"A gay intuiton is never wrong." Stylish smirked.-"Night Raid base found."

Esdeath stormed back to the castle.

"Wave, Kurome, how was your search?"

"We didn't found him, Esdeath-sama. He did lost a lot of blood, but he keeps throwing us off trail with those blood. Then we lost his trace completely."

"Seryuu, you and Coro found anything?"

"Forgive me Esdeath-sama. It seems he got away. Traces leading to the woods are found."

"He didn't even stop by the town?"-Wave asked.

"He's an adventurer, Wave. Surviving is his job."-Esdeath sighed.-"Call off the search, call Bols to clear up the mess I made back at the castle gate."-Seryuu heed those orders, and leaves to carry them out.

"A-are we sure we want to call it off? With such an injury unattended, he might..."-Run voiced.

"He'll make it. Where's Stylish?"

"He hasn't reported back, Esdeath-sama."

"I see. For now, our activities resumes. Report me on information about the Night Raid in the morning as usual."

"And should we come across Jack?"

"Capture him if you can, but kill him if you must. The safety of my surbordinates comes first."

"Understood."-Waved saluted before leaving. Kurome did the same after grabbing her bag of snacks.

"I'll work on a report in your name to present to the King about the incident."-Run heads off.

Only Esdeath remain in the conference room.

She was angry.

Jack just humiliated the army by escaping through THE FRONT GATE. On the way, he took out nearly 20 guards, destroyed some of the castle defenses (passively by taunting Esdeath to hit them), clogging the main gate (again, using Esdeath) and had even got away from her when severely injured.

'I trust in his ability as a survivor. If he dies before we meet again, then that's as far as your strength leads you, Jack. But you're not so weak, right? You'll meet me again, laughing off the scuffle, and will try to run again, right?'

But that just makes her want him more. The very fact that he was no longer in her arms made her desire for him grow stronger. That potential she saw in him was displayed.

Esdeath head back to her room, opening the door to find an item on her bed.

Jack's coat, the Coat of Midnight. It was dirty and filled with sweat from their battle on the training grounds.

A part of her felt like she want to wash it. But a larger part was telling her to grab and sniff it.

She went for the latter. Yes, the sniff part.

'It's smells like him."-Clutching the coat, Esdeath lied down the bed, taking in his scent.

'When I see him again. I'll make sure to force these undeniable feelings to him. And when he falls for me, he'll use that potential to fight with me. He'll give his all, give his loyalty, trust and his heart to me, not only as a surbordinate, but as a lover as well.'

Esdeath blushes lightly as she viewed out to the window, the moon shining it's light to her eyes.

"We'll meet again. I still have to return this."

After he was healed, somewhat, Jack was forced to stay in bed by his comrades, it was for his own good, after all. He lost his entire Adventurer persona clothing set, but that can be replaced.

Okay, the Coat of Midnight might not.

Anyway, he told them about the Jeagers, their strength, as well as Esdeath, whom he deemed peerless in strength, as well as a little something he heard in meetings about Esdeath supply lines.

He mentioned brieftly his relationship with Esdeath back there, and reassure them that while he won't help them forever, he would never turn sides. And he came up with a plan to prove it.

"A supply line to her Army camping in the North? If we hit it, she won't be able to turn her eyes away."-Leone agreed.

"Esdeath isn't familiar with naval battles. She doesn't have to, she can just freeze the entire waterway in place. But with a job that is defensive in nature, that put us at an advantage."-Jack carefully assess the plan himself.-"So, we'll steal the supplies right under her eyes."

"You think we can do it?"-Tatsumi asked.

"The ships travel through a canyon perfect for ambush. Esdeath realized this herself, and would most likely be on guard there."

"So what's on your mind?"

"In basic, Esdeath and the Jaegers together is too much for us to deal with."

"So you plan on seperating them."-Akame nodded.-"We have been planning a ruse without you, and chances of success are high. If we cover each other's operation, Esdeath can't react."

"Then soon as I heal, I'll set out to that supply line."

"Alone?"

"There's a group of pirates camping out there. They would be more than willing to join our cause if they heard the word 'plunder'. They have already plundered enough ship to get Esdeath attention, but the next ship is a massive man'o'war, with Esdeath planning to oversee it. They'll be crush like bugs if there's no help."

"Still, going alone to a group of no where near skilled pirates whose only commitment are to rums and plunders, and expect to lead them to beat Esdeath and her elite army? That just crazy."

"The pirates only have to plunder, and by all means, they're good at it. I'll do the rest. We don't have to beat Esdeath. We only have to steal from her."-Jack smiled confidently.

The remaining Night Raid members glanced at each other. Just got back from a crazy idea gone bad, he had already came up with another, even crazier plan. He is going up against the Empire's Strongest, and he was smirking with confidence.

That confidence isn't baseless though.

Jack already had an idea in mind, one that comes from his experience sailing alone to the south.

"As acting-boss, I'm not really cut out for this...but your plan, if it succeeds, would increase our plan's chance of success. You would even do it alone without help from us. I see little demerits yet high risks."-Akame began considering.

"Well, we can put this aside until I heal."

"That's right, Jack is finally back! We need to celebrate! You can drink, right?"-Leone cheered, grabbing Jack's leg.

"Wait wait wait! Don't just drag me by my leg! I'm still injured! Ow ow ow ow ow! STAIRS! I get it, I'll walk, so stop dragging meeeeeeee!"

Everyone laughed at the antics.

Even though they went through life and death battles, each of them has scars in their own way, they still come back to be this lively bunch.

'That's...nice.'