Hurry up and come back to life.

The sudden burst of laughter startled everyone.

"Is the Boss having a mental breakdown?" Leone couldn't help but whisper to Akame, who was standing beside her.

"Leone," Najenda suddenly called out.

"Uh, Boss, I wasn't bad-mouthing you, really!" Leone said with a dry, awkward laugh.

"Bring me the frozen head of Qi," Najenda said, ignoring Leone's nervous antics.

Leone’s body stiffened, and her eyes darted away. "Ah-ha-ha, what are you talking about? Wasn't Qi's head buried with Bulat? Why would you ask for it? You’re so mean, Boss."

"Do you really think you can deceive us just because you aren't using your Teigu? Akame, go to the rafters behind the pillar where Leone was resting and bring me Qi's head."

"Understood."

"To know exactly where it is... that’s amazing," Mine exclaimed in awe.

Leone slumped in the corner, fixing a resentful gaze on Najenda.

Ignoring her, Najenda took the head from Akame and studied it closely. She stared intensely into the eyes of the severed head, scrutinizing its expression.

Drawn by her actions, everyone turned their attention to her, waiting for an explanation.

The smile on the corner of Najenda's mouth grew wider. "Oh, Qi, my dear Qi, next time you decide to act, remember to show a bit of determination or despair in your eyes. If I hadn't been biased by the assumption that you were dead, I wouldn't have been fooled for so long!"

"What?" Shock filled the eyes of everyone present, followed quickly by a surge of joy.

"Boss, do you mean... Qi is still alive?" Leone rushed out from the corner, excitedly voicing the question on everyone's mind.

"Wasn't Akame’s comment just now clear enough? If he can create a duplicate of himself, why would he care about a mere head?" Najenda laughed.

"But didn't Qi say himself that his head was his weak point?" Mine asked with a hint of hesitation.

"Would you reveal your true fatal weakness to someone you’ve known for less than a day?" Najenda replied with a knowing smile.

"Uh, I guess not," Mine realized with a start.

"How long do you intend to keep up this act? Hurry up and come back to life," Najenda said, staring directly into the eyes of the head.

Everyone held their breath, hoping Najenda's intuition was correct.

One breath. Two breaths. A few minutes passed. Nothing happened. Was their conjecture wrong?

"I’ll count to three. If you don't show yourself, I’m throwing your head into the men's public bath."

"One."

A gust of wind swept through the room, and the head in Najenda's hands vanished.

"You're threatening me again. Do you really want me to stop cooking for you?"

The familiar voice echoed through the cabin. Everyone turned around in delight.

"You pervert! You bastard, how dare you fake your death to trick us!" Mine shouted, overcome with emotion.

"Qi, I'm so glad you're alive!" Leone pounced on him, burying his face deep into her ample cleavage, leaving him struggling to breathe.

"Welcome back, Qi." Akame pulled him away from Leone’s suffocating embrace and gave him a solemn, heartfelt hug.

"I'm back," Qi said with a faint smile, returning her embrace.

"Why didn't you just die? If you had, my plan to build a harem in Night Raid would have been ruined! Before you showed up, I was the only man here—it was paradise!" Lubbock’s excitement was palpable as he hugged Qi hard, then gave him a playful, heavy punch on the shoulder.

"No, I think even if you were the only man on earth, you still wouldn't have a harem," Qi remarked with a smile.

*Whoosh.* Qi flew out of the room—or more accurately, he was kicked out by a swift strike. Najenda pulled her leg back and sat calmly back in her chair. "Since you aren't dead, why didn't you come back to report sooner? Was it some twisted sense of humor to watch us grieve and cry over your death?"

Qi, who had been about to protest indignantly, paused, his eyes flickering. "Even though I didn't die, my energy was completely depleted, so I had to find a safe place to recover. As soon as I regained my strength, I rushed to the base, only to find it frozen. I tracked the signs here, and the first thing I get is another threat? I’m so aggrieved!"

"Hmph, I won't bother arguing with you. The point is, you’re alive. Do you know what happened with Tatsumi?" Najenda dismissed his excuses.

Qi, having just arrived, nodded. "There’s nothing to say. Regardless of the circumstances, he’s too entangled with the young Emperor, so we can't trust him to participate in our operations anymore. You were already quite merciful, Najenda."

"Indeed. Then... was Sheele saved?" Najenda’s voice was hesitant and trembling. She had her suspicions, but she feared the answer might fall far short of her hopes.

"Sheele? Is she alive?" Akame’s eyes widened with surprise and joy. To think that both people they believed to be dead were still alive—how could she not be happy?

"Boss, is it true? Is Sheele still alive?" Leone once again hugged Akame, hopping up and down in excitement.

Mine was so stunned by the sudden news that she struggled to process it. "What? Sheele... Boss, do you mean Sheele can still be saved? You pervert... I mean, Qi, can you really save her? If you can bring Sheele back, I’ll be your servant, I’ll do anything you ask! ...As long as it doesn't violate my principles, and nothing too weird either." Mine’s face flushed with agitation.

"You're overthinking it, flat-chested Mine. Not to mention I’m loyal to my girlfriend, I wouldn't be interested in someone like you anyway," Qi said, casting a disdainful glance at Mine's meager chest.

"You bastard! I'll duel you! No, wait... Sheele, can she really... be saved?" Mine looked at Qi with pleading, pathetic eyes. Even though the image of Sheele’s body being severed in two was still etched clearly in her memory, if it were Qi—the all-capable, miracle-working Qi—perhaps there was a chance. She prayed and believed it to be so.

"Sheele is my comrade as well; I will naturally do everything in my power to save her," Qi said, frowning slightly and letting out a sigh.

His expression caused the excitement in everyone’s hearts to sink to the bottom of the well.