"Hmm, I'm currently in need of a personal maid. From now on, you'll be wearing a maid outfit."
Sora circled Martha, stroking his chin with a professional tone.
Although he had many maids in his own world, in this world, he didn't have any. The female guards under Esdeath's training were all too wild, and none of them were suitable. Kije could have been a candidate, but she was busy handling official duties for him and Esdeath every day, so that wouldn't work either.
Thus, Sora decided to train Martha to be his personal maid. With her current figure and appearance, the thought of her in a maid outfit was incredibly enticing!
"Hehe, so Master has a thing for this, huh? Perfect, I still have a few beautiful maid outfits at home. I'll wear them for you later."
Martha clung to Sora again, rubbing against him with a knowing expression.
"Alright, alright, I'll go first. You hurry up and come over!"
Feeling his temper rising again, Sora cursed inwardly, "Damn temptress, just wait and see how I'll deal with you later!"
He pushed Martha off him and, without lingering, vanished in an instant.
As Sora left, the quiet night sky was once again filled with only Martha's presence. The smile on her face gradually faded.
"Hmm, Master, huh…"
Her blue eyes flickered with an unknown emotion as she murmured to herself.
"It seems… it might not be so bad after all."
A charming smile reappeared on her face as she removed her white headscarf, letting her long, blue hair cascade down, swaying in the breeze.
"Farewell, the old me…"
Turning around, Martha began walking toward her home, opening her delicate hand to let the wind carry away the white headscarf, without a trace of nostalgia.
…
At the mountain peak, inside a small wooden cabin.
"Great, everyone, we've all completed the trial!"
"Hahaha, easy peasy! Such a simple task couldn't possibly challenge me!"
"Father, this time I used my brains to defeat the enemy. Pretty impressive, right? Hehe…"
"Everyone is so amazing. I'm still feeling nervous, though…"
Inside the cabin, the young boys and girls who had completed the final trial gathered together. The beautiful and gentle big sister, Cornelia, was as caring as ever. Seeing everyone return safely, she let out a long sigh of relief, smiling warmly as she handed out cups of warm tea.
Guy, shirtless, sat to the side, boasting about how heroic he had been. The brooding Green leaned against the wall, glancing around with a faint smirk, his thoughts unknown.
The energetic Poney ran to the head seat and hugged Gozuki's arm, acting coquettishly to seek praise. The pure Tsukushi sat in her seat, her face slightly red, her hands tightly clasped together, still visibly shaken by the earlier scenes of slaughter.
Najasho remained silent as usual. The aftereffects of using the [Water-Dragon Sword] left his face slightly pale, but he was otherwise fine.
Akame held her katana by the window, her expression cold and composed, lacking her usual liveliness but showing more maturity and steadiness. Only when Cornelia handed her tea did she manage a faint smile.
Clearly, the impact of Martha's death had deeply affected her…
"Excellent, all of you have completed your tasks. You've done very well!"
Gozuki, now back in his cool, uncle-like demeanor, patted Poney's head and stood up, praising the young boys and girls.
The noisy cabin fell silent as the boys and girls looked up at Gozuki's tall figure, their eyes filled with excitement and fervor. Gozuki's praise meant the world to them.
"Najasho, Guy, Green, the three of you have graduated and are now qualified to become warriors of the Empire. From now on, you'll be carrying out missions with me."
Seeing the three boys' eager and excited expressions, Gozuki nodded in satisfaction. Then, he turned his gaze to the four girls, a hint of sorrow flashing in his eyes as he changed the topic. "Cornelia, Akame, Poney, Tsukushi, from now on, you are no longer my children."
Though it pained him deeply, Gozuki knew he couldn't keep the four girls. His tone was filled with regret and determination.
The cabin fell into silence. Neither the boys nor the girls had expected Father to say such a thing, and they all looked at him in disbelief.
"Father, what's going on? Please explain!"
"What do you mean Cornelia and the others are no longer your children? They completed the trial too! Why are you abandoning them?"
"Waaah… Father, no! I don't want to leave you!"
"Father, please give us a proper explanation. Why…"
As Guy, the big guy, was the first to shout out, the entire cabin erupted in chaos. Except for Najasho and Akame, who stood silently observing the situation, the others were all filled with anger and agitation.
The boys and girls couldn't understand why the four girls, who had passed the trial, were being abandoned by Father. Perhaps Gozuki's brainwashing over the years had been too successful, as the boys and girls had developed an almost blind dependence and sense of belonging to him. Hearing that he was abandoning them now, how could they not be furious and agitated?
Compared to the others' strong reactions, Akame remained calm. She was a girl with her own opinions. Although Martha had accused her of being a spy for the rebels before her death, and Gozuki had been instilling ideas of protecting the Empire and its people, Akame had begun to have doubts about all of this.
She was just a girl with no grand ambitions. Her only goal was to survive and see her sister again. As for protecting the Empire and its people, if she had the ability, she wouldn't mind doing so. But was it really that important to be Gozuki's child?
"Father, I've been wanting to ask for a while now. Where is your Teigu, [Murasame]?"
Najasho's voice broke the silence. Unlike the others, he wouldn't show the foolish expressions of those idiots and naively ask why.
Father's most treasured weapon was missing, which clearly indicated that something had happened. If he could figure out the truth, he might consider saving these poor fools.
Well, in a way, Najasho could also be described as "tsundere," huh…
As Najasho reminded them, the other six turned their attention to Gozuki's waist. Normally, Father's most cherished and precious Teigu, the One-Cut Killer katana [Murasame], would be hanging there. But now, there was only an empty scabbard…
Having lived together for eight years, the boys and girls knew how much Gozuki treasured his weapon. He never let anyone touch it, and he even slept with it by his side!
Thus, discovering that [Murasame] was gone, the boys and girls were all shocked, their faces filled with disbelief. They even forgot about their own situation for a moment.
"It was destroyed in a fight."
Gozuki frowned as he answered the boys and girls who were staring at him intently.
Though his tone was calm, the boys and girls felt a chill run down their spines. What had happened during their absence?
What kind of monster could destroy something as powerful as Father's weapon, which they had always believed to be invincible?
After all, it wasn't just any ordinary weapon—it was one of the most powerful Teigu in the entire Empire!
"If you want to know who it was, he's right behind you."
With a tone tinged with helplessness, it would be a lie to say he wasn't heartbroken. Gozuki felt as though his heart was bleeding. Looking at the seven stunned and confused faces before him, he shook his head and spoke.
Hearing Gozuki's voice, the young boys and girls were startled, turning their heads sharply to see the scene before them. They stared wide-eyed, unable to speak for a long moment.
A man with black hair and black eyes leaned against the doorframe, having appeared there unnoticed at some point. He gazed at them with a sinister smile…
Even Najasho and Akame, who were usually the most composed and calm, felt a chill run down their spines, let alone the others!
They were the most elite assassins trained by their father, yet this man had silently appeared behind them without any of them noticing. It was a profound irony and a deep-seated fear…
"Who are you?!"
With a dry throat and a gulp, the burly Guy was the first to speak.
Just like Gozuki had felt earlier, neither Guy nor the others could sense any aura from Sora. He seemed like an ordinary person, which was precisely what made him so terrifying.
"Hey… Gozuki, you haven't told them yet."
Crossing his arms, Sora ignored Guy's question and instead smiled at Gozuki above.
In truth, Sora had just arrived. Seeing Gozuki, who had been severely injured by him earlier but now appeared unharmed, a strange glint flashed in Sora's eyes, though he wasn't overly surprised.
After all, the title of "Rakshasa Demon" wasn't just for show!
"Sora, the Empire's Grand General, one of the three strongest. By the Empire's command, Cornelia, Akame, Poney, and Tsukushi, he will now be your master."
Every time he saw this brat, Gozuki felt a surge of irritation. But no matter how much he disliked it, in the face of absolute power, Gozuki had no choice. He introduced Sora to them in a calm tone.
"What? This guy is the Empire's Grand General?!"
"One of the three strongest? Is he the one who destroyed Father's Teigu?!"
"The Black Reaper… he's younger than I imagined."
Guy, Green, and even the usually silent Najasho couldn't help but express their astonishment. As for Cornelia and the other three girls, they were even more shocked. They hadn't expected that this handsome man, who looked only slightly older than them, was the infamous Grand General Sora, known as the Empire's strongest!
Moreover, according to their father, he was to be their… master?!
"Well said, Cornelia, Akame, Poney, Tsukushi. From now on, you are my possessions!"
"Don't resist. This is the Empire's will, and also the will of your most trusted father."
With a wicked grin, Sora ignored the others and looked at the four girls who were still in shock, his smile growing sinister.