A grand banquet, attended exclusively by Chrysos Heirs, was held within the world of "Akame ga Kill!" and finally drew to a close.
It was a historic moment.
The Imperator had finally secured the first batch of desired talent. To mark the occasion, Cerydra even joined the festivities to share the joy with her subjects, showing just how deep her inner satisfaction ran.
As the unique celebration ended, Cerydra and Hysilens exchanged a meaningful glance. They simultaneously shifted their gaze toward Esdeath, who was about to depart.
"Blue Fish, I have something to discuss with you. Could you come to my room for a moment?"
Lately, Cerydra and Hysilens had been preoccupied with the rapid pacification of the North, leaving them no time to investigate the issues regarding Esdeath's condition. Now that a window of leisure had opened, they had to examine the situation.
Operating two bodies at once while managing so many affairs had taken a toll on the protagonist's mental endurance. Thus, as the sovereign, the Imperator swept her sleeves and departed after the banquet, leaving the remaining matters for Hysilens to handle personally.
While Hysilens was nominally Cerydra's knight, one could not forget her true identity. She was a Demigod, an entity no weaker than Cerydra herself.
Though her Authority was not as versatile as Cerydra's, it was the power of a god nonetheless. It could not be weak.
'Hysilens'... room?'
Esdeath paused, clearly not expecting the Dux Gladiorium to make such a sudden request.
Images of the night she stayed over with Merraid flashed through her mind again, causing Esdeath to part her lips slightly. However, the memory of her stabbing Merraid to death quickly resurfaced, and the girl regained her composure.
"Of course, Lady Hysilens. Shall we go now?"
Unlike Merraid, Hysilens—much like Cerydra—held a glorious and majestic image in Esdeath's heart. She surely wouldn't do that sort of thing.
"Follow me."
Hysilens offered a faint smile and walked ahead of Esdeath, leading the young girl toward her private quarters within the palace.
Esdeath felt a flicker of anticipation. What did Hysilens' room look like? It seemed she had never been there since their first meeting.
The thought made her quite curious.
However, when Esdeath finally beheld the full view of Hysilens' room, that anticipation instantly fell flat.
Usually, when someone gains their own room, they imagine how to decorate it. As a high-ranking general under Cerydra, Esdeath possessed the wealth to turn any whim into reality. She could have made a room magnificent and gold-plated if she wished.
But rather than gold or riches, Esdeath preferred keeping interesting torture devices or interrogation tools in her room—a personal hobby of hers.
As for Hysilens, the usually vigorous and meticulous female knight, Esdeath truly couldn't imagine what she liked. She intended to use this chance to satisfy her curiosity.
But now... how should she put it?
Esdeath thought it over and decided only one word fit.
Simple.
A simple bed, simple decorations, simple colors. Overall, it lacked any striking features. It was hard to imagine this was a room within a palace.
The only thing worth mentioning was a small bath within the room. But what was the use? It didn't look particularly high-end. One couldn't discern Hysilens' hobbies from it at all.
'Wait!'
'Could Lady Hysilens be the same as me?'
Esdeath suddenly remembered that while her own room had tools, they only occupied a small portion; the rest was normal.
This was mainly because Esdeath lacked interest in most material goods. Hysilens' room seemed to be an intensified version of her own style.
While Esdeath was lost in thought, Hysilens was not idle. With the soft thud of clothing hitting the floor, Hysilens immediately walked toward the small bath, which could fit five people at most.
"Lady Hysilens, you... what are you doing?"
Esdeath only just reacted as a snowy-white body passed before her eyes and stepped directly into the bath. This sudden scene caused Esdeath's brain to stall completely.
Simultaneously, the Merraid she had just killed in her mind resurrected, beginning to mock her to her face.
'Your first kiss wasn't with Cery—'
Unfortunately, before the mental projection could finish, Esdeath cut her down again with a blade.
"Phew! This feels wonderful... Blue Fish, aren't you coming over?"
Hysilens exuded the aura of the great ocean, which immediately gave the watching Esdeath a powerful urge.
Specifically, the urge to rush into the bath and embrace that beauty!
But was Esdeath an ordinary person?
The moment she noticed this impulse, she immediately restrained her behavior, chanting repeatedly in her heart.
'I am forever loyal to the Imperator!'
"Do not worry too much. I won't do anything excessive. I merely wish to verify a hypothesis."
Seeming to realize Esdeath's internal struggle, Hysilens waved a hand with a smile, signaling the other to join her side.
Since Hysilens had spoken, how could Esdeath refuse? She quickly draped her clothes over a nearby chair and entered the small bath.
She wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but Esdeath thought she smelled a faint scent of fish for a moment. It vanished instantly, leaving her face full of questions.
Meanwhile, Hysilens, who had quietly hidden certain things, took advantage of the moment Esdeath frowned to reach out with a cold finger.
"Eek—!"
The icy sensation against her chest made the young Esdeath shiver. Her originally calm face turned tense.
Hysilens, however, ignored the reaction. She quietly mobilized the Authority of the Sea Demigod within her, letting it wander freely through Esdeath's body like a small fish swimming in the ocean.
Soon, a deep blue light, like the ocean itself, radiated from Esdeath, illuminating the entire room.
"Just as I thought..."
Hysilens' expression showed no surprise; she had expected this.
Before Hysilens' eyes, the girl Esdeath had somehow grown a fish tail. Blue scales even appeared at the corners of her eyes. She was the Mermaid Esdeath that had appeared on the battlefield before!
At the same time, Hysilens shed her own disguise, revealing her own mermaid tail alongside Esdeath.
"The reason you possess this power is because of me!"