In a word, it wasn't the intensity of the emotions that could exist in reality. It was a situation where the heart could stop due to a shock to the nervous system even if the Indestructible trembled by only one percent.
But Amy wasn't worried. Because it's called Diamond Indestructible since it won't even shake by one percent.
Finally, Shirone pushed the men against the table. Falkoa, who was observing the disorder, twisted his face with anger.
"What are you doing! Cut his throat now!"
His subordinates rushed forward, drawing their longswords from around their waists.
"Darn it! I can't believe I have to use a sword against a kid!"
At that moment, a flash of light came out of Shirone's body. The flash that occurred in the enclosed space blinded the vision of the subordinates.
"What? What are you doing emitting light?"
Shirone turned his palm and threw a ball of light. The golden photons compressed to a pale color as it compressed at a tremendous speed.
"Shirone, you don't plan to do...?"
In the face of the force of the photons trembling at an immeasurable frequency, Amy finally realized.
It was magic that accelerates mass at a speed comparable to light to create a shockwave, the Photon Cannon.
"Shirone! That's...!"
It's not easy to avoid the Photon Cannon in a confined space. Eventually, someone will be hit directly, and that will undoubtedly result in deaths.
Before Amy could finish her words, Shirone raised the white sphere. And with all his might, he smashed it against the ground.
At the moment the flash fell, a deafening roar spread throughout the room as if thunder had struck right in front of them.
"What, what is this!"
Those in the room covered their ears. As the shockwave spread across the ground, the underground structures shook. Piles of dust fell from the ceiling.
The subordinates were in shock as if they had survived a natural disaster. The echoes of the roar, trapped underground, still lingered in their ears.
After a long while, the gangsters looked around the place where Shirone's magic had struck. Surprisingly, the ground was not deeply dug. However, the flattened area exceeded a diameter of 4 meters.
"What is this... isn't this underground?"
The subordinates couldn't believe it even after seeing it with their own eyes.
This was a temple that could be said to be the strongest structure in Galliant. To create an underground space, a design centered on durability is essential. Indeed, thick steel plates were laid on the floor of the Temple.
It was understandable that the entire basement would shake if the steel plate was carelessly flattened. In short, it wasn't a force that humans could withstand.
As veterans, the subordinates didn't show a crying expression. However, they kept as much distance as possible and were wary of Shirone.
Falkoa's expression collapsed again at the sight.
Overcoming 10 pressures was one thing, but the magic that the kid had shown now was the first of its kind even for him, who had passed through countless battlefields.
"You... Who the hell are you? What line are you from?"
A vast network of mages connecting continents is called Line. But Shirone wasn't familiar with the commonly used term in the magical society. He boldly stated his origin.
"I'm Shirone, a student attending the Village Academy of Magic."
Jiss looked at Shirone in astonishment. For nobles, one's origin is a golden rope, but in some circumstances, it can be a shackle.
Given the way he was treated at the port, there was no way Shirone didn't know. But why did he reveal his origin?
"A student? That's ridiculous. Are you saying you acted like a student? Hey, you know what? If I file a complaint with your academy, you'll be finished then and there. You'll probably be expelled."
"If you want to file a complaint, go ahead, as much as you want."
Falkoa's eyebrows twitched at the unexpected reaction.
"Disciplinary action or expulsion won't dictate my life. Of course, the academy is an important place for me. But there are many more important things than that. And Amy..."
Shirone looked at Falkoa and continued.
"She takes precedence over all the priorities I've set."
Amy blinked. The increasing speed of her eyelids seemed to reflect her heartbeat.
"I don't care about any punishment. If you want to sue, do it. But Amy won't stay here for even a second longer. If you bring my friend to such a dirty place again, then I'll truly wreck everything."
With a whistle, Rian's straight sword came out with a sound akin to water. The size of the sword, equal to the height of an average person, was tremendously intimidating.
"As expected of Shirone. I knew there was no mistake in my eyes."
Rian realized why he had hesitated to unsheathe his sword until now. Just as a small crack breaks an iceberg, the minor obstacle of disciplinary action seemed to have disturbed his convictions.
"You're right, Shirone. Putting your friends in danger because you're afraid of disciplinary action? You must be joking. Ogent Rian has never lived that way, not even for a moment."
After Rian, Tess unsheathed her sword.
"Ho Ho Ho! The same goes for Elzaine Tess! We can't leave Shirone's faction friend, Amy, in a gangster's den like this!"
Rian looked at Tess as if he were stunned.
"Since when are you part of Shirone's faction?"
"Ugh, just let it go at times like this. You're so tactless."
Tess, who teased Rian, turned to Amy. She's still lost in thought, but her cheeks are more flushed than before.
A warm smile crept over Tess's lips.
You're lucky, Amy.
As a woman, Tess could guess Amy's feelings.
To Shirone, Amy wasn't just a point looked down upon from an omniscient standpoint. She was an irreplaceable friend. Or perhaps, something even more than that.
Shirone, who forcefully pushed back the approaching subordinates, walked towards Amy. Then he reached out his hand and repeated his initial words.
"Let's go back, Amy."
Finishing her thoughts, Amy lifted her head and spoke.
"...Huh?"
As Amy stood up, Falkoa's face contracted. These damn rascals rushed in, caused a commotion, and now were leaving on their own.
'Has the world-renowned Falkoa fallen so low?'
It's been almost five years since the entire organization fled from the continent's bounty hunters and hid on this island. Despite everything that had happened, he found it utterly boring.
Because of this, his brain became addicted to drugs, and even his bloodthirsty mind had become oily. But just five years ago, it was Falkoa who killed countless people while crossing the continent.
At that time, he was an entity that existed solely to kill someone. Even the gang leader couldn't ignore Falkoa's skills, which was why he hadn't been exiled until now.
"Hey, do you think you can get away with this?"
Amy stopped and looked at Falkoa.
"It will be troublesome for you too if you cause a commotion here. The underground guests are drug addicts, and they're your biggest source of money. If you want to sue us, go ahead. But none of us will stand still. This place might have to shut down."
"But it might be different on the continent."
Falkoa frowned and looked at Amy. Both eyes were burning red.
'Red eyes. She must be from the Karmis family.
Falkoa had heard of the famous Karmis Family. They had the ability to store a specific state and restore it at any time.
No drug could make them addicted, and no substance could infiltrate them. The Karmis family wasn't called invincible in the mental realm for nothing.
'Did it mean she was a fish that couldn't be caught from the start? That girl knew everything from the beginning and went along.'
Falkoa gritted his teeth with a poker face.
If she were from the Karmis Family, they were a first-rate family in the noble hierarchy, so if he laid a hand on her, it wouldn't be impossible for the reputation he had built over five years to collapse.
The profits from distributing the 'Loop' drug were immense. Even Falkoa, who was mad, was sensitive to money. Because without money, he couldn't buy Loop.
"Ha! Shameless bitch. I'll definitely make you pay for this humiliation!"
"Do it if you can. But be careful next time we meet. Now that this has happened, I'm thinking of not caring about the academy and letting it go."
Amy, who had told Falkoa what she thought, returned with Shirone and his group.
"Sorry for worrying you. Let's go now."
As they didn't want to stay here any longer, they hurriedly climbed the stairs. Employees were looking in every corner, but no one could stop them.
As soon as they exited the tavern, they could feel a dramatic change in the air. Tess opened her arms and inhaled the night air.
"Phew, that feels good. Thanks to Amy, we did the tour properly. We've been through Galliant Island's most famous Royal Palace, from the basement to the top."
"Ha-ha! You're right. We even went to the white sand beach, stopped by the port, and walked through the commercial district, so I guess we've been to almost everything except the historical sites."
Amy was surprised at Rian's words.
"What? You even went to the port?"
"Yes. Shirone said it would be faster to ask the gang members. We ran frantically. If it wasn't for the passionate horse-drawn carriage driver, we would have wasted time."
Amy looked at Shirone. Then, when their eyes met, she slightly averted her gaze. She still didn't have the courage to look at him in the face properly.
She remembered Shirone's words she heard in the basement. It would have been about the importance of friends without any misunderstanding, and that was enough.
Why didn't she notice? At the moment of her fall from the cliff, Shirone was the only one who came close to her and called her by name.
Amy might be satisfied with realizing its meaning.
"Amy, sorry for being late. I'll tell you when we get back. There was a special circumstance on the way here."
"Hmm, I'm not even curious! Why do I have to hear that story?"
"Still angry?"
Her anger had already subsided. But Amy thought it would be better to remain angry.
"Let's get this clear. Surely, you're not imagining anything weird about today's matter, right? A prince on a white horse saving the princess, something like that."
"Eh? Not at all?"
"Thanks for coming to help, but I followed for personal reasons, not because I was captured. Even without your help, those guys aren't a match for me."
"Ha-ha! I see. I'm in a lower class, and you're about to graduate, who cares about whom?"
When Shirone readily agreed, Amy felt somewhat deflated.
"Well, whatever... as long as you know. That's it."
Tess laughed heartily, clutching her stomach.
As Rian steered his steps toward the commercial district, he shouted.
"Late-night snacks? Great! I love it! Hooray!"
***
Jiss was able to return home after midnight because he had to clean the bar.
After being beaten, at his limit, and working, his body felt heavy, as if it had doubled in weight.
Even so, he was able to endure it thanks to the relief that the things he feared didn't happen.
Amy escaped safely from Falkoa's clutches. Of course, he himself didn't suffer much harm either.
Since he did what he was told to do, even Falkoa wouldn't have any excuse to beat him.
If it weren't for her, he might have died.
Amy's face appeared vividly in his mind as if she were present.
Of all the women Jiss had met, no woman was as strong and beautiful as she was. Why did such a remarkable person try to help him?
'Shirone? He also said he's a commoner.'
Jiss remembered everything Shirone said in the bar.