You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

Akame nodded in surprise and stepped into the tall and majestic archway. The fully armored knights on both sides did not stop her, and even ignored the demon sword she wore at her waist.

Half a year has passed since the decisive battle in the capital. It seems like a long time, but in Akame's eyes, it was only a blink of an eye. Since that day, she and her companions from Night Raid, under Najenda's command, have been launching attacks everywhere, eliminating the intelligence agencies left over from the old empire era one by one, and also taking down many spies from other ethnic groups.

These enemies weren't particularly strong in combat, but they were excellent at hiding and skilled in all sorts of underhanded tactics. So finding them took a lot of effort, not to mention the fact that they were also secretly hindered by the revolutionary army forces along the way...

By the time things were settled, more than half a year had passed in a daze. During this time, she had met with Iori no more than five times, and this was the first time she had come to the newly built palace.

Oh no, according to modern terminology... it's a "shrine"?

After the fall of the empire, the old nobles who supported the ministers and the emperor naturally became the losing side. Let alone go out to fight for power and profit, they were afraid of being purged if they stayed at home obediently. Therefore, the distribution of power after the war was mainly determined by the two major camps of Iori and the Revolutionary Army.

The term "two major camps" sounds like they could be evenly matched, but in reality, it greatly overestimates the revolutionary army.

Their most elite troops had been defeated by the Supreme Throne, and the survivors, having witnessed the final battle, were deeply shocked by the power of Esdeath and Iori. Having been given a second chance at life, they dared not oppose Iori under any circumstances.

Although the revolutionary army still possesses a large local army and has received support from many state governors, and has secretly absorbed many old nobles, nominally occupying a larger territory than before... it is clear to anyone with eyes to see that their military strength has been greatly weakened.

In contrast, Iori's side has its own elite guard, Esdeath's powerful border troops, numerous Imperial Arms users, and extraordinary individuals.

In the capital, he could suppress dissent, while outside, the Anning Road would provide support and appease the local communities. In case of special circumstances, he would use [Shangri-La] to teleport the Imperial Arms user team there.

Even from a military perspective, the Revolutionary Army is no match for Iori, and if it comes to high-end combat power... it's truly despairing to even think about!

Therefore, the "Game of Thrones" was decided in less than two rounds. The Revolutionary Army's high command expressed their willingness to submit to Iori, but at the same time, as the heroes who overthrew the Empire, they also hoped to retain their current status and the core territory.

Iori readily agreed, even offering to promote someone from the Revolutionary Army's high command to a cabinet minister position, allowing her to represent the Revolutionary Army in national affairs.

This person is Najenda!

As a heroine skilled in both literature and martial arts, Najenda's status within the Revolutionary Army has risen significantly, especially given the army's heavy losses and the presence of the Pure Imperial Arms user unit, Night Raid. She is now considered one of the top figures in the Revolutionary Army.

Bringing her into the cabinet was undoubtedly good news for the Revolutionary Army, proving that Iori was indeed protecting their interests, and everyone was happy for a time.

I really want to see their expressions when they find out the truth.

The newly formed cabinet has a total of five ministers: Foreign Minister Najeta, Military Minister Esdeath, Finance Minister (former Prime Minister Ernest's predecessor), Religious Minister Anning Dao, and Science Minister Fashion.

There will be ministers of agriculture, education, and health in the future, but for now there are only these five.

Judging from the backgrounds of the personnel, the new cabinet includes revolutionaries, remnants of the empire, religious figures, technicians, and soldiers. Although three of them are under Iori's command, they are more like collaborators in terms of their positions.

The creation of such a list seems to prove that Iori does not want to run a one-man show and intends to follow the traditional system of checks and balances between the monarch and his ministers, which has greatly relieved the high command of the Revolutionary Army!

Their greatest fear was that Iori would use the prestige of establishing the nation to indiscriminately slaughter people, with those who obeyed prospering and those who opposed perishing... If that were to happen, they would have no choice but to fight back to the death.

But now it seems that this person is reasonable!

Therefore, the revolutionary army's high command had essentially abandoned the idea of ​​a violent rebellion, as that would be tantamount to suicide, and there was no need to resort to it unless driven to a desperate situation. Instead, they planned to actively participate in national politics, demonstrate their advantages, and strive to make Iori rely on them, thereby gaining more power.

Their ideas are quite beautiful:

Now that Iori is all-powerful and we can't compete with him, we might as well board this big ship. While he's alive, we'll be a bit cowardly, and once he's dead... hey, the good old days are about to return!

In an effort to curry favor with Iori, they even joined forces with some feudal lords and leaders of foreign tribes to soon bestow upon Iori the title of "Holy Emperor," and the imperial palace was even referred to as the "Divine Palace" by the common people.

Now, with everything in need of rebuilding, the country is bursting with vitality and everything is thriving—a sight that fills one with longing!

Akame has no intention of commenting on this.

First, she didn't understand politics very well; second, she knew how badly the revolutionary army had been deceived...

They might think that by using appeasement, they could corrupt and win over Iori to their side, shaping him into the "benevolent and sage ruler" they desired—but that guy was just fishing!

Akame heard Iori say that the country had just gone through a major battle. Although it did not last long, the casualties were extremely high. It was necessary to stabilize the situation as soon as possible and allow the people to recover.

Therefore, he showed his easy-going side, relying on his previously accumulated good reputation to convince the revolutionary army that he was a relatively "normal" emperor.

However, this is only temporary. As the Revolutionary Army continues to make underhanded moves, Najenda will gather a list as his eyes and ears, and when the time is right, she will take them down in one fell swoop through a decapitation operation!

If all goes well, Najenda can take over and take over the Revolutionary Army at minimal cost.

Even if it causes local unrest, the rebel army without a leader will not pose much of a threat and can be quelled quickly.

After all, most soldiers come from civilian families; they have no political stance and join the army simply for survival...

Iori wasn't incapable of a swift and decisive cleanup, but with the overall situation under control, there was no need to rush. To minimize bloodshed, he preferred to put on a more elaborate act with these insects.

He is the Grim Reaper, with a long lifespan and plenty of patience and energy.

...Akame didn't know Iori's specific plans, but that didn't stop her from guessing that there was a trap waiting for the Revolutionary Army ahead.

Of course, none of this had anything to do with her, because she came to find Iori this time to "retire and return to her hometown"!

"call--"

Taking a deep breath, Akame pushed open the magnificent doors and entered the emperor's office. As she stepped onto the soft carpet, another thought, tinged with anticipation, suddenly arose in her mind:

I wonder if he'll try to keep me?

Chapter 88: I'll just pay with my body then.

Upon opening the door, a spacious room bathed in bright sunlight comes into view. It is larger than a typical study or studio, and there is no sense of crowding caused by items being placed haphazardly. Books, files, maps, and other tools are all neatly placed in their correct positions, making the room look clean and orderly.

Iori probably wouldn't waste her precious time on this, so it seems someone is taking care of it.

Aside from being clean and spacious, the studio is nothing special. There are no famous portraits, no precious artworks, and even simple decorations like gold and silver trim are almost nowhere to be seen.

The most valuable item in the entire room is probably the antique table where Iori is working.

Akame finally focused her gaze on Iori herself, staring at the black mask with gold trim with mixed feelings.

For the long-haired girl with black hair who has already seen Iori's true face, Iori, who has to wear a mask all the time in life, otherwise she cannot communicate with anyone, undoubtedly appears somewhat lonely with her serious and focused demeanor.

Even now, Akame, the Grim Reaper, is not entirely clear about Iori's origins, offering only a vague explanation, but she has no intention of delving deeper.

The person she knew had both a frivolous side and an extremely serious side. He was unabashed in pursuing his own interests, but at the same time, he would consider the feelings and interests of the people and make choices accordingly.

Akame didn't care what kind of existence the "Grim Reaper" was. She only knew that the boy she had met several years ago was a complex and interesting guy, and that her various entanglements with him had unknowingly turned into a strong bond.

In any case, under his rule, the lives of the people have indeed improved day by day, and that is more important than anything else!

That's why, even after the victory, Akame accepted the mission to continue eliminating destabilizing factors without any regrets... It was very hard work, but it was all worth it.

Protecting the people from the darkness, while also repaying some of Iori's kindness—there is no job more meaningful than this.

But... that's the end of it!

"Your Majesty?" Akame called softly.

Iori was examining a stack of documents, her body almost motionless, clearly very absorbed.

This filled Akame with a strange sense of awe:

Aizen Iori must be pondering a very important national matter!

'As expected, breasts are more important.'

—Iori stared intently at the black and white outline on the paper, pondering a very serious question:

"Which is more exciting, breasts or buttocks?"

In his past life, when he was a teenager with a head full of lewd thoughts, he was naturally attracted to breasts and obsessed with the huge ones, believing them to be the ultimate treasure. As he gradually matured, he gained a comprehensive understanding of large, medium, small, poor, flat, and zero breasts, so he can be said to have gained some knowledge.

But as he matured, he inadvertently discovered the value of buttocks, or rather, the waist-to-hip ratio, during his youth. His original worldview was overturned, and he was as moved as when Columbus arrived in the New World.

Compared to breasts, buttocks don't have as many different categories, and their evaluation criteria are relatively uniform: regardless of size, a perky butt is a perky butt, and a good butt is a good butt, no further explanation needed.

But now, with the cycle of life and death reincarnated, Iori is even more transcendent in her understanding. After rational and objective reflection, she ultimately has to admit:

Perhaps the Oppai style has the edge~

It's decided, the next series will be about Tsunade—

Ok?

Hearing Akame's call, Iori's eyes glazed over, and he became so engrossed that he didn't even notice the arrival of the guest, which was quite rare for him.

On the blank sheet of paper in his hand, there were a few lines outlining a beautiful shape. Although it was not very detailed, it was vivid and expressive. Anyone who saw it would marvel at his superb drawing skills.

Just to avoid any misunderstanding, he calmly flipped the lid over and covered the table, then looked at Akame with composure.

"I'm sorry, I have some diplomatic matters to attend to."

"No, it was presumptuous of me to visit you so suddenly today."

“No need to be so polite, we’re not just in a simple lord-vassal relationship.” Iori smiled nonchalantly.

Iori has no intention of sharing his "works" with anyone; they are his personal hobbies and not for outsiders to know.

Writing erotic novels in Soul Society was out of necessity, but in Akame ga Kill!, it was simply a way to balance work and rest—he viewed artistic creation as a means to relax, regulate his mood, and hone his spirit.

He always believed that if there were more people in the world who enjoyed gloating and fewer people who enjoyed vying for power and profit, the world would be a much better place.

Getting back to the main point, Iori told Akame not to be so polite. The black-haired female assassin hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed with a faint smile on her lips.

"This is so sudden, did they catch some big fish?" Iori thought Akame was here to report on the progress of her work.

That's pretty much it—

"This is what Najenda asked me to pass on. It's the result of Night Raid's work over this period. So far, we've destroyed thirteen underground spy organizations... There won't be any large-scale traitors for a long time."

Akame took a deep breath and said earnestly to the mask, "Personally, I have successfully completed the mission. I have come here specifically to say goodbye. From today onwards, I will relinquish all my duties in [Night Raid]."

"Hmm, so this matter is... resignation? resignation?" Iori raised an eyebrow, somewhat displeased, after all, she was too passive and completely unprepared.

"Why? Are you too tired? I can let you rest for a while."

"No, please forgive me, I'm not saying this to fight for better treatment!"

Akame smiled helplessly: "I wanted to live in seclusion with Kurome."

For the past six months, I've often been away on missions and haven't had much time to spend with her. You know how serious her mental health issues are...

Didn't you once say that showing favoritism towards family members is also a form of justice, and there's nothing shameful about it?

So I've decided to resign from my current position here and accompany Kurohime to live in seclusion in the countryside, hoping the natural scenery will help her recover quickly... I'm sorry, I hope you can agree."

"...I see, then it's indeed time to step down." After listening, Iori pondered for a moment and then spoke words of agreement.

Akame was immediately overjoyed, but then looked away as if something was missing:

So you weren't going to stop me after all...

“I have no reason to stop you, but Akame, you have made many silent sacrifices in the darkness for the stability and longevity of the new empire. It would be too unfair to let you step down all alone like this.”

Iori said earnestly, "Since you're going to live in seclusion, I'll provide you with accommodation. I'll find a villa in the countryside; I guarantee it'll be a beautiful place where you won't be disturbed."

"Really? Thank you!" Akame was naturally very happy that her application had been approved.

"No need for anything else, we'll find our own place to stay."

"No! What is a mere villa? This is just a small reward, please don't refuse."

Iori thought for a moment, then got up and left the office for some reason, gesturing for Akame to follow.

After walking for a while, the girl with long, straight black hair, seeing that Iori still hadn't explained, couldn't help but ask curiously, "Where are you taking me?"

"I'll find you a place to stay."

"Oh, no need to be in such a hurry, I already said... um? Wait, what do you mean?"

As soon as Akame finished speaking, Iori stopped and nodded, gazing at the breathtaking scenery ahead.

"What do you think of this place? Kuroko will definitely love this sea of ​​blooming flowers."

“It’s really beautiful…”

Akame nodded in approval.

It is indeed a wonderful place. The ground is flat and the view is open, with lush green grass, flower beds like shy beauties, fountains carved from pure white marble, and straight trees standing like loyal guardians in all directions.

If you were to build a house here and enjoy such beautiful scenery every day, it would be an almost heavenly experience.

"But isn't this the palace's back garden?!"

Akame finally couldn't help but complain.

"Yes, it's called 'harem' for short."

Iori innocently replied, "Don't worry, I won't charge you rent—I'll just pay you back with my body."

Chapter 89: It's clear he's in a real hurry.

Akame is angry.