A Little Emperor's Fixing 5 - or 'When in doubt, use the Gulag to flush the Trouble' (Akame Ga Kill, Emperor!SI)

Kurome shouldn't be feeling too worried, especially since today was meant to be a good day to spend with her Emperor.

A date in all but name, and the subject of the many depraved thoughts that had surged as of late seemed clueless on the connotations of him 'just having a walk with his cute guard'. The mere addition of cute had the girl hard-wired into making this a most pleasant occurrence, especially since the streets of the capital had been cleaned up from the 'filth' that once bragged about ruling the Empire over the young monarch.

Other guards were around them, which added a tiny layer of extra protection, but it wasn't the immediate danger that really upsetted the young woman- it was one of the most recent policies adopted by the Emperor as just a month ago: the 'First Imperial Elections'.

While the idea of Elections suggested a potential democratic body being introduced, it was actually a 'Direct Election' for the Head of Government. Although the Independent Hekkebum had proved to be loyal to the Imperial cause, he was frail and old and had suggested for the return of the Prime Minister that was around before Honest took over.

Chouri was considered a 'safe option' as it was a compromise candidate- a modest noble with a moderate views on thing, he was still seen as part of the class that had spawned someone like Honest. He was also healthy despite being old, and he had been preparing his daughter to follow the same political career he did while also pursuing a more martial approach of the military.

It was a middle option that Kurome, in her limited political views, had sounded like the best bet for her Emperor. But she was stunned when he deviced to have the people decide on this. An election option had been presented slighly before this became a problem, but it had been rejected as 'Hekkebum was good enough'. As this excuse became less than acceptable, the Emperor moved to secure a specific candidate. And it wasn't Chouri.

The First Imperial Election saw a rather unexpected clash between the old ways and the new ones introduced by The Lord of the Path of Peace. While his common and 'tainted' bloodline felt like a slight to the nobility, the Emperor had played his cards well and allowed the man to be aware and preparing his own rise to the high Imperial politics with the goal to 'establish a long-lasting Imperial legacy of love, care and protection'.

Unsurprisingly enough, a considerable majority voted for the Path of Peace and... a non-negligible portion also sided with Chouri. While this would have spelled a vehement opposition, Kurome had been present to see a meeting among leaders presided by the Emperor which led a 'National Unity Agreement'.

While The Lord was appointed as Prime Minister, his second-in-command would be the daughter of Chouri, someone that the Lord had deemed worthy of a position of 'power and learning on how to handle it responsibly through experience and practical lessons'.

Despite some grumbling from the extreme sides of both factions, the absolute majority of the population approved of this notion and watched with interest what would come out of this interaction. And thus... Well, the Emperor may be under threat of assassination even more than before.

Not because the politicians were trying to accomplish so. All radical organizations had been banned from the Elections, and most of the 'teeth' behind those had been handled before tackling the Election. It was a matter of lone killers that wanted a Republic to emerge from the death of the remaining member of the Imperial Family- the Emperor himself.

Thus Kurome had hatched a plan to go around this. If there is a heir to the throne - or multiple of those that is - then the risk of assassination attempts would lower to some extent. And since she was already deemed a potential lover to the Emperor, it made sense to her that she had to bear this sort of burden.

She couldn't rush it. She had already noticed how willingly 'dumb' he could get about any sign she hurled his way, but a date like this was bound to create a foothold for her to exploit. They went out to get some ice cream- quite innocuous, but he was paying for hers. He was also helping her take a seat by the parlour and he was telling her that she was doing a good job.

If in the past she would have felt the sudden rise in her delight as a symptom of the drugs she was addicted to, Kurome knew this was no longer the case as most of the horrible symptoms had gone away. She could feel less 'pushed into moving', her tasting buds were less stressed when she had to eat or drink something as pleasure of the palate used to feel 'sharp and searing', and she could actually rationalize her pleasure towards the Emperor as more than just 'he is my boss and my only source of survival'.

It was odd to feel this sort of 'savior complex' towards someone that she had once labeled the cause of her pain, and yet, as she learned the truth, she was floored by the amount of kindness showed by her Emperor. The smiles, the praising, the pep-talks and then, by her own volition, the cuddling- which she then exploited and turned into one-sided groping.

Despite her best intentions, Kurome was also a woman and one that had been taught that she had a duty to still produce a family- with her sister being her remaining family member, it made sense for her to pursuit the best option. Not only the Emperor could be buttered up to be the father of her many babies, but she could see him being a good father to them.

And she needed that reassurance to feel truly motivated to go on with this deal.

She hadn't gone too far with this first date, knowing better than just pushing too far. Thus, as it came to an end and she felt sure he had 'deserved it' she decided to press her lips against one of the Emperor's cheek before leaving for the castle.

"Thank you, my Emperor~."

And while this was indeed a successful date as she had her emperor blushing through the entire walk to the palace, she couldn't help but suddenly feel a strangely cold chill go down her spine.

As if something - or rather, someone - had been quite displeased of what she had just done with her Emperor. Shame that Kurome was one that liked to fight Death on all fronts for the sake of... Love~.

AN

Esdeath may have something to say about it. The next interaction will just be diabolical, let me tell you as the SI is not expecting a two-wars front.

Reminder that if these stories are made, suggested and proposed is through the Pxtreon. I invite you to check it out and see if you find anything you like to support or just outright see me create.

P.S. I can now do Electoral Wikiboxes for Mock Elections! I did one for this chapter which is available in QQ!