Chapter 153: The Masked Woman and the Airhead
"In that case, let's start by breaking both her legs."
"Eeeeeek!!!"
The restraining guard slowly applied pressure, gradually bending Fal's legs in the opposite direction. As if undergoing torture, Fal let out agonized screams.
"Oh ho, what a delightful sound."
The nobles showed no trace of pity, their eyes revealing boundless greed and pleasure.
To them, these girls were the finest toys.
Slowly eroding and crushing their dignity and lives—no game could be more entertaining than this!
Indeed, screams like these truly were the most beautiful sound in the world!!!
"Fa... Fal-chan..."
Watching their companion being tortured, Air and Luna's eyes filled with infinite despair and terror, instantly plummeting from heavenly happiness to hellish torment.
They never imagined that their masters in the Imperial City would treat them with such inhuman cruelty.
"Well now, what are you all playing that's so fun? Mind if I join?"
Just then, an untimely mocking voice echoed through the spacious dining hall, interrupting their enjoyment.
"Wh... who's there!"
Over a dozen bodyguards in the hall sensed danger and immediately formed a protective circle around Buch and the others.
Following the voice, they saw a man sitting on a sofa not far away...
No, judging by his apparent age, he was more accurately described as a youth, about seventeen or eighteen years old with ear-length black layered hair. His gentle smiling face gave the illusion of basking in spring breeze.
That is, if one could ignore the murderous figure standing beside him.
That person wore a mask, making facial features indistinguishable, but the white kimono—thin like a yukata that perfectly accentuated her curvaceous figure—along with the straight black hair falling before her chest confirmed this was undoubtedly a woman.
Most striking was the long sword at her waist. Though sheathed behind her back, it measured nearly 1.4 meters in length!
The slender blade resembled a willow leaf, almost like a ceremonial ritual sword!
"You... you're Yotsuba Mahiro?!"
"Oh? I'm surprised someone recognizes me."
Mahiro looked up toward the person who'd called his name—if he remembered correctly, it should be Buch.
"Heh, what an honor to unexpectedly encounter Minister Yotsuba here. To what do we owe your distinguished visit?"
Buch forced a smile, doing his utmost to maintain composure.
Mahiro's formidable reputation in the Imperial City—how could he possibly be unaware of it?
As one of Prime Minister Honest's supporters who frequently opposed Mahiro under the minister's leadership, he was naturally quite familiar with this man.
But this time, they were in the right!
"...Minister Yotsuba, these girls were all purchased with my hard-earned money, without violating the empire's laws. You won't interfere, will you?"
"Heh, don't tell me you're here to watch us have fun."
The noble with a fat face and large ears revealed his ugly demeanor—he was even planning to gouge out Luna's eyes for amusement!
"Correct, you guessed right. I am indeed here to play with you."
Mahiro smiled and nodded. Before they could show surprised expressions, he softly added:
"Begin."
The woman didn't speak, merely stepping slowly from behind him. As an even more intense and chilling killing intent erupted from her, she abruptly charged toward the group.
"Quick! Protect the lords!!!"
Seeing the woman's ghost-like speed, the bodyguards immediately abandoned all other concerns, dropping the three-colored lolitas and throwing themselves before the nobles to form a human shield!
Their muscles bulged prominently—with such robust physiques, even being stabbed by blades shouldn't inflict serious harm.
That's how it should have been.
But neither the bodyguards nor the nobles had anticipated:
They only withstood a single strike!
Whoosh—
A flash of white light, followed by the sword's gust!
Warm blood splattered everywhere, instantly dyeing the ceiling, walls, and floor crimson.
Severed limbs lay scattered across the ground, all cleanly sliced through by a single blade.
Along with that Danger Beast, be slain!
The three lolis stared blankly at the scene before them that resembled a slaughterhouse, then couldn't help but vomit on the spot.
As for the nobles, when the guards' blood splattered onto their faces, they finally understood the severity of the situation.
"Yotsuba! You... you dare attack us openly! Do you intend to rebel against the Empire?!"
Buch stepped forward, shouting with a bluster that concealed his fear.
But Mahiro paid no heed, tilting his head and slightly frowning as he said to the woman:
"Did you not understand my command? I meant, leave no one alive."
"..."
The woman remained silent.
Yet the gaze emanating from behind her mask carried a profound chill.
"...I am the breath of the Grim Reaper Oarburgh, the wind of impermanence, guiding you to the underworld!"
This was the first time the woman had spoken.
Though her voice was somewhat low, it couldn't conceal its clarity.
Words akin to a funeral dirge quietly reached the ears of the few.
Among them, the bald Suka, who had a strongman's hairstyle, seemed to recall something, his eyes widening as he pointed at her.
"You... you are—"
Swish—
Before he could finish speaking, a blade flashed.
In an instant, Suka's head, along with those of the others, soared into the air, then landed softly amidst the splattering blood, rolling a few times with a dull thud.
Their faces still bore the shock and resentment of their final moments.
"...Mission accomplished." The woman sheathed her long sword, turning to return to his side, speaking with a hint of reverence.
"Mm, well done. You may return and rest now."
With his permission, the woman departed.
Mahiro then stepped forward, walking steadily toward the severed heads of the nobles.
The hard leather soles of his shoes echoed crisply against the marble floor.
"Let me see... four this time. My, my, today truly is a bountiful harvest."
He looked down at Buch's head, a mocking smile playing on his lips, his eyes glinting with a cold light.
"Accuse me of treason? Are the likes of you even qualified? Moreover, don't you know that only the living have the chance to defend themselves? The dead are only fit to bear the blame."
Not long after, the security team arrived.
It consisted of several members of the elite group, along with a few captains and the newcomers they had brought.
Nahashu, Cornelia, Tsukushi, and the other captains showed no reaction to the bloody scene; in fact, Kurome was leisurely nibbling on a cookie.
She even asked Mahiro, "Lord Yotsuba, would you like one?"
After he politely declined, it was the newcomers who vomited on the spot.
Especially with the overwhelming stench of blood assaulting their senses, coupled with the sight of severed limbs and scattered body parts...
It was utterly gruesome!
"Lord Yotsuba, what should we do next? Proceed as usual?" Nahashu confirmed that everyone present was thoroughly dead before speaking up.
"Mhm, as usual. Confiscate their assets."
"And what charges shall we levy this time?"
"Let me think... let's say they colluded with Night Raid, sold imperial intelligence, committed treason against the Empire, and additionally assaulted the division commander, leading to their immediate execution."
After a moment's casual thought, Mahiro provided a perfectly reasonable justification.
Hadn't this man named Buch accused him of treason?
Thus, this title fits these nobles quite appropriately.
After all, their security force exists to uphold the laws and justice of the Imperial City!
"Lord Yotsuba, what should we do with these three? Should we eliminate them as well?" Poney pointed at the three trembling little girls—pink, blue, and yellow—slumped in the corner as she asked.
That fool still speaks so bluntly.
Even after repeated reminders, it's called "handling," not "eliminating"!
Yet this single-minded idiot still can't remember. Just look at how frightened those three little girls are!
"They're likely slaves purchased by these nobles. Since they witnessed the entire process, Lord Yotsuba, I believe we cannot let them live," Nahashu suggested.
"But... that's too cruel. They haven't done anything wrong," Tsukushi weakly protested.
"Silence, you insignificant fool! That's merely your opinion!" Nahashu coldly rebuked her.
Although they are all captains now, Nahashu remains the leader of the elite assassination squad. Thus, he has always done everything in his power to protect the team's safety.
He forbids any mistake that could lead to a crisis.
Unfortunately, many fail to understand his perspective, seeing him only as cruel and strict.
"Waaah... Mom, Dad, the Imperial City is too terrifying! We want to go home!" Air clung to Luna and Fal, who was still nursing her sore leg.
Before arriving, they had been full of longing, but after witnessing the darkest side of this place, all they wanted was to return home. Even their impoverished countryside would be better than this.
It was truly horrifying.
One moment they were immersed in happiness, the next they were plunged into despair and hell. And with the appearance of this seemingly gentle big brother, everything turned into a cruel inferno. Were they really going to die here?
"Enough. Let these three come back with me," Mahiro spoke up, glancing at the shivering little girls.
"But Lord Yotsuba..."
"It's fine. They're just three little girls. What threat could they possibly pose?" Mahiro waved his hand, cutting off Nahashu's objection.
Since he had made his decision, Nahashu had no further grounds to argue. He could only mutter gloomily:
"They're lucky to be spared."
Then he began the on-site cleanup and the subsequent confiscation of the nobles' assets.
And so, the fate of the three little girls was forcibly decided.
However, Cornelia crouched beside the severed limbs, studying the smooth cuts with a sense of familiarity.
This sharp blade technique seemed familiar—she felt she had seen it somewhere before.
She knew Lord Yotsuba's combat style well; it was the kind that could eliminate enemies silently, leaving no trace behind.
It would never result in such a bloodbath with severed limbs scattered everywhere like this.
Moreover, this wasn't the first time such a scene had occurred.
In her memory, only three people could create such clean, smooth cuts: Taeko, and the sisters Akame and Kurome.
But Taeko had died two years ago, Akame was currently undercover in Night Raid, and Kurome had just been shopping with her moments ago.
So, who could it be...?
...
At the same time.
The masked woman had returned to Mahiro's residence, but she didn't reside within the main building, moving about completely unnoticed by anyone.
She stealthily infiltrated the mansion's vault where gold coins were stored.
After locking the main door, she ventured deep into the vault. At its innermost section stood a soft large bed accompanied by several matching pieces of furniture.
Several massive treasure chests served as foundation around the area, with glimpses of glittering gold coins visible through the gaps.
She resembled a great dragon guarding its hoard.
As was her habit, she approached the full-length mirror, placed her weapon on a nearby rack, and shed her pure white kimono, revealing a pale and alluring slender figure.
After changing into simple, loose clothing, she finally removed the mask concealing her face, unveiling a breathtakingly beautiful countenance.
If Cornelia were here and saw the woman's face, she would be utterly astonished.
Because this woman was none other than Taeko!
However, present-day Taeko differed from her past self—no longer an assassin of Oarburgh, no longer Babara's disciple nor Chelsea's senior.
Her body, heart, life, and everything about her now belonged to Mahiro.
Naturally, she would have resisted such unfair treatment initially.
Two years ago, that's exactly what she did.
Her first attempt to strike against Mahiro ended in defeat.
Subsequently, she tried escaping from the mansion, only to be intercepted by that man just beyond the Imperial City's borders.
Even now, she vividly remembered that scene.
Under the moonlight in the dark night, that man sat on a tree branch, gazing down at her with mocking amusement.
"Hey, night running? How about bringing me along?"
The man was thoroughly toying with her!
She couldn't defeat him in combat, nor could she escape him. Each failure brought varying degrees of punishment.
The first punishment remained most vividly etched in her memory.
Somehow that man had obtained peculiarly strange, vibrating accessories that he covered her entire body with!
That hellish torment still made her tremble uncontrollably whenever she recalled it.
Back then, her cherry-pink lips were deeply indented by her pearly white teeth.
Her delicate fingers wrinkled the bedsheets, her spring-haze flushed cheeks turned slightly away, and even her black pearl-like beautiful eyes coldly stared elsewhere.
Though her spirit resisted desperately, her body was continuously eroded.
Ultimately, it was the first to betray her.
Left with no choice, she could only compromise and submit to Mahiro.
Fortunately, the man only subjected her to these treatments, usually assigning her dirty work in daily life without crossing further boundaries...
"Sigh."
Taeko sighed softly, collapsing onto the soft bed. Her lotus-white arm draped over her eyebrows as she gazed melancholically at the vaulted ceiling.
Although this life represented sufficient happiness for her and her existence, and the man never restricted her freedom—allowing her to come and go almost at will.
He had even gifted her the Teigu mask Power Surging: Balzac that could unleash her full potential.
But...
"I wonder how Chelsea is doing now..."
A soft sigh from Taeko echoed through the deep vault.
...
Since Nahashu, Green, and Cornelia needed to handle follow-up work, only Tsukushi, Kurome, Gin, and Poney accompanied him home this time, along with three trembling little girls.
However, they were currently blocked outside the main gate.
As for the reason...
"Hey, Leone! I'm back, open the gate quickly," Mahiro called out loudly while standing before his own gate.
"Who is it? Leone told me not to open the gate for just anyone," came a gentle girl's voice from the wooden hut he'd specially built near the gate.
Unlike Leone's energetic tone, this voice was extremely soft.
It was clearly Sheele.
It was quite amusing, really. Leone was a member of Night Raid, yet Mine had hired her as a guard.
That alone was strange enough, but then Leone, who loved slacking off, had dragged along the airheaded Sheele—also a Night Raid member—to cover her shifts.
If there weren't any wanted posters, Najenda and Akame would probably have been dragged over by Leone to guard the gate too, right?
Well, not Najenda.
But Akame—that was quite likely.
For now, though, he needed to get this airhead Sheele to open the gate.
"It's me, Mahiro. I'm back."
"Eh? Is that Lord Yotsuba? No... wait, what proof do you have that you're Lord Yotsuba? How do I know you're not a thief trying to trick me into opening the gate? Last time, Leone scolded me so badly for that."
That made way too much sense!
Mahiro facepalmed helplessly. "Couldn't you just come out and see for yourself?"
"I can't do that. I'm reading right now, and my eyes can't be distracted," Sheele responded very seriously.
She was currently sitting in the wooden hut, holding a book titled "One Hundred Ways to Correct an Airhead," but the effect... was completely nonexistent.
"Lord Yotsuba, this idiot woman needs to be taught a proper lesson!"
Poney couldn't take it anymore. Waving her fists, she was about to force her way through the gate to give this foolish woman a lesson she'd never forget.
Though she herself was an idiot with no right to call others idiots, this time the other three didn't refute, even agreeing with Poney's sentiment.
What kind of fool guards a gate so poorly that even the mansion's owner can't enter?!
"Never mind, I'll handle it myself."
Mahiro grabbed Poney before she could break down the gate, then stepped forward alone and delivered a powerful kick to the gate.
BOOM!
Dust filled the air.
Amidst the tremendous crash, the two tightly shut courtyard gates flew inward and embedded themselves neatly in the ground.
"Intruders!"
At that moment, Sheele rushed out from the wooden hut, charging straight toward Mahiro.
Her high heels struck the ground sharply. With a slight push from her slender legs tightly encased in white stockings, her navy blue skirt fluttered like butterfly wings.
She shot toward Mahiro like an arrow.
The scissors in her hand headed straight for his neck!
"You fool, look closely at who I am!"
Mahiro grabbed Sheele's wrist, disarming her, while his other arm wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her completely into his embrace.
"Eh?"
Disarmed of her knife, Sheele blinked in momentary confusion before finally recognizing the person through her glasses.
Her face immediately brightened with a smile:
"Ah, it's Mr. Yotsuba. Welcome back."
Mahiro: "..."
Right now I really want to give Leone a good beating. Is it too late for that?
And also—
Airheads can truly be terrifying...