"You bastard!"
The current Esdeath was still simple in her emotions. She had not yet become the woman who yearned for love... or rather, in the original story, it was only due to Merraid's influence that Esdeath even considered the notion of romance.
Thus, Esdeath was furious!
Especially upon seeing that expression of supreme bliss on Merraid's face, her heart felt a localized intensity of discomfort. If she didn't eliminate this feeling, she probably wouldn't get a wink of sleep tonight.
It was like a Taoist priest who, while buying supplies down the mountain, got into an argument with someone. Upon returning to the temple, the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he felt. He simply couldn't find peace until he went back down the mountain and gave that person a thorough thrashing. Only then could he return to tranquility.
For Esdeath, the best solution was to punch that smug face. Doing so would guarantee her a good night's rest.
With that thought, Esdeath moved without hesitation. Since Merraid was beneath her, there was no way for the woman to escape.
"Not bad, Esdeath. But... you seem to lack experience against humans!"
Though Merraid was not particularly old, her vision was exceptionally sharp. As someone destined to become the leader of an assassination Oarburgh Clan, she naturally discerned the flaws in Esdeath's movements.
Her combat style was wide and bold. While she possessed technique, it clearly wasn't designed for fighting humans... Was she from some minority tribe in the North? Because she dealt with Danger Beasts year-round, she lacked anti-personnel skills?
In just two or three days of contact, Merraid had nearly seen through Esdeath. If Cerydra and Hysilens weren't in the picture and she was tasked to assassinate the current Esdeath, her success rate would be at least seventy percent.
However, since she currently lived under someone else's roof, she couldn't actually fight Esdeath seriously. She could only find a way to dodge... Though the distance was short, it wasn't impossible.
As Esdeath swung her fist, all Merraid could do was rotate to bleed off the momentum. Her free hand instinctively wrapped around Esdeath's lower back, followed by a sharp twist—
Esdeath's punch hit nothing but air. Due to the centrifugal force of the spin, she and Merraid tumbled together onto the cold floor. It wasn't until Merraid performed a fluid leap that the two finally regained their distance.
"What a heartless woman! Even after we did that together, you don't hesitate to aim for the face... Do you want to disfigure me?"
Having pulled away, Merraid didn't forget to taunt Esdeath. After all, she just received a "grand gift" from Esdeath's body. If things ended like this, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight either...
Wait, why did I say "also"?
"Hehehe... I don't just want to disfigure you. I'm going to embed you into the wall!"
With her fighting spirit fully ignited, Esdeath was now completely wide awake. If she didn't punch that mocking face into the masonry, she definitely wouldn't be able to sleep.
BOOM!
The table shattered.
BOOM!
The bed broke.
BOOM!
Even the floor cracked.
Now, both of them were truly incapable of sleeping.
★ ★ ★
Compared to the nocturnal struggle and the loud crashes caused by Esdeath and Merraid, the situation with Cerydra and Chelsea was much better...
"Your Teigu allows you to turn into different people, right?"
"I can indeed change into different people... Who do you want me to become?"
Having long heard of the capabilities of 'Gaea Foundation: Phantasmagoria', Cerydra naturally wouldn't let this chance slip. She intended to properly test the benefits this ability provided.
So, before bed, Cerydra sought out Chelsea, intending for her to transform into a familiar creature.
"I have a question. Can this Teigu allow you to turn into non-human entities?"
"I mean, it's possible..."
"Then transform into a Dromas for me to ride."
Cerydra's expression was dead serious. Since arriving in this world, she hadn't had the chance to demonstrate her horsemanship, specifically with Dromas.
The reason the Imperator loved Dromas was because their height allowed her to overlook all directions. Since she ran into Chelsea, why not satisfy this little whim?
"Dromas? What is that? A Danger Beast?"
Seeing Chelsea's confused expression, Cerydra suddenly remembered that this world only had Danger Beasts. There were no Dromas from the world of Amphoreus!
"In that case, let me show you the Imperator's artistic skills! It's certainly no worse than those of professional artists!"
After finding paper and a pen at the desk, the Imperator began to draw at top speed. Despite being a sovereign, her attainments in the arts were likely not lacking.
Soon, a lifelike drawing of 'The Imperator Riding a Dromas' appeared before Chelsea's eyes.
The lollipop dropped from Chelsea's mouth at that moment. She stared wide-mouthed at the drawing, then looked at Cerydra, whose eyes held a hint of expectation.
"You want me to turn into this?"
"Speak with more respect. What do you mean by 'this'? The Dromas is a noble creature! Since this is your first offense, I won't punish you. Hurry up and do it; it's an honor for you to become a Dromas."
She couldn't see the "noble" part, but it was certainly tall!
Who would have thought this little shorty liked such massive creatures?
Under Cerydra's tyrannical pressure, Chelsea could only swallow her poisonous retorts. She didn't dare say a word.
If she had spoken up, the Imperator might have simply ordered Chelsea to split into five directions to assassinate the Northern King... and then there might have been another lollipop-related "famous scene."
"I can't. While Gaea Foundation can change my shape, it can't turn me into creatures that are too large or too small..."
"Stupid. Can't you just turn into a juvenile one?"
That actually works?
Thus, under the Imperator's sincere persuasion (threats), Chelsea successfully used her Teigu to turn into a horse-sized Dromas. She then watched with an expression of utter despair as Cerydra climbed onto her back.
It looked like Chelsea wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight either...
As for the Imperator, the feeling of sitting on the back of a Dromas made her incredibly excited. Sleep was out of the question. Even she hadn't expected to enjoy the pleasure of riding a Terra-Beast in the world of Akame ga Kill!
"Dux Pantomorph, why don't you be my Dromas for the rest of your life!"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Chelsea was furious. This shorty's head was full of her own desires, never considering the feelings of others!
'How could I possibly be a Danger Beast for a lifetime!'
"Is that so? What a pity."
A look of regret appeared on the Imperator's face, an expression Chelsea saw clearly.
'Pity my foot!'
Now, Chelsea, who was simmering with rage she didn't dare voice, was even more awake...
★ ★ ★
In the final room, Hysilens and Taeko lay on the same bed. They didn't move an inch, silently listening to the chaotic noises coming from the two neighboring rooms.
After a long time, Taeko finally couldn't take it.
"Are those two rooms really okay?"
"Rest assured. No lives will be lost."
The one responding to Taeko was Hysilens, her voice steady yet completely unconvincing. If it weren't for the fact that she couldn't win in a fight, Taeko would have run away long ago.
"But they keep making such strange noises. We can't sleep like this!"
"Do you need me to help you fall asleep?"
Hysilens thought of her identity as a Siren. If she sang a lullaby, she could surely make a human fall asleep quickly, right?
But in Taeko's ears, those words sounded as terrifying as a death warrant!
'If you keep paying attention to the other rooms, I'll make you disappear entirely'—that was roughly how she interpreted it.
Now, Taeko couldn't sleep either.
As for Hysilens beside her, because of sharing one soul in two bodies with Cerydra, it was naturally impossible for her to sleep.
The two lay there together, staring at the ceiling, listening to the disturbances from the adjacent rooms. For a long time, neither could close their eyes.
It was a sleepless night.