Chapter 90: Free Will and Choice
10 KM away from the capital.
In the Hideout of the Night Raid. Three gorgeous women were facing each other, in silence.
The White haired one, with one eye and one arm missing was keeping herself calm as she tried to analyze anything she could find.
In front of her, like a saintness gracing the world, the Pink heard one had kind and affectionate eyes, as she had a small smile on.
By her side. A more beautiful woman was sitting leg on another, her noble bearing and her apparent skill, giving her a particular grace.
She had a cutely crooked (Like Marjorie Tyrell's) elegant smile, completely devoid of any sign of power, but brimming with malice. Her Hood behind back and the hidden blade in her wrists were indicative of her identity.
Suddenly a screaming was heard from the outside:
"NAJENDA!!!"
"Oh my~…"
"Look at that…Quite the Fast response."
" Your people are quite dependent on you…General Najenda."
Kassandra spoke praise to the still stoic Najenda. Euphemia nodded in acknowledgement:
"I am quite Impressed too."
Immediately one silhouette after the other appeared, as the previously deserted room got filled with quite the colorful crowd. Lubbock appearing by her side, spoke first:
"Najenda…be careful! Those hooded people are extremely dangerous !"
Najenda sighed:
"You don't need to tell me."
She crossed eyes with Kassandra:
"It's quite obvious."
All the members of the Night Raid focused their attention on the sitting Kassandra, noticing her familiar attire, they all took a deep breath. Kassandra, her smile still plastered on her face, didn't miss her chance:
"Oh my~ "
"It seems you have met some of my Brothers."
Leonne narrowed her eyes:
"The Brotherhood, huh…"
Mine had quite the serious face:
"Why are you doing all this in the city?"
Kassandra titled her head, as she pointed to the gorgeous princess by her side:
"No. No."
"I am only here as a Bodyguard."
She bowed her upper body slightly:
"If you have questions, you should talk to her Highness."
Hearing the way the woman addressed her, all gazes focused on Euphemia.
Despite the pressure, she was calm and serene, like a flower blessing the field.
Euphemia had a beautiful smile as she presented herself:
"Now, that everyone is here, we can finally start talking."
"Nice to meet you all…Night Raid."
"I am Euphemia Vi Britania, Second Vizir of the Empire."
She then for the first time announced the information they've been wanting to understand the most:
"The Atleasian Empire."
Everyone immediately tensed up, as they still didn't even understand from where those people came from. Euphemia then continued:
"Our Objective is to take over this country."
They opened their eyes widely. Mine spurted in surprise:
"What?!! Are you serious?!!"
Leonne narrowed her eyes:
"So this why you were killing all this people…"
Euphemia tilted her head sideways:
"We cannot allow corrupt criminals, and rotten power-hungry nobles in the Empire. His Majesty has demanded their immediate execution."
Lubbock had a deep gaze:
"So you are here asking us to join your side, huh…"
Euphemia tilted her head:
"We don't know each other enough to do that yet."
"My only request is for you to sit and watch."
"You could intervene at any moment; would you judge our policies is contrary to your principles."
Leonne raged, a pissed off voice:
"Why should we trust you?!! What if you are worst than the last regime?!"
"Why if you are doing all of this just to calm us down!"
"Do you think everything can be resolved with shatter?!"
Even though, Leonne was screaming, Euphemia's smile only grew warmer, as her shining eyes locked with her feline yellows ones:
"You really do care about this country…I am happy this place still got people like that"
Leonne still glared, her intensity not going down in the slightest, like a Roaring Lioness.
But…Euphemia wasn't finished, her warm expression then turned more solemn, as she bascule to a much more restrained tone:
"But should you…Based on simple assumptions, start a Revolution?"
"I understand your concerns. But what if you are wrong?"
"Are you going to gamble the life of Millions just because you think some people are not up to the job?"
She had saddened gaze:
"I could understand a war when the two sides fight for different interests."
Euphemia eyes became colder, showing her Imperial Britanian blood, a domineering aura coming from her!
"But I would never allow a Meaningless war, when the Two Sides are fighting for the same things!"
Her domineering aura made them all understood.
This was not a young naïve princess. This was a ruler who will not be pushed around! A worthy foe, if they ever face her!
She then looked at Najenda, a warm smile on. So Warm that it even moved her cynic heart.
Everyone of them were baffled by her words.
Most nobles in this world were either filthy, corrupted trash or bat-shit crazy psychopaths.
The ideals of nobility and valor of the High Society were spread but they were never respected.
Until, this very moment.
They never saw someone resemble that version of the 'Noblesse' this closely. Every world, seemed classy, graceful, with deep wisdom and panache.
In the last days, passing at the Head of the Empire, as she accumulated more responsibilities, as she recovered from her trauma, Euphemia grew more and more as a person, as a regent and as noble.
Euphemia as of now, is still blooming, her potential only growing with each passing day.
"We will take care of everything. You only need to act according to your will"
"I dearly wish for all the suffering in this Country to disappear."
Her rose eyes were brimming with shining determination.
Najenda instinct immediately told her:
'She is honest. No. More than that. She is determined.'
If one was to tell Najenda how she idealized a perfect ruler in her youth, it would resemble something like that.
"I would like you all to deliver that message to the Revolutianary Army."
"A new Empire is about to established and they are welcome in it."
She then had a solemn face:
"This is the first thing I came to say."
"The Second one is concerning your list of Targets."
Najenda was surprised:
"What do you mean?!"
Euphemia had a stern face:
"All the people in you target lists are felons and criminals all around the Empire."
"I will trust your judgment on that, General Najenda."
"If you give me this list."
"Neither one of them, no matter how powerful they are, will see the day."
Najenda had a large smile:
"Do you think you could pull that off in a day's time?"
Euphemia grinned a little amused:
"General Najenda you better get used to surprises with us."
" But if you don't believe me, let's make a bet, shall we?"
All the Members were intrigued, since when the conversation become this lively?
Yet, Lubbock who knew Najenda the most, had already understood her intention:
'She wants to believe her. She is giving her a chance too.'
Euphemia also understood her position, so she came up with an idea:
"Let's say…If we can take out anyone on your list by the sun rise. You will be my aid for 2 Months!"
Najenda opened her eyes, a little surprised. Euphemia's grin got bigger:
"I would need the insight of someone who had deep knowledge of the Empire, so that I can Rule here."
All the members of the Night Raid felt strangely more and more comfortable around this woman:
"You can even take it as spy mission and report to the Revolutionary Army. I don't particularly mind."
Najenda's surprise turned into a weird expression:
"Would you trust me that much? I am quite the dangerous type."
Euphemia responded naively as if she asked a stupid question:
"Why wouldn't I? You are already proved that you care about this country more that anyone."
She then looked at Leonne as she added:
"And Trust goes both ways. I can't expect you to trust me, if I don't do the same, can I?"
Leonne and Najenda both laughed at the same time, to dismay of Euphemia. She turned her attention to Kassandra who only had an absurd smile on.
She had heard of The Second Vizir's character from The Emperor and the Empress. But now she got to witness it herself.
'It absurd how much this person is good at swaying people into her own pace. Even The First Vizir isn't her match at all.'
'And the weirdest thing is that she doesn't seem totally aware of it.'
Najenda gradually stopped laughing as she exclaimed:
"I see! How interesting!"
She looked deeply at Euphemia and said to the surprise of the rest members of the Night Raid:
"You can have the List."
She then stopped:
"But before that…I want to know one thing."
Euphemia who know what she meant spoke her word:
"It's about Esdeath, isn't it?"
Najenda nodded, as she asked:
"If you claim to overthrow the Empire today, you need to fight the Empire"s strongest."
Euphemia tilted her head:
"Actually…The Plan for Esdeath is quite peculiar."
All the Members of the Night Raid were focused. This was Esdeath, after all! The Number One Target! The Biggest obstacle to prosperity!
The Unbeatable monster!
Euphemia sighed as she dropped the bomb:
"The plan is for Esdeath to be reformed not killed."
""""WHAT??!!"""
All had the same baffled and incredulous expression! Najenda who knew her best responded:
"Do you really think you could change that demon?!"
Euphemia had a complicated face:
"No, even I couldn't do that."
Kassandra for the first time, in a while spoke:
"Only one person could."
Deep Worship and Love were in her words. Najenda stared at the Assassin's maidenly face as she spoke:
"Only His Majesty, the Emperor could."
Najenda sneered:
"You seem pretty confident."
Kassandra eyes were still affectionate:
"There is nothing in this world his Majesty can't do."
Euphemia had serious eyes:
"Those are all details. But one thing is sure."
"After today, she will disappear from this part of the Atleasian Empire."
She locked eyes with Najenda:
"She will be in a place where she could freely be herself."
Najenda narrowed her eyes, understanding her meaning:
"So you are planning to use her to fight your wars…"
"Even a Blade can create peace. It only needs to be used by the correct person."
Najenda sighed, as Lubbock brought her the papers:
"I don't know how you convinced me to do that…"
"But I certainly hope your Emperor is half as good as you."
The moment she ended her sentence, she felt extreme blood lust coming from Kassandra, as her smile seemed a little bit colder.
All the members of the Night Raid were frightened! Najenda felt the Blood-lust that didn't lose to Esdeath's at alll!
She made eye contact with the woman:
"I seem to have said some unnecessary things."
Euphemia smiled, as she made a hand sign for Kassandra to calm down:
"I understand your doubts. But you will soon meet him anyway."
Najenda had an intrigued face.
"I will meet him in the Imperial Castle after we cleanse the Empire."
She had a teasing and girly smile:
"You will be my aid by then~"
Najenda shaken up once again, smiled powerlessly:
"I see…So that was your goal from the start."
She then took the papers and put them in front of the Princess, as she had a defying glare:
"That is only if you succeed."
Euphemia took the papers from her hand as she nodded:
"That is a matter of course."
She then stood up:
"Well. I still have quite the busy schedule."
And made eye contact with the other members of the Night Raid:
"If any of you had any follow up questions…I will be happy to answer!"
All of them had too much to process, they couldn't even ask one question. They stood in silence, before they heard a calm and cool female voice:
"I have one."
Akame who have been silent the whole ordeal finally spoke in an uncharacteristic way.
Surprisingly or not, she wasn't addressing Euphemia but Kassandra.
Najenda narrowed her gaze in thought.
'Akame, rarely talks…And normally keeps her opinion to herself.'
'There must be something to it.'
All the members of the Night Raid thought the same.
Kassandra smiled beautifully, as she felt a little connection with the girl.
Both were girls formed as Assassins, both were unrivaled geniuses between their pairs and both cherished their companions the same way.
This kind of connection is extremely subtle, yet highly tangible.
"Speak."
Akame had her cool and calm voice:
"Just now, we met your organization when we were about to Eliminate the people at Aria's mansion."
Kassandra nodded for her to continue:
"They took care of the Family Members but spared the guards."
Her eyes revealed her confusion :
"Even protecting them in the process."
Leonne and Mine now, knew what she was about to talk about. But before she continued, Kassandra smile turned from her artificially elegant one, to one of guenine love and devotion, as she recited like a mantra:
"Humans are creatures of good, but are easily swayed by evil."
All the members of the Night Raid opened their eyes in surprise. Najenda narrowed her eyes in wonder.
"Free Will is not the only thing to blame. The Choice itself is the bigger problem."
"If the Choice of pursuing evil is given. Then the problem already lies within the country."
"Ruling is not depriving people of their Free Will…But is all about giving the people the right Choice."
Kassandra had the eyes of a maiden, and as the words came out of her mouth, her heart seemed on display. As if transported into her youthful, precious memories.
Najenda sighed as she processed these words, understanding why it touched Akame that much.
'It's about Kurome, huh…'
Akame clenched her hands as her doubts were confirmed:
"So you knew these words too…"
Kassandra responded:
"It's one of our numerous creeds."
"All members of the Brotherhood, keep those words in their heart."
Akame had a deep light in her eyes:
"And who taught you 'that creed'?"
Kassandra's eyes became kinder:
"My Mentor."
Akame had a little longing in her eyes:
"Is he here in this country?"
Kassandra:
"He is indeed."
"He is at the Imperial Castle."
All the members of the Night Raid seemed to have trouble understanding. But Najenda was the first to tick as she addressed Euphemia:
"It seems I didn't need to worry."
Akame was still confused. Kassandra laughed lightly:
"He is in the Imperial Room waiting for his Second Vizir to come back."
This time everyone understood. Leonne was the first to talk:
"You mean?!"
Akame had determination in her eyes:
"So, it's the Emperor, after all."
She turned to Najenda:
"Najenda-san, I want to accompany you."
Najenda nodded, as she sighed:
"It seems this will be a long night."
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Since it had quite the good reception! I will keep writing the Author Thoughts here!
The AGK arc is not about war and fighting and more about ideology and way of governing. Marek's relation to his own subject and his own people.
It's more of character driven arc, so there will be more dialogue then fights. I know it could bore some people out there. But, hey....Kingdom Building is also about Internal governance!
Hope you will like it! The Arc will be short tho...
I noticed that not a lot of people comment compared to other fics, is there some reason to it, just asking!
GIVE ME POWWAA!(And comments too!!)