The Banquet

After ascending the throne and becoming empress, Kaguya naturally moved her residence from the Princess Palace to the Imperial Palace. Although the palace had endured the ravages of war, the damage was not significant. Most of the destruction was limited to the outer walls being struck by stray bullets, while the grand halls inside remained unscathed. After thorough repairs, the palace was restored to its former grandeur.

During the previous battles, Kaguya had intentionally guided the fights outside, avoiding the palace being razed to the ground by the intense fighting. After all, Kaguya had already decided that this would be her nest from now on, and if it were destroyed, rebuilding it would be quite troublesome.

However, despite becoming the new empress, Kaguya didn't feel that much had changed. The only difference was that she had more responsibilities and was busier than before. As for the empress's sense of authority and the thrill of holding power, she didn't feel any of that at all. To her, the most tangible change was simply that her office had moved from one place to a much larger one.

That was all.

Feeling a bit dazed and lightheaded, Kaguya made her way unsteadily toward her sleeping quarters.

Since it had been a banquet, it wouldn't have been appropriate for Kaguya to completely abstain from drinking, so she had raised her glass a few times, which had relaxed the tension among the nervous officials, adding a little life to the otherwise dull event.

But after drinking, Kaguya almost spat it out. Was that even alcohol or some kind of chili water? It was so strong that her tongue went numb, and her throat burned like it was on fire.

Normally, Kaguya could barely handle a glass of sake before becoming like a salted fish. Now, after drinking that strong liquor, her stomach churned, her head spun, and her legs felt like they were walking on clouds, swaying as she moved.

In her drunken stupor, Kaguya finally made it back to her sleeping quarters. It was a massive structure, adorned with carved railings and jade steps, looking more like a palace than a bedroom. The décor was lavish, with gold-plated fixtures, gilded floors, and walls hung with famous paintings, exuding an overwhelming sense of wealth.

However, at this moment, Kaguya didn't even notice these opulent surroundings. She only wanted to sleep—the feeling of drunkenness wasn't pleasant.

She approached a door and pushed it open. As soon as she entered, the style of the room changed drastically. The interior was serene and elegant, with tastefully designed décor that was refined without being gaudy. The furniture was beautiful without being overly large or cumbersome, and the room was filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance, in stark contrast to the golden extravagance outside.

This room had been renovated by Kaguya herself, as she couldn't stand the idea of others having previously lived here, possibly doing who-knows-what. The thought disgusted her. If the empire had been more stable, she might have considered burning it down and rebuilding from scratch.

But at the moment, Kaguya's mind wasn't on such trivial matters. She just wanted to sleep, and the large, soft feather bed in the center of the room, draped with silk curtains, was her goal.

Kaguya staggered over to the bed, reached out to pull back the curtains, but before she could see clearly, a hand suddenly stretched out and grabbed her wrist.

A sudden force pulled her off balance, and she tumbled onto the bed. Before she could make sense of what was happening, a pair of soft, red lips pressed against hers, silencing any words she might have said. Two delicate arms coiled around her like snakes, tightly embracing her, while the silk curtains slowly closed behind them.

Not long after, a soft, melodic sound like a bubbling stream began to escape from behind the sheer curtains.

Meanwhile, Akame, who was busy devouring her steak, suddenly realized something was off—her sister was nowhere to be seen. As fellow food lovers, the two of them were inseparable when it came to eating, often enjoying meals together. Perhaps it was because the palace's chef catered so well to Akame's taste that she hadn't noticed her sister's absence until now.

Frowning slightly, Akame put down her fork and knife, stood up, and left the banquet hall, heading into the palace.

Ever since Akame had reconciled with Kurome, she had become particularly protective of her younger sister. Perhaps it was because Kurome was the only family she had left in the world, or maybe it was because they both considered each other the most important person in their lives. Akame instinctively shielded her sister, not wanting her to be hurt again. In the past, she had been unable to protect Kurome, but things were different now. She didn't want to experience the helplessness of watching her sister be taken away again.

The Imperial Palace was vast, almost like a small city, with rows upon rows of buildings, crisscrossing streets, and countless gardens and scenic spots. If someone was visiting for the first time, it would be easy to get lost.

However, Akame had been here many times before, mostly on assassination missions targeting Minister Honest. But because the palace was so heavily guarded, practically impenetrable, they had abandoned the plan after losing several members of Night Raid.

"Who's there?"

Suddenly, a low voice sounded from behind her.

Clang.

In an instant, a flash of cold light appeared as Akame drew her sword, assuming a battle stance, her eyes locked on the direction of the voice.

"Who are you?"

"Budo, but you can call me General," said a deep voice. A tall, burly man with a square face and chiseled features emerged from a grove of trees. His sharp eyes glinted with power, and he radiated a commanding presence.

"So it's you." Akame didn't lower her guard, her grip on her sword unwavering.

"It's you," General Budo said. "I thought you were some small-time thief. Even though you're no longer a wanted criminal, I'd suggest you drop the habits you picked up with Night Raid. This is the Imperial Palace. While the empress favors you, don't push your luck."

"Favors me?" Akame frowned—she didn't like the sound of that.

"If you're looking for the empress's quarters, they're to the north. Walk past three corridors, then turn left," General Bud said before turning and walking away without another word.

Akame watched him for a moment, then hesitated briefly before heading north, following the path he had indicated.