Because Akame's injuries had not recovered, she was unable to attend Green's funeral.
Calling it a funeral was generous.
In truth, Gozuki had simply chosen a place and buried Green's head there.
A plain stone slab less than four feet tall served as his grave marker, with a few bouquets of flowers placed before it.
That was the end awaiting an assassin.
Whether they were killers of the Empire or infamous figures from the underworld, it made no difference.
They would never receive glory of their own.
In the end, before Akame could recover, Gozuki took everyone deep into the mountains and hid their tracks.
The Tengu Party had been destroyed, but there were inevitably a few who had slipped through the net.
Once those survivors escaped, they would certainly spread the news of Oarburgh's failure.
For assassins, failure meant death.
Once Oarburgh reacted, there was no doubt that they would immediately send a large number of killers to take revenge.
If Gozuki and the others continued staying near the northeastern border, they would definitely be killed.
After all, Oarburgh was the strongest assassin society.
With their current strength, resisting such an organization was almost impossible.
These children had gone through a lot, and they had already become much stronger, but they were still too inexperienced.
One day, however, they would become assassins who could face Oarburgh without being inferior.
Through this battle, Gozuki had realized just how terrifying Falna truly was.
Aside from Green, who had died, the six survivors had changed so much that they could no longer be compared to their previous selves.
If the current them fought the versions of themselves from a few days ago, they would surely cut them down with ease.
This was the elite unit after their potential had been awakened.
Their growth could not be measured by common sense.
On the other side, Noah had already begun the return journey aboard Black Nightmare.
High in the sky, Chelsea and Taeko sat stiffly, clearly uneasy.
From time to time, they swallowed to ease their nerves.
Of course they were nervous.
This was their first time flying through the sky!
When they lowered their heads, they could see the clouds beneath them.
That altitude was no joke.
"S-Senpai, are we really fine? We won't suddenly fall, right?" Taeko, who usually gave the impression of being calm and composed, was actually stammering.
Chelsea's mind had gone completely blank.
The only thing she could do was press her thighs tightly together to keep herself from leaking.
"Relax. This thing won't fall."
Noah comforted them in a casual tone.
Unfortunately, it did not seem very effective.
In truth, Black Nightmare could fall when conditions required it.
The reason was simple.
Black Nightmare consumed energy from its user.
Weaver itself was a manipulation-type ability.
It required very little energy while being capable of producing enormous chain reactions, but its limitations were also clear.
It could not make an existing element vanish into nothing.
Gravity was the same.
Black Nightmare's gravity could be transferred or dispersed, but it would never disappear entirely.
That was why the Air Manta had been necessary as a material.
Using the method recorded in Lamur's alchemy notes, Noah had removed the organ in the Air Manta's body that supported flight, while ensuring it remained intact and even retained vitality.
From three Air Mantas, he had extracted a total of eleven such organs.
Their only function was to naturally generate a kind of spatial field.
The reason Air Mantas seemed to swim through the sky was because, in truth, they were doing exactly that.
Because of that spatial field, Air Mantas appeared to be in the air, but in reality, they were moving along a plane in another dimension.
They did not fly. They moved and changed altitude by manipulating that spatial field.
That was also the reason they lacked offensive ability.
Black Nightmare was a Teigu.
Although it used Air Manta organs, it could not manipulate the spatial field by natural instinct the way an Air Manta could.
Because of that, Black Nightmare's energy consumption was not low when in use.
At the very least, the stamina and magic of a Level 2 would not be enough for long-distance travel.
So Noah had installed a battery.
The jewel of Forest Dragon possessed energy that was nearly inexhaustible.
Using it on Black Nightmare was more than enough to support movement from the southern hemisphere of this world to the northern hemisphere.
Weaver mainly served as assistance.
However, due to the limitations of Noah's ability, it could carry at most three people.
Because he had brought Taeko and Chelsea on the return trip, Suzuka and Sten could only miserably make their own way back to the Imperial Capital.
It could also be considered a punishment for them.
During the several-hour flight, Taeko and Chelsea gradually adapted to the feeling of conquering the sky for the first time.
They began observing the outside world and the ground below.
A strange light flickered in the eyes of the two girls.
'So… this is what the world we live in looks like.'
When viewed from high enough above, it was actually so beautiful.
None of the darkness hidden below could be seen at all.
"Hey, Master Noah, why exactly did you bring me and Taeko along?" Chelsea quietly glanced at Taeko beside her.
To be honest, just staying with Taeko made her feel chilled all over.
Because she was indeed Taeko.
Her personality, her habits, every part of her seemed unquestionably like Taeko.
And yet she had completely forgotten that old woman Barbara.
Honestly, Chelsea was still grateful to Barbara.
Although Barbara had been strict, as an instructor, she had indeed taught Chelsea many things.
For Chelsea, who was only a temporary apprentice, that alone was one thing.
But Taeko had been taken in and raised by that old woman since childhood. Their relationship went beyond instructor and trainee.
It could even be called family.
And the man who had killed Barbara was right here.
Yet Taeko did not remember who Barbara was at all. Instead, she called that man Senior.
It was almost as if false memories had been implanted in her.
This was definitely not something ordinary brainwashing could accomplish.
Just looking at Taeko like this made Chelsea afraid. Afraid that her own memories had also been altered.
"As for Taeko, you don't need to worry about her. As for you, you only need to use your Teigu when I need you to. Just as agreed, I'll pay you compensation."
"Then can you tell me who you really are? The leader of the Imperial assassination unit, and even the Four Rakshasa Demons, all seemed to respect you."
Chelsea instinctively tried to dig out some useful information.
"My identity?"
Noah found it rather amusing and curled his lips.
"In terms of position, I'm the commander of the Science Department. I suppose I'm also a squad captain in the Imperial assassination unit."
"You're lying!"
Chelsea immediately cut him off. "There's no way those three monsters would treat you like that just because of those titles!"
"Heh."
Noah chuckled softly. "True. Then maybe it's because of that."
"That?"
"Mm. Maybe it's because I have a fairly good relationship with the Prime Minister."
"The… Prime Minister."
Chelsea froze slightly.
Then she realized something.
Her lips parted, and her pupils shrank.
"The Prime Minister you're talking about… do you mean Honest?"
Prime Minister Honest.
The root of the Empire's corruption.
The Revolutionary Army's highest-priority assassination target, ranked even above the current Emperor.
The worst scum in the world!
"So you're one of the Prime Minister's dogs too!"
Chelsea's earlier timid, mouse-like appearance vanished. Her expression darkened, and she drew a sharp steel needle from her sleeve.
In truth, she was not afraid of death.
No, saying it that way sounded a bit too cool.
Anyone would fear death.
Let alone a young girl in the prime of her life, who had not even experienced romance yet. Dying like this would be far too much of a waste.
And too much of a shame!
She was such a beautiful girl. If she died without ever having fallen in love, even the heavens would regret it.
But she had already prepared herself.
She wanted to change the Empire the way her hometown had changed.
She wanted to see the people live happy lives.
And she had long understood what needed to be done to achieve that.
The cancer had to be removed.
"As long as people like you aren't around!"
Chelsea roared and prepared to stab the steel needle into the back of Noah's neck.
Noah sensed everything but made no move.
Because a blade, along with an even sharper wave of bloodlust, had already covered Chelsea in an instant.
Gulp.
Feeling the cold sensation before her neck, Chelsea found the blade pressed against her throat.
Taeko's face was frosty as she held the sword against the girl's neck and said coldly.
"Stop. Otherwise…"
Her murderous aura had already said everything.
Chelsea glared at the back of the man sitting in front of her. She gritted her teeth, but there was nothing she could do.
At that moment, Noah spoke.
"Were you planning to take me down with you? If we fall from here, there won't even be enough left of our bodies to piece together."
"Better than being the Prime Minister's dog!"
"Correction. I'm not Honest's dog. If anything, it's the exact opposite. Sooner or later, he'll beg me like a stray dog."
Noah said those words with utter calm, words no one would dare say.
Because that was the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Honest, begging like a stray dog?
Even as an assassin of the Revolutionary Army, Chelsea could not imagine such a scene.
She had seen enough of the world.
Just one mere governor could already do as he pleased to an outrageous degree.
Let alone the Prime Minister.
Noah knew she did not believe him, but he did not explain.
The more someone like the Prime Minister clung to pleasure and power, the more pitiful he would become in the face of death.
Why did emperors seek immortality?
Especially founding emperors.
Naturally, because they could not bear to let the empire they had built slip through their fingers.
The vast world and everything upon it belonged to the king alone.
The pleasure of ruling over all under heaven was something no one but the emperor himself could know.
Death was the only threat to that joy.
If everything could be held forever in one's hand, how wonderful would that be?
The current Prime Minister was the same, swollen with limitless desire and ambition.
If he could only enjoy himself for a mere hundred years, would that not be the greatest suffering in the world?
When that time came, he would definitely kneel and beg.
Whether it was for one more minute or one more second, he would kneel without hesitation.
If the Revolutionary Army did not overthrow the Empire's rule, Noah was certain he would one day witness that sight.
"You're not the Prime Minister's man?"
"I never said that."
Chelsea's lips parted slightly, but she could not say anything.
That did seem to be true.
But having a good relationship with him?
That somehow felt even more unbelievable.
Did the Prime Minister even have friends?
Didn't he trample everyone underfoot?
Wait. Could it be that this man had something even the Prime Minister valued?
Chelsea suddenly looked at the vehicle they were riding, and it was as if lightning struck her.
Right.
How had she not realized it?
This guy possessed a tool that could carry people through the sky.
There was no way he was an ordinary person.
He said he was from the Science Department, didn't he?
Was this the reason he was valued by the Prime Minister, even to the point of becoming his friend?
Putting everything else aside, just this strange tool beneath them alone—if the Revolutionary Army could possess this power, how great an effect would it have?
Without question, it was strategic-level.
At present, the Revolutionary Army's strength was still very weak.
Chelsea knew that better than anyone.
Leaving aside military force, when it came to weapons alone, the gap between them and the Empire was enormous.
With their current troops and armaments, they could seize a small town, but any larger-scale battle was completely beyond them.
If they could obtain an expert in this field…
Chelsea understood because she herself was a special type of talent.
No great undertaking could be accomplished without talented people.
This man might be exactly that kind of person.
If she could make him join the Revolutionary Army…
No, he did not necessarily have to join.
They could capture him. Threaten him into helping the Revolutionary Army manufacture weapons.
That would work.
That alone would be enough.
Chelsea grew excited!
Next, she only needed to pretend to obey while looking for an opportunity.
She would find a chance to send information out and have her companions respond.
When the time came, their positions would reverse, and she would properly get revenge on this guy.
And besides… Taeko had always spoiled her so much.
She did not want to give up on Taeko either.
She had to find a way to restore Taeko.
"You suddenly went quiet. Are you plotting something bad?" Noah exposed Chelsea's thoughts without even turning around.
Chelsea was so frightened that she hurriedly forced out a smile.
"H-How could that be, Master? I was just a little emotional earlier, haha."
The girl awkwardly scratched her head.
Noah did not mind.
He simply said, "We're here."
Black Nightmare activated its camouflage midair and blended into the environment, descending outside the military academy.
When Chelsea's feet once again stood on solid ground, she suddenly felt as if she had returned from another world.
Then, immediately afterward, a chill ran through her.
Because this was the Imperial Capital.
To her, this place was enemy territory.
And worse, it was the enemy's headquarters.