Chapter 156: Akame—As an Undercover Agent, I'm a Professional!
The night was deep.
"The stars are so beautiful... aren't they?"
Mahiro lay on the grass with his hands behind his head, gazing at the starry sky as if talking to himself.
But moments later, a faint rustling sound came from the bushes not far behind him.
Soon after, a slender figure quietly emerged.
Bathed in the moonlight, her form gradually became clear.
A pure black trench coat swayed in the wind, while a sleeveless black dress clung tightly to her body. A red neckerchief fluttered gently at her chest, accentuating her already mature and prominent bust.
A pair of long legs, tightly sheathed in black thigh-high stockings, stepped across the lawn toward him.
"Have a seat."
As if he had anticipated her arrival, Mahiro patted the grass beside him with one hand.
"It's been a while, Akame. How have things been with Night Raid lately?"
"Mmm, not bad. Boss treats me well, and Night Raid is quite harmonious."
As she spoke, Akame smoothly sat down beside him, slowly bending her legs.
A section of her fair, tender thighs peeked out from beneath her skirt, glowing faintly under the moonlight like polished jade.
Her smooth black hair cascaded down her back, and her bright, beautiful wine-red eyes evoked a sense of nostalgia.
It hadn't been long since they last met, but Akame seemed to have grown noticeably, both in demeanor and figure.
She once had the air of a young girl, but now she vaguely rivaled Cornelia.
"Lord Yotsuba, how has my younger sister, Kurome, been lately?"
"Oh? Asking about your sister before inquiring about me? How heartbreaking~"
"That's not it."
Teased by him, Akame's cheeks flushed slightly as she explained:
"...Lord Yotsuba's situation, Leone always gives a summary report when she returns, and Sheele occasionally mentions it too. I'm well aware, so I didn't feel the need to ask."
"Oh? So Najenda is quite concerned about me."
"Mmm, Boss thinks you're dangerous—arguably the biggest threat to Night Raid at the moment, but also the smallest."
At the mention of this, Akame's expression turned serious.
"I understand, I understand."
Mahiro waved his hand dismissively.
After all, he had once taken Najenda's right arm and her Teigu, so it was only natural for her to be wary of him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have allowed Leone and Sheele to serve as guards at his place.
As for the deeper reasons, it was largely because his strength was considered comparable to Esdeath's in everyone's eyes.
But the reason he was seen as a minor threat was mainly due to his conflicts with Prime Minister Honest, both openly and covertly.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile.
"Don't worry, Kurome is doing well. As you know, she's currently leading a team training newcomers, and Tsukushi and Cornelia are also looking after her."
Hearing that Kurome was fine, Akame smiled in relief.
"Thank you, Lord Yotsuba."
"No need for thanks. I'm quite fond of both you sisters... No, I should say I'm fond of all of you in the elite group. After all, I trained all of you myself, so how could I abandon any one of you? That includes you, Akame."
Although Akame was undercover, and although her purpose in infiltrating Night Raid was to make Night Raid serve his purposes...
In his eyes, Akame's value far exceeded that of the entire Night Raid combined.
Akame understood this clearly and remained silent, merely lowering her head slightly with a hint of shyness as her response.
"Alright, let's end the small talk for now. Tell me, is Night Raid planning some major operation recently?"
"Huh? Lord Yotsuba, how did you know?"
Akame blinked her wine-red eyes, shimmering with curiosity and surprise.
"Heh, Sheele has been covering for Leone for half a month. If I still couldn't figure it out, I'd be a fool and unworthy of being your instructor."
Mahiro shot her a sidelong glance, leaving her to interpret it herself.
However, perhaps influenced by Sheele or due to her own airheaded nature, Akame completely missed the meaning behind his gaze.
Instead, she nodded slightly and began explaining to him.
"You guessed right. Night Raid is indeed planning a major operation. Leone has recently been investigating Ogre, the captain of the guard, Iokal, and the oil merchant Gamal."
"Iokal is a relative of Prime Minister Honest and engages in illegal activities because of it. Ogre holds some authority, while Gamal has his connections. The three of them collude, framing and killing many people. They also capture women and control them with drugs to reap huge profits and bribes..."
"Tch, Ogre..."
After hearing Akame's description, Mahiro felt a tinge of regret.
This was his oversight.
Although he had integrated the assassination department and the guard corps, he had shown more favoritism toward the assassination department.
This led to negligence in overseeing the guard corps, with almost all matters handed over to Seryu.
But how could a novice like Seryu outmaneuver a seasoned veteran like Ogre?
It was only natural that some corruption and abuse of power would occur.
What surprised him was that despite receiving such generous treatment, Ogre still wasn't satisfied and had the audacity to collude with Honest's relative!
Since he was digging his own grave, he couldn't blame anyone else.
"But with so many targets, can your small Night Raid team handle them all?"
"No problem."
Akame spoke up, "I'll take care of the most difficult one. The others can be handled by Sheele, Leone, and Bulat."
"Oh? Almost the entire team is mobilizing."
As far as he knew, aside from Najenda, Akame, Leone, and Sheele, Night Raid only had Bulat, the Hundred-Man Slayer, and Lubbock.
Lubbock served as a liaison and wasn't particularly strong in combat, while Najenda was responsible for overall command, so they couldn't be counted.
Thus, deploying these four was essentially using all their available strength.
But that was fine. Since Bulat was taking action, he could analyze the Teigu Demon Armor: Incursio and perhaps extract the DNA of the Super Danger Beast Tyrant from it.
After all, it was a "living" Teigu!
Just like [Lionelle: Beast King Incarnation]!
Now he held the genes of two Danger Beasts - [Demon's Extract] and The King of Beasts Transformation: Lionelle. All he needed was Tyrant's, then he could go find that Dr. Stylish to perfect her Enhancement Drug.
After waiting so long, he finally saw a glimmer of hope.
"Lord Yotsuba, there's something I don't know if I should say..."
"Speak. Hesitation doesn't suit you, Akame."
"Well, you're right..."
Akame slowly raised her head to gaze at the stars with him. "Actually, I feel like the Boss and everyone in Night Raid aren't bad people. I know about the filth within the Revolutionary Army, but what Night Raid does and strives for is somewhat similar to what you're doing, Lord Yotsuba."
"So?"
"So... if Lord Yotsuba ever captures all of Night Raid in the future, I hope you can spare their lives. Would that be alright?"
When Akame said these words, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief, as if these thoughts had been pent up in her heart for a long time.
Yet this made Mahiro unable to help but laugh.
"Lord Yotsuba, what are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at how foolish you are, Akame. If Night Raid were truly an organization engaged in shady dealings with the Revolutionary Army, do you think I would have let you infiltrate them? To deal with them, there would be no need for you to go undercover. The reason I did this is because I believe Night Raid can still be saved."
Hearing this, Akame's eyes immediately brightened.
She already understood what Mahiro meant—that her Lord Yotsuba had never intended to destroy Night Raid from the beginning. This made Akame very happy.
Under the night sky, one sitting and one lying down, the atmosphere between them quietly changed along with the girl's mood.
"Then, Lord Yotsuba... there's one more thing I hope you can agree to."
"What is it?"
"It's... about the reward for providing this information."
As she spoke, Akame slowly rose, but not to stand up—instead, she knelt on the grass.
Placing her hands on either side of his head, she met his gaze.
Her long black hair cascaded down, brushing against his cheeks, bringing a slight tickling sensation while a faint, sweet feminine fragrance lingered around his nose.
"Like before?" Mahiro's eyes scanned Akame's beautiful figure, revealing a hint of amusement.
"...Yes, just like before."
Akame showed no intention of avoiding his gaze, instead fully presenting her body before him.
She proactively reached to loosen the tie at her neck and began undressing without another word, her decisive attitude making even Mahiro glance sideways in surprise.
"You've become much bolder, Akame."
The girl didn't speak, but instead gently leaned forward after neatly folding her removed clothes and placing them aside.
"Mmm... Lord Yotsuba... I hope you can be quicker this time. Before dawn, I still need... to return to headquarters."
"Well, that will depend on your skills, little Akame."
Under the moonlight, accompanied by the chirping of insects, a beautiful sonata began to play.
...
...
As dawn began to break, the girl who had toiled all night finally stumbled back to Night Raid's headquarters.
"Are you alright, Akame? Why did it take you so long to return?"
As she approached the base, a familiar figure leaped over. Leone supported the unsteady girl, asking with concern.
"It's nothing... I'm just a bit tired."
Akame forced an awkward smile, steadying herself with Leone's support.
Yet her hand unconsciously moved to rest on her abdomen.
She had promised to return before daybreak, yet here she was at this hour. If only she hadn't pushed herself so hard—and now she had to run into Leone of all people.
While lost in these thoughts, Akame continued walking alongside Leone.
Located ten kilometers north of the Imperial City in the mountains, Night Raid's headquarters was built within a hollowed-out mountain.
Though it appeared rather conspicuous and hardly concealed, it had somehow escaped detection by the Empire's search teams thus far.
However, as she helped Akame back to base, Leone subtly twitched her nose.
Due to her Teigu, the girl had acquired some of its characteristics, granting her an exceptionally keen sense of smell.
"That's strange, what's this scent, Akame?"
"I-It's nothing!" Akame's fair face flushed slightly as she stammered her reply.
"Is that so..." Leone remained somewhat doubtful but didn't press further.
In truth, with her beast-like olfactory senses, how could Leone not recognize the scent on Akame? She was merely sparing the girl's dignity by not mentioning it.
Oh my... What huge news! Akame actually has a boyfriend! And a nighttime rendezvous at that—looks like the young couple had quite the passionate night.
But was it just her imagination? She felt the masculine scent on Akame seemed somewhat familiar.
It felt... it felt like...! No way...?
Having frequently gnawed on someone's clothes out of boredom, she immediately recognized the scent.
Which meant—
Could Akame have been with Mahiro last night? If that were the case, then wouldn't that mean...
Leone's eyes widened in astonishment, her mind conjuring an unimaginable possibility.
However, under Leone's intense, straightforward gaze, Akame could no longer bear it and deliberately changed the subject.
"...What about the Boss? Has she returned yet?"
"Ah, yes... She's back, she's back. The Boss plans to hold a brief meeting after daybreak."
"I see. Then I'll go take a bath first."
With that, Akame freed herself from Leone's support and returned to her room.
Removing her clothes, she turned on the shower.
Warm water cascaded over her body, tracing paths along her straight collarbone and upright spine before slipping away.
Akame tilted her head back, allowing the water to rinse her body. Her jet-black long hair became soaked, with water droplets leaving meandering trails across her skin.
Hearing the sound of running water from the room, Leone stood in the corridor, her gaze fixed on Akame's door.
His expression gradually grew complicated.
No way...
If Akame and Mahiro had that kind of relationship, wouldn't that mean Akame was an imperial spy planted in Night Raid?
But how could that be!
Akame was personally brought back by Boss.
Unless Mahiro had known from the beginning that Boss intended to recruit Akame, and made arrangements in advance.
No, that's even more impossible.
After all, Akame and Boss's meeting was purely coincidental!
It's said Boss spent considerable effort persuading Akame to join their side.
Leone fell into deep confusion, her mind racing so intensely it felt like her CPU was about to overload.
On one hand, she couldn't believe the adorable Akame could be a planted spy, nor did she believe Mahiro possessed the ability to foresee the future and prepare for everything in advance!
But on the other hand, the scent on Akame was unmistakably Mahiro's!
And most crucially, if Akame really were a spy, wouldn't she and Sheele have been exposed long ago?
If they were exposed, why wouldn't Mahiro have captured them?
"Leone? Hey, Leone!"
After repeated calls, Leone finally snapped back to reality, realizing she was already seated at Night Raid's conference table.
Several people around her were watching with curious and concerned expressions.
Even Akame, fresh from her bath with lingering steam still rising from her body, was holding a large bowl piled high with grilled meat while eating and looking at her.
"Leone, did something happen? Boss was just talking to you," Sheele asked worriedly.
"Ah, no, haha, I just spaced out for a moment, sorry."
Leone scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.
"It's fine, just don't let it happen again."
Najenda, seated at the head of the table, extinguished her cigarette and asked in a serious tone, "Leone, what about the intelligence investigation from before? Was everything the client said true?"
"Yes, everything the client reported was verified. The guard captain Ogre, Iokal, and oil merchant Gamal are all colluding with each other. I witnessed and heard everything myself—they're guilty."
"In that case, we'll accept this commission! The new nation has no place for such irredeemable scum. We'll deliver divine punishment upon them."
"But Boss, while taking out oil merchant Gamal will be easy, Ogre is a formidable opponent. The security around the imperial palace is tight, and Iokal has many guards hired from the Imperial Fist Temple."
"Hahahaha, no problem, leave Ogre to me!"
A muscular man with a spiky hairstyle and a bold, hearty laugh suddenly spoke up.
Though he looked completely different from the handsome man on the wanted posters, this was indeed Bulat, the empire's defected "Hundred Man Slayer"—incredibly powerful with the bearing of a general.
In close combat, he was only slightly weaker than Esdeath.
"Very well, Bulat. Your Incursio happens to have stealth capabilities, so you'll be responsible for infiltrating the Imperial City and eliminating Ogre," Najenda decided.
"...I'll handle Iokal."
Akame set down her rice bowl after finishing her grilled meat donburi, picking up a napkin to wipe her mouth.
"In that case, let me take care of Jamal!" Leone cheerfully raised her hand, finally having a chance to stretch her limbs—how could she miss this opportunity!
But Najenda rejected her proposal, shaking her head:
"No, Leone. You have other work to do. When we make our move, you need to stay at the secret security minister's residence to monitor Yotsuba Mahiro and prevent him from interfering with our operations."
"Eh?!!! I don't think that's necessary. Lord Yotsuba is a good official! The sisters in the slums often discuss his deeds. He probably wouldn't shield scum like Ogre, right?" Leone explained with admiration in her eyes.
Although she often skipped work and played with Mahiro's clothes, she held deep respect and admiration for him.
After all, there were far too few good officials in the Empire who dared to oppose Prime Minister Honest while also not oppressing the common people!
If possible, she even wanted to recruit Mahiro into the Revolutionary Army.
As she thought this, Leone's gaze unconsciously drifted toward Akame.
"That guy is also a high-ranking imperial official, right? Is he really as good as you say, Leone?"
Lubbock clearly didn't believe Leone's words.
"Um... I also think Mr. Yotsuba is a good person. He's very tolerant and gentle. Every time I made a mistake, Mr. Yotsuba never scolded me."
Sheele timidly raised her hand:
"And I remember a few years ago when I killed someone, it was Mr. Yotsuba's secretary, Miss Seryu, who came to investigate the truth."
"That's right! Lord Yotsuba would never shield such criminals—he would personally punish them!"
Akame said this too, her eyes filled with unwavering trust.
Even Bulat spoke with a serious expression:
"I don't know much about Mahiro personally, but when I was in the military, I often heard rumors about him. He's very powerful, kind-hearted, and quite popular among everyone."
Lubbock: "..."
Lubbock didn't expect that his casual remark would prompt so many people to refute him.
"Alright, you're all correct. Mahiro is indeed the most legendary minister in the military—handsome, powerful, even that queen general Esdeath can't do anything about him."
Najenda praised, a flicker of recollection in her left eye.
Although Mahiro had personally taken her right arm, she didn't hate him from the bottom of her heart. It was just that their positions differed, and he was only following orders.
Moreover, she still remembered his words back then. Thinking about it carefully now, combined with her own observations, there was some truth to them.
But there was no turning back once the arrow left the bow. All she could do was try her best to prevent the Revolutionary Army from repeating the Empire's mistakes!
Thinking this, she continued:
"But don't forget—both Akame and Bulat are on the wanted list. Although Mahiro's character suggests he wouldn't shield Ogre, who can guarantee he won't capture us fugitives?"
Akame opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed her words.
"Alright, that's settled then. Leone, you'll remain at the estate during the operation to monitor Mahiro's movements."
"Eh... please don't, Boss... I often slacked off and skipped work when I was guarding the gate. If I stay there the whole time, wouldn't I get exposed? Why not send Sheele instead? She's much more dutiful than me, and the other party definitely wouldn't suspect anything!"
Leone had a sudden inspiration and immediately shifted the blame to Sheele.
Sheele, looking rather clueless, pushed up her glasses and said: "If you want me to do it... no problem."
Najenda: "..."
She fixed Leone with a dead-fish stare, her slightly clenched prosthetic hand indicating she really wanted to punch Leone.