The next day.
Another wanted poster appeared on the cold stone walls of the Capital.
At the same time, a rumor spread like wildfire through every alley and tavern—yesterday, the man on that poster had dared to infiltrate the Imperial Palace. He had caused absolute chaos, leaving hundreds dead in his wake, and had even come within striking distance of assassinating the Young Emperor himself.
The whispers grew even more frantic when it was mentioned that Great General Budo, one of the Empire's two strongest pillars, had personally intervened. Yet, even he had failed to capture the elusive assassin.
Some rumors were even more outlandish, claiming the assassin was a monstrous hybrid of a Danger Beast and a human, with eight spider-like legs protruding from his back.
Kurome looked at the poster and then at Aoki, a light smile playing on her lips. "Aoki, are you really planning to massacre everyone in the palace?"
"I'm not crazy," Aoki replied, feeling speechless.
The rumors were getting out of hand. Some even claimed he broke in because he was a tragic hero, driven to revenge after the corrupt Ministers destroyed his family. The stories were so detailed and dramatic that even Aoki found himself impressed by the public's imagination.
The Palace housed tens of thousands of people, most of them just ordinary servants trying to survive. Aoki had no interest in a senseless massacre. He quickly pushed the thoughts aside.
Let them talk, he thought. What does a warrant for a 'monstrous assassin' matter to me?
"Let's go back," Aoki said, turning away. He had only stepped out to clear his head; there were still experiments to conduct on the Four Demon Rakshasa.
Kurome glanced once more at the posters. She saw Aoki's face, her sister Akame's, and the other members of Night Raid. Only her own face was missing—the Empire clearly didn't realize she was in the Capital yet.
Leone had just slipped back into the Capital when she felt the heavy tension in the air. A few minutes of eavesdropping was all it took for her to understand.
"Breaking into the Palace at night and walking away? I didn't think anyone was that reckless," she muttered to herself, strolling down the street with a marveling look.
People were speculating that the assassin might be a member of Night Raid. As a member herself, Leone knew they weren't that suicidal. The Palace was a dragon's den; even if their entire team mobilized, it would likely be a one-way trip.
"I wonder what his motive was?" she pondered. She didn't buy the "massacre" rumors, but an assassination attempt on the Emperor or the Minister? That sounded like something a true rebel would do.
"If I ever run into him, maybe I should try to recruit him," Leone thought. She stretched her arms, her alluring figure drawing eyes from the crowd, and a bright smile spread across her face.
"Never mind! First, I need a drink. Let's see if Aoki and the girl are still at the hotel."
Leone jogged toward the hotel entrance.
"Leone!" the guard at the door greeted her. "Don't worry, the boss isn't around right now."
Leone grinned, throwing an arm around the guard's neck. "Saddy, good to see you on shift! Hey, a man and a woman arrived last night—both with black hair and black eyes. Which room are they in?"
"Leone, you know I can't give out guest info," the guard stammered.
"Oh, come on!" Leone gave him a playful, light punch to the stomach. "They're my friends. I'm just here for a drink!"
Rubbing his stomach, the guard sighed and gave her the room number. "Just keep it quiet. If you cause trouble, I'm fired."
"Relax, relax!" Leone waved her hand and dashed inside, greeting half the people she passed like she owned the place.
She found the room and began banging on the door loudly.
"Aoki! Aoki! You in there? It's Leone!"
The door creaked open, and a slender girl with short black hair and sharp, delicate features stepped out.
"Kurome!" Leone paused, slightly startled.
"Come in," Kurome nodded gently. Since Leone was her sister's comrade, she found the blonde woman much more tolerable than most.
Wait, is this Aoki's room? Leone thought, her mind racing. Are they sharing a room?
She secretly gasped. This is big news! These two are way closer than I thought. I can't wait to see Akame's face when she hears this!
But business first—and business meant alcohol.
Leone followed Kurome inside and spotted Aoki immediately. "Hehehe, Aoki! I've come to hang out!"
Aoki pointed to a large wine jar already sitting on the table. "It's all ready for you."
"Wow!" Leone rushed over, leaning over the jar and taking a deep, blissful whiff of the aroma. She slapped Aoki on the back and laughed. "I declare it! From today on, you are my best friend!"
"A best friend fee of one jar of wine a day, I assume?" Aoki glanced at her, unfazed. He had intentionally cultivated this closeness with her.
Leone didn't stand on ceremony. She ripped the lid off, poured a massive bowl, and gulped it down. "Hahaha! Refreshing! Nothing beats drinking during the day!"
Aoki drank more politely, while Kurome sipped her wine slowly. She used to prefer snacks, but since Aoki's "treatment," she found that wine had a unique, complex flavor that satisfied her cravings.
After a few rounds, Leone chuckled. "By the way, Aoki, did you see the new wanted poster?"
Aoki took a calm sip. "Of course. Hard to miss."
"The guy is a complete lunatic—but powerful," Leone said, shaking her head in wonder.
Aoki laughed softly. "Daring to break into the Palace... life in the Capital is certainly never boring. I also heard about an organization called Night Raid. They say the whole city trembles at their name."
Leone grinned. "Hahaha! Well, there is such a group. But word is they only target the corrupt scum of the city. Maybe they aren't as terrible as the rumors say."
"So, you think they're 'good' people?" Aoki asked.
Leone replied without hesitation, "Good? Of course not! What kind of assassin is 'good'?"
Kurome held her glass, her eyes darting between the two. It was a surreal moment. They were talking about the legendary Palace assassin and the infamous Night Raid—yet both "protagonists" were sitting right here, sharing a jar of wine.
She wondered what Leone's face would look like when the truth finally came out.
"Hehehe, enough talk about killers! Let's drink!" Leone poured another full glass.
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