Villain Retirement

"May we talk in private?"

"No."

No—a word that Lucien has probably never heard before in his thousands of years of existence. No, that wasn't exactly true.

When he was younger, a certain child always said no to him; the worst part of it all was that Lucien couldn't discipline her. Because not only was she stronger than him, she was also the daughter of the King, and was made the heir to the throne when her brother died due to chasing a woman.

But ever since Aerith left, he was the only one that the people were eyeing to be the next King. Countless factions offered their support for him, and even the King was taking a liking to him as he showed forwardness and ambition.

Yes, he was always headstrong, and like Princess Tifa, he always gets what he wants.

But now, Riley Ross, a halfling, rejected his presence?

"That was not a request, Professor," Lucien pushed back his hair, revealing some of the grays hidden inside, "I am telling you that we need to talk in private."

"And I am telling you no, Lord Lucien," Riley did not even look at Lucien as his steps did not halt for even a single moment,

"I have a class to teach."

"...Then I shall wait for you outside until it is over," Lucien's eye started to twitch as he was completely ignored by Riley. And even as he followed him from behind, he did not, even once, glance back at him.

"..."

"..."

"Where is the soldier you are always with, Professor?" Lucien then could not help but break the silence as he noticed Riley's ever-present companion was missing.

"He is with me, Lord Lucien," Riley answered as he continued to walk.

"...What?" Lucien started looking around to try and search for Zac, but he could not even hear another heartbeat for another 100 meters or so, "Is he perhaps with the Princess of Varoif?"

"I am also with the Princess of Varoif, Lord Lucien."

"You take me for a fool?"

"Not at all, Lord Lucien," Riley just shrugged.

"Th—"

And before Lucien could even rebuke, Riley suddenly entered a room. Lucien also wanted to enter, but Riley already closed the door on him.

"..." This kind of treatment… why was it so similar to the way Aerith treated him? Aerith, he could understand since she was stronger than him—but Riley? A halfling dared to treat the next King of Hel like this?

"..." Several more frustrating thoughts raced in Lucien's mind. He did not let his intrusive thoughts win, however, as his breaths became calm—the class should take at most just 3 to 5 hours, that was nothing for him.

And so, Lucien just decided to stand outside the hallway, leaning on the walls as the servants and guards greeted him. Most of them wondered what Lucien was doing in this part of the castle, but none of them asked. After all, his time is important.

That is how it should be—Lucien thought as everyone just bowed to him. Riley Ross was an outsider, but he'll learn to also treat him with respect like the others once he gets to know him.

According to the information he received from his sources outside of Theran, Riley Ross should be some sort of outlaw. It doesn't really matter what he was outside of Theran, but it just proves Lucien's point; If her so-called lover was a notorious outlaw, then that means the company she keeps can not be trusted, which means she can not be trusted with the Kingdom.

His mother already asked Lucien to find a way in which the trial would just end with Aerith's exile instead of execution. In truth, it doesn't matter for Lucien anyway. No matter what insurgency happens, no matter what factions are built-in support for Aerith, he is already assured to be the next King.

Execution or Exile—either way, Aerith will be gone. He just wanted to talk to Riley to try and see what his mother was seeing in him. For her to even appoint Riley as the professor of his youngest sister, and even go as far as boast him to the other nobles.

…Just what exactly was his mother playing at?

Princess Tifa could be said to be quite eccentric most of the time. Even he, as her oldest son, still could not gauge or read what was on her mind. Is she just… going senile?

"..." Lucien could really only let out a breath as his mind was once again performing at its maximum. There was no use in thinking of such things, he was here to talk to Riley, and that was all he needed to think about.

And so, Lucien closed his eyes—the hours, just passing by in a blink of an eye.

Lucien then quickly opened his eyes as the door opened… but there was absolutely no sign of Riley. Instead, he saw his youngest sister, Claudyne stepping out of the class hall… her clothes, almost like a red waterfall as the blood that drowned her dripped to the floor almost continuously.

"Claudyne!?"

Lucien quickly tried to call out his sister's name. Claudyne, however, only let out a small giggle as she started walking away.

"Claudyne!" Lucien once again called for her name, and this time, she turned around… carrying a weird smile on her face.

"Oh…" Claudyne let out a small chuckle as the blood trailed down her lips, "...I didn't notice you there, older brother."

"What—Did that Riley Ross do this to you!?"

"Professor Riley?" Claudyne blinked a couple of times as she tilted her head to the side, "Of course not. This isn't my blood, I think. Maybe a part of it is."

"...What?" Lucien could not help but furrow his eyebrows as Claudyne's eerie giggles whispered into his ears.

"My friends and I are going to do some studying, older brother. I will leave you to it."

"What?" Lucien repeated his words. He was going to say something else, but then a barrage of students stepped out of the room. And like Claudyne, all of them were covered in blood—some, even regenerating their limbs as they limped out.

"..." Lucien could really only take a step back as he heard all of them giggling and smiling while blood dripped from their elated faces.

"What… what did you do, Riley!?" Lucien then rushed inside the class hall; his eyes filling the already red hall with even a more violent red with his raging eyes. But alas, the individual that was the target of his unrelenting rage was nowhere to be found.

Instead, there was only a single student left there—and unlike his peers, he was completely clean and without any trace of blood.

"Aren't you… Aerith's son?" The violent red glow in Lucien's eyes very slowly faded away as he looked at Gary, who was still seated at his table and just looking out the window.

"..." Gary quickly turned his head toward Lucien as soon as he heard him. And as soon as their eyes met, Gary stood up and casually nodded his head,

"'Sup?"

"...'Sup?" Lucien's eyebrows began to furrow, "What happened here, bastard?"

"..." Gary only blinked a couple of times as he looked around, "Riley Ross happened."

"Where is he now? Why didn't I see him leave?" Lucien tried his best not to mind Gary's disrespectful tone.

"There."

"Huh?" Lucien quickly turned his head down to look at where Gary was pointing, only to see a clump of dirt beneath his feet.

"It's a clone," Gary just shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't want to admit it because I have always seen themarians as some sort of god-like figures, because you know—Megawoman. But fuck… you guys just literally let a guy who will make Satan cry walk right through your door step. What am I saying, we're all fucked."

"A… clone?" Lucien looked at the clump of dirt again, before looking Gary straight in the eyes, "Wait, you—you know more about Riley Ross more than any other informant."

"Well… yeah," Gary scoffed, "You should ask his sister if you really want to know more."

"Sister?" Lucien's voice became deep, "Is his sister in Theran? Wait, is it the woman with the orange hair?"

"That's one of Riley's fans," Gary shook his head, "His sister is—"

Gary then stopped talking as he returned Lucien's gaze, "His sister is not here."

"..." Lucien squinted his eyes as his eyes remained locked on Gary's. And after a few breaths, Lucien smiled,

"You're lying…

…She's here."

***

"Is your class done, Professor Riley?"

"It is. But my class in Varoif is just starting."

"Varoif? You're still teaching there? How?"

"I can make copies of myself, Star Sergeant Zac."

"As expected of you, Professor Riley."

"...You can make clones?"

Somewhere out in the city, Riley, Esme, and Zac were casually walking around the busy streets. Riley has been on Theran for weeks, and yet this is the first time he is truly seeing their civilization and people.

Like most of Theran, their cities feel like that of medieval Earth, or perhaps Victorian or a mix of the two. If you would disregard the floating orbs, holograms, and people lifting entire buildings to move their store—then it was almost like Riley was sent back to the past.

"...What is that?"

Riley then tilted his head as he noticed people gathering in front of a hologram.

"Oh, that's the Credit Board. I think Varoif also has one?" Zac said as he looked at the crowd of people, circling a large hologram that had different kinds of images in it.

"We do, Zac," Esme nodded.

"A Credit Board?" Riley blinked a couple of times as he approached.

"Basically, citizens of Hel can take quests to raise their social credit. You don't have this back on… Earth?"

"We have superheroes and supervillains, Star Sergeant Zac."

"...What are those?" Zac raised an eyebrow, "No, they do miscellaneous tasks, hunt monsters—all sorts of things in exchange for credit."

"Monsters? I have not seen one alive," Riley said as he glanced at one of the stalls, which had all sorts of meat being sold.

"They are all underground, Professor."

"...Underground?" Riley tilted his head, before turning his head down. Diana liked digging holes through the ground—did that have some sort of correlation?

"Interesting. And what are the credits used for?"

"Land, housing, loans," Zac squinted his eyes, "You really don't know, Lord Riley?"

"Oh, that is similar to Earth, I suppose," Riley shrugged, "Should we try and accept a mission?"

"Well… none of us are a citizen of Hel," Zac sighed, "We're visitors. I'm also from the Grand Militia, and even if it is fake, you're also in the Grand Militia, Lord Riley."

"Hm. Perhaps next time," Riley then shrugged as he walked away, glancing at the Credit Board one final time.

Zac, on the other hand, could not help but let out a long and very deep hum,

"I feel like… we're forgetting something."

***

Inside one of Hel city's inns, a shiny bald head was at the center of attention. The people's eyes could not help but glance at the man whenever they walked past. The staff, too, were looking at the bald man.

After all, he had been there for an entire day—waiting for Riley to arrive.