Villain Retirement

"Wait, what happened…? Why are we leaving already?"

"We need to find a cosmic piece, Miss Pepondosovich — I need to have a talk with Navi."

"So… the old lady wasn't who you were looking for?"

"No."

"Ack!"

"Why do you seem more affected than Master, Miss Pepondosovich?"

Riley and the others were now heading their way out of the castle. The looks that everyone was giving them, even more intense than when they came. After all, how could the knights and all the attendants not be curious about Riley, when the Lady of the House herself invited him into her private chambers?

What could the two of them have done during that time? Of course, they might be hanged by Lord Erikson for having such thoughts, but surely, he can't blame them for thinking of such things. Lady Irene is old, true — but she still had some vigor left in her.

But alas, no one would really know what happened as Riley had already stepped out of the castle.

"Anyway, I and Miss Esme here asked around while you were out frolicking with the Madam," Miss Pepondosovich nodded her head at Esme as the three continued to walk, "And apparently, the library that winged god told us doesn't exist anymore."

"It doesn't exist anymore?" Riley could not help but blink a couple of times upon hearing Miss Pepondosovich's revelation, "Then that means our only clue for the cosmic piece is gone, Miss Pepondosovich."

"Not quite," Miss Pepondosovich raised her head and started wagging her finger, "The library doesn't exist anymore, because it has been turned into a college for wizardry."

"Wizards exist here?" Riley tilted his head to the side, and so did Esme, "I thought the people living here were just normal humans, Miss Pepondosovich?"

"As normal as they could be in the Domain of the Gods," Miss Pepondosovich shrugged, "They evolved from the creatures created by us, Riri. The kind of normal you are thinking of does not really match up with them — anything goes."

"Interesting," Riley placed his hand on his chin, "And this college replaced the library?"

"They told us they built over it," Miss Pepondosovich nodded as she glanced at Esme, "They said it was on the west side of the city?"

"Yes, Miss Pepondosovich."

"Well, let's go!" Miss Pepondosovich raised her hand, almost hopping toward the direction she was pointing to before remembering they were supposed to blend in with the humans.

"May I ask you a question, Miss Pepondosovich?" Esme glanced toward the land above them that served as the domain's sky, "How exactly do you know which way is west when there are no celestial markings helping you? I expected the people of this world would have a different way of finding their way. Although, I suppose there are shadows."

"The wind," Miss Pepondosovich raised her finger, "The wind on the infinite lands of Manirosa only blows in one direction, and that is what they consider to be north."

"Oh?" Esme also raised her finger, "You are right, Miss Pepondosovich."

The two continued to talk, while Riley just followed behind them; his head, filled with thoughts of Aerith. Did Navi and the others lie to him about time travel? Or perhaps Miss Pepondosovich was right, and that they just do not know it is possible yet?

But then again, if what Seed said is true, and that one of the Higher Gods was a themarian named Aerith'Ross, then the Primordials should be fully aware of her existence — after all, they should have brought her here eons ago. Could it be that they have forgotten? Was that even possible, could Primordials even forget?"

"Riri… Riri!"

And while Riley was busy scouring his mind for answers, Miss Pepondosovich clapped her hands right in front of his face to try and wake him up from his stupor. Riley, however, completely ignored Miss Pepondosovich and even tilted his head away from her hands.

"Wha—" Miss Pepondosovich clapped her hands again several times, but each time, Riley moved his head away, "Riri! We're here!"

As soon as she said that, however, Riley finally stopped dodging and turned to look at the large gate in front of him — a wooden gate even larger than the one they had in the castle, even the walls were higher.

"They're not letting us in," Miss Pepondosovich subtly pointed at the people guarding the gate, "They said only students and faculty are allowed inside."

"We should just destroy the entire campus and leave the library, Miss Pepondosovich."

"What? No!" Miss Pepondosovich quickly blocked Riley's path as soon as he started walking toward the gate, "Leave this to me, I have a plan. The two of you, just stay put!"

Riley and Esme just looked at each other, before nodding their heads. They then watched as Miss Pepondosovich once again approached the guards, talking to them before handing each of them a sack of coins — and as soon as she did so, the two guards slammed their hands on the wooden gate.

And as Miss Pepondosovich walked back to Riley and Esme, the gates started to open.

"Your plan was to bribe them, Miss Pepondosovich?"

"No," Miss Pepondosovich let out a small chuckle while wagging her finger again, "Well, yes — just follow me inside and act… regretful."

Once again, Riley and Esme just looked at each other before following Miss Pepondosovich to the gate. As soon as they passed by the guards, however, they heard someone clicking their tongues.

"You better not let us catch you guys loitering out in the city again," one of the guards whispered, "I swear, you are paying to be here but you're cutting classes. What a waste."

"...I see," Esme placed her hand on her chin, "You told them we are students of the college, Miss Pepondosovich?"

"Pretty much," Miss Pepondosovich nodded to herself in satisfaction, "Now we just need to find where the library is."

The three then started walking around the campus, and fortunately for them, there wasn't really anyone else loitering outside, letting them just roam free. The campus was wide, all things considered — for Riley, however, it might as well be considered as a backyard compared to the Mega Academy.

There were 4 large buildings and a large open field, probably used for any practical lessons as there were broken boulders and burnt fields. No one was out, however, as the students were probably all having their lessons inside.

"Which one do you think is the library?" And as the three reached the intersection that connected the paved roads toward the 4 buildings, Miss Pepondosovich started reading the plaque at the center of the crossing, "Let me see… Library, library…

…there's no library here. Should we just check—"

"You three."

Before Miss Pepondosovich could finish her words, however, they were suddenly approached by an old man wearing a pair of oversized glasses.

"Did you really think you could just bribe the guards without us knowing? Do you take the people of this college for fools?" The old man scoffed, adjusting his large glasses as he looked at the three from head to toe one by one, "Which dorm do you belong to? Which class, hm?"

"We…" Miss Pepondosovich glanced at the plaque again, "...are from the Hissing dorm?"

"I knew it!" The old man pointed at them, "You Hissing brats are the only ones who would take your talents for granted! Punishment! Punishment is only right for students like you!"

"Actually… we're not really—"

"What punishment do you think the three of you deserve!?" The old man was not letting anyone else speak as he once again pointed at the three, "Hm? Tell me!"

"How about we clean the library, Sir?" Riley raised his hand.

"You dare answer back!?"

"But you asked us a question, Sir," Esme also raised her hand.

"That's it!" The old man clicked his tongue, "The three of you are cleaning the crappers!"

***

"How did we even get into this situation!? We're gods!"

Esme could really only move to the side as Miss Pepondosovich stomped her foot on the floor, blowing away the dirty water from the floor of the lavatory.

"What do you mean, Miss Pepondosovich?" Esme tilted her head to the side as she mopped the floor, "Your plan worked perfectly, we are inside the college and no one suspects a thing yet. Once we are done here, we and Master could start finding the library."

"That's one more thing I am worried about…" Miss Pepondosovich took in a small gulp, "...Riri is cleaning the men's lavatories alone. What if… he does something?"

"You do not have to worry about Master, Miss Pepondosovich," Esme shook her head, "If it is him, then I am sure…

…he could clean everything well."

"Hm…" In the men's lavatory just beside the women's lavatory that Esme and Miss Pepondosovich were cleaning, Riley was currently just standing in one of the cubicles…

…his mop, currently filled with red as he stared at a student who was bleeding profusely from every orifice in his head.

"Hm…

…not good."