Yoshino life in the General's Mansion could be described as being cared for in every possible way.
Under Esdeath orders, anything she wanted would be delivered to her as quickly as possible. The food she received each day was impeccably lavish, and even the bathwater was infused with the fragrance of roses.
It could be said that, since she had traveled through so many worlds, this past week had been the most comfortable period of her life.
However, such meticulous care wasn't without its drawbacks.
Although Yoshino was being treated like a precious treasure, it seemed that Esdeath, perhaps out of fear of losing her again or worry that Night Raid would make another attempt on her, had confined her within the General's Mansion.
Even if she wanted to go out, she would be stopped by the Three Beasts guarding the gate.
Yes, Esdeath most elite subordinates—three Teigu users—had now been reduced to gatekeepers, tasked with ensuring Yoshino safety and preventing her from sneaking out.
Unless Esdeath personally took her outside, they would politely but firmly block her path, not letting her leave.
Although the General's Mansion was quite large, being confined here day after day wasn't a long-term solution.
After all, her mission was to become the shadowy mastermind behind the Empire's transformation. If she remained Esdeath pet mascot under house arrest, she might as well just join Night Raid instead.
At least there, she'd have more freedom, even if she was still just a mascot.
So, in order to change her situation, after a week of living together, she decided to reveal part of her power to Esdeath.
After all, the reason Esdeath was pampering and sheltering her so carefully was because she saw her as a helpless weakling in need of constant protection.
It wasn't because Yoshino wanted this—she simply had no choice up to this point.
But if Esdeath learned that her "little sister" was not weak at all—in fact, even stronger than many Teigu users—then surely she would stop treating her like a mother hen guarding her chick.
If she could gain Esdeath recognition, Yoshino might even leverage their relationship and Esdeath status to become an official within the Empire.
Then the time would come for her to truly manipulate the Empire's transformation from behind the scenes.
Running through the forest outside the capital, Yoshino was being carried in Esdeath arms at high speed. Though her face remained expressionless, her mind was actively calculating.
"General Esdeath, may I ask what exactly is the purpose of us following you?"
Nyau, one of the Three Beasts, questioned with some confusion as they closely followed behind Esdeath and Yoshino. Seeing they had already left the capital and were heading deeper into the forest, he couldn't help but ask.
Earlier, when their boss had suddenly taken her "sister" out and called them to follow, they had simply complied.
They assumed this would just be another shopping trip in the capital, but they were shocked to find themselves exiting the city.
"To test Yoshino abilities."
Esdeath didn't even turn her head as she answered, leaving the Three Beasts even more puzzled.
However, she didn't bother to explain further.
After all, it would be difficult to explain right now. Once the time came, they would understand what she meant by "abilities."
After running for a while and ensuring they were far enough from the capital that any commotion wouldn't cause alarm, Esdeath finally stopped in a clearing deep in the forest.
"First of all, does any of you know much about Teigu?"
After putting Yoshino down, Esdeath turned and asked her three subordinates.
Though they didn't understand why Esdeath would suddenly ask this, as loyal subordinates, they simply needed to answer her questions.
Nyau stepped forward and humbly replied, "My family has produced several Teigu users over the past millenNyaum. While I don't know many hidden secrets, I do know more than most nobles."
"Among the 48 Teigu, aside from Demon's Extract, are there any others related to controlling ice?"
"Ice-related Teigu..."
Nyau thought for a moment, rapidly searching her memory for information about Teigu.
Indeed, Demon's Extract wasn't the only Teigu related to ice. For example, the Frozen Jewel from the Teigu Crazy Thrower: Grand Toss also had the ability to manipulate frost.
Nyau listed a few ice-related Teigu, but Esdeath didn't seem satisfied.
"What you've said doesn't match Yoshino abilities at all," Esdeath shook her head. "Is there nothing else?"
"To my knowledge, no."
After answering, Nyau also keenly sensed the focus of the conversation and looked toward Yoshino, hesitating as she asked, "General Esdeath, what exactly is your sister's ability?"
Not just her—even Liver and Daidaras also turned their attention to Yoshino.
"Yoshino, could you show them your ability?" Esdeath gently patted her head. "These three are my most trusted subordinates. They would never betray me or reveal your secret to anyone."
Upon hearing this, the hesitant Yoshino finally nodded.
Raising her hand, she conjured a shard of ice in her palm under the astonished gazes of the Three Beasts.
Now, the Three Beasts finally understood what Esdeath meant by "testing her ability."
"Yoshino herself doesn't know much about her own power," Esdeath explained. "I'm afraid I might hurt her if I go too hard, so I need you three to be her sparring partners."
"I understand," Liver slowly nodded. "But, if it's just sparring, why not do it inside the General's Mansion?"
"Yoshino said the area wasn't big enough."
"Not big enough?"
Although Esdeath had never cared much about the size of her mansion—being someone who was often on military campaigns and just needed a place to stay—it still wasn't small.
Compared to the mansions of Minister Honest or the other General, Budo, it might be modest.
But it was spacious enough that even a hundred people could train there without feeling cramped.
"General Esdeath, are you really going to do this?" Yoshino puppet, Yoshinon, asked with some exasperation. "Yoshino doesn't like fighting. If she gets hurt, that wouldn't be good."
"They'll be careful. They won't hurt Yoshino. She just needs to give it her all," Esdeath comforted her. "If anything truly goes wrong, I'll intervene immediately. Yoshino won't come to any harm."
"All out... huh?"
Yoshinon paused in thought, then nodded, "Alright then. Considering how kind Esdeath has been to Yoshino, it'd be rude to refuse such a small request. Yoshino, begin."
Yoshino nodded.
She stepped lightly with her left foot, and cracks instantly spread across the grassy ground. The warm air plummeted in temperature.
The Three Beasts and Esdeath expressions changed dramatically as they leaped backward.
BOOM—————!
From the torn earth, an extreme cold burst forth visibly, instantly freezing all nearby flora.
A towering phantom began to take shape in the midst of the icy mist, radiating an aura that sent chills down the spine.
"Such power... Even among Teigu, this is top-tier."
Esdeath stared intensely at the silhouette within the ice fog, her eyes flashing with astonishment and doubt.
"Yoshino... actually possesses such immense power?"