Hero (?) Arrested.
Aria Owen had been living a listless existence ever since her suspension.
At first she told herself it was because of the scolding from her father, but soon she could barely drag herself out of bed like a corpse.
Without Phyllis stopping by from time to time, she would have lost all sense of day and night.
Yet now, after a long while, Aria felt wonderfully refreshed as she strolled through the village.
“Aria, you seem to be in a much better mood.”
“Yeah. I’m glad I came out with Phyllis to see the Martial God Festival.”
Phyllis, who had been worried about the gloomy Aria, smiled with relief when she saw her looking so lively once more.
Aria smiled back at her and gently took Phyllis’s hand.
“Ah… Aria?”
“Phyllis… thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, I might have fallen apart completely.”
Aria expressed her gratitude.
Phyllis, momentarily startled by the hand holding hers, smiled brightly and replied.
“Aria, what an odd thing to say. I was simply doing what any friend would do.”
“Mmm…”
“Besides, how many times did you protect me when we were children? Helping me now is nothing compared to what I owe you.”
In their childhood, the bold Aria had shielded the timid, withdrawn Phyllis from constant bullying.
Perhaps because the roles had somehow reversed, the two of them stood facing each other and smiled.
“Come on! Today is the last day of the festival. Let’s enjoy it properly!”
“Yeah… Oh, that smells really good…”
The two were heading toward the stalls clustered near the festival grounds.
Phyllis, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped with a startled expression and murmured, “Ah…”
Aria followed her gaze and turned toward the same direction.
“Eh…”
“Alan?”
There stood Alan Ludwig, his face grim as he hurried in some direction.
Normally they would have called out to him, but neither Aria nor Phyllis felt like it. They simply stared, stunned.
Alan’s aura was far too ominous.
“Aria, what should we do…?”
“What should we do?”
Aria already knew that Alan had suffered a humiliating defeat in the semifinals of the Martial God Festival.
Even rumors of match-fixing had circulated, leaving his reputation in ruins.
Yesterday, while Aria and Phyllis were having dinner at a restaurant, the leading noble girls who had always looked down on Alan—Raiza Bruin and Sherry Remime—had spotted them and told them everything.
Normally Aria and Phyllis would have exploded with fury, but they had simply sat there in silence.
Raiza and Sherry had even left, saying the conversation was boring, yet it was Aria and Phyllis who were truly shocked.
They had heard Alan being insulted to his face.
And strangely, they hadn’t felt angry at all.
Just what happened to him…
Still, they couldn’t find a clear answer.
That was why they understood Alan’s grave expression and ominous presence just now.
Yet there was one thing they couldn’t ignore.
“Alan… he was carrying a sword?”
“Yes. I saw it too.”
Wearing a sword in the village meant facing all sorts of restrictions.
For example, the sword had to be safely sheathed and wrapped in cloth or leather to be carried.
But there was no issue with a dagger. Aria and Phyllis had once seen the sword Alan carried—it was the genuine blade his father had gifted him.
Alan, carrying that sword and radiating an unsettling atmosphere, was someone they knew was prone to sudden rage and explosive outbursts.
Both women exchanged a glance.
“Let’s follow him.”
“…Yes.”
Alan Ludwig had submitted his withdrawal from the academy and packed his bags in the dormitory.
If he went to the church with Marconi, the archbishop would lend him his strength, he had said.
But he had no idea how much time that would take.
At that moment, a thought struck Alan.
Marconi had originally planned to take Riel as well.
But since the king had said Riel herself would have to agree, he had even considered forcibly abducting her.
So if Riel wanted to go, could she come along?
Yes… I’ll tell her the truth. Maybe she’ll change her mind.
Alan approached Marconi and asked for time to persuade Riel.
If I can bring her back through persuasion, that would be the best outcome.
Even if it failed, nothing would change. And if it succeeded, he would secure the Priestess.
Thinking this, Marconi agreed to send Alan and prepared to wait for the result.
Marconi had been hoping to capture the Priestess, but he had overlooked Alan’s sword at his waist.
Meanwhile, Alan headed toward the Aulum dormitory and spotted Riel there.
With her was Emilia, who had teamed up with her during the recent outdoor class, and a maid he had never seen before.
Kyou Ventus was nowhere nearby.
Although the maid was not the one he knew—Phyllis—it still bothered him.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Alan called out loudly, “Riel!”
Riel paused for a moment at the sound of her name, then ignored him and continued walking.
Finally, Alan rushed forward and blocked her path.
He looked at Riel’s face.
But Riel scrunched her expression as if she had seen something unpleasant and stared at him with cold eyes.
Alan’s heart nearly shattered at Riel’s sharp reaction.
It’s fine… If I tell her the truth and persuade her, she’ll understand…
With that hopeful expectation, he told Riel everything he had heard.
But what he received in return was not understanding.
“If you’re leaving the academy, quietly disappear somewhere.”
Riel ignored him and tried to walk away, as if looking at him were beneath her.
Why…! I’m the one who loves you the most! I’m the only one who can stand by your side!
Desperately, Alan grabbed Riel’s arm.
“What are you doing?! Let go!”
“Riel! You’re being deceived!”
“Let go!!”
He had only meant to hold her back to persuade her, but it was a mistake.
Immediately, the maid beside Riel restrained Alan and pushed him away.
Alan stared at the maid who had suppressed him.
“You… you…!”
“I see you haven’t forgotten me.”
Years ago, the maid he had once tried to use and who had been thrown out of the manor after being reported by Riel now glared at him with cold eyes.
Alan stared at her blankly.
Again… trying to use Riel…!
Anger began to boil inside him.
Just as they were locked in tense silence, Riel spoke.
“Phyllis, don’t pay attention to that person. Let’s go.”
“Yes. The young master’s match is about to begin, so we should hurry.”
The words “the young master’s match” rang out.
That meant the Martial God Festival finals.
The person who had defeated her was Iris Reiknear.
And Kyou Ventus.
So the young master…
Again you, Kyou Ventus… trying to use Riel together with that maid…
Alan’s rage kept growing.
He watched the backs of the three people who were walking away as if he didn’t exist.
And in Alan’s mind, the story he had heard that morning resurfaced.
The church side had tried to forcibly retrieve Riel.
Yes… This is for Riel. I’ll forcibly prevent her from being used by that maid and Kyou Ventus any longer…
Alan quietly drew his sword.
“What are you talking about?”
“Aria, are you really all right?”
Aria and Phyllis, who had been secretly following Alan, hid nearby and watched the situation.
The person Alan was talking to was Riel from the same class.
But it was clear Riel had no intention of engaging in conversation.
“Ah… I guess the talk is over. He’s just leaving…?”
As Phyllis had said, Riel was about to walk past Alan.
But at that moment, Alan grabbed Riel’s arm.
Caught off guard, Aria and Phyllis were speechless.
The maid with Riel quickly restrained and pushed away Alan.
“N-no… I’m surprised. What exactly is Alan doing…?”
“Yeah… If we’re not careful, something bad could happen.”
Having been restrained by the maid and declared fortunate, Aria was about to turn back.
She had been about to leave when she gave Alan one last glance.
Yes, the one who had drawn his sword and turned to face Riel’s group.
Aria’s eyes widened in shock.
And without hesitation, she ran forward.
“Lightning Shock!!”
“Kyaaak!!”
Alan dropped his sword after being hit by Aria’s spell.
Aria ran up to him and shouted, facing him directly.
“Alan! What are you doing?!”
“A… Aria…?”
“You won’t be forgiven for this! What are you—?!”
“Get out of the way!!”
Alan, having picked up the fallen sword, charged forward again.
Surprised that he had immediately launched an attack even after being hit by magic, Aria froze in place, staring at him with wide eyes.
Alan’s handsome face twisted like a demon as he rushed toward her with the sword.
“Pro-Protection!”
Alan, who had charged at Aria, bounced off an invisible barrier and tumbled backward.
“Aria! Get out of the way!”
“Phyllis…!”
At Phyllis’s voice, the real Aria calmly stepped back and faced Alan.
Alan, who had fallen, immediately regained his posture and glared at Aria.
Aria, shaken by the sight of Alan’s terrifying expression, backed away with trembling limbs.
“There!”
“Don’t move!”
Soon, the patrol guards, who had heard the commotion, came running.
“He’s armed. Subdue him carefully.”
“Yes!”
In an instant, Alan was surrounded by the guards.
“Ugh…”
Only now realizing his situation, Alan dropped his weapon and raised both hands.
Marconi, who had been waiting in front of the dormitory, had to rush back to the palace after hearing the report.