Post by Sophie on Mar 19, 2023 19:14:43 GMT -5
“Time of death, eleven twenty-two P.M.” The voice was somber and quiet, only loud enough to be heard over her open sobbing. “You need to get that corpse out of here.”
“Of course, Ma’am.” Another voice answered. The shuffling of several Kumo lifting the heavy corpse of Admiral Akame was heard as they removed it from the office.
Once the door closed behind them, a new voice spoke up. “Now, all of you get out.” It was a voice she recognized and knew well. “I said now. Go. Don’t argue with me.” The woman responded to a protest she hadn’t seen or heard. Once everyone had left, she heard the woman's pedipalps slowly move toward her.
Reito tensed once the steps stopped right next to her. She clung to her mother with all the strength in her body. “Reito?” The Empress’s head maid Nishimura spoke softly as she knelt down next to her. “Everyone’s gone. It’s just us now.”
Reito didn’t move. She just held on tighter with her eyes glued shut. Nishimura placed a hand on the teenager’s back. “Reito… I… I don’t even know how to begin. I am beyond sorry.” She hesitated and bit her lip. “But right now… you need to get up. You have a series of incredibly important decisions you need to make, and they need to be made now.”
For the first time in over half an hour, Reito opened her eyes. She looked to Nishimura, who tried hard not to recoil at the sight of the blood coating the girl’s face and body. Her eyes were puffy and much more red than normal. “What decisions..?”
The maid’s eyes darted around Reito’s face. She pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe away the caked-on blood. “The first is going to be the most important. Whether or not you trust me.”
Reito winced as some of the blood that had dried into her skin was pulled off by the kerchief. “Why wouldn’t I trust you?” She tilted her head as the maid kept working.
“You are about to learn everything your mother has been working on. Why she was shutting you out, and the reason Admiral Akame murdered her. Once you do, people you can trust fully will be in short supply.” She explained hastily, with building anxiety in her heart. “If you decide I am not one of those people, then I will no longer be with you. I will no longer be able to help you.”
Now it was Reito’s turn to hesitate as her eyes searched the maid’s for anything. “I… my mother trusted you. I trust you, Nishimura-kas.”
A brief wave of relief washed over her while she bit her lip. “Thank you, your highness. Now you must decide whether you trust Minister Tomori.” Before Reito could react, Nishimura continued. “I understand that you are upset with her. I must implore you to give her a chance. She always had your mother’s and your best interests at heart.”
Reito bit her lip. Despite the fury she felt inside her, she really did trust Nishimura on this. “I… I trust her.”
“Then we must meet with her immediately.” Nishimura spoke and tugged on Reito’s arm.
Reito refused to detach from her mother. “I… I can’t. I can’t leave her.”
“I know, but Reito, we really need to go.” Nishimura urged. “I promise you the doctor will take good care of her and get her ready for her final debut.”
Reito looked at her mother’s closed eyes and her almost peaceful demeanor. She let go of her hug but held her mom’s hand as she looked at the desk for something. The Empress’s letter opener in hand, she cut off a lock of Shiraori’s hair and stuffed it into her pocket. For the last time, Reito again threw her arms around Shiraori and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you so much, Mom. I promise I’ll make you proud.”
She stood and faced the door of her mother’s office. “You need to go first. Minister Tomori will be waiting right outside. Order her to come with you.”
It was clear that Reito was confused, but she trusted Nishimura. She steeled herself and opened the door. The Empress’s doctor, several internal security agents, and Minister Tomori were all waiting outside. As instructed, Reito pointed at Nao Tomori. “Come with me.”
“At once, Your Highness.” She respond immediately and followed behind as Reito led both her and Nishimura to a meeting room. Once there, Nao bent down to the floor. “Reito-kama. As minister of enforcement and security, is it my job, above all, to keep the Empress safe. I failed. Completely. Should you so wish, I will tender my resignation immediately and submit myself to an investigation. But I must beg you. Please let me do everything in my power to aid and protect you. I will not fail again.”
“I will not discard you, Tomori-kas.” Reito assured, but her voice was filled with ice.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Nao got up from the floor.
“It's time to tell her everything, Minister Tomori.” Nishimura held the same tone as Reito.
Nao gave the Maid a sidelong glance. “Then I will need to ask you to leave.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Reito commanded. On her side of the table, she held the maid’s hand beneath Nao’s view. She squeezed it tightly. “Whatever is classified, I am certain she already knows it.”
“As you command.” Nao nodded. Over the course of the next hour, the Minister explained everything to the girl. Everything from the rogue bureaucrat, to the ghost fleet, to Minister Kure.
At the end, Reito was squeezing Nishimura’s hand so tightly that the maid could not feel her fingers. “Bring me Kure.” Her voice was filled with venom as her face twitched in anger. “I’m going to kill her.”
“No. You aren’t. You can’t.” Nishimura pushed back.
“Why the fuck not?!” Reito burst.. “She murdered my mother! She’s a fucking traitor! She deserves to die!”
“Yes. All of that is true.” Minister Tomori confirmed, somewhat hurriedly to stop the Princess' murderous train of thought. “If I was ever alone in a room with her, I don’t think I could stop myself from wringing her neck. But the problem is the Admiralty is loyal to her. If we were to simply execute her now, another would take her place, and the Admirals would rise against you.”
“Then we should have the admirals hanged alongside her!” Reito shouted back. “Treason of the highest level! They must all be brought to justice!”
“Your Highness, that isn’t a good idea either,” Nishimura spoke softly to the girl. “Committing a purge of high-ranking officers like that is a surefire way to turn the rest of the navy and the people against us.”
“Without the navy.” Tomori continued, dread hanging over her words. “Kumosenkan is nothing. We can’t enforce our rule in Elenria. Without Elenria, Kumosenkan can’t stand.”
“I know!” Reito screamed at the minister. She took a few deep breaths to walk back her snarling face. “I know. So what do we do?”
“We need to gather evidence. Hard evidence. If the Admiralty knew Kure authorized the assassination of the Empress, the majority of them would turn on her. Whatever minority is left can be safely and quietly purged from power.” Tomori explained the basics of the plan she and Shiraori had come up with.
“Do we know what Admirals are loyal to her?” Reito demanded.
Both women shook their heads. “The only ones we know for sure are those directly involved with the ghost fleet,” Tomori answered.
“And, Admiral Akame…” Nishimura added. “Though she’s not exactly relevant anymore.”
“More importantly, I believe we need to concern ourselves with the ministers.” Tomori diverted the topic. “Knowing Kure, if this is her play, she’s garnering favor with the other ministers.”
“Do you know what ministers?” Reito questioned.
“No. Not conclusively.” Tomori answered. “I have my suspicions. As well, I know a few ministers you can trust completely.”
A hurried knock came on the door. Minister Saki Imamura burst into the room. Imamura now took the title of oldest in the room. At age sixty, she was the last Minister who served under both Shiraori and her mother. The European Sheetweb Kumo made a swift bowing gesture. “Your Highness!” Her expression was one of heartache. “I am deeply, deeply sorry for your loss. I also must apologize for my sudden entrance.”
“Reito-kama, you, of course, know Minister Imamura of the Ministry of the Interior.” Tomori stood and gestured to the woman. “She is a friend. A woman you can trust.”
“I have been informed of the developing situation with Minister Kure,” Imamura assured. “If there is anything the Ministry of the Interior can do to aid you in purging these scum from our ranks, do not hesitate to ask.”
“I appreciate your continued Aid, Minister Imamura. I will be sure to call on you when I need you.” Reito informed.
“Thank you.” Again the woman made a quick bow. “For now, we need to prepare a press statement. The world cannot know the factual circumstances of Shiraori’s death. No one outside this room can know an assassin was able to do such a thing. Wouldn’t you agree, Empress Reito?”
The words hit Reito like a battleship ramming a trawler at full steam. ‘Empress Reito.’ Her heart seized in her chest, and her breathing became incredibly shallow.
“Your Highness?” The minister prodded the frozen Empress.
“Y- yeah.” Reito tried to regain her sense. “Of course. What do you have in mind?”
“Of course, Ma’am.” Another voice answered. The shuffling of several Kumo lifting the heavy corpse of Admiral Akame was heard as they removed it from the office.
Once the door closed behind them, a new voice spoke up. “Now, all of you get out.” It was a voice she recognized and knew well. “I said now. Go. Don’t argue with me.” The woman responded to a protest she hadn’t seen or heard. Once everyone had left, she heard the woman's pedipalps slowly move toward her.
Reito tensed once the steps stopped right next to her. She clung to her mother with all the strength in her body. “Reito?” The Empress’s head maid Nishimura spoke softly as she knelt down next to her. “Everyone’s gone. It’s just us now.”
Reito didn’t move. She just held on tighter with her eyes glued shut. Nishimura placed a hand on the teenager’s back. “Reito… I… I don’t even know how to begin. I am beyond sorry.” She hesitated and bit her lip. “But right now… you need to get up. You have a series of incredibly important decisions you need to make, and they need to be made now.”
For the first time in over half an hour, Reito opened her eyes. She looked to Nishimura, who tried hard not to recoil at the sight of the blood coating the girl’s face and body. Her eyes were puffy and much more red than normal. “What decisions..?”
The maid’s eyes darted around Reito’s face. She pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe away the caked-on blood. “The first is going to be the most important. Whether or not you trust me.”
Reito winced as some of the blood that had dried into her skin was pulled off by the kerchief. “Why wouldn’t I trust you?” She tilted her head as the maid kept working.
“You are about to learn everything your mother has been working on. Why she was shutting you out, and the reason Admiral Akame murdered her. Once you do, people you can trust fully will be in short supply.” She explained hastily, with building anxiety in her heart. “If you decide I am not one of those people, then I will no longer be with you. I will no longer be able to help you.”
Now it was Reito’s turn to hesitate as her eyes searched the maid’s for anything. “I… my mother trusted you. I trust you, Nishimura-kas.”
A brief wave of relief washed over her while she bit her lip. “Thank you, your highness. Now you must decide whether you trust Minister Tomori.” Before Reito could react, Nishimura continued. “I understand that you are upset with her. I must implore you to give her a chance. She always had your mother’s and your best interests at heart.”
Reito bit her lip. Despite the fury she felt inside her, she really did trust Nishimura on this. “I… I trust her.”
“Then we must meet with her immediately.” Nishimura spoke and tugged on Reito’s arm.
Reito refused to detach from her mother. “I… I can’t. I can’t leave her.”
“I know, but Reito, we really need to go.” Nishimura urged. “I promise you the doctor will take good care of her and get her ready for her final debut.”
Reito looked at her mother’s closed eyes and her almost peaceful demeanor. She let go of her hug but held her mom’s hand as she looked at the desk for something. The Empress’s letter opener in hand, she cut off a lock of Shiraori’s hair and stuffed it into her pocket. For the last time, Reito again threw her arms around Shiraori and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you so much, Mom. I promise I’ll make you proud.”
She stood and faced the door of her mother’s office. “You need to go first. Minister Tomori will be waiting right outside. Order her to come with you.”
It was clear that Reito was confused, but she trusted Nishimura. She steeled herself and opened the door. The Empress’s doctor, several internal security agents, and Minister Tomori were all waiting outside. As instructed, Reito pointed at Nao Tomori. “Come with me.”
“At once, Your Highness.” She respond immediately and followed behind as Reito led both her and Nishimura to a meeting room. Once there, Nao bent down to the floor. “Reito-kama. As minister of enforcement and security, is it my job, above all, to keep the Empress safe. I failed. Completely. Should you so wish, I will tender my resignation immediately and submit myself to an investigation. But I must beg you. Please let me do everything in my power to aid and protect you. I will not fail again.”
“I will not discard you, Tomori-kas.” Reito assured, but her voice was filled with ice.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Nao got up from the floor.
“It's time to tell her everything, Minister Tomori.” Nishimura held the same tone as Reito.
Nao gave the Maid a sidelong glance. “Then I will need to ask you to leave.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Reito commanded. On her side of the table, she held the maid’s hand beneath Nao’s view. She squeezed it tightly. “Whatever is classified, I am certain she already knows it.”
“As you command.” Nao nodded. Over the course of the next hour, the Minister explained everything to the girl. Everything from the rogue bureaucrat, to the ghost fleet, to Minister Kure.
At the end, Reito was squeezing Nishimura’s hand so tightly that the maid could not feel her fingers. “Bring me Kure.” Her voice was filled with venom as her face twitched in anger. “I’m going to kill her.”
“No. You aren’t. You can’t.” Nishimura pushed back.
“Why the fuck not?!” Reito burst.. “She murdered my mother! She’s a fucking traitor! She deserves to die!”
“Yes. All of that is true.” Minister Tomori confirmed, somewhat hurriedly to stop the Princess' murderous train of thought. “If I was ever alone in a room with her, I don’t think I could stop myself from wringing her neck. But the problem is the Admiralty is loyal to her. If we were to simply execute her now, another would take her place, and the Admirals would rise against you.”
“Then we should have the admirals hanged alongside her!” Reito shouted back. “Treason of the highest level! They must all be brought to justice!”
“Your Highness, that isn’t a good idea either,” Nishimura spoke softly to the girl. “Committing a purge of high-ranking officers like that is a surefire way to turn the rest of the navy and the people against us.”
“Without the navy.” Tomori continued, dread hanging over her words. “Kumosenkan is nothing. We can’t enforce our rule in Elenria. Without Elenria, Kumosenkan can’t stand.”
“I know!” Reito screamed at the minister. She took a few deep breaths to walk back her snarling face. “I know. So what do we do?”
“We need to gather evidence. Hard evidence. If the Admiralty knew Kure authorized the assassination of the Empress, the majority of them would turn on her. Whatever minority is left can be safely and quietly purged from power.” Tomori explained the basics of the plan she and Shiraori had come up with.
“Do we know what Admirals are loyal to her?” Reito demanded.
Both women shook their heads. “The only ones we know for sure are those directly involved with the ghost fleet,” Tomori answered.
“And, Admiral Akame…” Nishimura added. “Though she’s not exactly relevant anymore.”
“More importantly, I believe we need to concern ourselves with the ministers.” Tomori diverted the topic. “Knowing Kure, if this is her play, she’s garnering favor with the other ministers.”
“Do you know what ministers?” Reito questioned.
“No. Not conclusively.” Tomori answered. “I have my suspicions. As well, I know a few ministers you can trust completely.”
A hurried knock came on the door. Minister Saki Imamura burst into the room. Imamura now took the title of oldest in the room. At age sixty, she was the last Minister who served under both Shiraori and her mother. The European Sheetweb Kumo made a swift bowing gesture. “Your Highness!” Her expression was one of heartache. “I am deeply, deeply sorry for your loss. I also must apologize for my sudden entrance.”
“Reito-kama, you, of course, know Minister Imamura of the Ministry of the Interior.” Tomori stood and gestured to the woman. “She is a friend. A woman you can trust.”
“I have been informed of the developing situation with Minister Kure,” Imamura assured. “If there is anything the Ministry of the Interior can do to aid you in purging these scum from our ranks, do not hesitate to ask.”
“I appreciate your continued Aid, Minister Imamura. I will be sure to call on you when I need you.” Reito informed.
“Thank you.” Again the woman made a quick bow. “For now, we need to prepare a press statement. The world cannot know the factual circumstances of Shiraori’s death. No one outside this room can know an assassin was able to do such a thing. Wouldn’t you agree, Empress Reito?”
The words hit Reito like a battleship ramming a trawler at full steam. ‘Empress Reito.’ Her heart seized in her chest, and her breathing became incredibly shallow.
“Your Highness?” The minister prodded the frozen Empress.
“Y- yeah.” Reito tried to regain her sense. “Of course. What do you have in mind?”