Esdeath, Akame and Tatsumi were dumbfounded, at the point the anger of the latter vanished for a moment.
"Numa Seika? The hero of the North? But…"
Akame glanced at Esdeath.
"Esdeath killed him along with his whole army… didn't she?"
"To be precise, I destroyed his fortress, buried alive his 400 000 men and made him my pet before slicing his throat" Esdeath clarified.
Akame did her best to convince her it was an act from another time, not meant to happen again.
"So… how does it come he's alive and leading the Northern Tribes once again? How can the Northern Tribes be able to invade the Kingdom, given the losses Esdeath inflicted them six years ago?!"
Akame and Esdeath looked confused and surprised. Tatsumi was glaring at Najenda with resentful eyes.
Najenda closed her eye and calmly lit a new cigarette.
"We have reports that Numa Seika is leading the army, but we're not sure. After all, he's dead. But who could reunify the North to attack us? The North did not forget nor forgive Esdeath's attack. The North remembers."
She paused, exhaled some smoke:
"Esdeath did not eradicate all the Northerners but only their whole army. There are many sons who want revenge… These remnants are now leaded by a man claiming to be their hero. Our scouts tell us their army is slightly larger than ours. 20 000 or 25 000 men strong. But it's not a professional army like ours, it's bunch of green boys."
Esdeath knitted her brows.
"If they have a good leader, even green boys can be deadly. I suppose they lead a massive assault to break the border's defenses…"
"Precisely. Fortunately for us, the fortune-telling Teigu warned us in time and by the time reports arrived from the border, our army was ready to walk. When we arrived, we had two choices: build our camp on a defensive position where we could intercept them or try to defend every inch of the land and every village."
She looked at Tatsumi.
"The first option was the safest. Rushing to defend the villages would've been reckless and dangerous… I bet the enemy purposely destroyed them to lure us into a trap."
"SO YOU CHOSE THIS?! WHAT WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU WERE TO SEE THE PEOPLE YOU GREW UP WITH IMPALED, RAPED AND DEAD ON THE GROUND?! WOULD YOU STILL AGREE TO SACRIFICE THEM?!" Tatsumi burst, getting up.
Akame and Esdeath tried to calm him in vain.
"YOU SHOULD HAVE TRIED! YOU SHOULD HAVE SENT SOLDIERS TO EVACUATE THEM! YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD TREAT PEOPLE WELL! INSTEAD OF THIS, YOU TREATED THEM AS MERE PAWNS ON A CHECKBOARD!"
Tatsumi's eyes were teary, his voice was on the verge of breaking. When he stopped to breathe, Najenda seized the chance.
Saying she was unaffected by Tatsumi's reaction would've been a lie. However, she was a commander, and for this reason, she could not allow herself to weaken.
"I hear you, Tatsumi. Now, hear me. What if we had fallen in the enemy's trap? What if our army had been destroyed?"
"It–"
"Our entire country would be defenseless" she continued, not letting him respond. "Our entire country and all of his citizens would be vulnerable and would be at the mercy of these revengeful Northerners. Do you think they would spare them? They would kill, rape, plunder out of hate the entire Kingdom. Here is what would've happened if we had fallen in their trap and tried to defend every inch of our land."
Najenda's statement left Tatsumi's silent.
"Yes. I sacrificed hundreds of people, I sacrificed your village to preserve the rest of the Kingdom. I will bear that responsibility for the rest of my life, but I'd do it again if I had the choice to redo things. What's more important? The country we fought to build, tens of thousands of lives, or a few villages?"
Tatsumi didn't answer. Couldn't.
Anyone, confronted to that choice, would've done the same as Najenda. It was the safest. It was logical. Only an egoist or a fool would've made the choice to risk the entire army and the safety of the country for… a few villages.
But it was not some village. It was Tatsumi's village. It was his people. Deep inside his heart, he could not agree with Najenda's choice… but neither could he blame her for it.
Which was why he remained silent. Unable to say a thing, he suddenly exited the tent.
"Akame, you should follow him and make sure he doesn't try anything stupid" Esdeath said. "I have to talk with Najenda."
Akame nodded and followed Tatsumi's silhouette in a hurry.
"Strategically, I agree with your decision, but as Tatsumi's wife and lover, I cannot praise you" Esdeath said. "Tatsumi's matters are my matters. But what's done is done."
Najenda made a wry smile.
"To hear that from you is certainly not a consolation. You changed a lot, Esdeath."
"Not you. You're still single."
"Why, you…"
Najenda coughed.
Esdeath, who found the tent too hot, removed her coat, revealing her light blue shirt.
"Better. So, how's your situation?"
"What?"
"The position of the enemy, your supply lines, weaponry… I'm sure you could use some strategic advice from a fellow General?" Esdeath chuckled. "Besides, I'm almost certain you want us to fight for you. I alone could wipe off this rabble."
"… you're right. So, will you fight? It would save a lot of lives…"
Esdeath shrugged lightly.
"I will, only if Tatsumi asks me to. After all, I don't know if he'd appreciate the old me to slaughter thousands of people. I won't do anything he disagrees."
"Kuh… even your love causes us problems, in the end!" Najenda spat.
Esdeath grinned and laughed.
"What do you know about love? You've always been single."
"Shut up…"
Najenda crushed her cigarette's end in an ashtray on the table.
"About what you asked… everything is fine on our side. We have considerable supplies, our soldiers are fully equipped, and the moral too is good."
Esdeath crossed her arms, pondering.
"And the Northern Tribes?"
"From our reports, I can tell there are a few experimented men among them, but that's all. They're poorly armed and will starve if they do not forage. It is a matter of days before they have no choice but to attack us."
"You sure they won't prepare any trap?" Esdeath suspiciously asked. "Like, leaving at the favor of the night and then ambush you when you pursue them?"
Najenda shook her head.
"No, they can't. We have eyes everywhere. Even if they were to escape our watch, we know our land better than they never will. That's why we did not rush before, we knew the terrain near the villages were perfect for ambushes."
"So, if they don't want to starve, their only option is to lead a frontal attack on the camp and your defensive lines…"
"Yes. And this will be their loss. We're better armed, trained and prepared than they are. And we have Teigus here. At the contrary, they don't."
"Specifically, which Teigus users do you have?" Esdeath asked.
"Black Marlin, Extase, Scream, l'Arc Qui Ne Faut and Balzac. Unfortunately, we lost some during the previous war: Belvaac, Spectator… Incursio has been destroyed from what I understood, Ran, who wields Mastema, currently carries a diplomatic mission in the wester lands, and the Doctor who used Perfector has disappeared. You have your Demon Extract and Akame Murasame, though."
"In short, even without our help, you should be able to easily defeat the Northern Tribes…"
"Yes. Still, this story about Numa Seika bothers me…"
Najenda touched her chin, worried.
"I feel like we're facing something worse than the Northern Tribes…"
Esdeath yawned and stretched her arms, getting up. In the meantime, night had fallen upon the camp.
"It's not like there's anything you can do… well, I'll leave you for now. Would you be kind enough to tell me where our tent is?"
"I'll have one of my men to guiding you."
As Esdeath was about to leave the tent, Najenda called her.
"Could you persuade Akame and Tatsumi to fight? It would save lives…"
"Save? Since we would kill people, I doubt the meaning or your words. No, I'm kidding, don't make that face. But I told you: I will do as Tatsumi wishes me to."
"Esdeath, the Ice Queen, the Strongest of the Empire, refraining her desire of slaughter and fighting… why is that?" Najenda asked, half joking.
Esdeath laughed.
"Because I love Tatsumi and don't want to disappoint him" she simply answered before leaving Najenda.
(Love, huh?) Najenda thought, once alone. (A love so powerful it changed even Esdeath… Tatsumi is really frightening, seducing the most dangerous woman in the world... It reminds me of a novel I once read, where the hero seduces spirit-like girls to prevent disasters… well, after all, it was Lubbock who lent it to me.)
Five cots had been prepared in the tent along with blankets and pillows, which looked like a delicate attention since they were in a military encampment.
When Esdeath arrived, Ryuu and Nea were already sleeping, but Akame and Tatsumi, sitting on one of the beds, were still awake.
Both of them were in underclothes.
Tatsumi smiled when he saw Esdeath entering the tent, but it was a poor smile. She removed her clothes, leaving only her lingerie.
Silently, Esdeath hugged Tatsumi, pulling her nose in his hair and enjoying his smell. Needless to say, because of their posture, Tatsumi's face was buried in Esdeath's chest. Still, his warm breathing did not bother her at all.
Finally, she released him and sat to his right, with Akame being at his left side.
Tatsumi spoke with a small voice, tired and full of sorrow.
"I'm sorry for my behavior. I shouldn't have…"
He shook his head.
"I didn't expect this journey to turn out this way… I just wanted to show you my hometown, and…"
He paused, looking lost.
Akame's chest was hurting. She was hurting from seeing Tatsumi hurt.
Obviously, it was the same for Esdeath.
"I didn't want to return to this life" he whispered. "I'm not afraid of killing or being on the battlefield… I fear to lose people I love. You both, the girls… but I lost my village… and now, this fear has returned in my heart."
His green eyes met Akame's and Esdeath's.
Esdeath hesitated but told him what Najenda asked.
"Tatsumi, Najenda asked me if we would fight for her. But, if you don't want, it's okay. We can leave, go back to our house. Tatsumi, I won't fight unless you want me to. I know you hate that… old side of me."
"The same goes for me" Akame said. "Tatsumi, I'd understand if you wanted us to go back. But whatever we'll do, we'll do it together, as a family."
Tatsumi could not contain himself anymore when he realized how far his wives were ready to go for him. Tears fell down from his eyes, as he silently wept.
Akame and Esdeath feared they had said something wrong, but with one arm for each, Tatsumi attracted their bodies to him and held them tightly, as he was still crying.
"I love you… I love you two so much…" he sobbed.
Ignoring the other cots, the three of them slept in the same one. Even if they were cramped, Akame and Esdeath would not let go of Tatsumi so easily.
"Come on, move on!"
"Faster, guys!"
"Where's your commanding officer?!"
"Get in line!"
Men shouting in the night. Ground rumbling of footsteps.
Akame, Esdeath, Tatsumi and their daughters awoke because of these, in the middle of the night.
"Papa, Mama, what's going on?!" Ryuu cried.
"…the hell" Tatsumi muttered, his limbs buried under Akame's and Esdeath's bodies.
Esdeath immediately rose. As she was still in underwear, she quickly put on some light clothes: white vest, shorts, boots.
Akame did the same, pulling on a sleeveless dress that strangely resembled the one she used to wear when they were in Night Raid, but this one was white with red finishes.
Tatsumi understood the situation and dressed himself with his old jacket and black pants. As Akame was checking Murasame's sheet, Tatsumi grabbed his sword.
"A battle", he said.
That was not a question.
"Yes, but not in the camp" Esdeath answered, closing her eyes to listen to the noise. "North, I'd say. It's like all the men are moving there."
"North? That means… the Northerners?" Akame frowned.
"I'd say so. Perhaps they want to surprise us with a night attack. But I don't know if this is an all-out assault, or just a skirmish."
"Papa…" Nea said, grabbing Tatsumi's arm.
They realized they did not answer to their girls.
Tatsumi forced himself to smile and tenderly patted Nea's black hair.
"It'll be okay, Nea, Ryuu. We'll protect you, whatever happens. That's a promise."
"Yes…"
"For now, let's cool our heads down" Esdeath decreed. "The worst thing to do in an unexpected situation is to panic. Staying in the tent would be useless, so let's move together with caution. We'll see what's the situation out there, and act in consequence."
Tatsumi couldn't help but grin.
"What's funny?" Esdeath suspiciously asked.
"You're acting like a true General, that's all."
"I was a true General."
"And I'm not close of forgetting it" Akame grumbled, impatient. "Let's move on. Nea, hold Papa's hand, okay? Ryuu, come here. Esdeath, you go first."
The entire camp was agitated, but not chaotic.
Men were walking in order, pressed by shouting sergeants; servants were carrying weapons and ammo, all in the same direction: north.
It was obvious that they were not in immediate danger, so the family decided to head for the commandment pavilion.
Some soldiers looked astonished, seeing a family strolling in the encampment, but confronted to Esdeath and Akame's glares, none of them dared to object.
The four guards at the entrance of the pavilion tried however to stop them.
"Who are you? Don't step any further! You are not allowed to–"
"Quiet and let us in."
Esdeath's voice was so cold it could've freeze them on the spot.
Seeing their terrified expressions, Tatsumi tried another approach.
"Could you please tell General Najenda her friends are here?"
Surely Najenda would understand the allusion. The soldiers did not recognize Esdeath and Akame in the poorly lit night. Tatsumi thought it would be better not to cause a ruckus in front of mere footmen.
One of the soldiers entered the tent, and, once he obtained confirmation, invited them to get inside.
The pavilion was filled with a dozen high ranked officers, who stopped their conversations when they saw their former worst enemy, two assassins and two little girls entering the tent.
A grey beard wearing a full plate armor stomped the ground.
"What if the meaning of this?! Esdeath?! Is she with the Northern Tribes?!"
(What a stupid hypothesis. Huh, it looks like Najenda did not inform her underlings…) Esdeath thought.
All at the same time, the officers started to argue.
Nea and Ryuu were afraid and hugged tightly their parents. Seeing that, Esdeath made a cold face.
"Tatsumi, Akame. Cover Nea and Ryuu's ears."
"What?"
"I don't want to curse in front of them…"
"Oh."
They barely put their hands on the girls' ears when Esdeath breathed in, and…
"WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU BUNCH OF WEAK MONGRELS?!"
Silent fell upon the tent like a chill rain. Akame and Tatsumi let go of their daughters' ears.
"Thanks. Could you now explain what's going on?"
Najenda grinned and took another cigarette out of her pocket.
But the grey beard did not give up that easily.
"General, you know what she is? Why is she at this council? And the others are no better, they're deserters, assassins who–"
"Shut up."
This time, Najenda spoke.
"More than anyone here, they have the right to siege at this council. We won the war thanks to them. Even if it pains me to admit it, Esdeath too. By defecting from the Empire, she greatly helped our cause. So, shut up."
"Mama, the miss said a forbidden word" Nea observed.
Akame realized she did not cover her ears this time.
"You're right. I'm sorry" Najenda apologized.
Then, she smiled and turned to her lieutenants.
"Gentlemen, I gave you my orders. You heard them, so go now. I have to speak with my friends."
Taken aback, the officers reluctantly left the pavilion one by one, only daring to glare at the unexpected and undesired visitors.
(Did they obey because of Najenda's order, or because of Esdeath?) Akame pondered.
Najenda scratched her head.
"Sorry about that. More importantly… Tatsumi, how are you?"
Her question was not really about his health but rather if he was still angry at her or not.
Tatsumi nodded.
"Somehow, I'm fine. I understand, but… it's hard."
"I know. I'm sorry. If you want to blame me, go on. But for now, we have urgent matters."
She approached the table and designed a map showing their positions.
"Just so you can see and understand, we're here, west of Tatsumi's village. Our camp is facing the Notherners' one. They're north of our position… and as you probably noticed, they're forming their ranks right now to attack us. Earlier than I expected but it's okay, since it's not their main force but a smaller squad. We have a solid line of fortifications: spikes, shoe traps, pits, walls… if everything goes as planned, they will impale themselves on our defenses."
"Are they that stupid? If the man leading them is Numa Seika then he's a complete fool. Sending a small force at night, did he really believe that would work?"
Esdeath was incredulous.
"It's a matter of hours, but I expect it to end with minimal losses, given the fact I ordered our Teigus users to deal with them" Najenda affirmed. "However, I mobilized every man in the camp to guard our surroundings. It could be a diversion to hit us from the flanks."
"As expected of you" Esdeath nodded.
"Looks like we don't have to fight for now…" Akame said, massaging Nea's shoulders.
The two girls were half asleep, due to the brutal awakening.
"I don't see the necessity" Najenda nodded. "Still, if you could reconsider–"
As she was about to try persuading the trio to fight against the Northern Tribes, a footman burst in the pavilion, panting. It looked like he had run with his full armor on.
"General Najenda! Sir! We're in trouble!"
Najenda bit her lip.
"Stop. Calm down and explain yourself."
It took several seconds for the soldier to speak again.
"We're attacked, sir! They come from the east, sir! Our ranks are being decimated, sir! Lieutenant Ryoma sent me to reclaim help, sir!"
"Decimated?!" Najenda exclaimed. "How is that? And the east… Captain Mede is supposed to be in charge, where is she?"
"She's dead, sir! Lieutenant Ryoma took over, sir! He's doing his best, sir, but without reinforcements…"
"Cut off the 'sir'!"
"Yes, sir…I mean, yes, ma'am!"
Najenda closed her eyes.
"Mede, dead? Her? How…"
"Who is that Mede? And why are you making that face?" Esdeath questioned.
"… Mede is one of our captains, and she wields the Teigu Extase."
Najenda's answer brought tension in the tent. It meant there were enemies powerful enough to kill Teigu users within the enemy's forces.
However, the Northerners were not supposed to have any Teigu, and mere humans had no chance against these weapons. The only ones who had killed Teigu users without possessing one themselves were the Rakshasa Demons, now long dead…
"Who are they? How many? Tell me!" Najenda ordered.
"I… I don't know… we don't know who they are, they are just too strong… and… they are three. But more men are on their way!"
"Three?!" Najenda repeated. "Three men slaughtering an entire division?!"
"Yes, si–ma'am… if the things keep this up, they'll pierce through our defenses and attack directly our camp!"
"If they succeed, it'll be chaos… shit, if they are able to kill a Teigu user, we have to strike with all we got, but the users are spread and the enemy approaching… How long can you hold them?"
"Not long! When I left the division, half of my comrades were already dead… we need backup now!"
"… Understood. Go now."
"Yes ma'am!"
The soldier saluted and left.
Najenda was in a dead end.
By the time they would gather their Teigu users to eliminate the intruders, they and their reinforcements would reach the camp and start rampaging. If they were as powerful as they seemed, they would cause the army heavy losses… no, if the North were to take advantage of the situation and launch a massive attack, it could be worse.
What she needed was a small group of people, ready to depart now, and powerful enough to beat potential Teigu users.
(I do happen to have this kind of squad right here, but… will they fight?) Najenda wondered.
Tatsumi gazed at Esdeath and Akame and cleared his throat:
"We'll go."
"What? I thought you wanted to stay away from this…" Najenda cocked an eyebrow.
"I would like to. But… if we don't fight now, the entire Kingdom will be in danger. Like you said. Everything we fought for…would be wasted. I could not go back to my peaceful life, bearing the weight of all the lives I'd have ruined because of my selfishness."
"…you're speaking and acting like a Hero, right now" Najenda sighed.
"Am I?" Tatsumi laughed.
He then looked at Ryuu, whom he was hugging.
"And if we don't act right now, our girls could be in danger. I swore them I would protect them, and I'm a man of my word."
"Tatsumi, are you sure you want to go?" Esdeath asked, a serious look on the face. "You don't have Incursio anymore."
"Perhaps, but I have been trained by the two strongest women in the world."
"Fufu…right. Then…shall we go?"
"Mama, Papa, you leaving?!"
"I don't want Mama and Papa to go!"
Nea and Ryuu immediately started to protest.
Tatsumi crouched to be at Nea's height.
"Yes, but we'll be back. That also is a promise, so behave well, right?"
"But… Papa said we were going on a trip, and now…"
"I know. I'm sorry. But…we have to. So please, forgive me. You can scold me when I get back, alright?"
"…if Papa promises…" Nea pouted.
Tatsumi smiled, patted his head and turned to Najenda.
"You'll keep them safe, right?"
"I will."
Esdeath couldn't help but interject.
"If anything happens to them… well, you know the drill."
"Yes…" Najenda winced.
"Then. East, is that it? Let's go."