CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 98: LIORO AND THE PRINCESS.

"Thank you for helping my people and the students of the Academy," Iris said in a grateful voice as soon as they sat down in the carriage.

"Oh, it’s nothing really," Lioro casually shrugged his shoulders, showing that it wasn’t a big deal.

"Almost all of the kingdom’s nobility’s children attend Midgar Academy, including my younger sister; it would not be too much to say that you have just saved the future of the kingdom."

"If not for the current instability caused by the terrorist organizations, we would have rewarded you handsomely."

Princess Iris released a small sigh before continuing.

"If there’s anything I can help you with, then please ask away. I will do my best to fulfill your request."

"I can ask for anything?" Lioro asked in a curious voice.

Glen, sitting beside him, raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

"Yes, please feel free to state your request," Iris said in a resolute voice.

"Then can you help me join Midgar Academy as a student?"

"You want to join Midgar Academy?" Iris blinked her eyes in surprise.

But looking at Lioro’s young face, she seemed to understand something.

’Glen said he was asking for directions to Midgar Academy...’

So his purpose was to join as a student.

Iris pondered for a moment before nodding her head.

"It is easy for me to get you admitted as a student, but is that really all you want? It’s a small request compared to what you did..."

"Hm, I don’t have anything else I want at the moment."

"Alright then. If you need help with something, feel free to reach out to me."

"Ok."

"Now then..."

Princess Iris suddenly narrowed her eyes and asked in a serious voice.

"Can you tell me everything you saw that day? Especially every detail about the terrorist leader ’Shadow.’"

"Well..." Lioro thought for a moment, then simply gave a general explanation of the whole situation.

"You mean it was the Vice Principal who caused the whole attack??" Iris asked in a shocked voice.

"He said he was after the ’Eye of Avarice,’ explaining how he manipulated Sherry’s mother for it before killing her..."

The more Iris heard, the more difficult her expression became.

After Lioro finished speaking, she fell silent, contemplating deeply.

A moment later, she raised her head and asked again.

"You said he was from the cult ’Diabolos?’"

"That’s what he said."

"Diabolos... Diabolos..." Iris muttered in a low voice.

"Then what happened to the artefact?"

"Oh, that? Shadow took it with him," Lioro lied with a straight face.

"...How were you unharmed after all of that?"

"He ignored me, as if I didn’t exist — or maybe he was simply more interested in the artefact?"

"That must be it! These two cults must have fought each other to take ownership of the artefact!"

Princess Iris clenched her palm, having come to a conclusion on her own.

Lioro wanted to tell her that maybe they just wanted to save the students but decided against it after seeing the determined look on her face.

It seems she desperately needs that ass-whooping by Shadow...

"Thank you for the valuable information, Lioro. The Midgar Academy is currently under repair due to the terrorist attack and has been suspended. But worry not, I will have you admitted as a new student tomorrow. Coincidentally, my younger sister will also be in your class. I’ll tell her about you. By the way, do you have any place to stay? If not, then..."

After some more soft talk, under Iris’s invitation, Lioro agreed to stay at her place for the night, as she had promised to get him admitted to the Academy tomorrow.

Inside a luxurious room in a giant, castle-like mansion, Lioro was lying comfortably on the soft bed, looking at the fancy ceiling.

He could sense several small figures stationed quietly outside the room’s door and windows.

’It seems Princess Iris hasn’t completely let go of her suspicion of me.’

This was expected, considering how many loopholes there were in his whole identity and self-made story.

’Eh, whatever, it’s just Iris anyway. Even if the worst happens and she finds me guilty, I’ll simply whoop her ass instead of Shadow and leave, or use another identity.’

At his level, he had so many ways of dealing with any situation.

Mind Control, Transformation, Time Stop—wait, wait, wait!

Why do they all sound shady as hell?

Getting the weird thought out of his mind, Lioro turned to his side and enjoyed the soft bed, falling asleep.

----

The Next Morning

Lioro was surprised by the unexpected guest’s visit.

She was a young girl with red-blackish eyes and long platinum-white hair.

"Hello, I am Alexia."

’She does look familiar... so this is Princess Alexia?’

Lioro gave her a curious look, then introduced himself.

"Hello, Princess Alexia. My name is Lioro."

"I wanted to thank you myself for helping us during the attack," Alexia said in a polite tone, with an angelic smile on her face.

Lioro couldn’t help but give her a 10/10 in acting. If he didn’t know her true self, he might have fallen for her fake personality.

"It’s what I should have done. Hm, does the princess need anything from me?"

"Ah, yes. My sister was going to bring you to the Academy for admission. Unfortunately, she had some urgent business to attend to, so I took it upon myself to help you."

’So you blackmailed Iris to have her send you with me?’

Considering the several knights Iris secretly stationed around his room, it would make no sense for her to send Alexia, her precious little sister, to help him — a suspicious individual.

That is, unless Alexia herself blackmailed Iris.

But that begs the question:

What exactly is she after?

Anyway, it seemed kind of fun, so he decided to play along.

"Then shall we go?" Alexia asked with a smile.

"Sure, let’s go."

Under Alexia’s lead, they left the mansion and made their way to Midgar Academy.

While on the way, Lioro couldn’t help but ask:

"Princess Alexia, are you really a princess?"

"Yes?" Alexia stopped and looked back at him in confusion at the unexpected question.

Her face seemed to be asking: What the hell kind of question is that?

So Lioro elaborated.

"Since you’re a princess, shouldn’t you have a carriage? I mean, why are we walking?"

It made no sense. Shouldn’t she have a carriage for going and coming back to the Academy? Was the Midgar Kingdom so poor that it couldn’t even support its own princess? The path to the Academy wasn’t short either.

Alexia was stunned for a moment, perhaps due to Lioro’s casual attitude, which didn’t seem to treat her as a princess, or due to his sudden question — stupid, but it made sense at the same time.

"I walk to the Academy as part of my training. If you feel it’s unpleasant, then I can call a carriage for you..."

"Oh? It seems the princess is quite diligent. No need for a carriage, I can walk. I was simply curious."

"I see..."

Then they continued their journey.

After some time, Princess Alexia suddenly turned towards a nearby empty alley.

Lioro calmly followed behind her.

After taking a few steps, Alexia suddenly halted.

Lioro also stopped and looked at her back, wondering what she was up to.

Then, without any warning, she drew her sword and pierced straight towards him.

Lioro stared at her approaching sword with calm eyes, not making any move.

The next second, the sword, which seemed to be coming for his head, suddenly changed course and pierced behind him.

Guh!

The sword hit a man in a black outfit who, at some point, had appeared behind Lioro and was about to strike him.

After killing the attacker, Alexia quickly retracted her sword and looked around her.

At some point, five men in black clothes had surrounded them, their swords drawn, exuding killing intent.

"Who are you!" Alexia shouted in a loud voice.

Instead of answering, the five men attacked them simultaneously.

"Watch out!" Alexia shouted as she tried to cover Lioro behind her.

Seeing her action, Lioro couldn’t help but ask,

"Princess Alexia, could it be the ’Hero saving heroine’ event?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?? Also, there’s no hero here!" Alexia said in an almost shouting voice as she barely parried attacks from the five men.

"No hero? I wouldn’t be so sure about that."

Lioro took a step forward, crushing the gravel under his feet and appearing before the five attackers.

Then, under Alexia’s shocked eyes, he sent five casual punches without much force, instantly breaking their bones and sending them crashing into the nearby wall.

After finishing the attackers in a single moment, Lioro turned back to look at Alexia.

"You... are quite strong," Alexia said with a little hesitation, then put her sword back in its sheath.

"Only so-so."

Alexia rolled her eyes at his half-hearted reply, then said,

"Beating five ordinary thugs doesn’t make you a hero."

"Being cornered by five ordinary thugs doesn’t make you a heroine either."

"What the f*ck did you say?" Alexia cursed and glared at him with venomous eyes.

"Is this your true self, princess? Where did that sacred image from before go? You look more like a thug than these guys did."

"Tsk, I messed up..."

"It’s alright, just be yourself. Why pretend to be someone you’re not?"

"A guy like you wouldn’t understand..." Alexia said as she released a small sigh before turning around.

"Let’s go."

"Ok."

Lioro followed behind her. After thinking for a moment, he couldn’t help but say,

"If we took a carriage, we wouldn’t have to deal with this shit."

"...."

Alexia stopped, then glared back at him.

"You have a sharp mouth, don’t you? Hmph, exactly like Poochi..."

"Poochi? Your pet dog?"

"Yes, my pet dog, Poochi~"

"Oh? I’d love to meet it, I’m a dog lover myself."

"Pfft! Sure, I’ll let you meet him...."

Finally, after a few turns, they arrived at Midgar Academy.

The acceptance process was easy; with a word from Alexia, everything was handled within an hour.

Lioro looked curiously at the student room key and ID card in his hand.

"Thank you for your help, Princess Alexia."

"Enjoy your time at the Academy."

With simple parting words, Alexia left.

Lioro placed the key and ID card in his inventory, then looked around at the several damaged facilities.

Due to the previous terrorist attack, classes had been suspended, and students were advised to go back home.

For those who couldn’t, they could stay in the student dormitory.

’Now, where would Cid be...’

With his student identity solidified, Lioro started going around the place looking for his target.

It didn’t take him long to find him.

He was walking around with a young woman with dark brown hair.

Lioro smiled and casually approached them.

Nu, as usual, was giving Cid a general report of the aftermath of the previous incident.

While she was working with full sincerity, Cid was casually cleaning his ear, feeling bored.

Since the Academy had been suspended, he was thinking of improving his Mob-fu!

Just as he was planning his training, he sensed a presence approaching them.

Of course, being a certified mob, he pretended not to notice and kept walking.

Though unlike him, Nu turned her head and examined the approaching figure.

It was him!

The one who used guns during the previous incident!

They had been trying to search for his background but had yet to find anything!

Nu adjusted her fake glasses, then said to the approaching Lioro,

"Excuse me, we’re currently a private discuss—"

Lioro ignored her and walked right next to Cid.

Then, without any warning, he put his hand around Cid’s shoulder under Nu’s watchful eyes.

Cid glanced at the arm on his shoulder, then turned his face towards the smiling Lioro before asking in a mob-like voice,

"E-excuse me, b-but do I know you?"

He even made sure to show slight fear and nervousness on his face.

While Cid was praising himself internally for his 10/10 acting, Lioro grinned and said a single word.

"Earth."

Cid’s eyes contracted.