"Lin Feng... you're back! You weren't here when I brought you lunch today... so I had to give it to Seryu... no! That's not what I wanted to say!"
Sheele slowly woke up, gathered her thoughts a little, and continued:
"Um... what exactly happened yesterday? Why did General Esdeath pull you over there?"
Lin Feng explained, but Sheele did not seem to understand much of anything. All she caught was Lin Feng repeating Esdeath's name over and over.
Yet whenever she heard Lin Feng say "General Esdeath," an inexplicable blush rose to Sheele's face.
"Lin Feng... General Esdeath, what kind of person do you think she is?"
Hearing Sheele's question, Lin Feng answered without hesitation.
"What kind of person? Well, she's a woman I don't really get along with."
Although Esdeath was still thoroughly feminine despite being a general, Lin Feng could never agree with her principle of putting strength above everything.
Lin Feng valued humanity more than strength.
Hearing Lin Feng's answer, Sheele felt much better.
"Sheele, I want to give you this."
Lin Feng unfastened his thick winter coat, revealing several loops of hemp rope bound beneath it.
Hidden within the rope was a folded pair of Two Cuts for All Things: Ecstasy.
After thinking it over and over, this was the best way he had found to bring this Teigu away.
"This is..."
"Didn't I win the dueling tournament? This was my prize, but it doesn't feel very comfortable to use. I wanted you to try it."
"But... I don't know how to fight!"
"It's dangerous going out every day. Keep it for self-defense. Try it first; if it doesn't work for you, you don't have to take it. If it's really no good, you can always use it for cooking!"
Sheele took the long scissors from Lin Feng, utterly unsure how she was supposed to lift them and chop up ingredients-
"Huh? They're so light..."
Unexpectedly, Ecstasy for All Things: Two Cuts, forged from the scales of a Super Danger Beast, had exceptionally high toughness and extremely low density. Though incredibly hard, it was as light and handy as a wooden blade.
Sheele raised the Teigu and went into the kitchen to try cutting a few pieces of frozen bone. She felt that all those days she had spent cooking with a large cleaver had been utterly meaningless.
"I... I think I could get used to this!"
"Then this will be your Teigu from now on, Sheele."
"I couldn't possibly. This is the fruit of your hard work, Lin Feng..."
"It's fine."
Lin Feng drew Casull and Jackal from his waist, then casually spun the two pistols.
"I still have these."
"Thank you..."
Sheele thanked him, and Lin Feng thought he had misheard.
Why was his childhood friend being so distant with him now? Was he imagining things?
Lin Feng stopped dwelling on it, because the current situation no longer allowed him to waste time.
Inside the imperial palace in the capital.
Three men knelt before the young female general, whose whole body radiated an icy aura.
The man dressed in a suit and polished shoes, looking like a butler, was named Liver. He possessed the Teigu Water Dragon Possession: Black Marlin, which could freely manipulate liquids.
Nyau, a little boy who looked frail and whose gender was difficult even to tell, possessed the flute Teigu Military Music Dream: Scream, which could manipulate the emotions of those who heard it.
Meanwhile, Daidara, a well-proportioned, muscular man covered in scars and wearing a wicked grin, possessed the Teigu Two Great Axes: Belvaac, which could track enemies and slash them.
All three were Esdeath's subordinates, and they differed from the Jaegers.
The Jaegers' objective was to fight Night Raid. If their opponents were not members of Night Raid, there was no need for the Jaegers Unit to act.
Their Three Beasts, however, were a special forces unit personally trained by Esdeath that answered only to her.
All three men had once bowed before Esdeath's absolute strength, and thus were utterly loyal to their queen.
"Minister Honest came to see me just now."
Esdeath crossed her left leg over her right. His snow-white boot was level with the Three Beasts, making them involuntarily want to lick their queen's sole.
"This time, you need to carry out a mission to assassinate personnel within the palace. There are quite a few targets, but they're all civil officials with no fighting ability."
Esdeath sighed.
"I don't know any of these officials, but that doesn't matter. Since this is Minister Honest's wish, it is mine as well. Just carry it out."
"Yes, Lady Esdeath."
"We shall exert our meager abilities to the utmost and brave fire and water for you."
"Mere clerks aren't worth dirtying Lady Esdeath's hands."
The responses of her three loyal subordinates did not satisfy Esdeath very much.
She was still caught up in blaming herself for underestimating Lin Feng.
"I'll inform you of the specific targets later. They should now be on their way back to the Empire from the western regions. Make sure you act discreetly enough."
Esdeath's voice was cold and deep.
"Also, make sure you spread word that Night Raid killed these civil officials. That will help us wipe out the Night Raid organization in one fell swoop."
"Yes."
Esdeath's brows knitted tightly.
The officials the Three Beasts were assigned to assassinate were among the few loyal subjects within the palace who cared about the common people.
Honest had long wanted to assassinate the loyal officials in the palace who opposed him, then make Night Raid take the blame for their murders.
However, after Esdeath had left on her northern campaign, the palace had been short of fighting forces, and the Empire's assassination unit had long since disbanded.
Now that Esdeath had returned, Honest could not wait to put this plan into action.
In Esdeath's eyes, however, strength was everything.
If those loyal officials with no fighting ability were killed, that would only prove their weakness.
Knock, knock-
Just then, a knock came from outside the door.
"Is that you, Wave? Come in."
A friendly-looking young man with blue hair slowly walked in from outside.
Seeing his slightly yellowish face, the Three Beasts could not help but tremble inwardly.
"Wave, hasn't General Budo assigned you a mission?"
"Assignments... General Budo hasn't received any missions from Minister Honest lately. The minister seems to want me to assist your subordinates for the time being, General."
As though she had known Wave would come all along, Esdeath's expression became composed and calm.
"Then let's follow the minister's wishes for now. I trust my subordinates' strength, so you needn't take action on this mission. But if anything unexpected happens along the way, you can serve as their guard then."
"I will obey your orders."
On Wave's placid face, there seemed to be a trace of melancholy in his eyes.
Still unwilling to owe Budo a favor...
Esdeath swept her arm, and the Three Beasts quickly withdrew.