“Fufufu. Dudley Claise.”

Ray—no, Raymira Rii Arceus—curled only the corners of her lips into a smile.

“Not only did you suddenly ravage my mother’s hometown, but you even harmed the residents… Just what exactly were you thinking?”

The princess walked forward with a smile.

However, the usual innocent cheerfulness was nowhere to be found.

She was—angry.

She was absolutely furious.

“And on top of that, you insulted my… Arios? You must really want to suffer, don’t you? Fufu, would you prefer to be burned at the stake, stabbed countless times, or… ufufu, what punishment would you like?”

“Hii…!”

Dudley seemed to finally realize the gravity of the situation.

He took a step back, creating distance between himself and Ray.

Well, the Macba family only prospered because of their ties to the royal family.

Even before my exile, my father relentlessly drilled into me how to maintain relations with the royal family.

That’s probably why he can’t lay a hand on Ray.

I understand.

I totally get it.

Not that it matters to me anymore.

“…What are you saying, Lady Raymira!”

Even so, Dudley refused to back down.

“Why are you siding with that guy?! He possesses a useless skill… he’s despised… he’s a good-for-nothing loser!”

“Oh my. It seems you still don’t understand. If that’s how you feel—”

The moment Raymira began to speak—

“Don’t you dare insult Lord Arios! You worthless excuse for a Sword Saint!”

A familiar-looking old adventurer hurled a pebble at Dudley.

That guy—seriously?

He was the C-rank adventurer who once picked a fight with me in the guild, only to make a shocking turnaround later.

“That’s right, that’s right! What do you even know about Lord Arios?!”

Next, the guild master shouted.

“A miserable Macba family bound by greed… You are no longer worthy of the title of Sword Saint! You were right to leave the royal capital!”

“At the very least… Arios is a far more honorable swordsman than you.”

Those words came from the A-rank adventurer, Kaya.

And it wasn’t just them.

“Yeah, that’s right!”
“Don’t insult Arios!”
“Don’t you dare call my benefactor trash!”
“Big brother is my future husband!”

Villagers I had once helped.

People who had been imprisoned by the Arceus Salvation Party.

All of them began to stand up for me.

Some threw stones, others shouted at the top of their lungs… Everyone had their own way of showing support.

But one thing was certain—

They were all on my side.

“Ouch… S-stop it! Ow ow ow!”

Dudley cowered under the barrage of stones from all directions.

“It hurts! I said stop! Damn it, what the hell is happening here…?!”

Is he… crying? I dunno.

“Oh my. This is…”

Raymira, watching the scene unfold, smiled faintly.

“It seems I didn’t need to defend you after all. This trust—you earned it, Arios.”

“Everyone…”

I had thought there was no longer a place for me.

Because I had lost my title as a Sword Saint candidate.

Because I possessed a useless skill.

And yet—my place was right here.

“Damn you all! If it’s come to this…!”

Unable to endure any longer, Dudley reached for his sword.

“………”

Is he seriously about to draw his sword here? That’s—

“—Stop, Dudley.”

Suddenly.

A voice, both nostalgic and one I never wanted to hear again, echoed throughout the area.

I didn’t even need to turn around.

That voice belonged to—

“People of the village. I deeply apologize… for my son’s disgraceful actions.”

It was the Silver Sword Saint, Leon Macba.