'Our classmates? The ones who left the Royal Estate?!'
Rey had no idea where they were, and he frankly didn't even bother finding out. In all honesty, none of that mattered to him.
They were liabilities, and save for Noah—who he considered a friend—there was no value in looking out for any of them.
Rather than that, he focused on making sure the current roster of capable Otherworlder were as formidable as possible.
That way, he could cut his losses and take his chances with the winning team.
'But he means to tell me that he knows exactly what they've been up to?'
"Most of them are working closely with merchants and reputable agencies. With their Skills and basic combat training, they can pretty much handle all the bandits they have to fight to guard properties." Adrien explained.
Of course, there was still no way to verify what he was saying, but Rey was running out of reasons to believe Adrien could be lying.
He didn't even know why Adrien would lie.
"A few are already dead. It's a shame, but it's quite the cruel world that they found themselves in."
"Who killed them?" Rey found himself asking.
Adrien smiled as soon as Rey replied with that, and for a second, he said nothing.
However, his silence was short-lived.
"Monsters. They didn't stand a chance against powerful Monsters."
"Why would they just encounter Monsters?"
"They didn't understand the geography of this world. It's not difficult to imagine them going to a forest or region that had been deemed to be a Danger Zone."
Rey felt a tight feeling in his chest.
Adrien was right about a bunch of regions where Monsters spawned. Careless travelers or those who were ignorant of that fact could be attacked by them and meet cruel ends.
"As for your friend, Noah, he's currently an Adventurer in the Adventurer's City."
Rey's eyes widened the moment he heard that news.
'What the hell is he doing as an Adventurer?' That wasn't at all the hat Noah had said in his letter.
What changed?
"I believe that should be enough repayment for one day." Adrien sighed, almost as if he was already tired.
"I've spoken too much for a day. It's really exhausting. I guess being a silent guard really suits me, considering I don't have to say anything for most of my job."
Perhaps this was meant to be a joke, as Adrien laughed a little, but Rey's stern face showed how unamused he was.
Once again, an awkward silence filled the room.
"Now that we're done here… I think I'll take my lea—"
~WHOOOSH!~
Before Adrien could conclude his statement, Rey sped towards him and grabbed him by the throat.
He rushed towards a nearby wall and slammed Adrien on it without a care in the world, forcibly imprinting a massive crack on the wall.
~BOOOM!~
Shockwaves of the sudden action caused everything in the room to tremble, but Rey's grasp remained firm.
"There's no use trying to wiggle out. You can't teleport out of here, and none of your Skills will affect me." Rey said, tightening his grip on the still Adrien.
Despite being treated so roughly, the boy continued to smile.
"I really don't like you, Adrien."
"I… noticed." Adrien leaked out a chuckle before being forced to keep quiet thanks to Rey squeezing his throat harder.
"You're full of bullshit. You could have just destroyed the Criminal Underworld more efficiently without going through such an elaborate scheme."
"What… do you… mean?"
"You can't fool me. You are strong enough to destroy all of them by yourself, and you've had the chance to do so. Yet, you went through all this length and risked so much damage to achieve the same results? I'm not buying it." Rey drew closer to Adrien and growled.
"You have other intentions. Tell me what they are."
"Haha! Damn… you really have me all figured out, don't you?" Adrien coughed, maintaining his strained smile.
Rey pressed him against the wall, his crimson eyes glowing greatly.
"Perhaps I was curious about you and wanted to see how strong you were. Alas, this event wasn't too challenging, so I couldn't see the depths of your power."
"Is that so?" Rey's intensity increased.
"Relax. It's all hypothetical." He coughed once again. "The thing is… I don't want to make my existence known to the world. That's why I chose to blend in with them and organically destroy everything from the inside out, inviting you to deal the final damage."
"What?"
"If I went about the destruction of the Criminal Underworld more straightforwardly, it would alert everyone of a higher power. I don't think I want that kind of attention."
"I thought you wanted what's best for the people." Rey mused.
"There's that too." Adrien widened his grin. "Think about it. How would people react if they found out there's a second Ralyks running around, with enough power to completely decimate an Organization that has been operating from the shadows for a decade?"
Rey could think of a list of reactions, though it all depended on the circumstances, or nature of Adrien's approach when purging the filth.
"No matter how you slice it, I consider the whole thing unnecessary. There's no need for a second Ralyks when there's already one."
"Is that why you made it so that I was involved?" Rey asked.
Adrien nodded with a brilliant smile playing on his face.
"I want you, as Ralyks, to take full credit for all this. You can be that overarching figure that will serve as a higher power."
"I don't think so."
"But you've already started. All your actions so far have been in that line. You saving the Otherworlders, killing the Dragon, and even the way you're currently assisting our devoted classmates to grow. You've done so much, so just add this one to the list."
Rey could once again see the sense in Adrien's words. But he knew, instinctively, that there had to be some kind of catch.
A deep benefit that only Adrien knew about and would profit from.
"Do you think I'll let you use me like this?"
"Yes, I do."
Rey growled and squeezed harder on Adrien's neck, but the boy still spoke normally regardless.
"It's for the greater good, after all."
"I think you'll need to define what you mean by 'greater good', Adrien."
In response, Adrien raised both of his hands in an "I don't know" or "You tell me" fashion.
"We're both on the same side against the Dragons. I think that already speaks for itself."
Rey chose silence this time.
He had run out of things to ask, and Adrien seemed pretty harmless at this point.
"If you're so worried about me, why don't you just kill me now and get it over with!"
"…"
"You'll be able to stop my plans, and you'll be able to save the world your way. Pretty neat, right?"
Despite saying this, Adrien was smiling so confidently. You'd never think he was being pinned down by Rey from the way he was acting.
And the honest truth was… he wasn't.
"I already know this isn't your real body. It's a puppet, isn't it?"