__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Leaving aside what kind of mess Fubuki might run into after her return—
At that moment, Rosen was busy discussing strategy and dividing up tasks with the group.
In the end, the plan was set: once they returned to the Capital, they would split into two teams.
One team, led by Gabriel, would track down the members of Night Raid.The other, led by Esdeath, would escort Rosen and the rest to court for an audience with the Emperor.
As the Empire's great general, Esdeath was naturally expected to be honored upon her return.But every time the young Emperor appeared in court, Minister Honest was always there at his side, whispering in his ear.
The usual scene went like this: the boy-Emperor asked what to do, Honest gave the answer, and the Emperor just repeated his words.
In just a few short years, both the Emperor and the Empire had essentially become extensions of Honest himself.
Not that the exact "shape" mattered—triangle, square, whatever. The point was: wherever the Emperor went, Honest was sure to be right there too.
And it wasn't out of loyalty. Honest simply didn't want anyone else influencing the boy besides himself.
"Gabriel, Frieren, Fubuki—once you find Night Raid, bring them back to the Capital," Rosen instructed.
"As if it'll be that simple," Gabriel shot back. "If we suddenly show up in front of Akame and the others, getting cut down by Murasame would be considered merciful."
"I'll try to make it quick," Fubuki added. "But unless we use a little force, there's no way they'll listen in such a short time."
"So we'll have to fight them?" Frieren asked.
"Of course. Think about it—we're talking about professional assassins. If a bunch of strangers suddenly fell out of the sky claiming to be aliens sent by a chat group to protect them, would you believe it? Not a chance." Gabriel spread her hands helplessly.
"The only way is to overpower them first, then make them listen."
"So," she glanced at her two companions, "you up for it?"
"If we catch them off guard, the three of us together should be able to subdue them quickly," Fubuki said after a moment of thought. "I'll start with a storm to throw them off. If all goes well, I can handle it myself. If not, you two will have to step in."
Gabriel and Frieren nodded slightly.
"Meanwhile, Maru Seal (Hana-Maru) and Saeko will stick with Rosen and head to the Capital with Esdeath. They'll take care of Honest and Budo. The plan's clear enough—let's do it!"
Gabriel cracked her knuckles, wings flaring open as her halo and radiant spear appeared in a flash of light.
Esdeath raised an eyebrow at the sight.What exactly was this winged humanoid? Some new type of danger beast? Another otherworldly creature?
"Gabriel's job is being an angel," Rosen explained. "To put it in terms you'd understand, she's basically what the Anning cult worships. Angels serve a god called 'the Lord.'"
"Gods, huh? If this world really had any, they would've shown up by now." Esdeath dismissed the idea with ease. Myths and divine beings meant nothing to her. Still, if it came from the others' worlds, maybe those so-called gods did exist there.
[Bad Woman]: "Pushing on two fronts at once, huh? No wonder these group missions are nearly impossible if you don't have enough people."
[Bad Woman]: "But here's another problem—holding a country together requires political leadership. Esdeath doesn't strike me as the type with governing skills. If she really became Emperor but didn't know how to run the state, it wouldn't last long."
[Shepherd]: "Doesn't matter if she can't govern herself. Modern nations aren't held up by just one person anyway."
[Shepherd]: "What matters now is paving the way forward."
After leaving those words in the chat, Rosen turned back to Esdeath.
"How long would it take with a forced march to reach the Capital?"
"At full speed, about a week. If we only bring a few days' rations, we could make it in five," Esdeath replied.
"Too slow,"Rosen muttered. "In that case, we should head out immediately. Catch them before they're ready."
"If it's just a small group of us," Esdeath added, "and if we can capture one of the manta-class danger beasts, we could be in the Capital in a single day."
Rosen didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied the map hanging inside the tent. The Capital was several hundred kilometers away in a straight line. As long as the landing point was calculated right, it wasn't impossible.
"Oh! Great minds think alike!" Gabriel suddenly smacked him on the arm. "You were thinking the same thing as me, weren't you?"
"With my 'Divine Step,' we can teleport straight to the Capital."
"Divine Step?" Esdeath frowned at the unfamiliar name.
"It's basically a divine technique that lets me instantly jump to wherever I want. Only angels like me—and, well, my guildmate over here—can use it."
Puffed up with pride, Gabriel volunteered to take on the task of teleporting everyone to the Capital, as if to prove she really had been the top graduate of Heaven's academy.
Before that, though, Esdeath sent orders through her adjutant: she'd head to the Capital ahead of the army to deal with Honest, while the troops continued the march.
With everything prepared, Gabriel spread her wings wide. Her halo shone with a soft, warm glow as angelic power flowed outward, brushing across everyone like a gentle tide.
"Got it!" Gabriel's eyes lit up. Her power lifted her slightly off the ground, shimmering in the air.
A low hum filled the camp, stirring up a gust of wind.
And then—nothing. The angelic energy dissipated, leaving the world unchanged.
Everyone except Rosen looked around, confused.
Gabriel blinked, then froze. Her feet felt oddly cool.
Glancing down past her chest, she spotted two pale, bare feet planted squarely on the ground.
Her face paled.Where the hell were her shoes?!
Before she could react, Frieren jumped in. "Gabriel, the so-called top graduate of Heaven, failed again."
"What do you mean again?! You don't get it! This was a strategic miscalculation! I was just… livening up the mood!"
But the missing shoes spoke louder than her excuses.
A second later, the scenery around them shifted at dizzying speed. The women felt their heads spin as if the world itself was twisting.
When their vision cleared, the snow and ice were gone. Instead, patchwork farmlands stretched out before them.
They had arrived at the outskirts of the Capital.
"..."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________