Villain Retirement

"What… was that?"

It was almost a thunder—a snap that echoed pierces through time and space itself. Well, perhaps not, but that is truly what Riley's slap sounded like. It was loud enough to resound and even whisper into the ears of a busy woman. Paige was several rooms away, and yet even she could not help but instinctively caress her cheek.

"...Must've been the wind."

And with a long and exasperated sigh, Paige once again delved into research. Little did she know, however, that someone truly was feeling the same way she was feeling; except perhaps a million times more painful.

Back in the dim hallway, there was a large crack on the floor, and at the very center of it was a dent in the shape of the left half of Silvie's face.

And with her weakened state, suffice it to say that her life was almost reset by Riley's herculean slap.

And perhaps, her life truly was reset; as her eyes that were covered in clouds were now as clear as Theran's sky—tears still fell, but no longer enough to drown her.

"What did I tell you before, Silvie?"

"...What?" A crack once again whispered in the air as Silvie pulled her face from the floor.

"About your existence."

"..." Silvie only looked Riley in the eyes as she tried to figure out what he meant.

"You came from Aerith, you were molded into her image—that is a beautiful existence, Silvie," Riley softly said as he very gently touched Silvie's black, blue, and swollen face,

"Do not be disheartened, you are perfect."

"Riley…" Silvie took in a very deep breath as her eyes remained on Riley. And after a few more breaths, she finally nodded and carefully, but clumsily stood up from the floor.

"As expected of you, Professor Riley," Esme quietly clapped as she too, nodded for some reason, "Even when trying to calm a person down, you do not forget to inflict a form of torture."

"Uh…" Star Sergeant Zac could not help but slightly open his mouth in confusion as he heard Esme's words, "I… don't know what just happened, but it is not whatever you are thinking, Your Highness."

"Wait, wait…" Kal raised a hand as he looked at Silvie; his sharp eyebrows, still furrowed, "So, you're saying that my cousin, the notorious Rebel Princess, is giving her life for a clone? That… just doesn't make any sense. Why would she risk her life for something that's not even real?"

"..." Silvie's head quickly faced the floor as she heard Kal's words. She wanted to refute but hesitated since she didn't know who Kal was,

"I'm—"

And when she gained the courage to say something, several sharp whistles echoed through the hallway—the sound, still traveling as several themarian guards suddenly and already blocked all sides of the dungeon; one even had his feet on the ceiling.

"Go back to your confinement, cursed abomination."

Raging fire of red fumed from all of the guards' eyes as they all stared at Silvie; their armor of silver, rattling like scales as their energy seemingly seeped from its gaps. The edges of the armor, becoming sharper and brutally bulkier. And similar to Whiteking's armor, the neck armor unfolded into a helmet that covered their entire head.

And as the flaming rage in their eyes for Silvie magnified from their helmets, she could not help but flinch. Her body, almost instinctively following the royal guards' orders as her feet walked toward the room with the broken door.

Her entire body, however, also flinched as soon as she heard Riley clicking his tongue as he stared at her like she was the biggest disappointment in the entire universe.

…And maybe she is.

She was only a clone—a being that shouldn't even be alive. Is it really alright for her to live, while her original was on the verge of being executed by her own parents? Megawoman fought for the world; to keep it safe, to prevent wars.

What about her? What has she done that made her life worth living over Megawoman? She has not even achieved anything—her life was only starting.

…Her life was only starting.

"Silvie."

"S…sorry." And with Riley's heavy breaths piercing her ears, any other thoughts that started to race inside her mind were completely drowned by his whisper. The only thing she could really do was nod and walk back to his side.

She then looked at the guards surrounding her; even with their helmets on, the disdain seeping from the lights in their eyes was obvious to see. Still, she subtly stood her ground as the toes of her bare feet slightly curled.

"Go back to your confinement."

And once again, the royal guards' words whispered in the air; their disdain no longer as subtle as it was earlier. Silvie, however, just shook her head and subconsciously tugged and grabbed on Riley's white coat. Seeing this, the guards all turned their attention toward Riley.

"Aren't you the new professor in the castle?"

The royal guard that was blocking the path to the surface stepped forward as he faced Riley, "Look, I do not care if you are the lover of the Rebel Princess, or if you are Princess Tifa's new pet—you just can't do whatever you want here."

"Perhaps," Riley just shrugged, "But I still can't leave Silvie here, she is one of my sister's dear friends. I suppose I just have to apologize after, Helguard."

"..." The royal guard only let out a deep breath, before his helmet unfolded; revealing an old man with a thick mustache. Unlike Champion Sergeant Darmuid, however, he did not seem to carry an intimidating aura.

"Lord Kal, since you are with them; what do you propose we do in this situation?"

"..." Kal did not respond; his eyes, just scanning Riley's group. They would have no problem with Star Sergeant Zac since he was a neutral party; also, the Grand Militia's disdain for clones is almost ingrained in them.

Riley should be the easiest to deal with, Kal could barely detect any energy coming from him. Aerith's clone was also not a problem in her weakened state…

…but then there is Princess Esme.

She's Varoif royalty, so there might be a chance that she won't do anything that could lead to war between the two nations. But still, they can't afford for her to go on a rampage right beneath the castle.

"Professor," Kal then let out a very long and deep sigh as he looked at Riley, "I urge you to return that thing to its cage."

"I thought themarians do not cage and imprison their people, Lord Kal."

"That's not a themarian or any other people," Kal once again sighed as he shook his head, "I am sorry, but it has no rights, and it has no right to be walking amongst us."

"..." Silvie's mouth slightly opened as if she wanted to say something, but chose to look away instead.

"I know that it could feel and think for itself," Kal then said; the tone of his voice mellow and the look in his eyes filled with a certain pity, "But it is not one of us—to end its life now would be a better mercy for it."

"Hm…" Riley only hummed and nodded his head… before suddenly stomping his foot on the floor and causing it to crack.

"...What are you doing?" Kal raised his hand to stop the guards from rushing toward Riley.

"Back on my planet, what I just did would have caused extensive damage to the terrain. But here, it's just a crack on the floor," Riley then said as he very carefully removed his white coat.

"It also means that it wouldn't be hard to prevent the noise from reaching the surface with my telekinetic abilities."

Esme tilted her head and blinked as he watched Riley folding his white coat and giving it to Silvie. But after a few more blinks, she lifted her skirt and started adjusting the limiter on her thigh.

And with a breath, she started stretching her limbs and cracking her neck. Silvie wanted to fight, but she knew that in her weakened state, she would surely only get in the way. As for Zac, he really could not take action as a literal 3rd party.

"You… are outnumbered," Kal made sure that no side would take action as he raised both his hands, "Stop this at once."

"I suppose," Riley only smiled in response before his eyes also started to light up,

"But we have an Esme."