"Then, let's begin."
Ayato looked at Esdeath, fiddling with the Evil Piece. "First, take off your clothes."
"Ah?"
Esdeath blinked.
'Take off my clothes?'
'To place the piece?'
She seemed to understand and said, "Pants too?"
"..." Ayato.
'Had she misunderstood something?'
That was a path he had never even considered.
Shaking his head, Ayato said, "Just take off your outer clothes and face me."
Oh.
For some reason, Esdeath felt a little disappointed.
Looking at Ayato's handsome face...
'Oh well. There would be other opportunities.'
'This woman... is a major threat!'
Watching all this, Leone's gaze sharpened.
"Esdeath is a comrade now, not an enemy."
Akame patted Leone's shoulder. "Don't be hostile."
'Akame, do you even understand the situation?'
'We were here first.'
Leone held her forehead, not knowing how to explain.
At that moment,
Esdeath had already taken off her outer clothes. Before her, a great wave surged.
Watching this, Ayato placed the piece within.
"Umph..."
Esdeath grunted softly, her face flushing slightly.
Even though she had killed countless people... she was still a woman...
Instinctively, she looked at Ayato.
'My master... seemed to like this?'
Thinking this, the corner of Esdeath's mouth curled up as she met Ayato's gaze.
But soon, a crimson magic circle began to appear.
Esdeath's expression began to gradually change.
Her body... was changing.
'So hot... it felt like a power was surging within me.'
The next instant,
Two pairs of bat-like wings unfurled.
Her long Devil's tail also emerged with a whoosh, continuously waving on the ground.
"So long..."
Ayato's eyes flickered slightly.
Among all his servants, Esdeath had the longest tail.
"Master, would you like to touch it?"
Esdeath smiled, her tail swaying as it extended towards Ayato.
Ayato grabbed it and began to squeeze.
"Mmmpphh..."
Esdeath's body trembled. She felt her entire body grow hot.
"Do you like it, Master?"
She looked at Ayato, her ice-blue eyes seeming to melt.
"Hehe."
Ayato smiled and gently released her tail.
Freed from its restraint, Esdeath didn't retract her tail. Instead, she swayed it in front of Ayato.
"..." Leone.
'Aaaaah, was this still the world-famous Empire's strongest?'
'She was practically a seductress.'
'We really couldn't compete.'
"Are you provoking me?"
Seeing this, Ayato just smiled.
His recently acquired servants were bolder and bolder.
"Would I dare, my master?"
A thousand charms shone in Esdeath's ice-blue eyes, but she retracted her tail and wings into her body.
She hadn't forgotten that Akame and Leone were still nearby.
She didn't like being watched when doing that... at least not now.
...
After Esdeath became a servant, the imperial court was once again shaken.
The officials who had hoped Esdeath's return would bring some changes resigned themselves to their fate.
Many began to pledge allegiance, only hoping to keep their lives.
In the following days, Ayato had much more leisure time.
He either read books or instructed his servants in their training.
Besides that,
The most important matter was the Imperial Arms.
"My lord, this is the Imperial Arm technology we have reconstructed based on the imperial records."
Some people came to Ayato and handed over a set of notes and materials.
They were all alchemists from across the Empire.
The leader was Dr. Stylish.
With the entire Empire under Ayato's control, he was no exception.
[Origin +15]
[Origin +17]
Looking at the materials, Ayato's eyes lit up.
He could confirm that the Imperial Arm technology was viable.
Because from his experience, if something were fake, it wouldn't give Origin Points.
He looked at them approvingly. "You've done well."
"My lord, serving you is my honor."
Dr. Stylish said respectfully. "But although the technology has been reconstructed, creating powerful Imperial Arms requires rare materials."
"Among them, the most difficult to obtain are Super Danger Beast."
Ayato put away the materials. "Get to the point. Do you have any leads?"
"Reporting, my lord. Besides some well-known Super Danger Beast, there are legends of the King of Danger Beast in the far west."
Dr. Stylish answered. "It is said that when the Empire was creating Imperial Arms back then, they tried to hunt it, but all failed."
He didn't continue.
Because the implication was clear.
To create the strongest Imperial Arm, this King of Danger Beast was the most suitable material.
"So such a being exists."
Ayato's eyes flickered slightly.
This hadn't been mentioned in the original work.
But that was normal. This was a real world, so it was natural for some powerful beings to be hidden.
After all, he, a Devil, had crossed over, hadn't he?
'It seems I should go meet this King of Danger Beast sometime.'
In his mind, this legendary creature was already his material.
Just then, Najenda walked in, her expression quite grave.
"Something wrong?"
Dismissing the alchemists, Ayato said calmly.
"The Revolutionary Army has made a move."
Najenda answered. "They've gathered nearly a million troops. At their marching speed, they'll reach the Imperial Capital soon."
"How should we respond?"
"They've finally moved. I was wondering when they would."
Ayato grinned. "Go find Esdeath and the others. Let them annihilate the enemy's army."
"Oh, and the Emperor... he's almost useless too. Have him use that ultimate Imperial Arm, let him serve his final purpose."
After dealing with these minor issues, it would be time to harvest.
The supernatural knowledge of this world should allow his strength to increase further.
Most importantly, supernatural technology could be developed.
A whole world could be fleeced for Origin Points endlessly.
As for letting the people live in peace... that was just something done in passing.
"Yes, Devil-sama."
Najenda nodded, her expression unchanged.
During this time, her worldview had been thoroughly shaken.
She understood that while a million soldiers sounded intimidating...
To certain beings, they were utterly insignificant.