Blayn figured the most likely explanation was that the kitten was a spy sent by the Revolutionary Army.
After all, the Empire's Assassination Unit's greatest enemy—and practically its only one—was the Revolutionary Army. The unit had been created specifically to combat them. While the possibility of a foreign spy couldn't be completely ruled out, it was highly unlikely. Foreigners had little to do with them.
After tending to the black kitten's wound, Blayn bandaged it up and even tied a small bow. Though he already suspected something was off about the little creature, he was willing to play along.
Acting as if nothing had happened, Blayn casually went to find food for the kitten.
"There are still some snacks in the base. Let's give it some biscuits for now," he said.
Specialized cat food didn't exist in this world, and even if it did, one would have to gather the ingredients and make it from scratch. Besides… this little one wasn't really a cat but a human. From that perspective, biscuits were actually a better choice than cat food.
However, the biscuits had all been bought by Kurome, and some of them hadn't yet been laced with medicinal ingredients. Blayn needed to check first.
"Kurome, can you spare some of your biscuits for the kitten?"
"If it's just a little, that's fine."
Considering it was Blayn asking—and the fact that Kurome had a soft spot for cute animals—she relented.
"Of course, no need to give too many. It's not like it can eat that much."
Blayn took a few small biscuits and grabbed a little bowl to place them in.
Watching him, Chelsea thought to herself, This guy's surprisingly considerate~
If he had just thrown the biscuits on the ground, she would've had to put up with the dirt. Having a bowl was much better.
Maintaining her act, Chelsea naturally sniffed the food first before starting to eat.
Kurome, Kelly, and the others gathered around like curious children, watching the little black cat eat. Having never owned a pet before, they found the sight rather fascinating.
Being stared at by so many people made Chelsea a little uncomfortable.
Seriously? Have these guys never seen a cat eat before? she thought.
Then again, it made sense. From what she knew, the Imperial Assassination Unit had no freedom whatsoever. The Empire had molded them into nothing more than pure killing machines.
Chelsea understood the Assassination Unit well. The organization she had previously belonged to, Oarburgh, had clashed with them head-on.
In the end, the unit's elite squad suffered heavy losses, while Oarburgh was completely wiped out—save for Chelsea herself.
Most notably, their leader, Merraid Oarburgh, had been killed by Akame back when she was still with the Assassination Unit. Merraid was one of the key figures who ultimately led Akame to defect to the Revolutionary Army.
"Meow~"
After finishing the biscuits Blayn gave her, the little black cat didn't ask for more but simply tucked her paws in and rested.
"Looks like she's full," Blayn noted.
Seryu reached out, wanting to pet the kitten.
Chelsea maintained her well-behaved cat persona.
At the same time, she grew wary of the small white creature nearby. It looked like an innocent puppy, but something about it felt off.
There were biological Teigus, after all. This little thing could very well be one of them.
Chelsea raised her guard against Koro.
"Next, I need to give it a bath and deworm it. There should be some herbs in the lab for deworming. I'll bathe it first, then take care of the deworming," Blayn suddenly said.
A bath?
Deworming was one thing, but bathing was another. Chelsea couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
Even though she was currently in the body of a small female cat, being bathed by someone else meant being touched all over. That thought alone made her uncomfortable.
No matter what, she was still human on the inside.
But at this point, she had no choice but to go along with it—abandoning the mission wasn't an option.
As an assassin, she was willing to do whatever it took to complete her mission. Even if it meant sacrificing an important comrade, she had to be prepared to let go when necessary. Such sacrifices were a necessary price, and she believed they were worth it.
That was why, in the original story, even though Chelsea knew Akame was the primary reason for the annihilation of the Oarburgh, she showed no hostility toward her. As fellow Revolutionary Army members, their shared interests took precedence, and Chelsea treated Akame well.
At the very least, the Oarburgh's downfall had severely weakened the Empire's Assassination Unit, and it had also led to Akame joining their side. To Chelsea, those sacrifices had been worth it.
Right now, all she had to do was grit her teeth and endure it.
After all, she was in a cat's body—this shouldn't be too unbearable.
Meanwhile, Blayn hadn't even considered whether the black kitten was male or female. He wasn't overthinking it—he just felt that bathing a stray cat was the natural course of action.
But before he could take the kitten to bathe, an unexpected guest arrived from the Empire's Assassination Unit.
"Commander, General Esdeath is here," a young man reported to Blayn.
"Alright, I'll go meet her," Blayn nodded slightly.
Esdeath's sudden appearance didn't surprise him anymore.
As he prepared to meet her, he kept the small black cat in his arms. If he let it go, there was no telling if it would try to attack Kurome and the others. It was safer to keep an eye on it himself.
General Esdeath?
That woman—the one said to be the Empire's strongest?
Chelsea, still cradled in Blayn's arms, was well aware of Esdeath's reputation. To the Revolutionary Army, she was the most dangerous enemy, the single greatest obstacle standing between them and the overthrow of Prime Minister Honest.
Running into Esdeath on this mission was unexpected, but Chelsea remained calm.
Even if she came face-to-face with Esdeath, she was confident she wouldn't be exposed.
Esdeath's Teigu was purely offensive; it had no abilities to counter her Gaea Foundation. Chelsea was certain of that.
Blayn had only taken a few steps out of the resting area when he ran into Esdeath at the hallway corner.
"You're already here? I was just about to come out and greet you," Blayn said, stopping in his tracks.
The woman standing before him was breathtaking—dressed in a military uniform with a matching cap, her presence exuded power. She was Esdeath, the Empire's strongest.
"Blayn..."
Esdeath had just begun to speak when her gaze landed on the small black cat in his arms.
"You like these kinds of little things?" she asked, looking slightly surprised.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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