Starting from the beginning, the young knight reiterated to Lyrica what happened during their encounter with the Malayas. From the guard informing Riko and the others of the Malayas' arrival to Riko hearing the white armored knights talking about the four heroes.
However, from the young knight questioning the Malayas about the four heroes onwards, Riko starts diverting the story from how it actually went.
Riko portrays the Malayas as an enemy who've heard the rumors before the day the Hari made it so that it will no longer be discussed all around Kruule. Reilaea kingdom wanted to get the four heroes and use them for their own gain. For that reason, they sent the Malayas to get the four heroes, thinking they are real.
The Malayas revealed their true motive soon after realizing that the young knight has caught wind of their knowledge about the four heroes. Agario's squad was forced to confront the hostile Malayas. Riko and the others have the same level of skill and strength as the Malayas. The one thing that led Agario's squad to almost being overwhelmed by the Malayas is the fact that they weren't expecting to fight. They were caught off guard.
However, when they thought the Malayas got the upper hand, the high commander came to the rescue and helped changed the tide of the battle.
Soon after, Agario's squad and the high commander had the Malayas running. They tried to chase them down, thinking they'd find more who are waiting for the chance to launch an attack on Takkot. However, the Malayas diverted from the path and led Agario's squad inside the Forest of No Return.
"We continued to chase them inside the forest until we encountered the Guardian Snake. After that, the rest is history."
Saying that, the young knight and Lyrica started a staring contest with one another. Riko is expecting the girl to say something. But for a brief moment, she did not say anything until now.
"Is that so?" Said Lyrica who appears to have been enlightened. "So those white knights are dangerous. Until the kingdom can explain to them that the four heroes do not exist, you should expect another attack from them."
"R-Right... I'm sure the high commander already has plans underway."
The words that came out of Lyrica's mouth made the young knight let out an exhale of relief.
"Then what about the missing Malayas they were talking about?" Lyrica asked out of the blue. "Are they real?"
"We haven't seen any Malayas that have entered and left the kingdom ever since the Hari forbid people from entering the kingdom," Riko replied calmly. "Perhaps they were planning to use it as an excuse to allow them to enter the kingdom and learn more about the four heroes—their whereabouts and everything else."
"Ah, that could be the case."
"Do you have any more questions?"
The young knight asked the girl while hoping there's nothing more she would want to learn from him. Fortunately for Riko, Lyrica shakes her head as she tells the young knight:
"No, I already got what I need to know."
"Huh..."
Lyrica nodded in response to Riko. Seeing that, Riko felt even more relieved.
"You have a question for me, too, right?" Queried the girl. "It's your turn."
"Oh, right!"
Riko almost forgot about it. Thanks to Lyrica, he remembered what he wants to ask the girl.
"I came here after making a deal with someone."
When the young knight heard Lyrica spoke those words back when they were taking a rest after getting out of the Forest of No Return, Riko started wondering who and what kind of person the girl has made a deal with. Not only that, but he's also wondering what kind of deal it is.
Why is someone making a deal with another person from another world? What exactly are they after? What is Lyrica's goal? These questions have been in his mind ever since, begging to be answered.
Seeing that he answered Lyrica's questions, albeit they're not true, the young knight thought he could ask her now. At least, if it's all right with Lyrica.
And so, he clears his throat and opens his mouth.
"I've been wondering about it ever since you mentioned that you made a deal with someone."
"Oh..."
"The person you made a deal with, who–"
"Riko."
Just when he was about to give Lyrica his question, a person came from behind and called the young knight's name.
Lyrica turns around and immediately recognized the individual
"You're the commander guy."
"My name is Agario." He replied, introducing himself to Lyrica. "I heard you saw me running away and leaving behind Riko and the others. "While it was indeed an embarrassing display of a proud knight who swore to risk his life to save and protect others, I do not regret doing what I did back then."
Lyrica scoffs.
"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't horrible of you to leave them behind. But, what you did back there was the most logical and smartest decision I've ever seen. Except for the horses of course."
Even if Lyrica favors Agario and his decision to leave the others behind, the young girl wouldn't forget the trouble she and the others went through—Going from the Forest of No Return to the town of Takkot by just walking.
Agario let out an embarrassed chuckle.
"I apologize for that, I truly am. But let's set that aside for now." Said the commander. "I was actually looking for you two, and I'm glad I found you here, especially you."
"Me?"
Lyrica stood up as soon as he saw Agario staring at her.
"What's going on, commander Agario?" Asked the young knight who also stood up from the grassy surface.
"Why are you looking for me?" Lyrica added.
"Well, not me actually, but the high commander wants to see you."
"The high commander?"
"Yes."
Following his reply to Lyrica, Agario stated that the high commander is waiting for her in the mayor's office. He then tells the girl that he will escort her towards the mayor's office, to which she gladly accepted.
"Riko, Magdalo is waiting for you in the town square. Once you meet him, he'll take you to the others."
"Right."
With that being said, Agario invites Lyrica to follow his lead. The girl takes the commander's invitation and they set off towards the mayor's office.
While looking at them from behind, Riko thought about how he didn't get his questions answered by Lyrica. However, he also thought that it's for the best.
Telling Lyrica about his and the others' encounters with the Malayas made him remember how horrible it all went. But thanks to that, he was able to avoid telling the girl what truly transpired yesterday. Otherwise, the sumpa (TL: Curse) might have triggered and killed him in the process.
But unbeknownst to the young knight who thought he fooled Lyrica, the girl sees his fabricated story the other way.
'Things are starting to make sense to me.' Lyrica secretly looks at Agario from the back. 'I just need one last thing.'