Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

The day finally arrived.

William had sent a letter, letting them know they'd leave for the other side in two days. He even included the coordinates for the meeting point.

Naturally, Austin was ready—no, itching to go. He wanted to cross over and tear through some demons.

He told Valerie and Rhea that they'd leave tonight.

Austin had already informed the headmaster that he was planning a short trip to the capital with Valerie, under the excuse of delivering his rank re-evaluation news.

But from the way the headmaster responded, Austin could tell—he knew this trip was more than just a visit to the capital. Maybe he had already pieced it together, especially after William's meeting with Austin.

Still, Austin trusted that the headmaster wouldn't say a word, even if he figured out the truth.

As for Rhea, Austin wasn't sure what excuse she'd use. But he did ask her to make it sound real—just in case.

If the Council noticed four S-rank warriors disappearing at once, they might not take action, but they'd definitely increase surveillance.

And if that happened, Austin could go from being "the warrior" to "the rogue."

He hated when people poked into his personal life. He had made that clear during the last post-war meeting.

"Done?" Valerie's voice came softly as she stepped into his room, slipping in as effortlessly as effortlessly she always takes his breath away.

Austin nodded and held out his hand.

She passed him her bag, and he placed both hers and his into his inventory.

"There's still a little time left... want some coffee?" he asked, heading toward the kitchen.

Valerie nodded. "That'd help."

As he set the pot on the boiler, he raised an eyebrow. "Nervous?"

Valerie gave a light laugh. "Who wouldn't be? We're trespassing into enemy territory. Except for you, none of us have even seen the place."

Austin nodded. That made sense.

But then he glanced over his shoulder and said, "I don't feel afraid—not because I've been there. But because I know we'll have each other's backs."

Valerie blinked, a little stunned by his words. Then her expression softened, and her shoulders relaxed.

"I know we will," she said. "We'll protect each other no matter what."

"Uh-huh," Austin smirked. "And if one of us gets into real trouble, the other won't hesitate to throw the mission away to go after them."

Valerie smiled faintly. She didn't say anything.

She didn't need to.

Austin brought the coffee and sat across from her.

Valerie took a small sip and smiled. "It's good."

For Austin, that smile was the perfect sweetness his coffee needed.

Though lately... he was learning to enjoy it bitter too.

Once they finished, they got up and left the room.

When they reached the rendezvous point, Austin frowned upon seeing someone else standing beside Rhea.

"You're not seriously thinking of bringing him along," he said bluntly.

Rhea shot him a glare. "So rude."

Morkel let out a soft laugh. "Don't worry, Austin. I know my limits—I won't slow you down by asking to come. Even though..." he glanced at Rhea, his voice dropping slightly, "...I really wanted to."

Rhea sighed, reached out, and took his hand. "You know—"

"I know," Morkel said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry. I'll wait for you."

Then he turned to Austin.

"Can I entrust her to you?"

Austin froze for a moment. This felt familiar—something from the game. Back then, he had been the one to ask Morkel to protect Rhea.

Still, he nodded. "She's a friend. I'd never abandon her."

Morkel smiled and patted his shoulder. "Thank you. I'd like to talk sometime—about many things. But for now, I wish you all the best."

Austin had a pretty good idea of what that future talk would be about, but he simply nodded and stepped back. "Let's go."

Rhea gave Morkel a tight hug and whispered, "Take care of yourself."

"You too," he replied softly.

Not long after, the three of them left the area and made their way west—toward the Sea of Separation.

°°°°°°

"You know, I still think this is madness," said a short-haired woman standing by the shore, arms folded tightly over her chest.

"Then... are you planning to back out?" asked Charlotte—the barrier user who had visited Austin just days ago.

Olivia scoffed. "Miss this chance to hit the factory instead of raiding tiny shops? Oh, please."

She had been stationed at the bunker during the war—the same one where the Councilman hid. And even now, she hadn't let go of that frustration.

She wanted war. Real war. The kind where she could finally let loose—no fear of hitting allies, no orders to hold back.

She was aching for blood.

"Don't let your excitement cloud your focus, Olivia," William said calmly as he sipped the tea Charlotte had brewed. "The target is the General. That's what matters."

Olivia gave a dry laugh. "Everything boils down to violence anyway. Just let me keep punching and killing. That's how things get done."

Charlotte let out a sigh. "What you said isn't wrong, but I doubt the rest of the team will appreciate your... enthusiasm."

Olivia scoffed. "They're just a bunch of kids. What could they possibly say?"

William gave a small, amused smile. "One of those kids slaughtered hundreds of demons in seconds. You might not want to underestimate him."

"Oh, right… the Prince." Olivia's eyes gleamed with memory. "I remember feeling his presence during the conference. That bloodlust was insane. Didn't expect that at all. I was this close to jumping in for a duel."

The thrill still lingered in her voice. She was genuinely excited to see him in action—and even more eager to count the demons he'd bring down.

Charlotte gave her a tired look. "You're making that face again…"

"What face?" Olivia blinked, confused.

Charlotte shook her head. "Just don't get too attached to Austin. A certain violet-haired girl might declare war on you."

"Oh, her? I like that girl. She's got a wildfire in her eyes… and a whole lot of hidden power. Heard she trained under Selner?"

"True," William said with a nod. "She played a key role during the war. Helped more than you'd think."

"That so? Then there are two punks I need to keep an eye on," Olivia said with a grin, cracking her knuckles in excitement.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "With that attitude, I'm pretty sure they'll be the ones keeping an eye on you."

Suddenly, William stood up sharply, his body stiffening like a drawn bowstring.

"Will?" Charlotte called out, her eyes narrowing as she followed his gaze.

"Get behind me!" he shouted without looking back.

Charlotte didn't hesitate. She ducked behind him, while Olivia instantly summoned her Shard, her muscles tense and eyes sharp. She sensed it too.

The sound of hooves grew louder.

Within seconds, over fifty armored soldiers burst through the tree line on horseback, forming a semi-circle around them on the rocky shore. Dust and dry leaves whirled in the wind behind them.

And that wasn't all.

William's eyes darted to the woods. He could feel the pressure—the sharp, focused intent of more soldiers hidden within the trees. At least a hundred more. Waiting. Watching.

Then, one of the front riders dismounted. His boots crunched against the gravel as he stepped forward with calm authority. His armor was polished, his movements controlled—but the tension in his posture gave away his unease.

He stopped a few feet in front of them, meeting William's gaze head-on.

"Hero William. Warrior Charlotte. Warrior Olivia," he announced in a flat voice, "We request that you put down your weapons… and come with us."

His hand didn't move toward his sword, but everyone could feel it—the moment someone twitched wrong, blades would be drawn.

The silence that followed was heavy, the sea breeze doing little to ease the weight in the air.

"What is our crime?" William asked with a frown. He still couldn't discern how they located them so soon.

The soldier voiced, "You have breached the law by having the intention to cross the SOS without permission."

"Who says we are about to cross? We are just having some fun time here." Olivia snarled.

The soldier didn't budge, "Guess we will find out in the interrogation cell."

William narrowed his eyes...this is bad. The interrogation department would discern everything instantly. And all the planning they have done past few weeks would be wasted.

Tension rose...William couldn't do anything but stand there.

"We know you won't attack us, Hero. Your principles won't allow you, so just come with us." The soldier confidently stated.

William gritted his teeth in frustration. Frustrated because he was right.

The soldier took a step forward but then—

"Ah!" The soldier backed away as an ice spike rose from the ground.

"He won't hurt you,"

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice and saw three teenagers stepping toward them.

Austin looked at the commander in the eye and told him, "But don't assume the same with me, Commander. I hold no such principles."

It was not a threat but a warning. And every soldier could feel it.

°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.