The next day, the sun rose as usual.
Najenda, who was staying in the guest room, slowly woke up.
Looking at the sun outside the window, she felt that this was quite nice. This was arguably the first time she had slept so well since defecting from the Empire and becoming the Night Raid's boss.
After sitting for a while, she went to wash up and prepared to go out for a walk.
Opening the door, she saw Esdeath leaning by the door, waiting for her.
"Good morning, Najenda."
"Good morning, what are you doing here?"
"Of course, to invite you to breakfast."
Even though Esdeath said that, it wasn't actually the case. Her main purpose was for Abel to win her over, and to catch up with her former colleague.
"Let's go."
"Mm."
Then Esdeath led Najenda towards the dining room. They chatted a lot on the way.
In the dining room.
Akame and Kurome, the two sisters, were devouring breakfast, with more than a dozen bowls already stacked beside them.
Dr. Stylish was stirring his coffee.
Bols and his wife were preparing breakfast for everyone.
The Three Beasts, led by Liver, were also dining.
Najenda looked at this scene and smiled helplessly. Esdeath had truly lured over all of the Empire's high-end combat power.
After clearing her thoughts slightly, she greeted them, "Good morning, everyone."
"Good morning." Everyone responded in kind.
After a while, Najenda and Esdeath sat down at the dining table. Bols immediately served breakfast to the two of them.
Looking at the breakfast, Najenda smiled. "I didn't expect you to still remember what I eat."
...
After a while, Abel walked in, looking refreshed.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Good morning, King."
Then Abel's gaze fell on Najenda. No mechanical arm, no eye patch, and her hair was still a long braid. Damn, she looked pretty good.
Najenda was also observing Abel. This King, younger than herself, was actually able to govern the entire Northern area so prosperously.
As Abel took his seat, Bols quickly brought him breakfast.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Bols covered his face and quickly walked away.
Was that... a tough guy being shy?
Just then, Leone walked into the dining room, red-faced and with unsteady steps.
Everyone's eyes immediately focused on her, especially Esdeath, whose eyes were full of amusement. After all, the two could be considered sisters in the same trench.
"Leone, you looked beautiful last night."
"Esdeath!"
Facing Esdeath's teasing, Leone's face turned even redder.
Najenda, Akame, and Kurome, who had no experience in that area, were full of questions.
Bols's wife looked at Leone with a smirk, then also prepared breakfast for her.
Leone, her face flushed, glared fiercely at Abel.
Last night, she actually had a 'duet' with Esdeath.
Also, Abel had sent her an invitation, but she needed to consider it.
Abel was indifferent to Leone's death glare, even raising an eyebrow at her.
Esdeath, seeing Leone's deflated look, laughed even harder.
Akame looked at Leone. Based on her experience, she came to a conclusion: Leone had a strain.
Najenda couldn't hold back her curiosity. She leaned closer to Esdeath, and whispered, "What exactly happened?"
Esdeath leaned into Najenda's ear and briefly explained what happened last night.
Najenda's face turned red and she looked at Leone with complex emotions.
'No wonder I didn't see her all night. I never thought that you would be such a person, Leone.'
...
After breakfast, Abel led Najenda to the conference room, while Akame and Leone waited outside.
As everyone took their seats, the atmosphere became solemn.
"Nice to meet you, Night Raid's boss."
"Mm, nice to meet you, King of the Northern Tribes."
Abel asked, "May I ask why you, as Night Raid's leader, have come to the North?"
Najenda answered, "Upon entering the Northern Lands, I wanted to see what kind of person the new King who governs this place so well is. Of course, the main reason is why the Revolutionary Army members and contacts in the North suddenly became unreachable."
Abel nodded.
He certainly knew about the Revolutionary Army people here. However, under his series of operations, all the Revolutionary Army members had returned to their own lives.
"Then have you found the answer?"
"I have."
At this point, Najenda was slightly helpless. In the villages and on the road, she had seen many former Revolutionary Army members.
The smiles on their faces were something they didn't have in the Revolutionary Army.
"So, what do you all think of the North?"
Regarding Abel's question, Najenda said seriously, "The governance of the North is excellent now. The people live in peace and contentment, and there are no so-called nobles. This is the country I once dreamed of."
"But the Revolutionary Army's ideal is to overthrow the corrupt Empire and establish a brand new nation, which is also my own ideal."
Abel smiled slightly as he listened to Najenda's words.
"Are you sure the Revolutionary Army is united? What is the Revolutionary Army composed of? The common people? Isn't it just another group of nobles who haven't gained benefits?"
Najenda was speechless at Abel's words.
Indeed, most of the Revolutionary Army consisted of nobles from marginalized areas and the like. Perhaps there were nobles who cared for the people, but not many.
Abel extended an invitation to Najenda, "I invite you, and Night Raid, to join my Empire."
Najenda hesitated when faced with his invitation.
Joining would be an entirely new beginning. Not joining would mean returning to the original path.
Perhaps Abel's conditions were good, but the Empire was, after all, her home.
"I..."
"Don't be so quick to refuse."
Abel interrupted Najenda, looking at her with a serious expression as he said, "Let me be clear, my ambition is not just the North. My goal is the entire world. I will use the corrupt Empire as nourishment to strengthen myself. I will build a long-lasting, peaceful empire without nobles on its corpse. And I will give this thousand-year-old Empire a perfect end."