"Akashi Nii-sama, I actually forgot to tell you or more like I had no time to tell you but...former general Najenda wants to meet you, alone." Kurome and Akashi were currently walking down the halls of his mansion when Kurome decided to tell this to Akashi in low voice.
"I see, good to know. Thank you, Kurome. Also thank you for remaining by my side." Akashi replied and stopped walking to ruffle Kurome's hair.
"Mm! That goes without saying, I have no reason to leave even if it is with my own sister. She might be my blood sister and I still love her, however, for me, you are also my family, Akashi Nii-sama" Kurome replied with a bright smile and instead of trying to get rid of his hand she caught it and kept it on top of her head while smiling at him.
After a moment of silence, they both released the same smile and they began walking once again.
"Hm?" Akashi and Kurome stopped only after taking a few steps forward since they saw door opening in the hallway and Poney walking out of there with the towel wrapped around her head to dry her hair.
"Ah, Akashi...Hi, Kurome!" Poney also noticed them and when she looked at Akashi, the atmosphere turned awkward but she still greeted Kurome with a big smile which only enhanced the awkwardness since she practically greeted only Kurome.
"Hi...?" Kurome replied while looking at her before she threw a suspicious look at Akashi. He already informed her about Poney's situation but she was still unaware why is such an awkward atmosphere between them.
"Have you thought about my words? If not, I can give you more time, your presence here isn't exactly bothersome but you would have to be careful when going outside." Akashi said with a slightly forced smile, trying to break this awkward wall between him and Poney. To be honest, for him, it would have been much better if she were to hate him and wanted to leave after Akame and Green. At least he wouldn't have trouble dealing with this awkward atmosphere.
"Huh? I can remain for a longer time without giving you my answer? And I can even leave whenever I want? Wouldn't that be dangerous to you?" She asked with a dumbfounded expression.
"You aren't mine prisoner and letting you stay for 1 or 2 nights doesn't change much so as long as you don't plan to freeloading here for the whole month, you can stay here for some time." Akashi replied and he was finally able to form a friendly smile while looking at Poney.
Of course, Akashi might have said that she isn't the prisoner but his Wrigglers are still watching her every move and he also has a plan if she were to try to take him down together with her by showing herself to others outside the mansion.
"...Thank you" She said and tried to bow down but the towel wrapped around her head suddenly started falling down but Akashi was fast enough to catch it before it got dirty from the floor.
"No need to bow down to me..." Akashi said while offering back her towel. He wanted to say more like 'We are friends, no?' but he held it back since it might only make the situation worse.
Poney nodded her head while her face was getting slowly red, she took the towel and walked past them with her head down.
"...Akashi Nii-sama, how do you do it?" Kurome asked when Poney disappeared around the corner.
"What?" Akashi asked with a confused expression.
"Embarrassing everyone..." Kurome replied with a smile while she started walking ahead of him.
'...But I am not even doing anything. And it's not like it's my intention to make mood awkward or embarrass anyone.' Akashi thought while looking at Kurome's back for a moment before he caught up to her by taking a few big steps.
'Anyway, I should go to the palace and try to find Esdeath while I still can.' Akashi thought while he was walking together with Kurome to the dining hall.
After he ate the meal, he went straight to the palace, in hopes to find Esdeath.
'...It looks like having their best group of assassins dead or missing hit the Empire quite hard.' Akashi thought when he noticed more guards and a lot of people running around. The entire palace was quite busy.
He went straight to the business since he had no interest in meddling with these matters.
After a few minutes of walking around and asking people, he discovered that Esdeath's room was relocated so he went according to the directions until he arrived at the door with 3 people standing next to it and guarding it.
One of them was a man of large muscular build with long, spiky blond hair, he was wearing standard Imperial's black military uniform with a few changes from the original. The second one was a tall man of standard build with gray hair tied in a long ponytail, blue eyes and a mustache.
The last one was a young man of small build with blond hair and golden eyes, His pupils were also slit, like Akashi's pupils.
Akashi threw one look at each of them and stopped for a while when his eyes landed on the third man who almost had an appearance of kid.
'Midget, huh? Anyway, they don't seem like regular soldiers, as expected of Esdeath.' Akashi thought before he redirected his attention to the door in front of him and as he wanted to knock on it, something was trying to hit his hand so he retracted it to dodge the attack.
"Esdeath-sama doesn't want to be bothered by anyone, right at the moment. However, I must say that was a nice dodge." A midget said with an annoying voice and expression while he was holding some kind of flute in his hand that he used to attack Akashi's hand.
"Truly impressive reaction time and speed, you and I must have a fight in the future!" The large man with long, spiky blond hair said with an excited expression.
'But I am still sleepy and I haven't even reacted as if my life depended on it. After all, it felt more like a fly was about to land on my hand' Akashi only stared at them with his half-open eyes, tired and completely uninterested look in his face.
"Daidara, Nyau, both of you better calm down. We promised to Esdeath-sama not to cause any trouble here at the palace... My name is Liver and I would like to apologize for their conduct, however as Nyau mentioned before, Esdeath-sama doesn't wish to be bothered right now." The tall man who looked the most refined out of them apologized while performing a little bow.
'This guy with gray hair is definitely of higher standing, judging from his conduct and air around him...Or maybe he appears to be so by standing next to that midget and muscle head.' Akashi thought.
"I see, it's not like I need to talk to her but more like I should since she was probably expecting me for a while already. However if you won't let me knock and you think that you can bear the consequences, I have no problem going back" Akashi put his hands together behind his back and said with a smile and closed eyes.
'...Who is this arrogant guy? Who can behave like this in front of Esdeath-sama's room without losing his head? I doubt this is the first time he is so arrogant.' Nyau thought with an annoyed look on his face and thoughts of attacking Akashi already popped up in his mind.
'Haha, this guy is definitely anything but spineless! Not even rich and powerful nobles dare to behave like this! I already like him, if he is also strong, I might try to persuade Esdeath-sama to recruit him.' Daidara thought as his smile only widened while looking at Akashi.
'Who is he? He looks very familiar but I am sure that I have never seen him in person before. Maybe I should risk it, he talks like he knows Esdeath-sama very well. If what he said is the truth then we would suffer more for not letting him in rather than for bothering Esdeath-sama.' Liver was the only one who carefully gauged Akashi and thought about each detail he could find in Akashi's words.
"Well, it looks like I am not welcomed, bye!" Akashi said and turned around, ready to leave.
"Wait!" Liver raised his voice a bit and both Daidara and Nyau looked at him with confused expressions.
"Hm? What is it?" Akashi stopped and turned his head at him.
"Please wait a bit..." Liver said and went in front of the door.
"Liver! Are you sure about that?! We will have to suffer together with you too!" Nyau said while putting his flute between Liver and door.
When Liver glared at him which clearly told him that he was going to do this no matter what, Nyau retracted his arm to let him knock on the door.
*knock* *knock*
...After a few seconds of silence...
"...What is it? Haven't I told you not to bother me just a few hours before our departure?" Esdeath's voice could be heard from behind the door and she didn't sound exactly happy but instead of raising her voice, her tone did enough job to show how much she was irritated right now.
'Departure? Maybe I shouldn't have come here, if she is about to leave just in a few hours, it would have been much better if I haven't come here today. It will be much more awkward this way.' Akashi thought and his right eyebrow twitched a few times in displeasure.
"I am sorry for bothering you but there is someone who is saying that he 'should' talk to you." Liver replied and empathized word 'should' instead of saying 'need'
"...Let him in!" After a few seconds, they heard Esdeath's voice with an amused tone.
'If he is lying, he is already a dead man, judging from Esdeath-sama's tone...' All of them except for Akashi thought while Liver looked down to express his condolence.
"It wasn't so hard, no? Thank you, Liver." Akashi said with a small smile while opening the door and closing it right behind him once he entered the room.
He looked around but saw no one.
"You are already here, huh? I am in the room next door, you can come in." Esdeath's voice became much colder but it was also strangely alluring.
'If it was any other man he would lose his mind and then head...' Akashi thought with a smile together with his hands in pockets.
He made his way to the door from where her voice came from and opened it without knocking since she told him to come in.
When he opened the door, what attacked him was a large amount of steam.
'Eh, don't tell me that she is bathing right now...No wonder she didn't want to be bothered.' Akashi thought with a slightly hesitating expression while still standing at the doorway but due to a large amount of steam, he couldn't see Esdeath. However, thanks to his enhanced senses, he was able to smell something nice and cold despite standing practically in a sauna.
*Splash* He heard water splashing around before he saw something nearing his neck but he hasn't moved an inch.
"Oh? You are quite courageous...I give you a chance to explain why you are bothering me for such a display of braveness." Esdeath said while a sharp tip of the ice spear was an inch away from Akashi's neck.
Seeing and hearing this, Akashi couldn't help but smile widely.
'She became even more commanding than before, the same can be said about her aura...What did I miss?' Akashi thought while slightly tilting his head to the side with a curious expression.