บท 378: Ascension to the Throne
The young emperor's real name was Christine, and through Kaguya's questioning, it was confirmed that her guesses were mostly correct—Minister Honest had indeed betrayed her. The young loli looked a bit downcast, feeling the weight of being deceived by that fat pig for so long, and even being forced into actions that weren't her own. Being betrayed had left her feeling vulnerable.
Christine gently held onto Kaguya's hand, clearly happy, a smile spread across her face. However, she wasn't overly clingy with Kaguya. She remained quiet most of the time, displaying a sense of calm maturity. Perhaps it was because she had spent so much time in the role of emperor, making her different from other children her age, who were typically more naive and innocent.
Suddenly, Kaguya remembered something—where was Akame?
She hadn't seen her since the fight with Esdeath. Could something have happened? That seemed unlikely. Akame wasn't someone who could be easily defeated by just anyone. But where had she gone?
After searching around for a while without finding her, Kaguya was about to give up when she finally spotted someone sitting beneath a distant tree. Long black hair, striking red eyes—it was Akame.
She was holding a bag, pulling something out and munching on it with a crunching sound.
"Where have you been?" Kaguya walked over and asked. "I've been looking for you for a while." Her eyes couldn't help but glance at the bag in Akame's hands.
Seeing Kaguya approach, Akame quickly hid the bag behind her back, trying to act casual. "I've been here the whole time."
"What's that in your hand?" Kaguya asked, finding it somewhat familiar.
"You can't have any," Akame said, guarding the bag protectively, as if she were afraid Kaguya might steal it.
Finally, Kaguya remembered and couldn't help but twitch her lips. "Isn't that the batch of cookies I made for Kurome? Why do you have it?"
"They're mine," Akame replied. "My sister gave them to me. Don't think about taking them."
Why would I steal your cookies? Kaguya thought to herself. She couldn't help but chuckle, realizing Kurome must have shared the cookies with Akame. Of course, they were sisters—no surprise they shared the same love for food. Kaguya even wondered if they might both end up turning into little pigs if they kept eating like this.
Suddenly, Kaguya realized something and asked, "So, have you just been sitting here watching the whole time?"
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Akame asked, popping another cookie into her mouth.
"Shouldn't you have come to help?" Kaguya asked, feeling slightly exasperated.
"Why would I need to help?" Akame replied with a completely innocent look.
Kaguya was left speechless. This girl was truly unreliable. Thankfully, Kaguya hadn't pinned her hopes on her; otherwise, she would have been in trouble long ago.
For some reason, watching Akame happily munching on the cookies brought a warmth to Kaguya's heart. In an era filled with war and chaos, being able to sit quietly and enjoy something as simple as food was a small but significant kind of happiness.
Too many people in this world complain about loneliness, boredom, or dissatisfaction. But in reality, happiness is often right beside them. The very ability to complain without fear of danger is a form of happiness in itself, something many fail to recognize.
Kaguya walked over, standing in front of Akame, and with a smile, gently took her hand.
"Let's go home."
"Home?" Akame asked, confused, a cookie still in her hand.
"Yes, home," Kaguya replied with a gentle smile.
"Will there be food?"
"Of course, you can eat whatever you like."
"Will there be grilled meat? Spicy boiled fish?"
"Of course, and there will also be your favorite cake."
"And ice cream?"
"Yes, we have vanilla and strawberry flavors."
"Really?" Akame's eyes sparkled like stars.
"Hey, are you coming with me just for the food?" Kaguya asked, her eye twitching slightly.
"Why else?" Akame responded, genuinely puzzled.
"..."
Kaguya, slightly speechless, grabbed Akame's hand firmly. Surprisingly, Akame didn't resist or bite her with her little tiger-like teeth. Instead, she simply gave Kaguya a calm glance and nodded with a soft "Mm."
The Empire's decades-long chaos finally came to an end with Kaguya's intervention. The war's curtain had finally fallen.
As for the root of all the suffering, Minister Honest had been executed. His son, Syura, had also been killed. The minister's loyal henchmen were wiped out by the Imperial Guard during a massive purge, all under Kaguya's orders. In total, tens of thousands of the Empire's corrupt officials were executed, most of them having committed terrible crimes, receiving the death penalty. Those whose crimes were less severe were exiled to the border to work in the mines.
The Revolutionary Army was disbanded and integrated into the Imperial Guard, where they would soon merge fully. Night Raid had been pardoned and legalized, though they quietly withdrew from the public stage, disappearing from sight.
The Empire was finally on the brink of a new beginning.
On a bright spring day, the Empire celebrated nationwide as the former imperial princess was crowned as the new empress. Flags fluttered, streets were decorated with lanterns and banners, and the entire capital was filled with throngs of people, eager to catch a glimpse of the empress who had saved them from despair. The crowd was so large that it blocked the entire city.
The celebration continued well into the evening before finally quieting down.
As night fell and the lights came on, Kaguya finally escaped the chaos of the day. The heavy imperial robes had been particularly uncomfortable. She had grown accustomed to Luna's delicate handiwork, and now wearing these formal garments, designed purely for authority, felt like a form of torture.
There had been plans for a banquet, but Kaguya couldn't stand the atmosphere any longer. Her fearsome reputation meant the officials were on edge, worried they'd face retribution for past actions. The sight of decapitated ministers piling up like a small mountain still haunted them.
With the atmosphere so stifling, the banquet was utterly boring. Kaguya figured it was better to spend time doing things she enjoyed with her companions. After making a brief appearance, she quickly left, much to the relief of the empire's officials.
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