#57 Katsura vs Chelsea
When we were returning to our room from the bath, Taeko was glancing at me with a confusion visible in her eyes.
"Are you wondering why I asked her if she knows "Akashi" yet gave her description of a completely different person?" I asked with a small smile while we were going upstairs.
"...A little bit, I am slightly confused but that's all." She didn't hide it and nodded her head.
"Well, let's just say that she looked like someone I once knew and at that time I was also in 'disguise'." I replied with a mysterious smile.
"Ah, I see. Anyway, what do you think about her? Except for ambushing you at first sight, she was quite friendly. She even apologized to us immediately once I explained the situation. However, that girl named Akame was behaving strangely...Do you know her? She looks quite similar to your sister Kurome." Taeko asked curiously because even she could see the resemblance between Kurome and Akame.
"Akame is Kurome's real sister..." I said in a low voice when we returned to our room.
"?!" Taeko widened her eyes in shock and her expression indicated that she was thinking hard about something.
"...Taeko, don't get any high hopes of becoming Cornelia's friend." I muttered with a serious expression which made her narrow her eyes while staring at the empty space.
"Well, I will go catch up on sleep even though it is almost dawn..." My expression once again became cheerful and I waved at her before going into my own bed.
"Okay" Taeko nodded with a smile but it was visible that she was feeling uneasy from my random words.
---
'It didn't sound like "we aren't meant to be friends due to our differences".' Taeko thought with a helpless expression while looking at Akashi who was already lying on his bed.
---
.
.
.
The morning...
A bird flew into our room through the window and I opened my eyes and sat up from my bed.
"Looks like make-up girl finally arrived. I thought that you ditched us already, heh" I said with a provoking tone and the bird turned to Chelsea.
"Are you aware of how hard I have been working?! Where are granny and Taeko?" She immediately retorted back and then asked with a confused expression while looking around the room.
"They went to get something to eat." I replied with a small smile.
"I see...then I will wait here." She said and sat down on the bed positioned on the opposite side where I was sitting. She sat down while facing me but she wasn't speaking and we were only staring at each other in awkward silence.
"Hm?" Seeing this, I slightly tilted my head with a smile and closed eyes.
"...Just looking at you, irritates me so much." Chelsea suddenly said while crossing her legs and adjusting her lollipop in her mouth.
"You aren't the most pleasing woman to eyes either...And am I complaining to you?" I shrugged my shoulders while tilting my head and said with a friendly tone and closed eyes.
"Grr!" She narrowed her eyes and started to produce a weird sound while glaring at me. In response, I simply had closed eyes while facing her with a big friendly smile.
"I will castrate you." She suddenly said while looking between my legs.
"I will kill you~" I immediately replied with a playful tone.
*Creek* The door opened and two figures walked in.
"What the hell is up with the atmosphere here...Are you planning to murder each other or what?" Babara asked while looking at both of us.
"Not at all!" Both of us answered at the same time with a totally fake smile when we snapped our heads at Babara.
"*...Taeko, never let those two be all alone in one room ever again.*" Babara whispered to Taeko who was standing next to her with a dumbfounded expression.
"*Understood.*" She nodded her head with closed eyes and replied.
.
.
.
After we ate, Chelsea reported everything she found out.
"...And that should be everything...Can I now go to the hot springs? I worked really hard." Chelsea stopped her report and then asked with a pleading expression.
"No, you still need to tail someone." Babara said while sitting beside the window, constantly checking the road outside.
"He still didn't return, right?" I suddenly asked with a small smile and folded arms.
Taeko and Chelsea looked a bit puzzled but Babara just glanced at me before returning to her observing duty.
"That's right, I didn't see him return nor inside this building already. Lad, you already know who those assassins are, right?" Babara asked with a calm voice.
"What?! Then I didn't have to work so hard if it's the truth!" Chelsea immediately gritted her teeth while looking at hatefully.
"Like I already said before...I won't let you slack off, even this is the training and the way for you how to gain experience for yourself." Babara interrupted Chelsea's outbreak.
"I am not entirely sure but most likely I already know." I nodded my head.
When Taeko heard me, her expression immediately hardened, most likely she remembered my previous words.
"Hm? Finally, Chelsea, come here quickly." Babara said and all of us quickly arrived near the window.
"There...I want you to follow those two." Babara pointed her hand with the gauntlet at two figures walking towards the town's exit.
"?!" Taeko's eyes immediately widened when she saw them and then glanced at me.
"Looks like you already know her, Taeko and Akashi. Chelsea, do your job and be careful." Babara said when she noticed a change in Taeko's expression.
"*sigh* Even more work to do...I am going, see you later." Chelsea's shoulders dropped down together with her head in defeat and she replied with a tired face while transforming into a bird and flying away.
"I feel like her disguise is getting worse each time I see her do it...like her aura is leaking out." I muttered with a thoughtful expression while touching my chin.
"...That's right, the more frequently she is using it, the less effective it is against strong and observant people." Babara nodded at my speculation and confirmed it.
"Anyway, let's wait until she returns..." I said and glanced at Taeko who had a complicated expression on her face.
.
.
.
Roughly after an hour...
Chelsea returned while heavily panting and her heart was beating really fast as if she just escaped death.
*sigh* "You can't even walk for a while without getting tired, do you?" I joked a bit and got behind her and put my hand on her back near her heart. I started to release a calming warmth from my hand to calm down her raging heart.
"You-! Huh?" She gritted her teeth when she saw my provoking smirk but she stopped in midway.
---
'Did he try to distract my mind so I could calm down? And what's that calming warmth?' Chelsea thought with a slightly shocked expression and open wide eyes.
---
"Thanks, I guess you aren't so annoying anymore." She said with a honest smile.
Seeing that honest smile...I couldn't help but...
"While you didn't exactly become more pleasing to eyes but at least it's easier to listen to you~" I said with a playful tone and a smile with closed eyes.
"I take it back!" She shouted and threw a punch right into my face, seeing the nearing fist I only smiled and put my hands behind me.
*Thud*
"Ouch" Chelsea's fist connected with Babara's metal gauntlet.
"Report-NOW." She said with a sinister smile while looking at Chelsea and she could only hatefully look at me while I only looked at her with a smile and obviously faked puzzled expression.
---
'It was his plan for sure! I will really castrate him!' Chelsea thought with narrowed eyes
---
.
.
.
"That's everything, 2 of them are hiding in the mountains and most likely that guy who went there together with that woman will be there too. Most importantly, they are definitely strong. One time I had a feeling that they will discover me." Chelsea finished her report and by the end of her explanation, Taeko was already looking downward with who knows expression.
"Good job, now that we found them, we can finally make our move. You can rest for a bit, Chelsea. But don't be too relaxed, anything unexpected can happen. We will split, I will go deal with those kids hiding in the mountains and you will take care of others in the inn, Taeko." Babara said and glanced at Taeko who was looking downwards.
I also glanced at her, curious about what she will do.
"...Understood!" She raised her head a bit just to reveal her cold and determined expression.
"Then I will go with you, granny" I said with a playful tone and hands behind my head.
"No...You must assist Taeko, there is even more enemies to deal with inside this inn, I can take care of a few brats myself." She immediately rejected and shook her head while explaining the reason.
"Are you aware of the fact that man has yet to come back? What if he will come back while you will be battling those kids? I don't mean to underestimate you but those kids aren't talented for nothing plus their teamwork must also be extremely good. And that man is definitely also extremely strong" I narrowed my eyes and questioned her.
"One more reason for you to remain with Taeko. We don't know where he can suddenly pop up so it is safer this way. Don't forget lad, I am Babara Oarburgh, I won't go down so easily not even in a great number disadvantage." She replied with a confident smile while showing off her teeth.
...She is indeed very experienced to be able to live so long with this profession. But even the most experienced fighters will have their moments of arrogance where they will think that they have vast experience that nothing can surprise them. But it is the truth that Taeko is more vulnerable than her and she is also young so she has a priority.
"Alright but wait a bit, don't move." I said and approached her while she was looking at me with a confused expression.
I extended my arm together with my index finger and put it right at the location of her heart while averting my gaze in an awkward way.
"?!" Both Taeko and Chelsea were dumbfounded by this and even though Babara was confused, she felt that I had no bad intentions so she let me do my thing.
...
"What was that warm feeling? I felt something wrap around my heart...What did you do, lad?" Once I retracted my hand, she asked me with a confused expression and furrowed brows.
"Nothing much, it won't limit you in any way and only serve me as a signal in case you start losing. So if the emergency arises, just try to delay them for as long as you can and I will take Taeko with me to regroup with you. No need to thank me." I said with a small smile while pointing at her with my index finger with a carefree expression.
"I don't- whatever. Just make sure that you won't interfere too much, after all-" She wanted to say something with an annoyed expression before stopping herself and when she wanted to remind me of something I interrupted her.
"Yeah, yeah, your big pride as Oarburgh wouldn't allow that. I will do only what is necessary." I said with a provoking smile.
"Make-up girl, could you reapply the disguise for me just in case?" I asked with a small smile.
"He-he and what will I get for it?" She released a creepy laugh while looking at me with a sinister expression.
"...I won't spank your small ass~" I narrowed my eyes before closing them and answering her with a cheery smile.
"I don't have small butt!! It's just good as it is!" Chelsea shouted at me while taking out her cosmetic tools.
...
We parted ways...Babara went outside of the town while Taeko went to find her first target which would be ideally Cornelia since she will be able to catch her alone since she will be returning from the mountains. I tailed after Taeko from a safe distance while doing my best to hide my presence.
As for make-up girl...she went to explore this town or something along those lines since Babara didn't give her any further instructions.
Taeko quickly made a contact with Cornelia and led her to the abandoned part of the town inside the ruined building. Only half of the ceiling was still stable and on the other side, only pillars supposed to hold the other part of the missing ceiling were still standing still.
I hid behind one of the pillars and observed how will Taeko solve this. However, I doubt that she can kill someone experienced in one surprise attack. Perhaps even I wouldn't be able to do that unless I used overwhelming force in that attack.
"Taeko? What did you want to talk about?" Cornelia asked with a friendly smile but it was visible that she was a little bit wary in this isolated place.
Taeko suddenly put her hand on her katana and quickly turned around while slashing her katana in a vertical wide arc at an incredible speed. However, despite its speed, Cornelia was still able to narrowly dodge that by jumping backward. Taeko's katana was only able to make a small cut on her cheek.
Taeko narrowed her eyes when she saw that her surprise attack failed. And since she already failed, I jumped up at the pillar to sit down so I could have a good view of the incoming fight.
The only thing missing is popcorn but I guess it would be a bit sick to watch the fight to death as some kind of movie.
"?! Taeko, what are you- ?! Katsura?!" Cornelia looked at Taeko with wide-open eyes from evading such a close death. She also noticed me sitting on the pillar watching them with a smile.
"Good afternoon, miss~!" I waved at her with an amused smile and closed eyes.
"I am sorry Cornelia, there is no choice. I must fulfill the contract!" Taeko didn't even take her eyes from Cornelia and told her while reading her katana to attack once again.
"I see...so you are assassins and everything was just a disguise to fool us." She said and her eyes regained calmness before they turned cold, ready to kill the person in front of her at any time.
"Not everything! We are really married!" I shouted at her with a raised fist, acting a bit upset but she no longer looked at me and only watched the person closest to her who could cause her harm.
Tch, I wanted to create a small opening for Taeko but I guess it's no longer possible.
I thought with a small amused smile.
---Akame's group room inside the inn---
"Akame, I thought that you wanted to go explore delicacies of this town today." A girl with short light brown hair and a curvaceous figure asked with a confused expression while sitting near the table.
"Yeah, what's wrong? Don't tell me you are ill..." Poney asked with a teasing smile while lying on the ground stomach first and swinging her legs back and forth.
"I know, Tsukushi, Poney. I just can't tell why I feel like something bad is about to happen...Ever since I saw those two..." Akame muttered with a worried expression.
"You mean that married pair, you and Cora met?" Tsukushi asked with a puzzled expression.
"Cora...?! Cora!" Akame muttered a few times Cornelia's nickname before getting up from her seat, wanting to leave the room.
"?! Akame, wait! What is wrong?" Poney immediately jumped on her legs and followed after Akame, Tsukushi did the same as Poney.
"I want to find Cornelia to verify something!" Akame said and burst out of the inn in a full sprint.
"?" Poney and Tsukushi looked confusedly at each other before nodding at each other with a serious expression. They immediately followed after Akame since their day was free anyway and reassuring themselves that everyone is alright won't hurt anyone.