are you trying to make me laugh?" Selene's crimson eyes narrowed dangerously, locking on Gozuki.
Her tone remained soft—almost gentle—but her words carried unmistakable weight. The next instant, an overwhelming pressure erupted through the room. The air warped, and a violet-red shadow engulfed the entire dining hall.
In less than a heartbeat, Gozuki and the others found themselves completely immobilized, unable to breathe. A crushing sense of dread bore down on their minds, their bodies, even their very souls, as though the abyss itself had descended upon them.
"Gozuki... since you've already chosen to submit, don't think you can keep one foot on both sides. Fence-sitters," Selene's voice grew cold, "usually die the most miserable deaths."
As soon as the words left her lips, the suffocating aura vanished without a trace.
"...Be more careful next time. If it happens again, it won't end so easily." Her voice was once again calm and mild, as if that suffocating darkness had never come from her at all.
Ignoring the six still gasping for air, Selene continued, "Back to the point—when has the Imperial Assassination Unit ever needed evidence to execute a traitor? Suspicion alone is enough."
"But if you insist on proof... that, too, can be arranged. Liver, explain it to them." Rising to her feet, Selene turned away. "Susanoo, continue serving. Treat our guests well."
"I have military matters to attend to. From here, Liver and Susanoo will see to your needs. Enjoy your meal."
Tap, tap, tap—
The crisp sound of Selene's heels echoed through the marble hall, fading gradually as her silhouette disappeared into the corridor.
...
"Alright, Instructor Gozuki, the young lady has left. You can stop bowing now," Liver said as he walked toward Selene's vacated seat.
"...Lord Liver, may I ask—what evidence do you possess?" Gozuki asked, lifting his head.
"I'm no 'Lord' anymore," Liver replied with a faint smile. "I'm merely an old servant under the Milady's command."
He raised his hand, purple light shimmering between his fingers. "This—comes from the memories extracted from the brains of the corpses."
"Najenda has already met multiple times with rebel factions in the Southern Provinces. Among them were members of the Oarburgh Syndicate—Daniel and Babara."
"I trust you understand what that implies, Instructor Gozuki."
Gozuki nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Lord Liver... I know exactly what must be done."