Villain Retirement

Nothing was happening. Nothing is happening yet.

Zac just watched as Riley very slowly, and very calmly made his way toward them; his steps, without any haste or urgency. Riley has always been calm, but Zac could feel something different from him.

Riley just told him that the table was some sort of memento from someplace that Zac could only assume to be important just earlier; there was also a sort of melancholy as he said that, something he had never seen from him before—and now that memento is broken in two pieces.

"..." Zac then looked at the guards, before taking in a small gulp and shaking his head,

"Whatever you do, do not make this worse," he then said as he slowly backed away. Zac has only known Riley for less than a week, but he has been with him and following him almost without pause. And in that span of time, Zac had gained an idea of who Riley is, but that's not important.

What is important is what he is.

As an officer of the Grand Militia, Zac was privy to news that is outside of Themarian territory, which the citizens of Hel and Varoif are restricted from accessing or even knowing.

Riley is from the Unknown, which alone makes him an unpredictable variable. After all, there's already so much that themarians do not know about the outside world; someone like Riley might as well be a completely, literally unknown entity to them.

There are reports about Riley being a world-ender—creating clones of himself to destroy planets far and beyond each other. And presumably, his original body was doing something else completely.

He was a creature that took the entire Known Universe by surprise. In less than a blink of an eye, he became one of the Known Universe's most wanted outlaws; a bounty given to him directly by the Elders of the Common Council.

But of course, that wasn't also important—all themarians are considered world-enders, that is the main reason why they restricted themselves from traveling outside their territory, after all.

But that wasn't the only thing abnormal about Riley Ross. There are certain details that the Grand Militia was not aware of; details that only Zac knows of.

Riley calls Theran's most wanted criminal in the recorded history of their planet, 'mother'. Although Zac was not clear with all the details yet, Riley treats Caitlain'Ur as a mother figure—and anything involving Caitlain means something bad for Theran.

And as if that wasn't enough, he claims to be the lover of Princess Aerith.

And not only that, but Zac has also confirmed personally that Pirate Queen Xra, the woman responsible for Aerith's brother's eternal death, is Riley's companion.

There is also the princess of the Evaniels; although their relationship seemed to be sour, she was involved with Riley in one way or another.

And now, Zac even introduced him to Esme. How could he even expect that Princess Esme, a woman known for not having any friends and being very difficult to deal with, would start having connections with Riley? And not just a simple connection—Esme almost treats Riley as some sort of mentor.

Caitlain'Ur, Princess Aerith, Pirate Queen Xrra, Princess Vera, and Princess Esme. Just with this group of women, it would not even be an exaggeration to say that the universe might actually revolve around him.

Zac wasn't really aware yet of Riley's real power. Is he stronger than Caitlain?

…Is he stronger than Esme?

The thought causes him to shiver, but it didn't even matter if he wasn't as strong; his connections alone make him an even more dangerous entity than the Overlord of the Grand Militia.

Riley could even create his own nation if he wishes to from his network alone. Caitlain'Ur is worth more than a hundred themarians alone—and that is not taking into account her technological expertise.

This is the real reason why Zac was just sticking to his order of following Riley around. In truth, he was also told to report anything that is of note, but he wasn't doing that. He wanted to see what happens next.

The last he heard, Caitlain was currently running circles around the Grand Militia… along with Pirate Queen Xra; and with that weird cannon they activated back at Caitlain's old house, there was a quiet war very slowly brewing around Theran.

And now, completely unbeknownst to the Grand Militia, another quiet war might be brewing right in Hel's castle.

"You're the new guy?"

And as soon as Riley neared the table, Zac's old colleagues placed their attention on him.

"What are you, like half evaniel or something?" Cyril approached Riley; his feet, still stepping on the table he just destroyed and crumbling it further. As furniture from Earth, the table might as well be made of paper in front of the themarians.

"Cyril, leave him alone," Zac slightly raised his voice. He, however, did not approach Riley and even took another step back as he warned Cyril.

"You don't have to worry, we just want to ask your new friend some questions," Cyril let out a small scoff as the rest of his group started to circle Riley,

"Hey, I'm talking to you, boy. Are you a half-breed? Could it be that you don't understand me?"

Riley was clearly hearing Cyril but chose to ignore him. Instead, his eyebrows just started to twitch with each footprint that Cyril leaves on the table.

"Hey, are you ignori—"

"Can you please take your feet off the table?" And finally, Riley started to speak; not even letting Cyril finish his words as he pointed at the table. Riley, however, still did not even look at Cyril and was instead fully focused on the broken table.

"Oh, so you can talk," Cyril let out a small chuckle, "So, where are you from? How did you even meet our little Red Lip Zac?"

"Please move your feet."

"What?" Cyril clicked his tongue as he noticed Riley still not looking at him, "Just because you're a professor you think you are better than me? I am a guard of the Royal Castle!"

"Move your feet," Riley's eyes squinted as his head started tilting to the side; his fingers, seemingly moving on their own as his breaths became heavier. And soon, he started massaging his temples with his palms.

"Take your feet off," he once again said. The tone of his voice, slightly becoming high-pitched.

Cyril and the rest of his friends could really only look at each other as Riley started moving erratically. Zac, who was just watching on the side, suddenly disappeared—he couldn't understand Riley, but there was someone else in the castle who could, Princess Esme.

"Hey! Stop bullying the new guy!" The server, Lou, dropped all of her spatulas as she jumped over the counter; causing the floor to shake just from her sheer weight.

"Relax, Mama Lou. We just wanted to know about the new guy. He—"

"Take your feet off, take your feet off," Riley suddenly raised his voice as the hands he was using to massage his temples became violent, "Don't touch my stuff…

…sister," Riley then started looking around, "I can't hear anything… I need my sister."

"...What?"

"Hannah… Hannah!"