Ohh...Shit

In Darwitz, the Hero Academy had prepared a grand welcome.

Why?

Because news of Scarlett's arrival had spread everywhere.

Yep! The same Scarlett Nova they had once discriminated against, framed, and even tried their best to kill.

And yet, here they were, arranging a warm welcome for her.

How could they not?

Scarlett was no longer a girl with a low status. Back then, they had mistaken her for a succubus because of her seductive body. But the truth had come out—she wasn't a succubus at all.

She was half-dragon and half-human.

And more than that, she was now a hero—the savior who had saved the Gwarga Kingdom and the ruler of the Seventh Kingdom.

But that wasn't even the biggest news.

The most shocking revelation?

Scarlett Nova was actually a goddess… or rather, an apostle of the Goddess of Love and the Goddess of Beauty.

This made her status so high that even kings and nobles couldn't compare to her.

Of course, the higher her status, the bigger the problem for them.

After all, weren't they the same people who had framed her and treated her like trash?

They had left a terrible impression on her, and now that past was coming back to bite them hard.

Now, they had to do everything they could to gain her favor.

All the nobles and royals gathered outside the academy, waiting anxiously.

Even the king himself was present.

Then, at last—

A bright light flashed, and from a teleportation portal, Scarlett stepped out.

Her long, silky purple hair swayed in the wind. Her piercing eyes from behind the blindfold scanned the crowd. The moment she appeared, the entire place fell into silence.

Aoto stepped out behind her, looking around with a smirk. "Well, well, look at this. They're treating you like a queen now."

Scarlett scoffed. "Tch. What a change of attitude."

She crossed her arms, waiting to see just how much these people would grovel.

As Scarlett walked forward, flower petals rained down on her, and firecrackers burst in the sky, filling the air with dazzling lights. The sound of music and cheerful singing echoed throughout the area, creating a grand celebration.

Scarlett couldn't help but chuckle at the scene before her. Not a single person dared to look her in the eyes—everyone kept their heads bowed low in respect... or was it fear?

The irony wasn't lost on her.

The same kingdom that had banished her, framed her, and almost killed her was now welcoming her like a queen.

Back then, she had dreamed of revenge. She had wanted to burn this place down, to make them suffer for what they did to her.

But now?

After leaving this kingdom, she had found something greater—Dreadhaven, her own kingdom. She met people she could trust: Avion, Reiza, Lunatic, Li Feng, Xao Feng, Cryptus, and Evadne.

Thinking about it now, if they hadn't cast her out, she would've never met them.

So instead of rage, all she felt was pity.

"They're already defeated... what's the point in crushing them further?" Scarlett sighed in her mind.

As she walked, the king himself stepped forward.

"Lady Scarlett, it is truly an honor to meet you again!" he said with a forced smile. "Even though I am quite ill, I still came to welcome you!" His hands rubbed together nervously.

Scarlett stopped for a brief moment.

She remembered her first day in this world. Bowing before this very king, and accepted to be called as "Slave".

How pathetic.

Now, he was the one practically bowing to her.

Scarlett waved a hand dismissively and walked right past him. "Alright, alright, I'm not here for politics or discussions. I came to visit someone important to me."

The king hurriedly nodded, bowing his head even lower. "Of course! As you wish... as you wish..."

Meanwhile, Aoto casually walked up to the king and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, my king," Aoto said with a confident smile. "I've already spoken to her. Thanks to my deep friendship with Scarlett, she has agreed to put aside past grudges... for now. She'll remain neutral. But whether we earn her favor depends on how we treat her in the future."

The king's eyes welled up with tears of relief.

He suddenly pulled Aoto into a tight hug. "Oh, Aoto! You truly are a capable man! I can finally be at peace knowing you are here!"

Aoto smiled warmly on the outside.

But in his mind?

He was laughing like a maniac.

Of course, old man. Just stay sick and hurry up and die so I can be the next king.

He patted the king's back, looking as genuine as ever.

"But make sure to name me as your successor first."he thought in inside but outside?

"Don't worry so much," Aoto said with a gentle smile. "Just leave everything to me!"

---------

Scarlett walked through the academy halls, feeling dozens of eyes locked onto her.

The students couldn't help but stare. Even though they didn't know that Darwitz's army had once tried to kill her, they knew one thing for sure—Scarlett wasn't a student anymore.

And that made things... awkward.

No one dared to approach her, and Scarlett didn't even glance at them. She simply walked ahead, ignoring the whispers and nervous glances.

But just as she took another step forward, a boy with black hair suddenly bumped into her.

Or rather, it felt like he had done it on purpose.

"Scarlett! We finally meet again!" he said, a wide smile spreading across his face.

Scarlett blinked, staring at him in confusion.

Who is this guy?

The boy standing before her was none other than Chiyoko Hiiro—the second hero summoned by Almeida Kingdom.

Unlike Aoto, Chiyoko didn't look much different from when she had last seen him. It had been nearly a year, yet he looked exactly the same.

But Scarlett? She had no memory of him at all.

She stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Should she admit she didn't remember him? That would be too embarrassing.

Before she could figure out what to do, a familiar voice called out from behind.

"What's going on here?"

Aoto had finally caught up to her.

The moment Chiyoko saw Aoto, his smile twitched slightly. Being heroes summoned from different kingdoms, the two had always shared an unspoken rivalry.

Especially since Chiyoko knew how close Scarlett and Aoto were.

What he didn't know was that Scarlett and Aoto were just really good friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

But still, he couldn't stand Aoto.

Meanwhile, Scarlett had no interest in their silent competition. She leaned closer to Aoto and whispered, "Who is this guy?"

Aoto nearly choked. "Wait… don't tell me you actually forgot him? That wannabe hero? That's Chiyoko."

"Ohhh!" Scarlett finally remembered.

She turned back to Chiyoko, her face completely bored. "You wasted a lot of my time. Fuck off," she said, walking past him without a second thought.

Aoto chuckled and followed behind her, while Chiyoko stood frozen in place, processing what had just happened.

Scarlett and Aoto continued down the corridor until Scarlett suddenly stopped at a turning point.

"Where's Irish? Is she still in the same dorm room as before?" she asked.

Aoto grinned. "No need for that. I actually have a surprise for you. Just wait here!"

Before she could say anything, he rushed past the corner, his voice cheerful as he called back, "Just stay where you are, got it?"

As Aoto disappeared around the corner, Scarlett waited, feeling a little confused. But just a few moments later, he suddenly jumped out, landing on the ground with a proud smile on his face.

With a dramatic wave of his hand, he announced, "Please welcome—your fiancée, Irish Heartfelia!"

He sounded like some kind of over-the-top event host, and Scarlett raised an eyebrow at him.

But then, Irish stepped out.

And Scarlett's eyes widened.

She looked… completely different.

Before, Irish had always been a bit tall for a girl, but now? She was even taller standing with a strong and confident posture. Her deep blue hair was no longer covering her one eye but even shorter than before like a boys and her ocean-blue eyes were framed by thick, dark lashes.

Her body had changed too. She was toned, well-built, and carried herself with a bold, almost dangerous air.

Her body has became very mature too and it was more mature looking since She wore a white sports bra with black edges, a brown jacket casually draped over her shoulders, and tight-fitting jeans paired with black boots.

She looked like the perfect tomboy.

Scarlett's gaze drifted lower, catching sight of a small, shining silver ring on Irish's belly button—she had gotten a navel piercing. Not only that, but a seductive little tattoo peeked out from the side of her jeans, suggesting that a much bigger one lay hidden underneath.

Scarlett's mouth fell open in shock.

Without thinking, she quickly pulled off her blindfold, needing to see everything clearly with her own eyes.

Aoto smirked. "Heh… I knew you had a thing for tomboys," he teased.

But before Scarlett could react, something unexpected happened.

Irish's confident smile suddenly trembled, and before anyone could say a word—

Tears began to spill from her eyes.

Not just a few tears, but a full-on river of them.

She started crying right in front of them.

Scarlett panicked, her hands twitching as she tried to figure out what to do. "W-Wait, why are you—?"

But before she could finish, Aoto quickly grabbed Irish's wrist and pulled her behind the corner again.

Scarlett just stood there, completely dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, behind the corner, Aoto sighed and patted Irish's shoulder. "Why are you crying?" he asked, exasperated.

Irish sniffled, rubbing her teary eyes. "It's just… it's been so long since I last saw her…" She hiccupped between sobs. "I just… I missed her so much!"

Aoto groaned. "Ugh! You're gonna ruin everything! Do you remember everything I wrote in my tomboy guidebook? You're supposed to be the best tomboy ever! Come on, get it together!"

Irish sniffed again, nodding as she wiped away her tears. She took a deep breath, shaking her head to clear her emotions.

Scarlett, still standing there in complete confusion, didn't even know what to do anymore.

But then—

Irish stepped out again.

This time, she had a confident smirk on her lips, her previous sadness completely wiped away. She strode forward, exuding an air of charisma.

Behind her, Aoto pumped his fists and whispered excitedly, "Go, go, go!"

Irish stopped right in front of Scarlett, leaning in close.

With a teasing smile, she wrapped her arms around Scarlett's neck and whispered in a sultry voice, "It's been a long time, honey."

Scarlett froze.

"Honey?" Her face turned bright red.

But then—

Irish's smirk suddenly vanished.

Her expression darkened.

Her once warm, playful eyes became cold and lifeless.

Scarlett felt a chill run down her spine.

Irish tightened her grip slightly and leaned even closer, her lips barely inches away from Scarlett's ear. Her voice dropped into a low, dangerous tone.

"I can smell the scent of two other women on you…"

Her yandere instincts had completely taken over.

Scarlett's heart stopped for a second. Her breath hitched, and her eyes widened.

"Oh… oh shit… I'm fucked!"