Villain Retirement

Although covered in a thick layer of robes, just the hints and pieces of what Dorothy could see of the sudden stranger that violently barged inside the restaurant was enough.

It was enough for her to know that it was Megawoman — and with her hood being blown away and her golden brown hair revealing itself and flailing with the wind, there was no mistake about it in her mind anymore.

"M… Megawoman?" Dorothy could really only repeat her words due to her shock. They were just talking about Megawoman moments ago, and now a variant of her was magically here,

"What are you… why are you here?"

Suffice it to say, Dorothy was completely awed—no, she was completely and utterly starstruck.

As for Riley, he only tilted his head to the side as he stared at Megawoman from head to toe. But after a few seconds, he let out a very small sigh and started shaking his head. Still, there was a hint of a smile still lingering on his face; a complete contrast from the face reflecting in his eyes.

"Megawoman…" Riley breathed out before placing his hands behind his back, "...I suppose it is only fitting that you would be called that after 600 years have passed…

…Silvie."

"Silvie…?" Dorothy's eyes widened. Silvie? Was that… Megawoman's real name? But after a few seconds, Dorothy covered her ears and started shaking her head, "I… I didn't hear anything!"

"Hm…" Silvie could really only look at Dorothy, who just smiled and looked away in response, "...Let's not talk here."

A boom then exploded throughout the entire restaurant as Silvie moved at a speed that even a sprintster like Dorothy couldn't follow. What she did see, however, was Silvie grabbing Riley's wrist and flying away, causing another explosion to erupt with how fast she moved.

Well, she flew away — Riley's feet remained completely planted on the stage even with Silvie trying to fly away with him.

"..." Silvie looked down at Riley, only to see him still with a smile on his face. She stared at him for a few seconds, before slightly descending and then violently flying away again; this time, however, she found herself almost being pulled down and spinning as Riley remained completely unbudged.

"600 years seems to have made you forget the difference between us, Silvie," Riley casually said; not even bothering to move his hand or pulling it even though he could, "But I am glad to see you are getting stronger — perhaps in another 300 years, you would be as strong as Aerith the first time I met her, which is quite impressive since I believe she was already a thousand years old then."

"..."

"What… is happening?" Dorothy, who was watching everything unfold, could not help but just listen in on the conversation; pretending to cover her ears while consuming all the information. What he couldn't consume, however, was how Riley was not budging at all.

Dorothy knew what Class 7 Above meant, she had seen them before — but this was the first time she was seeing them up close and personal.

Perhaps Riley was right, they truly were living in a utopia. After all, they had someone like Riley roaming around the streets like it was nothing, with little to almost no surveillance at all, when he could probably stomp his foot on the ground and the entire planet would be split in half.

She was finally understanding what Riley meant. They… are living in a ridiculous world where people like him are left unchecked, and they have no Megawoman to protect them.

Dorothy then focused her eyes on Silvie, only to see her now very slowly descending back to the stage as she let go of Riley's hand. She then watched as Silvie carefully backed away, obviously putting up her guard against Riley, while Riley just stood there nonchalantly.

"Hm…" Riley then let out a small sigh before crouching and picking up some pieces of the piano that Silvie destroyed. And then, with a sigh and a shake of his head, he let go of the pieces… and the piano started to fix itself,

"...This piano is very expensive, Silvie — I won't be able to fix the strings, so I would appreciate it if you would pay for them."

"You are still as nonchalant—no. You are still as dispassionate as you were 600 years ago," Silvie watched Riley's every move, but as he was not moving at all, she just started scanning her surroundings curiously,

"This layout… it reminds me of the Paige and Paragon agency."

"Your memory is quite something to be envied, Silvie," Riley nodded.

"And who are you?" Silvie's eyes then settled on Dorothy, "Don't tell me… you're another one of Riley's women?"

"...No," Dorothy quickly waved her hands while shaking her head, "I'm… I'm a detective. I'm… just here to eat and talk with the owner."

"A detective?" Silvie looked back and forth between Riley and Dorothy. But soon, she made a conclusion all on her own why the detective was there, "He's not Halfday."

"W… what?" Dorothy could not help but just squint her eyes as she heard Silvie's words, "What do you—"

"He's not Da—Halfday," Silvie shook her head before pointing at the door, "You should leave, Detective."

"That is very rude, Silvie," Riley quickly started shaking his head as he stepped down the stage, "Miss Dorothy, you do not need to mind us. Please, continue enjoying your—"

And before Riley could finish his words, Silvie suddenly blocked his path and covered Dorothy.

"I… already told her you're not Halfday," Silvie then whispered, "You don't have to kill her."

"Why would I kill her?" Riley tilted his head to the side in response.

"It… it's really fine!" Dorothy raised her voice as she started backing away, "I'm—I don't really want to get in between a lover's quarrel."

"A what!?" Silvie could not help but turn to look at Dorothy and raised her voice, "We're not—"

"Miss Dorothy, if you are leaving…" Riley then raised his hand and pointed it at Dorothy. Of course, Silvie saw this as Riley wanting to kill Dorothy now, and so she quickly stepped in front of Dorothy to protect her.

Contrary to her expectations, however, the only thing that happened was a sheet of foil flying over Dorothy's table and wrapping her whole plate. Riley then grabbed the plate from the table and just casually stepped past Silvie as he handed the leftovers to Dorothy.

"Don't forget your food, and please return the plate when you return, Miss Dorothy," Riley bowed to Dorothy, "The plate itself can be placed in the oven if you want to heat it. Thank you for eating my food again and again. Tell Detective Jake I said hello."

"...Your food is the best thing in this city," Dorothy just smiled, "And whatever this is between you and Megawoman…

…I hope you resolve it, Zero."

"Zero…?" Silvie could really only watch as Dorothy stepped out of the restaurant. She wasn't even able to clear up the misunderstanding between them, "What… are you planning to do this time, Riley?"

"I am not planning to do anything," Riley just glanced at Silvie before walking away, "And you do not look so good, Silvie. I suppose you are having a rough time right now?"

"Of course, I am!" Silvie screamed, causing the windows to tremble with her words, "You… you left and everything just went to hell."

"I thought all of you wanted me gone?" Riley walked toward the bar, "And I did not leave, Silvie, I was forcefully thrown into another dimension by a Primordial. And perhaps before we talk…"

Riley once again turned to look at Silvie from head to toe, "...Would you like to take a bath? You look like feces riddled with maggots that were run over by a tire — fortunately you do not smell like one."

"You…" Silvie bared her teeth as she glared at Riley.

"...Am not going anywhere," Riley shrugged, "This is my restaurant, Silvie…

…I will not leave it."

Silvie hesitated, but ultimately took Riley on his offer, who even gave him a key to one of the apartments in the building so she could have her own privacy — and to her surprise.

"What the…" Silvie just got out of the shower thinking of wearing the same old clothes she wore, but then noticed that the closet was actually filled with clothes that just happened to be in her size. She hesitated again to wear them, but it was that or wearing her dirty clothes, so… it wasn't even a choice.

Silvie then hurried to get dressed before rushing back to the restaurant.

"Riley, let's talk… Riley?"

Only to find that Riley was no longer there.

"Did… did he just trick—"

"Lamb smoked in oakwood for exactly 8 hours…" And before she could even finish her words, Riley suddenly stepped out of the kitchen carrying a large plate,

"...reversed seared with beef tallow, and a broiled bone marrow on the side."

"...What?" Silvie just took a step back as Riley placed the plate on the table.

"This is your favorite, if I recall. Please…

…eat."