Akame ga Kill: Starting with Dual Kamui

Of course, there was still the possibility that a man had turned into a female cat.

For a Teigu, such a transformation wouldn't be difficult.

Blayn thought to himself that it would be best to just assume this cat was male—or better yet, not think about it at all.

Still, while bathing the black kitten, he instinctively avoided certain sensitive areas.

Meanwhile, Chelsea did her best to suppress her embarrassment, letting Blayn handle her body without resistance.

To her surprise, his touch was gentle yet efficient.

It was still humiliating, but at least it wasn't unbearable.

"Huh?..."

What caught Chelsea's attention was how he seemed to be deliberately avoiding certain areas—either brushing over them quickly or skipping them entirely.

Could it be... he had figured it out?

She quickly dismissed the thought.

That was impossible. As long as she didn't slip up, her Teigu, Gaea Foundation, had never failed before.

Besides, there wasn't even the slightest trace of suspicion on his face.

As Chelsea mulled over this, Blayn had already finished washing her.

He lifted her out of the basin, emptied the dirty water, and refilled it with fresh warm water before placing her back in.

Gently scratching the black cat's chin, he said in a soft voice, "Alright, you can wash yourself now."

Hearing this, Chelsea suddenly felt that this guy was unexpectedly kind.

In an empire as dark as this one—especially in the Imperial Capital—it was rare to find someone like him.

If he were just an ordinary citizen, it wouldn't be surprising. But Blayn was someone who held a managerial role in the Imperial Assassination Unit and had even earned the favor of General Esdeath. He was undeniably a powerful individual.

In the current state of the Empire, nearly everyone with power was tainted by corruption and crime—including the Revolutionary Army.

Killing was killing, no matter the justification. No side was innocent.

And yet, in this ruthless world, he was still gentle enough to care for a stray cat.

To Chelsea, that was a rare thing indeed.

Perhaps that was why the Revolutionary Army had ordered her to monitor him instead of assassinating him.

Even so, she couldn't judge Blayn too quickly—she needed to observe him for a while longer.

She now felt certain he hadn't suspected anything earlier. This was probably just his natural kindness.

With that in mind, Chelsea focused on playing her role properly, acting just as a pet cat should.

...

Once the black kitten was clean, Blayn used a towel to dry it off.

He then placed the kitten in the room outside the bathroom, shutting the door behind him as he prepared to take his own bath.

He wasn't worried about it running off—if he heard the door open, he'd immediately notice and wouldn't give it the chance to cause trouble.

Of course, Chelsea wouldn't reveal her identity at a time like this. She still needed to stay undercover and observe Blayn carefully.

If nothing unexpected happened, she planned to remain in her kitten form until her mission was complete.

For now, Chelsea curled up on Blayn's bed to rest, taking the opportunity to examine his room.

It was simple, neat, and sparsely furnished—far from the messy, rough image she had imagined.

Back when she worked under a certain governor, that man had been a complete slob, reeking of alcohol every day.

That governor had been cruel and tyrannical, and when Chelsea stumbled upon the Teigu Gaea Foundation in his treasure vault, she took the opportunity to assassinate him before joining the Revolutionary Army.

...

Ten minutes later, Blayn emerged from the bathroom.

He had changed into the standard attire of the Imperial Assassination Unit—an all-black, form-fitting outfit designed for combat and stealth.

"Meow~"

Seeing him return, the black kitten immediately got up, jumped off the bed, and slowly padded over to him—almost as if it had already accepted him as its master.

Blayn sighed internally. This guy was really committed to the act.

If not for his Mangekyō Sharingan detecting the faint anomaly in that wound earlier, no normal person would ever suspect that this little black cat was actually human.

Picking up the kitten, he made his way back to the rest area, where Esdeath was still waiting.

"You're back. Looks like you're done washing up," Esdeath noted, seeing him in fresh clothes.

"Yeah. I cleaned it up too," Blayn replied, setting the now spotless black kitten on the floor.

"I still don't quite understand why you care so much about such a small thing," Esdeath remarked indifferently.

Though she saw it as a rare, cute side of Blayn, understanding it was another matter entirely.

"This kind of thing doesn't really need a reason. There's nothing complicated about it," Blayn said with a hint of helplessness. He didn't even know how to explain it to Esdeath.

"Master, shouldn't you give it a name? Like you did with Koro?" Seryu suddenly asked.

"Good point. Might as well name it."

Blayn nodded slightly.

Since the person-turned-kitten was so dedicated to the act, he figured he might as well play along.

"I'll just call it Shady."

Blayn wasn't great at naming things, and since it was a black kitten, the name Shady seemed fitting enough.

"That's a pretty straightforward name, but it does sound nice," Seryu commented.

Seryu was being polite, but Esdeath was more direct. "Blayn, it seems naming isn't exactly your strong suit."

Meanwhile, Chelsea was secretly amused. Though this wasn't important information, it was still somewhat entertaining.

"I guess it is a bit lacking..." Blayn admitted.

"Well then, can you show me around now?" Esdeath asked.

"Of course. Happy to oblige," Blayn responded with a nod.

He had some things he wanted to ask Esdeath as well.

Seeing Blayn pick up the kitten again, Esdeath raised an eyebrow.

"You're bringing it with you? Just how much do you like these little things?"

"No, it's still injured and hasn't fully recovered. I need to keep an eye on it," Blayn explained naturally.

In truth, he had just come up with the excuse on the spot.

But there was some truth to it—he really couldn't afford to let this little one out of his sight.

Clearly, Blayn had no intention of letting Esdeath find out the kitten's real identity.

Oh? You're more considerate than I expected. I didn't realize you cared so much about me~

Hearing Blayn's words, Chelsea was slightly surprised.

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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