"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 sothing 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 , 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 mont, 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 tis, but it is still true that for now, you are my superior—but I can't follow your orders as the Overlord himself ordered to follow you around."
"The Overlord himself?" Princess Es 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 ti, he moved beside Es, "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 an. 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 experinted on, oof. Gives 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 na of the Grand Militia."
"Riley, why are you revealing information that should otherwise be hidden?" Princess Es blinked a couple of tis, "Should you not keep this a secret from the Order of the Grand Militia?"
"I suppose I should, Princess Es. 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 ," Zac raised an eyebrow, "And what's with you being surrounded by Princesses? Princess Aerith, Princess Es, 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," Es's eyes widened, "I would very much like to et her to see if she is better than ."
"Co to think of it—all I saw were won, there's even an old woman that already looks like she's ready to enter eternal death anyti soon," Zac's eyebrows raised even further before he turned to look at the silent Katherine,
"Wait, don't tell 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 Es 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 Es blinked a couple of tis as her ears started to perk up, "I also want to learn."
"She taught how to have sexual intercourse, Princess Es."
"That… I have not done that yet," Princess Es 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 ti those words directly ca out of Riley's mouth.
"I can't be your lover," Princess Es 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 Es?" Riley asked.
"3 days from now, Professor Riley. We have ti, unless you want to break her free before that," a small smirk crawled on Es'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 ."
"Hm. Since we have ti, I would like to go soplace 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 seed 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 tis over. Perhaps it was just so sort of choice, or just culture?
Or perhaps they have beco 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… soone like her truly doesn't belong here.
But finally, in front of Katherine was a semblance of ho, it was a house that looked dramatically different from its neighbor's house, a modern ho—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 sa—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 sa as what they had back ho, 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 sa as their ho. 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 sowhat 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."
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