It's Time to End This

Kaguya's palace, despite having a dungeon, was rarely used. The only time it had been occupied was during the incident with Seryu; otherwise, it remained eerily empty. Minor criminals wouldn't dare cause trouble in the princess's domain, and those guilty of more serious offenses were either executed on the spot or subjected to brutal interrogations by the intelligence department. As a result, the dungeon had mostly remained desolate.

However, a new guest had recently arrived—Chelsea.

Chelsea was a popular character in the original story, not necessarily because of her strength, but because of her appealing appearance and lively, mischievous personality. Her tragic fate—being decapitated and having her head displayed on a pike—had also garnered much attention, making her one of the most memorable characters who met a gruesome end.

In this world, however, her fate seemed to have taken a different turn. At the very least, she wouldn't end up decapitated and impaled on a pike.

The dungeon retained its typical gloom, filled with the stench of decay. The oppressive atmosphere made it feel almost suffocating, with an air of despair hanging heavily within the cold, damp walls.

Kaguya stepped into the dungeon, her soft footsteps echoing through the dimly lit corridor. In the flickering light, she saw the silhouette of a young girl.

Chelsea, with her long pink hair, adorned with hairpins and a black-and-red headset, stood in the shadows. Her delicate features, pale skin, and striking red eyes made her a sight to behold, even in this dreary place. She wore a black and red British-style uniform—complete with a white shirt, black vest, red plaid skirt, and black shoes.

In the world of "Akame ga Kill," Chelsea was undoubtedly among the top five in terms of appearance.

"Another round of interrogation?" Chelsea said, sensing the approaching footsteps as she rose from the cold ground.

"If you want to call it that, then sure." Kaguya walked up to the bars of the cell, smiling softly.

"Oh, so they've sent someone new today?" Chelsea sighed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Can you at least make sure they aren't idiots? I'm tired of being asked the same dull questions over and over. It's like talking to a pig."

"Well, if you're being interrogated by pigs, what does that make you? Less than a pig?" Kaguya chuckled lightly.

"Who are you?" Chelsea's eyes narrowed as she recognized the figure stepping out of the shadows. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized who stood before her.

"Looks like you know who I am," Kaguya said, still smiling as she came closer.

"You're... the Imperial Princess?" Chelsea asked, disbelief coloring her voice. She hadn't expected Kaguya to personally come down to the dungeon.

"Is there a problem?" Kaguya's smile remained, calm and unperturbed.

"No, not really," Chelsea replied, quickly recovering her composure. She forced a smile, adding, "I just didn't expect you to come down here yourself."

"You're only the second person to ever be held here," Kaguya remarked. "How are you finding your stay?"

"It's tolerable," Chelsea said, somehow producing a lollipop from nowhere and popping it into her mouth. "Though, the bread could be softer."

"I'll take that into consideration," Kaguya replied with a slight grin.

"So, what do you want to ask me?" Chelsea leaned against the bars, peering up at Kaguya. "You didn't come here just to check on me, did you?"

"You're right. I'm just here to see how you're doing," Kaguya said, her expression relaxed as she looked down at Chelsea.

"Oh, so the Imperial Princess has time to check on her prisoners now?" Chelsea huffed, sucking on her lollipop. But then, her demeanor suddenly changed. Her eyes widened in panic as a terrifying thought crossed her mind, and she quickly backed away. "Wait, you're not here to—"

"Huh?" Kaguya tilted her head, genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

"You really are a pervert!" Chelsea exclaimed, almost dropping her lollipop in her haste to retreat further into her cell.

Kaguya watched the now-flustered Chelsea with a baffled expression. She hadn't done anything, so why was Chelsea acting so strange?

"I didn't expect the supposedly dignified Imperial Princess to have such disgusting hobbies." Chelsea's voice was full of contempt as she glared at Kaguya.

"Hey, I don't remember doing anything to you! How am I a pervert?" Kaguya retorted, her patience starting to fray.

"Don't get any ideas," Chelsea said sternly, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. "I won't give in to your depravity!"

"This doesn't make any sense!" Kaguya was utterly bewildered, running a hand through her silver hair in frustration.

"Quit pretending!" Chelsea huffed. "I never imagined the famed princess would turn out to be such a lecherous person."

"Lecherous?" Kaguya was stunned. No one had ever used that word to describe her before. She wasn't even angry—just completely taken aback.

After leaving the dungeon, Kaguya felt thoroughly speechless. She had only wanted to meet one of the original story's notable characters, yet she ended up being accused of being a pervert. The encounter left her thoroughly perplexed—what on earth had gone wrong?

Unbeknownst to Kaguya, she was unaware of the earlier incident between Kurome and Chelsea, who had disguised herself as Kaguya.

But Kaguya didn't have much time to dwell on it. Spring was approaching, and tensions between the Imperial Army and the Revolutionary Army were rising. The atmosphere was thick with the anticipation of battle, and it seemed that war was about to break out.

Previously, the Imperial Army had remained on the defensive, relying on Esdeath's formidable strength to keep the Revolutionary Army at bay, preventing them from advancing on the capital. However, Kaguya's recent actions, including the elimination of Bolic and a Revolutionary Army leader, had made the situation even more complex. The most notable change was the Imperial Army's shift to a more aggressive stance, forcing the Revolutionary Army onto the defensive.

While this situation didn't directly involve Kaguya, who could have simply observed from a distance, she decided she didn't want to prolong things. Continuing down this path would lead to a protracted war of attrition, so she decided to take the initiative and strike while both the Imperial Army and Revolutionary Army were weakened, with the goal of wiping them out in one fell swoop.

"Princess, are you really going to do this?" Ieyasu asked urgently. "We don't have to clash head-on with both the Revolutionary Army and the Imperial Army. We could wait until they've worn each other out and then—"

"No need to say more," Kaguya interrupted, setting her teacup down. "I've already made up my mind. Your suggestion would take too long, and I'm not willing to drag this out any further. It's time to end this."