Sayo and the Dragon Li cat locked eyes.
In that instant, a strange, creeping chill washed over Sayo. Looking into the eyes of this cat, she felt as if she were looking at a human being!
With a sharp poof, a thick cloud of white smoke erupted from the cat's body, startling Sayo. As the smoke dissipated, Chelsea stepped out from within!
Sayo's face drained of color, and she opened her mouth to scream.
However, Chelsea was far faster. She lunged forward, clamped a hand over Sayo's mouth to stifle any sound, and delivered a swift hand chop to the back of Sayo's neck!
With a dull thud, the heavy blow landed. Sayo's vision blurred as she lost consciousness. Her body tilted backward, and the tray in her hands began to slip toward the floor.
At the critical moment, Chelsea moved with the agility of a lynx. She caught Sayo around the waist with one hand while simultaneously extending her leg. Her foot hooked under the falling tray just before it hit the ground; with a deft flick of her toes, she tossed the tray upward and caught it firmly in her free hand.
Sayo never hit the floor, and the appetizers on the tray remained unbroken. The entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water, executed without making a sound or drawing any attention in the empty corridor.
This was the caliber of a professional assassinand Chelsea was considered the weakest combatant in all of Night Raid.
Once it was over, Chelsea let out a small sigh of relief. Glancing left and right, she carried the tray in one hand and hoisted Sayo over her shoulder with the other, heading toward the utility room.
She quickly found a storage closet and pushed the door open. Ignoring the dust inside, she laid Sayo down and pulled a small vial of potion from her shirt. She held it under Sayo's nose, ensuring the girl fell into a much deeper, more prolonged sleep before closing and locking the door behind her.
With Sayo secured, Chelsea hid in a corner and took another look around. Seeing no one, she gripped the tray, took a deep breath, and activated her Teigu: Phantasmagoria: Gaea Foundation.
Another poof of white smoke filled the air. When it cleared, Chelsea had become Sayo. Height, figure, facial featureseverything was an exact match.
A faint smile played across her lips as she adjusted her aura to match that of a maid. With a confident stride, "Sayo" walked forward.
Imitating Sayo's usual poise, Chelsea walked through Madara Uchiha's mansion. Relying on her excellent intuition and experience, she naturally found the dining room. There, she directed the other maids in setting the table while she placed the appetizers in their proper positions.
At that moment, Madara and the others were still in the living room.
Leaving the dining room, Chelsea headed straight for the lounge. Upon entering, she was met with a striking scene.
Madara Uchiha sat on the sofa with Esdeath nestled intimately beside him. Opposite them stood Leone, Sheele, and Mine, looking awkward and restless.
Ever since Esdeath's return, the three of them had lost all their previous casualness. Having just endured a terrifying "training session," they didn't dare make a single suspicious move.
Maintaining Sayo's usual expression and posture, Chelsea approached Madara and Esdeath, bowing slightly as she reported, "Lord Madara, Lady Esdeath, dinner is being prepared. It will be ready very shortly."
Madara gave a curt nod of acknowledgement.
Having finished her report, Chelsea naturally moved to stand at Madara's side, slightly behind him. In this position, her back was to Madara and Esdeath, while she faced Leone and the others directly.
Seeing the whip marks on the three girls and their dispirited state, a pang of pity shot through Chelsea's heart. She narrowed her eyes slightly and flashed them a specific, subtle hand gesture.
Leone, Sheele, and Mine kept their faces neutral, appearing just as anxious as before, but their hearts were suddenly racing like a stormy sea!
The gesture Sayo had just made was a secret signal known only to the internal members of Night Raid!
How could Sayo possibly know that sign?
None of the three were fools; the realization struck them instantly.
The "Sayo" standing before them was Chelsea in disguise! They didn't dare look at her directly, but using their peripheral vision, they saw "Sayo" give a tiny nod and a firm, knowing look in return.
The three of them were certain now.
But while they were relieved to see an ally, Leone, Sheele, and Mine were also gripped by sheer terror. In their eyes, Madara's mansion wasn't just a houseit was a monster's den!
And now, Chelsea had actually disguised herself as Sayo to infiltrate this terrifying abyss!
This... was far too dangerous!
They knew all too well that Madara Uchiha was unlike any enemy they had ever faced. He was an unfathomable, primordial demon. Could Chelsea really pull this off without being discovered?
If she were exposed, she would undoubtedly suffer a fate as grim as theirsor worse.
Leone and the others were sick with worry for Chelsea. They silently observed Madara and Esdeath, watching for any sign that the pair had noticed the deception.
At the moment, Madara was occupied with Esdeath, seemingly oblivious to the switch.
But just because they hadn't noticed now didn't mean they wouldn't eventually. Leone's heart hammered against her ribs in a frantic rhythm of panic.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, a comment passed between Madara and Esdeath that caught all four girls' attention.
Esdeath had said something that clearly pleased Madara, as he let out a sigh of admiration. "Ah, Esdeath, with a wife like you, what more could a man ask for?"
Esdeath responded with a flirtatious, charming roll of her eyes. "Oh? Is that truly the case? I don't believe you, Madara. Aren't you also planning to take Sayo for yourself? She is your personal maid, after all. You've been together for so long, and yet you haven't done a thing to her. I find it hard to believe!"
The mention of Sayoand the nature of the topiccaused the girl standing behind them to tremble ever so slightly.
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