After the sãïñt and Butcher left, Aren saw Ross and Nero headed his way from the distance. There was only one other person with them. It was Micheal, and his hand was wrapped around Nero’s shoulder. He was battered badly and near death.

’Was that how strong the saint was?!’ He wondered in silence. When Ross saw Ken standing there, he was stunned. They all got closer to see what had happened.

Ross looked like he had seen way better days. Ken could see several burns on his body, bruises, and a lot more, but those were not enough to stop him. Nero, on the other hand, seemed untouched in a way. There was dirt on her, but that was the only way one would know that she had been in a fight.

When they got close, Ross stepped forward. "What are you doing here? You and the others were meant to be at the estate."

"Butcher caught up. Someone had to stay and fight against him for the others to reach the estate," Ken spoke casually.

Ross’s eyes widened when he heard that. "And you fought him?" he asked.

"Well, that’s the only reason I would be the one here now, wouldn’t it? I managed to get him down and was about to kill him before the saint came and took him away."

The shock in the eyes of Ross grew even more when he heard that not only had he fought against the vice captain, but he had also managed to almost take him out.

"That’s impossible. There is no way a kid your age can stand against a vice captain of the Red Sun Cult," Ross said.

"Tch, who the hell are you to tell me what I can or cannot do? But that aside, when the saint arrived, she scolded him for not using something called his true form. I’m guessing that he did not go all out against me," Ken said.

"It is an it, not a he," Nero suddenly spoke. She walked while helping Micheal. "That vice captain is a special magical puppet. It is made from a mix of necromancy, puppet magic, and alchemy. Used on a dead body restored and modified via special alchemy, then brought to life and manipulated like a puppet.

They are insanely strong and serve their master till the day they die." Nero explained and then kept walking. Ross followed behind while Ken walked beside them.

"There is a reason to be bad if it refused to use all its power. It means it’s having an awakening, a state when such puppets begin to gain humanity. She would have to go and do what is known as extermination of parasites, emotions, and memory.

The next time you see it, it will be willing to kill you right from the start," she explained everything.

’So that’s what he is? That’s cruel, forced to live like that, a puppet, and your freedom is never granted at all.’ Ken felt bad for Butcher, but ultimately, he still wanted to fight Butcher again, and next time he wanted to go all out.

"Kid, even if he was a puppet that held back, to be capable of fighting against him at all is very impressive.

It seems I had judged you far too early," Ross said as they walked.

Ken looked at him and then faced forward again and kept walking. "I understand why you would have your doubts about me, but I honestly don’t care, as long as I do what I have to," Ken replied. He walked ahead and didn’t look back at them again.

Ross stared at Ken as he walked away.

"Seems you underestimated the kid," Nero said. "I have a feeling he will be making the academy a very different place."

[...]

When they arrived at the gates of the estate, a number of guards pointed their weapons at them, but when they saw Ross standing there, they all instantly knew who he was. Ross was, in a way, the poster boy of the king. If something serious needed to happen, he was the one that would be called on.

They all immediately gave way to Ross, allowing him into the estate.

"Take me to your marquis, take the others to get treatment," he commanded immediately. The guards responded fast. They led the way to the marquis’s house while Nero, William, and Ken were taken to where the others were.

They arrived at one of the houses that was there and then left them in it.

"The princess and the rest are inside here. You can wait for Sir Ross here and the marquis," the guard spoke as respectfully as he could, but all that was not enough for Ken to not notice the way his eyes twitched as he spoke through the helmet. He kept looking into the distance behind them.

At the same time, Nero noticed the finger movements as he tapped his thigh repeatedly. She knew instantly that it was some sort of code.

In that moment, the suspicion of both of them rose. They walked through the door, and immediately they stepped in, Ken looked at Nero.

"This is a trap," he said.

Nero looked at him. "You are pretty good. Yes, indeed it is a trap, but what kind of trap is it?

Could it be that everyone here is working for the Red Sun?" she asked.

"That would make sense, and that would mean that we are in a lot of trouble. Luna is an elf, she can use some level of healing magic. Let’s find her and have her heal him if possible. We need all the strength that we can get if anything goes wrong," Ken said and walked towards the stairs, taking charge of the situation. Nero had no issues following. She dragged Micheal along.

At that same time, Ross had made it into the manor and was led to the office of the marquis. The guard left after he showed him the way. Ross opened the door, and his eyes trembled the moment he saw what was inside.