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The white apron's floral pattern was first splashed with what looked like red ink.
Then it soaked through, making the flowers even more vivid.
As the apron was pulled apart, the force behind it showed in full—But in the end, faced with that unbelievable brute strength, it fulfilled its life's mission…
…and scattered into fluttering fragments, drifting to the floor like petals.
"Oh… so that's how it is?"
Leone, who had snuck over quietly, had her eyes wide open.
When it came to getting stronger, she suddenly had a whole new perspective.
She was just about to slip away——but a flash of light passed her eyes, and suddenly that handsome face was right in front of her.
Leone was wearing purple pajamas, with a hint of matching purple underwear showing beneath. Her curvy, explosive figure couldn't be hidden no matter what she wore.
"Since you're here," Edger said firmly, "let me see your Teigu again. Both Kurome and Akame have made progress—you're falling behind."
Leone could feel the pressure in his voice and almost wanted to cry.
She'd only come to watch the excitement.
Who could've guessed she'd end up getting dragged into it too?
Still… somewhere deep inside, the desire to grow stronger was starting to burn.
"Alright."
She nodded, her fluffy ears and tail already popping out.
[Teigu – Lion King] activated at full power, radiating pure physical strength from head to toe.
"Good. Then let's begin."
The Next Morning
Najenda walked into the dining hall, yawning.
This was too much. Seriously.
Her room was the closest to Edger's.
She'd thought she could finally get a full night's sleep last night.
But nope—Leone had "joined the grind" too.
Now, every time she closed her eyes, all she could hear were those voices.
The most annoying part?
She… she'd started imagining things in her head while listening.
"Damn it, what the hell am I thinking…"
She shook her head hard, forcing the thoughts away.
"Yo, you're here," Esdeath greeted, smiling."So, sleep well last night?"
"…Heh… ha… ha ha…"
Najenda, dark circles under her eyes, forced a tiny smile.
Sleep well?Lady, you have got to be kidding me.
"Actually," Esdeath continued while nibbling on a pastry, "you should probably start working harder too.""You know as well as I do—you're at the bottom in terms of strength now.""Akame and Leone are already pushing themselves to get stronger. If you keep going at your pace, you won't even be able to see their backs."
Najenda: "???"
She stared blankly.
That's called working hard? Are you kidding me?
"Then again," Esdeath added, "I guess it's normal. You're new to being part of the 'family'—you don't know yet."
Sighing, she patiently explained the "secret" to Najenda.
By the time Esdeath was done, Najenda's eyes were wide.
She'd thought last night was already surreal enough.
But this… this "secret"… completely shattered her worldview.
Even if we were talking about some legendary demon——wasn't this just a little too much?!
Still, when the topic came back to getting stronger, a subtle change flickered in her gaze.
That Noon
Edger called the entire family to a meeting.
In the conference room, Najenda glanced at the unsteady steps of a few people and felt her expression twist into something complicated.
Sensing her eyes on them, Leone and Akame blushed and quickly looked away, unable to meet her gaze.
"Alright, let's get to business."
Edger clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"I'm sure you're all curious about where I come from. Since I'm about to leave for a while, I'll tell you now."
"Actually…"
When he finished, Esdeath's eyes went wide.
"No wonder there's no record of any 'demon' in this world. So, Master… you came from another world!"
Her gaze turned even more admiring.
Of course—he was her Master.Crossing worlds? Just another day for him.
"Master, can we go to your world too?" Leone asked, eyes full of curiosity.
What was a demon's world like? She had to know.
"If there's a chance, we'll wait for the right time."
Edger's answer was casual, but then he continued:
"Before I leave, I have a few orders."
Everyone nodded attentively.
"First—about Night Raid. There's no need to disband it. Najenda, you can keep recruiting members."
Najenda's expression grew serious.
"Agreed. Anyone who wants to join Night Raid will definitely share our values, so we can trust them."
"But the requirements should be stricter."
"Your orders, Master?"
"They must be women. And they must be beautiful girls."
Leone muttered under her breath:
"Master… are you just turning Night Raid into a harem?"
"Exactly. Spot on."
"..." × N.
"..."
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