The Holy Knights—they were known all across the world. They were humanity's pride, the ones who stood firm against the attacks of demon kings. Their strength and reputation were said to rival even that of the summoned heroes.
Naturally, Scarlett's curiosity was stirred. She began walking toward the entrance with graceful steps, her long dress swaying lightly with every move. Behind her followed Princess Ingrassia, the short Elminia, and King Darwitz himself.
The king hadn't spoken a single word since their meeting. Whether it was fear, caution, or simply respect, Scarlett didn't care to know. She wasn't in the mood to talk to him anyway.
By the time they reached the front, a crowd had already formed near the doors. Everyone was trying to get a glimpse of the Holy Knights. But for Scarlett, it wasn't hard at all. Her tall height—around 184 centimeters—combined with her heels, gave her a clear view over everyone's heads.
The first familiar figure she spotted wasn't the Holy Knights but Reiza, towering easily above the rest of the guests on the opposite side of the hall. Her unusual green hair cut in modern style stood out like moonlight under the chandelier. Scarlett smiled faintly but didn't bother walking all the way there.
Her focus returned to the grand entrance. All the maids near the door bowed deeply, their movements synchronized and respectful. Then—one by one—the Holy Knights stepped inside.
At the front was a woman who immediately drew everyone's attention. She had long silver hair that shimmered like liquid light and piercing silver eyes that seemed to see through everything. She wore a flowing white frock-style dress with delicate patterns embroidered across it, her presence majestic and almost divine.
Scarlett recognized her instantly. Vesilisa—the captain of the Holy Knights.
Beside her walked a man with neatly combed black hair, brown eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses, and a calm, intelligent air about him. He wore a black coat with golden lines on the edges, looking more like a scholar than a warrior. He was Arthur, Vice captain of the holy knights.
Behind them was a young girl who looked no older than sixteen, with long pink twin tails bouncing lightly as she walked. Her skin was smooth, her expression bright and innocent, almost too cute for a holy knight. Scarlett didn't know her name, forget it! She didn't knew anyone's name at all.
Then came three men walking at the back.
The first was tall and broad-shouldered, with a thick blonde beard and deep blue eyes. A golden cross-shaped pendant hung in his hand, and his expression carried the calm faith of a priest. Scarlett guessed he must be a devot believer of some deity—probably goddess.
Next was a man with bright orange hair and sharp red eyes. His posture was wild, his grin reckless, and a faint aura of heat seemed to ripple around him. His eyes had dark circles beneath them, giving him the look of someone who barely slept. He reminded Scarlett of a delinquent or a wandering fighter—someone ruled by fire, both inside and out.
And finally, there was the strangest one among them.
A middle-aged man with black hair and black eyes, wearing plain clothes without any decoration. He didn't carry the air of strength or authority like the others—just a calm, quiet presence that made him look almost too normal. His plain appearance was so out of place among these divine-looking warriors that Scarlett couldn't help but stare at him with confusion.
"Is he really one of the Holy Knights?" she wondered silently.
Her expression must have shown her confusion, because Princess Ingrassia, standing beside her, noticed and smiled faintly.
"Should I introduce them to you?" Ingrassia asked softly, turning her golden eyes toward Scarlett.
Scarlett nodded slightly.
Ingrassia pointed toward the group and said with a proud smile, "They are the main team of the Holy Knights. There are other branches too, but they're considered the sub-teams. Those ones are strong as well, but the main team is just on another level—just like you!"
Scarlett glanced at them curiously as Ingrassia continued pointing at a woman with long silver hair that shimmered under hall's bright light. "That woman is Miss Vesilisa, the captain of the Holy Knights. And the man standing beside her is Mr. Arthur, the vice-captain."
Then, Ingrassia turned her finger toward a cheerful girl with pink twin tail hair and bright eyes. "That's Miss Orihime. She's actually a very popular idol too. There are millions of fans who would do anything for her! Now that I think about it, Miss Vesilisa also performs on stage sometimes for fun. You should definitely attend one of their concerts someday—it's really amazing!"
Ingrassia's voice was full of excitement, but Scarlett's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
"Orihime? That name sounds very similar to Aoto and Chiyoko's names," Scarlett murmured, frowning slightly as if something didn't quite add up.
Ingrassia nodded. "Yes, you're right. She was summoned hero too, but instead of going her own way, she joined the Holy Knights later on."
Without stopping, Ingrassia pointed again. "The man who looks like a priest—that's Mr. Adam. He works part-time as an actual priest. The one with orange hair who looks kind of like a delinquent is Mr. Igris. He used to be an S-rank adventurer and has even slayed several dragons!"
Scarlett blinked in surprise. "Dragons?",she thought to herself. "I bet the Second Demon King would beat him up if he ever found out about that." Outwardly, though, she simply nodded and pretended to listen attentively.
Then Ingrassia's expression turned a little puzzled as her gaze fell on the last man. "And that one is Thomas. He used to be… a math teacher."
Scarlett's lips twitched immediately. "A math teacher? He's definitely my arch-nemesis," she muttered under her breath, remembering all those frustrating days when numbers and formulas made her head hurt. Just the thought made her shiver a little.
As she listened, Scarlett realized something was missing. "She didn't mention their powers or abilities… maybe she doesn't know them herself." Her gaze wandered and stopped at Elminia, who was trying her best to jump and peek over the heads of taller people. The small girl's effort was so adorable that Scarlett had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Scarlett smiled and asked softly, "Wanna meet my friends?"
"Of course, why not?" Ingrassia replied cheerfully.
With that, Scarlett led both Ingrassia and Elminia over to where Reiza, Lunatic, Xao, and Seiira were sitting together. The King of Darwitz stayed behind, talking with someone else.
When Ingrassia and Elminia met Reiza, they were stunned at first. Reiza's calm yet intimidating aura made them hesitate, but after Scarlett introduced everyone properly, the tension quickly faded, and they began to relax.
"So, how's everything going?" Ingrassia asked, looking around the group with a warm smile.
"Better than we expected, at least," Lunatic replied while sipping her wine slowly. Her relaxed tone made everyone feel more at ease.
After chatting for a while, the soft sound of music faded, and the large red curtains behind the stage slowly opened, catching everyone's attention. The lights dimmed slightly, and a gentle glow focused on the stage.
From behind the curtain, Aoto stepped out, dressed in a royal-looking suit that made him look like someone straight out of a painting. A seathed word hung neatly at his waist, gleaming under the light.
Beside him stood Chiyoko, holding the First Hero's legendary sword — Athena, Unseathed at that. Its blade shimmered faintly with a silver glow, and even the air around it seemed to hum with divine energy.
The lively crowd immediately quieted. Music stopped, glasses were set down, and all eyes turned toward the stage. Some people stood near their tables, while others sat down, eager to listen.
Aoto lifted a mic-like device to his lips and began speaking in a calm, confident voice.
"A very good evening to all the ladies and gentlemen present here. Tonight's banquet is not only a celebration of Queen Victoria's marriage announmnet," he said with a smile, "but also a celebration of a great victory for humanity!"
His words echoed across the hall, full of warmth and pride.
"This is a celebration of humanity's strength and bravery!" he continued, his voice growing louder. He paused for a second, letting his words sink in before speaking again.
"After a thousand long years, we have finally slain a Demon King! This marks the beginning of a safer world — a brighter path for humankind!"
The audience murmured in awe and pride. Aoto went on to speak about courage, unity, and the sacrifices made by everyone who fought in the battle. He carefully avoided calling demons evil, fully aware that Reiza, Scarlett, and others from different races were among the guests. It wasn't out of fear — Aoto simply wanted to show that he didn't hold blind hatred toward any race. Instead, he spoke about the danger of mindless monsters that destroyed villages and brought chaos wherever they went.
After him, Chiyoko stepped forward, lifting the legendary sword high above his head. The silver light reflected off the chandeliers and filled the room with a heavenly glow.
"With this sword — the symbol of the First Hero — we carry the hopes of humanity!" Chiyoko declared proudly. "For ages, no one could even touch it, but now it is here! This is proof that the hero's will still lives on!"
People began to cheer softly, their hearts swelling with pride. Many were close to tears, overcome by emotion and admiration.
But Scarlett just stood there, frozen in place.
"Why does this speech actually sound… good?", she thought to herself, surprised.
It wasn't the most powerful speech ever, but compared to the awkward and clumsy way he did in the past, the difference was unbelievable. His tone, posture, and expression — everything had changed.
As Aoto and Chiyoko prepared to end their speech, Aoto suddenly smiled and said, "But for us to achieve this, we owe a great deal to my close friend and the avatar of our dear goddess — Scarlett Nova! Without her, we might not have succeeded!"
He said "avatar of goddess" loudly and clearly on purpose. It was his way of showing that even he believed Scarlett to be avatar of goddess.
He and Chiyoko went on to praise her bravery and mentioned Ingrassia's contribution as well before finally ending their speech.
A moment of silence passed.
Then—
Clap! Clap! Clap!.....
The sound of applause filled the hall. People smiled, cheered, and even raised their glasses in celebration. Seiira jumped in excitement, her voice ringing out brightly, "Lady Scarlett is the best!"
Scarlett could only blush slightly, rubbing the back of her neck while pretending to act calm.
—
After stepping down from the stage, Aoto walked straight toward Scarlett and her group with a teasing grin.
"Oh-hoho! So many beautiful ladies gathered in one place. Scarlett, you're definitely living in heaven!" he said playfully, bowing slightly with exaggerated respect.
Before he could say another word, Scarlett gave him a light punch on the stomach. She smiled sweetly on the outside, but her voice echoed sharply inside his head through telepathy.
[You better not start flirting with them. And if that thought even crosses your mind— look over there first.]
Aoto winced slightly and followed her mental hint, glancing toward Lunatic's side. He froze immediately. Ingrassia and Elminia were both standing there, watching him closely. Ingrassia's eyes were sharp — clearly warning him to behave — while Elminia looked like she was ready to throw a magical blast if he dared to do flirt with other girls in front of her.
[O-of course not! I-I can't just fool around all the time,]Aoto replied nervously through telepathy. [I'm a celebrity and important guest right now, remember?]
Scarlett rolled her eyes behind her blindfolds and let out a quiet laugh.
Soon, they all began to chat casually, sharing small stories about their school adventures and old memories. There was chuckles, teasing, and the warm feeling of friendship in the air.
Meanwhile, the banquet continued in full swing. Queen Victoria Cecilia was moving gracefully among the guests, speaking politely to everyone — from nobles to Holy Knights.
By now, everyone could tell that it was almost time for the next part of the evening and soon Victoria or vesilisa would either approach her to have some small chat or give speech too.
And just as Scarlett had guessed, Captain Vesilisa finally approached them, with Vice-Captain Arthur standing quietly behind her like a protective shadow.
"Let's go over there and have some small talk, shall we?" Vesilisa said with a calm smile.