Chapter 92: Let's Begin, Our Date
At this moment, Kobayashi stood at the very front, implicitly taking the position of leader.
Esdeath lightly touched the brim of her cap, her sharp eyes staring at the man she held considerable goodwill for. She questioned, "Kobayashi, have you betrayed the Empire?"
She probably never expected that this thick-browed, big-eyed fellow who looked so honest would actually betray them.
But Esdeath had misunderstood one point.
"Betrayal? No. This should be called 'undercover'."
Kobayashi explained, "Betrayal is when you first join an organization, then leave to join a second one and swear loyalty to it. Someone like me, who never swore loyalty to the second organization, is called an undercover agent."
Speaking of which, his time as an undercover agent had been quite successful. He was already the second-in-command. If he didn't draw in the net soon, he'd probably be on equal footing with Esdeath as the boss.
Esdeath, however, didn't care.
She said coldly, "It makes no difference to me. What's important is that you betrayed me."
"On that point, I am deeply sorry."
Kobayashi bowed slightly, full of apology.
As someone who could read minds, he knew full well how much Esdeath had trusted him. Even when his behavior was abnormal, she had deliberately chosen not to pursue it, such as when he let Lubbock escape. The clues were obvious, but she had never arrested him for interrogation.
It was precisely because of this that he felt he had taken advantage of her trust.
Returning to the previous topic.
"Kobayashi, you said you were an undercover agent from the start. Then why didn't you make a move on me? You had so many opportunities to kill me."
This was what Esdeath found strange. She had tested him several times, but he had never shown any malice, and it wasn't for a shallow excuse like lacking the opportunity.
Since he had joined, unless they were on a mission or having an audience at the palace, the two of them were almost inseparable. She had even slept defenselessly in the same bed with him every night.
If he had wanted to make a move, he could have done so at any time.
"Well..."
Kobayashi pinched his chin, recalling. "Actually, I could have made a move the very first time I met the Captain. And I was fully confident that I could kill the Captain."
"I see. So your 'trump card' at that time wasn't just a bluff."
Esdeath narrowed her eyes.
When the two had first met, Kobayashi had seemed rather frightened. But after RyuZU appeared, his micro-expressions and small, frightened movements had vanished. He must have had the confidence to kill her even back then.
However, why didn't he?
"Because I was attracted to the Captain's charm."
"...Eh?"
Kobayashi seemed to have just dropped a bombshell. Just as everyone was wondering if they had misheard, he repeated himself.
"That's right. I was attracted to you from our very first meeting."
While everyone was completely stunned, Kobayashi, on the contrary, began to ramble on about Esdeath's charms.
"Your strength is outstanding, and you're full of domineering spirit.
Of course, those are just the basics.
Captain, although you are evil, you capture people's hearts. You are extremely cruel to your enemies, but to your own subordinates and friends, you are extremely generous and merciful. Even though your subordinates know they are following a villain, they are still hopelessly devoted to you. That strong contrast is truly impressive.
At first, I only saw the Captain as a troublesome and powerful final opponent, but in the end, I was still attracted.
I knew that the Captain would never change the convictions of her heart just because of a few setbacks, but the Captain's unconditional trust in me still gradually made me develop some unrealistic ideas.
I thought, 'just wait a little longer,' and 'just because others can't do it, doesn't mean I can't.'
I could also use excuses like, 'Your existence is a deterrent, a necessary presence to prevent invasions from other forces.'
But...
That's right. The indisputable fact is that I was attracted to the Captain's charm, and that is why I kept hesitating."
This speech was nothing short of a depth charge.
Not just the members of Night Raid, but even Esdeath herself was stunned by his words.
She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her beating heart.
"What is this? This unknown feeling... my heart is beating so fast."
A faint blush appeared on Esdeath's cheeks.
Although she had been praised by her subordinates before, for some reason, Kobayashi's words made her more nervous, excited, and shy, causing intense emotional fluctuations.
An unknown emotion was bursting forth from her heart.
Kobayashi then said to her, "Captain, what kind of person am I in your eyes? I'm very curious."
"You are the subordinate I trust the most and find the most reliable."
Esdeath did not hesitate, speaking in a very serious and formal tone. "From the first time we met, you made me very interested. Whether it was the inexplicable sense of closeness or the aura that set you apart from everyone else, you were just like the others, full of confusion, yet you had your own unique persistence.
The way you always remained calm, as if you had everything under control, made me think very highly of you. Yet, the way you would subtly freak out over small things that went beyond your expectations made me laugh.
Before I knew it, you had captured my full attention.
Just now, when I learned you were an enemy, that you had betrayed me, I was furious. I was even angrier than when I was rejected by Tatsumi multiple times.
So angry that I wanted to take you to the interrogation room right now and train you properly."
Wow. As expected of the Super Sadist Queen.
But... is that so? Is that what she thinks, too?
Kobayashi revealed a happy smile, and Esdeath returned a strong, confident smile of her own.
The two stared at each other quietly.
The crowd of onlookers, however, couldn't take it anymore.
"What is this... Hey, what is this?"
Lubbock grabbed his cheeks and said, going half-crazy, "This is supposed to be the final battle, right? What are those two doing over there? Are they confessing their love to each other? And with ESDEATH of all people?! Are you kidding me? This has to be a joke! That bastard Kobayashi... he makes me so jealous!"
Flirting in public? Who can stand this?!
"What are you talking about, Lubbock? How could they be confessing to each other? You must be seeing things."
Leone pressed down hard on his shoulder from behind. Although she was smiling, her eyes were full of menace. The hair behind her, which was scattered, was even flying everywhere, like a furious mother lion.
Scared, Lubbock quickly apologized.
"A confession? That's not it at all, Lubbock."
Hearing him, Kobayashi grinned and retorted, "The Captain and I just have a mutual admiration between heroes!"
Like Lu Kang and Yang Hu, they were rivals who deeply respected each other.
"Well then, let me say it one more time."
Kobayashi extended his right hand and said to Esdeath, "Give it up, Captain. This place is full of Teigu users."
Just like she had done. Even if someone was an enemy, if they had talent, she would try to recruit them. He did this, completely ignoring the angry faces of the Night Raid members.
However—
"Absolutely not!"
Esdeath drew her rapier and refused flatly. "I will never surrender! If you want me to surrender, you'll have to kill me first!"
...As I thought.
Kobayashi had already anticipated this. Esdeath's personality would never allow her to submit to others, and she would certainly not surrender without a fight.
"Very good! That's the Captain! That's General Esdeath!"
Kobayashi also praised her passionately.
It was precisely because she was so domineering and strong, because she followed her convictions from beginning to end, that she had a charm that attracted him, wasn't it?!
Esdeath's contemptuous gaze scanned the enemies below. With absolute arrogance, she said loudly, "Kobayashi, you don't really think that this small number of people can kill me, do you? You underestimate me!"
"How could I? I know the Captain's strength. Naturally, I wouldn't let them make a move."
Although he also liked a righteous gang beating, most of the people in Night Raid had already died once and could not be resurrected again. And the army was just small fry for Esdeath to mow down. It was even more impossible to let them get on the field.
Most importantly, to make Esdeath submit, he had to defeat her in a one-on-one duel!
"Akame, the sword."
He asked her for [One-Hit Kill].
The gap between him and Esdeath was not small. If he wanted to win against her, he had to be fully prepared. [Murasame] was an indispensable weapon.
Akame tossed the sword over without hesitation and said one thing:
"Please be careful."
It was a plain statement, but it contained her concern for him.
Kobayashi raised Murasame and said with a smile, "Do you remember what I said when we first met? Just like Teigu users attract each other, there is also gravity between people. And your existence... no, its existence is to help me achieve victory. Don't worry, I'll come back safe."
This wasn't just for her, but for all the people who cared about him.
He grasped the long sword, feeling the immense malice that suddenly assailed him. The desire to kill was surging.
"Ngh."
With a grunt, he gently touched his forehead. The influence of [One-Hit Kill] on his mind was a bit strong, but he suppressed the side effects, barely reaching a state where he could control its use.
The minimum was enough. If he continued to attune to it, his mind would definitely be affected, and it might even produce a backlash. If that happened, the gain would not be worth the loss.
He briefly sensed the various mixed powers within his body. Using them skillfully was the source of his confidence in defeating her.
No problem. I can still hold on for a while.
Kobayashi looked up, confidently meeting Esdeath's gaze. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Captain."
"Are you finally ready?" Esdeath looked at him proudly. "Since you spent so much time preparing, you will surely bring me pleasure, won't you, Kobayashi?"
"Of course. I promise I won't let you down, Captain."
Kobayashi held up the Teigu [Shambhala] in his hand and said to her:
"—Let's begin, our date."
With that, a purple light array enveloped the two of them, and in the next second, they vanished.
(End of Chapter)