[173] : Imperial Consort—Teigu Users Don’t Grow on Trees!

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"Your Majesty, the current Imperial Guard Captain, Tatsumi, isn't fit for his position! We implore you to dismiss him!"

"Indeed! Since Prime Minister Mellie tasked him with dealing with Night Raid, he hasn't achieved anything! Several officials have been assassinated under his watch! This is absurd!"

"It makes one wonder if he's colluding with those assassins!"

The moment court began, Mika was bombarded with complaints about Tatsumi. The officials accused him of incompetence and even suggested he was in league with Night Raid.

Hearing their accusations, Mika couldn't help but smile. He was well aware of Mellie's plan.

Turning to her, he asked, "Mellie, you entrusted this task to Tatsumi. What do you make of his lack of progress?"

All eyes in the court turned towards Mellie.

She smiled faintly and replied, "Your Majesty, Tatsumi isn't incompetent. The enemy is simply formidable."

"Oh? And why is that?" Mika asked, feigning curiosity.

"Night Raid has numerous targets. Based on our analysis, their objective is to eliminate those officials who held positions of power during Minister Honest's reign."

"These individuals are scattered throughout the capital, making it difficult to protect them individually."

"As everyone knows, Night Raid is an assassin group composed of Teigu users. Their combat strength is exceptional; non-Teigu users are no match for them."

"Even with the reinforcements I've provided, the Imperial Guard has only four Teigu users."

"Dividing our forces to protect so many individuals would leave us vulnerable. We risk being defeated piecemeal, and if they manage to steal our Teigu, the situation will only worsen."

"That is why we haven't achieved any significant results."

After listening to Mellie's explanation, the officials pondered her words, then shook their heads. Even if they put themselves in Tatsumi's position, they wouldn't know how to handle the situation. An assassin group composed of powerful individuals was a formidable threat.

That was why Night Raid had been able to operate within the capital for so long without being captured.

Unless they willingly surrendered, there was little chance of apprehending them.

"But we can't simply allow them to run rampant throughout the capital!"

"If this continues, the Empire's authority will be undermined!"

"Can't we deploy more Teigu users?"

The officials who had once served under Honest were understandably concerned for their safety. They urged the Empire to take more decisive action.

"Deploy more Teigu users? Do you think I haven't considered that?!" Mellie glared at the speaker, who quickly recoiled in fear.

"If I had enough manpower, I would have already deployed them!"

"Do you truly believe I'm intentionally putting you in harm's way?"

"So, that's what you think?" Mellie's voice was laced with chilling disdain.

"N-No, We wouldn't!" The officials who had voiced their complaints immediately prostrated themselves, begging for forgiveness.

They were already clinging precariously to life. Angering Mellie would be a death sentence.

Glancing at them coldly, Mellie continued, "Of the original forty-eight Imperial Arms, over half have been lost or scattered throughout the land over the past millennium."

"Some are held by powerful families who, though unable to use them, refuse to relinquish them."

"And the Teigu users who once served the Empire perished in the recent conflicts. We have the weapons, but lack the wielders!"

"Where am I supposed to find more Teigu users for you?"

The hall fell silent; they were stunned by Mellie's words.

The two conflicts she referred to were Mika and Airmid's suppression of General Budo and Esdeath's forces, and Esdeath's subsequent elimination of Minister Honest's remaining loyalists.

While the latter was a relatively minor affair, the former was a sensitive topic.

Seeing their silence, Mellie pressed her advantage. "General Esdeath is currently leading her troops to quell unrest in the borderlands. Who do you propose we send to deal with Night Raid? The Grand General? Or perhaps His Majesty himself?"

After their recent clash with General Budo, the court officials believed the Empire's strongest were Esdeath, Airmid, and Mika.

Clearly, the current situation didn't warrant the direct involvement of the Grand General or the Emperor.

Mellie's words were a calculated jab, a subtle reminder of their powerlessness.

As expected, the officials who had complained earlier prostrated themselves once more, retracting their demands.

Airmid, standing beside Mellie, remained impassive.

Mika, however, played the role of peacemaker, waving dismissively and feigning indifference.

"So, is there no way to deal with Night Raid?" he asked loudly.

"There is a method, Your Majesty, but it requires a certain sacrifice from these officials," Mellie replied calmly.

"Oh? What kind of sacrifice?" Mika continued to play his part.

Mellie smiled. "As I mentioned earlier, the difficulty in dealing with Night Raid stems from the fact that these officials are scattered throughout the capital."

"Therefore, the most effective solution is to gather them in a single location for centralized protection."

"Excellent! I agree!" one official immediately shouted.

"However," Mellie continued, "this requires you to temporarily relinquish your official duties. If you are under our protection, you won't be able to move freely."

"Protecting a single individual wouldn't be an issue, as their duties could be temporarily handled by others. But with so many of you, such an arrangement would disrupt the court's operations."

"Therefore, you must entrust your responsibilities to others for the time being."

"What?!"

The prospect of relinquishing their positions filled them with panic.

If not for their greed for power, they wouldn't risk their lives serving in the court.

The thought of losing their positions sparked resistance.

But Mika wouldn't give them the opportunity to refuse.

"It's a small price to pay. Your positions are insignificant."

"As long as you are capable, you can regain your status at any time."

"Therefore, prioritize your safety and seek our protection." Mika said with a smile.

...

At Night Raid's headquarters, a meeting was underway.

"So, it seems we're all thinking alike," Najenda said, lighting a cigarette with a knowing smile, after hearing Akame and Bulat's report.

"So you also think that way, Boss?" Akame asked, a smile touching her lips.

"Indeed. It seems Prime Minister Mellie shares our objective: to eliminate those criminals."

Night Raid had carried out over a dozen assassinations recently, each successful.

This had initially seemed impossible, especially after their first encounter with the Imperial Guard's four Teigu users, which had forced them to reconsider their approach.

Bulat's report, in particular, had been alarming. General Budo's former Teigu had reappeared, enhanced and modified. This was an unexpected development.

"If Prime Minister Mellie shares our goals, then our future operations should be much smoother," Mine said cheerfully.

The recent tacit cooperation with the Imperial Guard had been incredibly convenient. Whenever she was cornered, a path to escape miraculously appeared.

She couldn't help but wonder if things would always be this easy.

"Don't get complacent, Mine," Najenda warned sternly.

"While we currently have an unspoken understanding with the Imperial Guard, we don't know how long it will last."

"If they decide to eliminate us, you'll be in danger."

"Therefore, always remain vigilant."

"…Understood," Mine replied meekly, realizing her mistake.

"Boss, do you think this will continue?"

"I doubt it," Najenda replied after a moment of thought. "Those who realize we're targeting them will undoubtedly seek greater protection."

"I expect changes soon."

"And when they come, that will be our opportunity."

Najenda gazed into the distance, as if envisioning the future.

And her prediction proved accurate.

Their targets were gathered in a single location, protected by Teigu users.

Instead of launching an immediate attack, Najenda declared a temporary hiatus for Night Raid.

This decision surprised her subordinates.

"As they say, 'There are those who steal, but none who can defend forever.'"

"Even the tightest security will eventually loosen over time. I doubt those criminals can endure being cooped up for months."

"They will crumble from within."

"We can strike then."

Najenda's explanation made sense; they all understood the logic.

So, they happily embarked on their unexpected vacation.

Meanwhile, Tatsumi, Wave, Run, and Seryu, tasked with protecting the officials, began their tedious waiting game.

…

"Cunning, aren't they, Night Raid?"

"As expected of General Najenda, once a shining star of the Empire," Mika chuckled, reading the report in his study.

"I imagine Night Raid is enjoying their vacation."

A careless remark can sometimes reveal hidden truths.

Chelsea, overhearing Mika's comment, asked curiously, "Your Majesty seems quite knowledgeable about Night Raid."

"Naturally," Mika replied smoothly. "In fact, Mellie and I are quite fond of the Revolutionary Army and Night Raid. In a sense, we share similar ideals."

"As I mentioned before, my name is Mika."

"We once considered joining the Revolutionary Army, but we decided to forge our own path."

"Therefore, we hold them in high regard."

"I see." Chelsea was secretly delighted by Mika's words.

In her mind, both the Revolutionary Army and Mika fought for the people.

Perhaps a peaceful resolution was possible. She knew that the Empire, now under Mika's rule, was the Revolutionary Army's greatest enemy.

If this continued, a war was inevitable.

And the Revolutionary Army might be the ones to fall.

Therefore, she hoped for a peaceful outcome.

Looking at Mika, Chelsea began to contemplate how to influence him.

"If Your Majesty holds the Revolutionary Army and Night Raid in such high regard, why not offer them amnesty?"

"That way, their talented individuals could serve Your Majesty."

In this moment, Chelsea forgot that the Revolutionary Army was her superior. To her, Mika was the one most likely to achieve her goal of ending the world's darkness.

Mika turned and looked intently at Chelsea.

"It seems we share similar thoughts," he said with a smile. He understood Chelsea's intentions, which amused him.

He had been teasing her relentlessly. As Emperor, he couldn't simply abandon his duties and gallivant around. His days were filled with cultivation and state affairs.

Teasing Chelsea was one of his few sources of amusement.

The thought of Chelsea, trapped in her Alice disguise, forced to perform acts that would mortify her true self, filled him with delight.

And now, he had a new idea.

"Alice, it seems you truly understand my intentions. Excellent. You've earned my favor."

"Your Majesty…" Chelsea felt a sense of unease and quickly called out to him.

But Mika's next words nearly made her faint.

"I've decided. You shall be my Imperial Consort."

"What?!" Chelsea was stunned.

How had she, a spy, suddenly become a candidate for Imperial Consort?

Seeing her shocked expression, Mika laughed inwardly. This kind of dramatic scene, straight out of a soap opera, was incredibly amusing.

However, he didn't anticipate the trouble his playful remark would cause. After all, he wasn't alone.

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