Villain Retirement

"Theran… don't you think it's just similar to Earth?"

"Not at all, Katherine. The ground, the objects, and everything else that you see and touch is much stronger and more durable than their Earth counterparts. Even the chair we were sitting on earlier would take at least a little effort to separate and destroy."

"I'm talking about the themarians."

"Oh… then my answer is the same, Katherine."

Somewhere in the hallways of the Supreme College, Riley and Katherine were just casually walking around without any destination. Katherine had just been following Riley, not really knowing what was on his mind.

Was he just waiting for something? Does he have a plan in mind? It truly was hard to discern with Riley. At one point, it feels like everyone is a puppet that just dances over his palm; and at times, he's just a leaf that's flowing with whatever fate has in store for him.

She had been trying to dissect his mind all these years, but she knew she already failed the moment it was her that was… dissected.

Even after they had a child together, even after years passed—Riley was still a mystery her body was craving to unfold.

"I have a question for you, Katherine."

"Hm?"

"I do not know if it is just me, or have we not passed by anyone since we left the class?"

"...Hm?"

Katherine immediately halted her steps, before looking around the large, and awfully quiet hallway. She didn't know how, or why—but themarian infrastructure felt medieval, victorian, and modern all at the same time. At first glance, you wouldn't even think that they were one of the most advanced civilizations in the entire Known Universe.

Everything felt like a scene in a movie… that was perhaps also the reason why she didn't notice that she and Riley had actually been walking completely alone in the otherwise large college.

"Is… it possible that classes are still ongoing?" Katherine then looked at Riley. And before the two of them could actually come up with reasons, a woman suddenly appeared in front of them.

"You two, why aren't you attending your classes?" It was obvious from the woman's attire that she wasn't a student in the college, and judging by the confident stride of each of her steps as well as her eyes that were looking at them from head to toe—she was a professor.

"I don't recognize you two—are you new students?" The woman's eyes started to squint, "Wait, are you the students that Princess Esme forcefully enrolled?"

Katherine has noticed this about themarians before… but they seemed to be clueless about things that were not happening in front of them. And for an advanced civilization, none of them were really into their devices, unlike the humans with their smartphones and social media.

Were they just past that part of their lives? Or do they really just not care about other things? Or perhaps it is just a case of utmost indifference? After all, what else is there to look for when you are already on top? In this case, themarians are literally on the top of the food chain.

"I believe we were enrolled through legal means, themarian professor."

"Themarian—wait, the two of you are not themarians," the female professor blinked a couple of times as she started approaching the two, "Which planet—no, it doesn't matter. The two of you should get back to your classes."

"We would, themarian professor. But the problem is we are not even aware that we do still have a class."

"...Don't tell me the princess just left you on your own?" The female professor pinched the bridge of her nose, "Wait, did the two of you even take your tests?"

"...We were enrolled through legal means," Riley turned to look at Katherine, "Tell her, Katherine. You are the one with experience dealing with processes involving academia and enrollment."

"...The princess sort of just threw us here, Riley," Katherine could really only let out a sigh, "I don't even think we're officially on their student list."

"..." And almost as if he didn't really know, Riley's eyes started to turn wide as he looked Katherine straight in the eyes.

"...Figures," the female professor joined Katherine as she too, let out a long and deep sigh, "You might be outsiders, but since you have, even unofficially, been decreed by the princess to be enrolled in the college, we can't have you just walking around like this."

"We have been walking for an entire hour, themarian professor."

"Professor Thelma," the professor said as she turned around, "If you're going to be spending some time in this college, then you should learn the names of those that reside in it. And you need to take the test so we'll know which class to actually put the two of you in…

…Come on now, follow me."

"..." Riley and Katherine looked at each other before Riley just shrugged and followed Professor Thelma.

"When in Rome, Katherine."

"...Since when do you do idioms?"

***

"Alright, we're here."

And once again, it felt like they were in a completely different place entirely. Just a few steps ago, they were in some sort of futuristic medieval castle—and now, they were inside a white space.

A completely white and empty space where not even a single glimpse of shadow could be seen. Katherine had already noticed when they entered the large door that the room was devoid of anything, but for it to be this vast.

No, in the first place, there was no sense of distance in the room. It looked like it didn't end, but at the same time, it feels like if Katherine stretched her hand, she would hit a wall.

"Since the two of you didn't even know there was a test, I could assume you don't know what the test is?" Professor Thelma stood in front of the two, "As themarians, we're really just simple beings. You can just do whatever."

"...Just do whatever?" Katherine squinted her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Just do whatever," Professor Thelma shrugged, "Scream, punch, sit—the Arbiter will be watching you."

"I am just going to assume that's some sort of artificial intelligence?" Katherine asked.

"Arbi doesn't like being called that, but yes," Thelma nodded and sighed, "You can go first since you seem to be the older one."

"Wait."

Before anything could start, however, Riley suddenly raised his hand, "Katherine and I are meant to be together, she can't be in another class since she is my subordinate."

"Meant… to be together?" Katherine took in a small gulp as she heard Riley's words—and any other words after that just became a whistle that went from one ear to the other.

"Subordinate? Like a personal guard?" Princess Thelma placed her hand on her chin, "I guess it doesn't matter. Just let the test be some kind of formality then, nothing changes. You can proceed, Ms. Katherine."

"..."

"..."

"Ms. Katherine?"

"Yes!?" Katherine woke up from her mild stupor as she noticed both Riley and Professor Thelma were looking at her. And after a few more moments of confusion, she quickly stepped away from the two and started stretching her arms to the side.

"Do your best, Silvermoon," Riley said as the temperature inside the white space started to become unstable,

"Show me how strong you have become."

"By your order, boss."

…What is wrong with these two?---is what was on Professor Thelma's mind right about now. She already figured the two wouldn't really be normal aliens even if they look like themarians since Princess Esme befriended them, but did they really have to communicate with each other like that?

Soon, however, Professor Thelma could not think of anything else as the space around Katherine started to distort. And soon, her hair started to glow in silver; like an evaniel, except more graceful.

"Hm?" Professor Thelma then blinked as a drop of water suddenly fell on her face. She looked up, only to see clouds forming above them,

"...Weather manipulation?" Thelma whispered to herself as she focused back on Katherine… who was now being surrounded by a blaze of fire, "No… creation."

Loud snaps then thundered in the air as lightning began to dance around Katherine's body. And with a cold breath, Katherine started bringing her hands together—and following her will, the elements did too.

Fire and lightning began to merge—creating a ball of chaos that seemed to eat at each other. Katherine then raised her hands, and as she did so; the elemental ball the size of a watermelon exponentially multiplied in size, filling the white space almost completely.

And with another breath, it just withered away like it never existed in the first place.

"Your control and raw power seem to have increased dramatically, Katherine," Riley's claps replaced the thunders,

"You're still weak, but that's not important."

"...Thanks?" Katherine could really only force a chuckle as she returned to Riley's side.

"Well, wow…" Professor Thelma also clapped as she looked at Katherine, "...I've never seen a species capable of summoning different elements. You said you two were from the Unknown?"

"Yes, we're from a planet called Earth, Professor Thelma," Riley nodded.

"Well, I'm excited to see what you can do," Thelma breathed out as she looked at Riley with anticipation, "So… which element can you summon?"

"I have a different ability, Professor Thelma."

"...Oh? Like what?"

"Like this."

Riley snapped his fingers, and as he did so—the white space disappeared completely. Replaced by nothing but a darkness so deep, it almost felt like one was blind.

"What… did you do?" Professor Thelma blinked a couple of times again so that her eyes could adjust to the darkness, but still, nothing.

"Oh. I removed your eyes, Professor Thelma."