Villain Retirement

"I believe you're here to die, Star Sergeant Zac."

"You really need to know how to treat people better, you'd be more popular."

Star Sergeant Zac raised both his hands in defeat. Now, one would not really think of anything about this scene as nothing but Zac truly surrendering—but there was something he and Riley only knew.

That simple action was a challenge; not to Riley's authority, as both know he truly isn't a Champion Sergeant. But rather, it was a challenge to Riley's strength. Zac was still completely locked in Riley's telekinetic hold, and yet he was able to raise both his hands and pretend as if he didn't even need to exert effort to do so—and judging by the growing smirk on his face, Zac knew exactly what he was doing.

"Now, now. No need to look at me, I know I'm beautiful," Zac then brushed his hair back, before pursing his lips and raising his eyebrows at Riley.

"..."

"Oh, don't misunderstand. I might be dapper and double beautiful, but I still like the opposite sex."

"I did not ask, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley backed away as he stood beside Katherine, "And we don't require your assistance at the moment, you can leave us."

"Well, I'm afraid that's not possible," Zac smiled before just also moving beside Katherine, "The hierarchy can get a little bit confusing at times, but it is still true that for now, you are my superior—but I can't follow your orders as the Overlord himself ordered me to follow you around."

"The Overlord himself?" Princess Esme joined in on the conversation, "But does he not like doing things with his own hands?"

"True that, Your Highness," Zac wagged his finger as this time, he moved beside Esme, "The Overlord would have checked Riley himself since no matter what he does, he can't seem to unlock or delete Riley's file from the system—and he's already the top dog if you know what I mean. Even our little old AI is refusing to grant him access."

"So why is he not here?"

"We… have a bit of a situation with a certain mythological creature," Zac wiped his forehead, "I'm just glad I'm not there. Better to face an unknown monster rather than a monster you know that wouldn't hesitate to kill you; or worse, keep you alive to be experimented on, oof. Gives me the creeps."

"Are you talking about her?" Riley then raised the orb he got from the border officer; and as soon as he did so, Diana's image popped out.

"That's classified information!" Zac quickly covered the orb, "How do you even have access to—right... Please don't just casually show information to the public, that's not how we operate."

"Everyone here knows what is happening, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley just shrugged before pulling his orb away, "Caitlain'Ur is my adoptive mother. You are not aware of that?"

"I feel like I'm not allowed to hear that," Zac covered his ears as soon as he heard Riley's words, "Look, I'm just being ordered to follow you around and make sure you don't besmirch the name of the Grand Militia."

"Riley, why are you revealing information that should otherwise be hidden?" Princess Esme blinked a couple of times, "Should you not keep this a secret from the Order of the Grand Militia?"

"I suppose I should, Princess Esme. But I do not really see the point, they will find out sooner or later," Riley shook his head, "Like how they found out I am Aerith's lover."

"No… we didn't find that out—you blatantly told me," Zac raised an eyebrow, "And what's with you being surrounded by Princesses? Princess Aerith, Princess Esme, and I am sure I saw the Princess of the Evaniels back at the bar."

"I heard that the Princess of Evaniels was also here," Esme's eyes widened, "I would very much like to meet her to see if she is better than me."

"Come to think of it—all I saw were women, there's even an old woman that already looks like she's ready to enter eternal death anytime soon," Zac's eyebrows raised even further before he turned to look at the silent Katherine,

"Wait, don't tell me you're a Princess too?"

"No," Katherine quickly answered, hoping not to be added to the conversation.

"She was my professor back on Earth."

"What?" Princess Esme quickly turned to look at Katherine as soon as she heard that, "I did not know that. I thought she was your subordinate, Professor Riley? If so, then I have been completely lacking in showing my respect to her."

"She is also my subordinate," Riley nodded, "I have learned a lot of things from her, things that I would otherwise not think of experiencing."

"Like what? What sort of teachings?" Princess Esme blinked a couple of times as her ears started to perk up, "I also want to learn."

"She taught me how to have sexual intercourse, Princess Esme."

"That… I have not done that yet," Princess Esme placed her hand on her chin, "Will it be possible to—"

"No!" Katherine's eyes started to furrow as she walked behind Riley, slightly grabbing his shirt to make him stop.

"Hm," Riley nodded, "I suppose you can also say that I am Katherine's lover, and she is mine."

As soon as those words reached Katherine's ears, however, she quickly let go of Riley; her lips wanted to move and utter so many words, but she could really only turn her head down.

This… was probably the first time those words directly came out of Riley's mouth.

"I can't be your lover," Princess Esme shook her head, "My marriage and romantic life would be and should be purely political, Professor Riley. I suppose I will not be able to learn that just yet."

"Hm," Riley nodded.

"..."

"..."

"Well, enough talking. Where exactly are we going now?" Zac then clapped his hands as silence started to approach them, "And I am just going to say this in advance before I forget—If my heart just stops functioning for even a single second, a battalion of my comrades would flock to my position."

"I suppose that would be quite fun, Star Sergeant Zac."

"That was a warning. You—no, never mind," Zac just waved his hand, "So? Are we going to visit Hel's Princess now?"

"When is her next trial, Princess Esme?" Riley asked.

"3 days from now, Professor Riley. We have time, unless you want to break her free before that," a small smirk crawled on Esme's face, "If so, then I would like to request that I am the one to break her free—it would be a good first impression and I would also like her to owe me."

"Hm. Since we have time, I would like to go someplace else first, then," Riley shook his head, "I…

…wish to visit my house here."

***

"Riley, this…"

"Hm."

With his authority as the high-ranking official of the Grand Militia, Riley and the others were able to just fly through the skies and quickly get to their destination—a humble hamlet seemingly far away from the big cities of Hel.

Katherine still couldn't get used to it. Theran is supposed to be one of the most advanced planets in the entire Known Universe, and yet this little village seemed like it sprouted straight from a fantasy book set even before the dawn of electricity.

The villagers also looked the part, with their clothes just made of whatever material was readily available. But of course, that simple material was probably comparable to a silkworm's thread compressed a million times over. Perhaps it was just some sort of choice, or just culture?

Or perhaps they have become too advanced that technology is just… not needed. Katherine has heard from Aerith and Diana that there were races out there whose technology has already completely blended with their lifestyle—technology so well adapted that it would look like sorcery.

But Theran's use of technology wasn't like that at all. Whatever the case was, Katherine knew one thing… someone like her truly doesn't belong here.

But finally, in front of Katherine was a semblance of home, it was a house that looked dramatically different from its neighbor's house, a modern home—quite literally. Because in front of them, was a complete replica of the Ross' residence back on Earth.

Even the front yard and the fence were the same—it even had a shed that may or may not lead to a bunker.

"..." Riley just glanced at Katherine, before nodding his head and entering the password to the door's security system, which was also the same as what they had back home, and true enough—the door unlocked.

Riley then just opened the door and nonchalantly stepped inside—only to see the layout of the house to be exactly the same as their home. Perhaps the only thing that was different was the lack of furnishings.

"I suppose this is why mother insisted on bringing our appliances and furniture," Riley then shrugged as he turned to Katherine and the others who were still just standing outside the door,

"It's fine, you may enter. We have—"

"Who the fuck are you?"

And before Riley could finish his words, a familiar voice crept through his ears from behind.

"..." Riley very slowly turned around, only to see Hannah—no, not exactly. She looked more like Diana, but the way her eyebrows showed her annoyance and her age made her look somewhat like Hannah in a way.

"Oi, whitey," the woman then said as she tightened her grip on the spatula she was holding,

"I fucking asked you a question. Who are you, and what the fuck are doing in my house?"

"This… is interesting."