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DN : [397] The Gathering Storm
🕑 Added 2024-12-28 16:00:05 +0000 UTCMorning sunlight filtered softly into the lavish chamber as Esdeath stirred from her slumber. A satisfied smile graced her lips as her eyes landed on the man beside her—August. The sight of him, so close and tangible, brought an unusual warmth to her usually cold demeanor.
It was almost unbelievable. The mere act of sharing such intimacy with this man not only brought her pleasure but also inexplicably strengthened her powers. This phenomenon defied all reason, yet it was undeniably real. As a result, Esdeath found herself clinging to August night after night, indulging in both pleasure and power—a perfect balance that suited her entirely.
Her movements roused August from his sleep. He opened his eyes to meet her gaze, a hint of exasperation flickering in his expression. Since Najenda had joined their ranks, she had thrown herself into her new role with abandon. However, upon learning that this world would meet its end in a year, Najenda had grown even more detached, shirking her responsibilities and leaving everything in Esdeath’s hands.
Now, Najenda was buried in work, her workload so immense she likely wished she could split herself in two. The empire’s affairs were in chaos following the purge of countless officials and nobles. Every vacant position required careful vetting and replacement—an arduous task that consumed considerable effort.
Adding to the strain, Esdeath had essentially declared herself a hands-off leader, exacerbating Najenda’s already overwhelming burden. The latter had begun to question if she’d made a grave mistake aligning herself with them. No system should exploit its workforce to such extremes, she thought, and Esdeath’s indifference to power only made matters worse.
Esdeath stretched languidly before addressing August. “How are the Revolutionary Army and the tribal alliance faring?”
“They’re continuing to amass their forces. Reports indicate their numbers have swelled to about 1.3 million.”
“Another hundred thousand?” she mused. “Where are they pulling these soldiers from?”
August offered a casual shrug. “No idea, likely conscripts from conquered territories.”
A mischievous glint danced in Esdeath’s eyes. “Tell me, if we were to slaughter all 1.3 million of them, how much would that benefit you?”
“Immeasurably,” August replied without hesitation.
“Then it’s decided.”
And just like that, the fate of 1.3 million lives was sealed with casual indifference. Neither August nor Esdeath viewed the amassed army as a threat. For Esdeath, now reborn as a Demon under August’s power and equipped with both magic and dark energy, her strength had reached incomprehensible heights. She alone was a force capable of decimating entire legions.
Esdeath turned the conversation to another matter. “Your world, August. I noticed it’s sparsely populated—just a handful of people, barely over a hundred.”
She referred to the small world she had visited, home to August’s chosen followers and a collection of unique magical creatures he had “acquired.”
Unlike most, Esdeath found nothing amiss in this arrangement. Her belief in survival of the fittest dictated that the strong deserved to dominate. As the strongest, August’s harem of followers was not just expected but natural. Were their roles reversed and Esdeath the stronger of the two, she would tolerate no rivals in her presence. But as things stood, she had accepted her place as his.
“What are you suggesting?” August asked cautiously.
“I’m thinking,” Esdeath began, her tone contemplative, “this world is doomed to collapse anyway. Why not take some of its people with us?”
“Take people with us?” August echoed, his expression unreadable.
The idea wasn’t entirely new to him, but he had refrained from acting on it. His small world was not intended to host a sprawling population. Most importantly, its current inhabitants were exclusively his—his treasures. The notion of introducing outsiders, however slim the chance of disruption, was unacceptable. Even the smallest imperfection in his perfect world was an affront he couldn’t bear.
The others were manageable, but when it came to the monster girls, August wasn’t led by his heart but rather his instincts. Giving in to reckless impulses could be disastrous.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I’m suggesting we take some children to the small world and raise them from a young age."
"Children?"
"Exactly."
"No, forget it. They're just ordinary people with no real value."
In the end, August rejected Esdeath's suggestion. If this had been the previous world, he might have been open to gathering a few young monster girls. But the ordinary people in this world? Frankly, it wasn’t worth the effort.
Even if they were nurtured from childhood, their potential would be quite limited upon growing up. Moreover, August wasn’t ready to introduce too many people into his small world just yet.
Esdeath, though slightly disappointed, didn’t press the issue further.
Her suggestion had been rooted in a specific purpose: to train and develop an army within August’s world—a powerful force absolutely loyal to him. This army could then serve as a conquering force in other worlds they traversed.
But alas, the idea was vetoed by August.
Soon after dressing, a new day began.
Swish—
As soon as they stepped out of the palace, two figures appeared before August and Esdeath.
"Queen Esdeath, Lord August, the scouts have reported the latest intelligence. The Revolutionary Army Alliance has begun mobilizing. It’s predicted that they’ll advance on the Imperial Capital within a few days."
"Oh? They couldn’t hold back any longer?"
August raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Initially, he had expected them to bide their time a bit longer.
It seemed the addition of figures like Sheele had significantly bolstered their confidence. So much so that they could no longer contain themselves.
"Lord August, shall we—"
Akame hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
Although August had previously instructed them not to interfere in this war, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
This was an army of 1.3 million troops, bolstered by several Teigu wielders. While Esdeath had the strength to take on thousands, even tens of thousands, facing an army of over a million was a different story.
Even ants, in overwhelming numbers, could take down an elephant. It might be an exaggeration, but the point remained valid.
"No need. Let the Jaegers stay stationed in the capital and guard against any potential ambushes from Sheele and her allies."
"But—"
"No buts. That’s an order."
"Understood."
Akame lowered her head, though it was clear she wasn’t happy about the decision.
Nearby, Kurome watched her sister, a subtle discomfort stirring within her. Love and hate often intertwined, and Kurome’s refusal to forgive her sister stemmed from a deep bond that made the perceived betrayal all the more painful.
"Queen Esdeath, may we accompany you instead?"
This time, Kurome spoke up. She wasn’t asking for the entire Jaeger squad to join the battle—she only wanted to go herself and bring Akame along.
