Villain Retirement

"Is… it really alright for me to be walking around?"

"It is fine, Silvie. They won't recognize you, and I have noticed that themarians can be quite apathetic about the things not directly and immediately concerning them."

"...Are you sure?"

Silvie raised her arm to look at her hand, which was now completely covered in a silver gauntlet; it wasn't only her arms. She was wearing the complete set of armor of the royal guards.

"..." And as she lowered her hand, the brightness and warmth of the sun wrapped her entire silhouette. She initially thought the helmet would obscure her vision, but not at all. It even almost felt as if she wasn't wearing anything.

She was free.

She then turned to look at Riley, whose entire left arm was still regenerating from being torn apart.

"I am sure, Silvie," Riley said as he looked at the maids and servants walking outside. They glance at him, yes. But that was it—they just returned to whatever it was they were doing,

"Themarians have a lack of… care. And like the evaniels, they lack security."

"I can confirm that to be true, Lady Silvie," Princess Esme nodded; her underwear completely exposed as she was still fidgeting with the limiter on her thigh while walking. And although Silvie still had no idea who Esme was, she still grabbed her skirt and pulled it down.

"Uhm… guys."

And as the three were just casually chatting and walking, Zac hastened his steps and stood in front of them. Riley just fought with Kal and several royal guards, and yet now he was acting as if nothing happened. Granted, it is true that the castle did not seem to notice their battle as they were free to walk around—their steps, even walking toward the castle's entrance. But still…

"What you just did could be considered as an act of aggression. Princess Esme is involved! This could turn into an all-out war!"

"I was barely involved, Zac," Esme sighed and shook her head in disappointment, "I am afraid that without my raw strength, I am just an individual untrained in the arts of combat."

"We did not kill them, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley sighed as he checked his healing appendage, moving all of his fingers as the blood wrapping it started to dance and float away,

"We just confined them inside the room they were keeping Silvie."

"That is the problem! If they get free–when they get free, they will immediately report this to someone!" Zac breathed out in frustration as he almost pulled out his hair, "I…

…I suggest just sending them to their eternal deaths, accidentally."

"That is a criminal act, Zac," Esme once again expressed her disappointment with her breath.

"Your Highness, with all due respect. I don't think locking them inside a room filled with EDP is any better."

"But nothing says it is illegal, Zac."

"But harming a member of the royal family is!"

"They were not hurt, Zac. Professor Riley is a master of pain and torture, which means he is also a master of painless and harmless battle."

"..." Zac wanted to say more, but just chose to drop his shoulders and move behind Riley. The most important thing here is that he didn't involve himself—if a war was to start because of this, then he wouldn't be blamed…

…except for the fact that he should be reporting this to the Grand Militia. But if he does that, whatever was happening here would be stopped, and he also didn't want that. Life has been pretty boring for him so far. But just by being around Riley for a week, a lot of unexpected, but fun things have already happened.

Besides… would a war between the two nations really be bad?

"Have you met up with the others yet?"

"I met sister and the others when we arrived on the planet, Silvie," Riley nodded, "We got separated when Star Sergeant Zac tricked me into meeting Princess Esme. Be careful around him, he likes to cause trouble."

"..." Silvie turned to glance at Zac, only to see his red lips smile in response… before just rolling his eyes and looking away,

"Do you know where they are?"

"Katherine is searching for Karina. As for sister, she is with Hera, Vera, Tsula, and Tomoe. Paige is underground several rooms away from where you were being held. Gary is somewhere in the castle. I do not know where mother is. As for father, and biological mother's corpse, I also do not know where mother stashed them," Riley shook his head,

"And as you have heard, Aerith is also out there somewhere—perhaps talking with his father. I wonder if—"

"Wait… Pearson is also being held captive!?" Silvie could not help but raise her voice as she interrupted Riley, "And your daughter is missing!?"

"Paige is there voluntarily, Silvie," Riley hummed and nodded, "As for Karina, you do not have to worry about her—she is strong."

"If… if you say so," a long and very deep sigh seeped out from Silvie's silver helmet, "We're… really scattered out there, huh?"

"Hm," Riley shrugged, "I suppose that is just how it is going to be for a while, Silvie. We will need to separate too."

"Hm?" Silvie blinked a couple of times as Riley halted his steps. She then turned to look at where they stopped, only to see the castle's main gate right in front of them.

"You can't stay here, Silvie," Riley then said as he shook his head, "Your and Aerith's appearances are becoming too similar to each other. Kal also mentioned something about energy signatures, you will be discovered here sooner or later even with your disguise."

"But…" Silvie's breaths once again became filled with weight as she looked back and forth between Riley and the gate, "...But where do I go?"

"That is up to you, Silvie," Riley then placed his hand on the large gate. And as soon as he did so, one of the people guarding it started to approach him. The guard, however, was stopped by one of his colleagues for some reason, whispering something into his ear before they just let Riley push the large gate open,

"But I…" Silvie looked at the view of the city outside, "Where would I go? Should I try to find Hannah and the others? Or do you want me to search for Karina? The poor girl must be so scared out there alone."

"It is your choice, Silvie," Riley sighed as he just pushed Silvie, causing her to take several steps out of the castle.

"Then—"

"No one is ordering you around anymore."

And with those words, Silvie watched as Riley just shut the gate on her—not even letting her say her goodbyes.

"But… you just kicked me out, Riley," Silvie whispered to herself as she stared at the large gate.

But after a few breaths and a small giggle, she quickly turned to check the guards that were stationed at the entrance of the castle, only for them to just stand there like statues; not even glancing at her even once.

As for Silvie, she was now free to walk away from whatever shackles have been holding onto her all this time. And so, with a long and deep breath, she took a step forward…

…just forward.

"Hannah and the others can take care of themselves," Silvie then whispered to herself again,

"Riley's daughter it is, then."

***

Lightyears and lightyears away from the impending chaos in Theran, the screams and cheers of the people filled an entire coliseum. A colossal coliseum that just freely floated in the expanse of the universe.

It did not float alone, however, as there were a hundred more of them—almost like bubbles that vibrated due to rampaging voices filling it.

And on one of these coliseums…

…a white-haired girl that was as pale as a ghost stood on the stage.

"Come at me, ye' stupid aliens!" The girl shouted as she raised both her middle fingers at the four-legged humanoid in front of her, "I will gut you and cook your lower half into medium rare!"

"Boo! You racist bipedal! Fuck her up, Sagi!"

"Eat her alive!"

"She's a child, you heathens!"

"We support you, Karina! End that quadrupedal's pathetic and miserable life!"

"..."

"..."

"How…" And hiding beneath all the cheers and screams was Katherine, who was seated beside Anna, who was enjoying herself with some sort of popcorn as she also cheered for Karina, "How...

...did we even end up here!?"