(Mine)
"W-where's Sheele, Mine?" Leone asked with a shaky voice. She, like everyone else, looked horrified at the battered state that I was in.
"W-we were ambushed by two officers of the Imperial Guard on our way back here. They...both had Teigu. Sheele...she sacrificed herself to allow me to escape." I recalled the events, holding back the tears.
Even still, I didn't want to mention Malik's involvement. That haunted expression of his...it still makes me shudder.
This was all her fault.
She forced Malik kill Sheele in cold blood.
She was the reason Malik is in the Empire.
She was the reason why Malik didn't come with me four years ago...
...Damn you Seryu Ubiquitious! For Malik's sake, I'll shoot you through the heart myself the next time we meet.
If it weren't for you or his love for you, Malik would've been here, in the Revolutionary Army and not fighting for the Empire.
If it weren't for you, he would be in Night Raid, fighting by my side.
...Maybe, if you didn't exist in his life, then he would probably be able to actually love me...
...Just like I love him...
-xXx-
(Malik)
(A week later)
"Minister Dekras, you have been requested to show up in the Imperial Throne room as a member of the Imperial Court, in order to welcome General Esdeath back to the Capital." One of my aides reported, opening the double doors to my office and chambers.
Glaring at the abrupt interruption, I sighed in annoyance. Since my promotion for exterminating a member of Night Raid a week ago, I've become a very, very busy individual.
"Understood, inform the Court that I shall be there shortly." I ordered, rising from my chair.
Well, no point in keeping the Empire's Strongest waiting.
-xXx-
Standing among the other ministers, I watched General Esdeath and her Three Beasts approch Emperor Makoto and Prime Minister Honest in dignified strides. Once they reached the child monarch's throne, the four of them dropped to a bow.
"General Esdeath," Emperor Makoto began, "I commend you on your conquest against the Northern tribes." To my side, Kiseki, acting as one of my aides, flinched slightly, only enough for me alone to notice. "As a reward, I will ready ten thousand gold pieces for you." He declared with an authority that only a ruler of his caliber possesses.
"Thank you very much, your Grace. I shall send it to the soldiers who remain up north." She replied, still bowing.
"I know you just returned, but I have another request for you and your forces." The Emperor admitted, his voice losing a bit of the authority it held. "The area surrounding the Capital is crawling with outlaws and revolutionaries like those Night Raid criminals." The young emperor said. "I want you and your forces to put an end to these trouble makers' activities and wipe them all out." Emperor Makoto ordered the General.
"Speaking of Night Raid, it has come to my knowledge that someone within this courtroom actually successfully killed a member of the organization." General Esdeath stated, looking up and scanning the Throne room wordlessly.
It would be unwise for me to speak up to confirm this. Not only would I be speaking out of turn, it would make me appear a bit too eager for my liking. So I stayed quiet and simply watched.
"That is correct, General. Minister Dekras, would you kindly join us?" Emperor Makoto called for me in a polite manner.
"At once, Your Highness." I said flatly, stepping out from the line of ministers and dropping to a bow besides General Esdeath.
"Minister Dekras, could you rise and explain to the Court of how you managed to be promoted from Lieutenant Colonel of the Imperial Guardsmen, to Minister of Security?" Emperor Makoto requested, giving me a slight smile.
"I had survived three encounters with the revolutionary organization called Night Raid in my time as a Colonel. One of which, I encountered the entire group while trying to protect a wealthy family they targeted. My latest encounter was a week ago when I was out patrolling with my surrogate older sister, Captain Seryu Ubiquitious. The two of us were met with aggression by Night Raid members Mine and Sheele. While one of the members escaped, Seryu and I did managed to slay the other member, Sheele." Activating Soth, I walked over to a shadowy corner. Reaching into the darkness, I pulled out Estase and held it up to present as proof of my actions. "This is the Teigu that the fallen member possessed, Shears of Creation: Estase." I declared, holding the huge scissors to show to the Court.
There were some murmurs, some clapped at my declaration, including Emperor Makoto. Esdeath and Prime Minister Honest remained silent. It was a pretty bold move on my part, since the whole point of this whole meeting was to welcome General Esdeath back to the Capital.
But they do say that fortune favors the bold.
The general let out a soft chuckle and rose beside me, glancing at me before looking at the Emperor. "In light of Minister Dekras' achievement, I would like to confirm something. Minister, you mentioned that you encountered the entire group of Night Raid, correct?" She asked me, smirking as if a plan is forming in her head.
"That is correct. What are you getting at, General?" I inquired, brow raised.
"How many of the members possessed Teigu and what were their numbers?" She pressed on, cutting right to the point, still smirking.
"Prior the death of Sheele, there were six members, and all of them possessed Teigu." I answered, narrowing my eyes at the icy haired General. Surely after Sheele's death, Night Raid now must see me as an enemy as much as they do General Esdeath, so there was no point in protecting them anymore.
"Then I would like to make one request, your Highness. Using this information that Minister Dekras has presented us, I would like to form a task force that consists of several Teigu wielders in order to counter these Night Raid scum. In response to the threat of Night Raid, I would like to create the Empire's own Night Raid." Esdeath proposed.
Chuckled, I raised my hand, remaining at Esdeath's side. "As the Minister of Security, I would like to second this rather interesting proposal that General Esdeath has presented."
Sorry Mine, but I can no longer protect you anymore. Now that Night Raid will most likely stand in my way, they are enemies to Spider's Web, to me, and to my ambition.
"Well, if you both believe it's a good idea, then I'll allow it. I think it's about time we fought back after all those times Night Raid attacked us. General Esdeath, Minister Dekros, the two of you shall form a special task force of Imperial Teigu users and both of you shall share the leadership of this newly formed task force." The Emperor declares with a pleased grin.
"With that," He concluded, looking at me. "I shall dismiss Minister Dekras so that he can start the preparations needed to begin assembling this new security unit. Thank you for your time, Minister." Emperor Makoto nodded to me, dismissing me with a bow.
"Understood, Your Grace. Come Kiseki, we have much work ahead of us." I bowed to the Emperor as my "aide" nodded and hurried to my side and we departed from the Court.
-xXx-
(Malik's Office)
"So what now, Boss? You actually going to work with the ice bitch?" Kiseki asked, casually laying on my bed, playing with her Teigu, Arcane Orb: Magus.
"Does it look like I have a choice? Besides, two things prevent me from opposing this whole task force. One: it's a direct order from the Emperor himself, two: working with Esdeath, the Empire's Strongest, actually might help boost my repuation. Hell, it's been almost five years now and I'm now already the Empire's youngest Minister." I replied, working on paperwork. "I could always have you join the task force, since you wield a Teigu." I retorted with a smirk.
Kiseki grimaced at my joke proposal as her white orb floated around her fingers and swirled around her hands. "I think that I'll pass on that, Boss. Besides, now that you're a Minister, it's up to me to keep our organization running. With Oracle Sight: Delphi now in working order, we can monitor all operations within our organization from here on out. And once you get your hands on Glorious Hands of God: Perfector, your research on Teigu will increase in efficency by tenfold. We also have our agents searching the country for the fabled Teigu Forge that was rumored to produce the Teigu in the first place a thousand years ago. Could you imagine it, Boss? To be able to build more Teigu with the Forge in our control." Kiseki smiled, daydreaming.
The Teigu Forge...the existence of the forty eight Imperial Arms is proof enough for the Forge's isn't a simple story. I have some of my elite agents, consisting of Teigu wielders, out searching the country for the whereabouts of this legendary forge.
Should I find the Forge first before the Revolutionary Army or the Empire, then my power will surpass that of even Prime Minister Honest.
Using the power of the Teigu Forge, I will restore life to this decaying nation and end the corruption plaguing my country.
-xXx-
A/N: And so Malik is now promoted to the title of Minister and I reveal Spider's Web's true intentions
From here on out, Malik will be enemies with Night Raid. No more working together, no more sharing information.
I'm also debating on whether or not I should add Tatsumi to Night Raid's numbers. Without Tatsumi with the group, I feel that the group will become too small after I kill off Bulat. Tell me what you guys think.
By the way, thank you so much for the 2000+ views, guys! Shadow of the Empire has become my most popular story on this site.
As always, leave a favorite and a review if I'm doing somthing right, and I'll see you all next chapter.
Kit out