Villain Retirement

"Ah, Professor Riley!"

"It's Professor Riley, look!"

"Freedom! Freedom for the citizens of Hel!"

"We support your forbidden love with the Rebel Princess!"

"Rebel Princess!? Who called her that!?"

"She's the Princess of Liberation!"

"I heard she's in the Unknown again saving people."

"Professor Riley! Please, look here!"

"Since… when have you become this famous?"

"I have never been not famous, Star Sergeant Zac."

1 month. It only took one month for Riley's name to scatter throughout the bored citizens of the city of Hel. Hel City was large—perhaps larger than even New York. Unlike New York, however, the title of 'concrete jungle' fits the city of Hel more as it literally is just that—concrete.

No large screens littered its buildings, there wasn't even a sign of a single vehicle. It was just one big city filled with bricks and people. Their people looked like any other human—the way they converse, the way they show expression, the way they move.

And besides their strength which is capable of destroying normal planets, perhaps the only difference they had with humans was how they treat their technology. The Orbs, or as Riley has learned to call it, a Mesphere is the themarian equivalent of a smartphone. Most of the mespheres are controlled cybernetically; connected to their handler's mind.

One could still control it by using the augmented buttons through the holograms the mespheres produce, but its usability would decrease by almost 90%. Unfortunately for Riley, his telekinesis prevents him from using a mesphere at full capacity.

It didn't matter, however, as he wasn't losing much. Because, unlike humans, most of the themarians rarely even use their mespheres; leaving them at their homes for days on end.

But even with this lack of information traveling throughout the network of their entire planet, the people of Hel still recognized Riley.

Although none of them were really Riley's students, as his students were just limited to the people of the castle and the aristocrats with the privilege to join it, most of the citizens address him as Professor.

His short… speech regarding freedom has garnered all sorts of opinions and expressions from the people—even more so since Aerith's trial was broadcasted throughout the entire country. Themarians may not frequent the news and multimedia, but almost all of them watched it; even those in the nation of Varoif.

"Wherever I go, I always seem to manage to be the center of all attention, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley sighed as his head endlessly nodded at all the people that were greeting him. His long white hair, almost a mess from the repeated movements.

Most of the time, Riley's hair would be pressed and completely immaculate due to him holding it with his telekinetic abilities. But with his arrival on Theran, his telekinetic armor became smaller; compressed. Now exponentially more durable as he only protected the parts that are needed for him to fight and survive.

After all, even now, as he walked past the people that were casually looking at him and greeting him; any one of them could potentially just kill him—and dying a useless death is something Riley was truly tired of; it would be a different scenario, however, if they are infected by the Supervirus.

Aerith and Diana have provided him and the other earthlings a device to prevent the supervirus from spreading and of course, Riley threw it away. After all, what better species to infect with the supervirus than mega people?

Diana seemed to have not been infected with the virus, but Aerith was—her racial abilities were amplified, and she also gained minor telekinesis; all of which Riley was able to receive when he died via Aerith.

This is the reason why Riley has become such a… celebrity in the city of Hel—he made it a habit of walking around the streets, making sure that the virus would spread. His students, of course, should be the most susceptible. But now, even a month later, they have shown no signs of gaining any new abilities.

Riley…

Riley was truly bored. But now, he was reminded of an opportunity.

"This is it."

"Hm…"

And almost as if on cue with the end of his thoughts, he and Zac arrived in front of a certain building—The Camel's inn. It wasn't the largest hotel or inn in the city, but it was the most private one due to its location being far away from the city's bolstering establishments.

In short, if there was ever a shady deal happening in the city, it would be here.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone else noteworthy inside and outside the inn, Lord Riley. Only one, and that should be Lord James," Zac then subtly licked his red lips as he opened the door. Riley, however, still did not enter as he just looked at Zac.

"..." Zac could really only awkwardly pause as Riley suddenly stared at him; his tongue, still on top of his upper lip.

"I have always wondered about a themarian's ability to detect energy, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley then squinted his eyes, "That is what you did just now, correct? Detect any strange energy signatures?"

"...Yes?" Zac once again very slowly closed the wooden door as he nodded.

"Is that something you are able to teach me, Star Sergeant Zac?"

"I… don't really know how I would even start that. It's just… the same as breathing."

"I understand," Riley nodded his head, before just stepping forward, causing Zac to accidentally slam the door open.

And contrary to what one would expect, what greeted Riley and Zac was not the judging stares of the inn's patrons—but rather two people in uniform, one a maid, and the other a butler.

"Welcome to Camel's inn, gentlemen."

The butler bowed his head as he greeted Riley and Zac, while the maid offered the two of them a hot towel. From the outside, Riley was expecting an interior similar to the first bar they were in when they arrived on the planet, but no.

It was almost as if they were not on Theran at all. The lights that painted the room were hovering in the air like fireflies; the floor was letting out a pulse with every step, creating an illusion as if one was walking on water.

The patrons that were eating at the inn's mess hall, all wearing luxurious clothing as they minded their own business. And finally, after more than a month, an element missing on Theran touched Riley's ears—music. There was someone playing an instrument that looked eerily similar to a piano at the center of the large mess hall.

"Accommodation or dining, gentlemen?" The butler then smiled as he looked at Riley, "Perhaps you have a reservation?"

"We're… here to meet Lord James. He should be expecting us," Zac was the one to speak as Riley seemed to be distracted by the music.

"Ah! Of course!" The butler then lightly clapped his hands as he quickly gestured to Riley and Zac to follow him, "Lord James has been waiting in one of our finest private halls. Perhaps you have a request for refreshments?"

"Milk, please."

"Of course."

"..."

The butler led Zac and Riley through the crowd of patrons, before sliding open a set of doors at the side of the mess hall.

"Please, the private hall is just down the end of these steps. I will have your refreshments ready by the time you sit down."

"..." Riley did not really think much of it as he just entered and started walking down. Zac, on the other hand, was a little hesitant. Of course, it is to be expected that someone of Lord James's notoriety would choose a very private place to meet up; but he just can't quite shake the feeling that this might be some sort of trap.

Riley did kill his son—-what father wouldn't be furious at that?

"Lord Riley, perhaps it would be best for me to enter first."

Zac hastened his steps as he basically hovered down the flight of steps, landing in front of the large door. Riley, however, just shrugged his shoulders as he continued to walk down softly; his long white hair, bouncing along with his coat with every step.

"..." Zac took in a deep breath as he opened the door; his muscles, as loose as they could be so he can be ready at any moment if James just decides to attack Riley without saying a greeting. But once again, contrary to his expectations, nothing happened as he opened the door.

Instead, they were just greeted by the warmth of the sun—or at least that is what it looked like as all the light inside the private room was centered at the bald and extremely shiny head resting on top of the large table at the center of the private room.

"Lord James?" Zac blinked a couple of times as he called for James, who seemed to be napping,

"We're here, Lord J—"

"I see you have received my invitation."

And before Zac and Riley could announce their presence in the room, the sun started to rise as James very slowly stood up from his seat. Zac quickly turned to look at Riley as he felt him moving, only to see him start wearing a pair of sunglasses.

"Come," James then started walking around the table, before dragging out one of the chairs and gesturing to Riley to sit.

"I prefer to be civilized. Let us talk about my son's death in a calm and reasonable manner, Lord Riley," James took in a deep breath as Riley started to approach him,

"…Are you a calm and reasonable perso—"

"Pavoom."

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