"Hey!" Lisanna shouted, her cheeks puffing up in a rare display of genuine indignation. "I knew my man was special from the very beginning! But of course, I had to make him work for it. A prize isn't a prize if you just hand it over."
Elysia scoffed, turning her head with a haughty flick of her silver-blue hair, the movement itself an act of practiced nobility. "No matter what you think, choosing a romantic partner is a complex, delicate process. It requires time, observation, and a careful consideration of compatibility."
"Yea, yea," Lyra's voice, dripping with a venomous sarcasm that could curdle milk, cut through their posturing. "You both fell head over heels in, what, one, two weeks? A truly complex and delicate process, I see."
Elysia and Lisanna clicked their teeth in perfect, frustrated unison, a spark of shared irritation flashing between them—a moment of alliance born from a common enemy.
But in the next instant, a smug, triumphant smile bloomed on Lisanna's face. "Hmph. At least we can experience a passionate romance, compared to being an utter dullard who thinks affection is a strategic weakness."
Elysia's cheeks took on a faint, rosy hue at the mention of passion, but she stood her ground, speaking with the full, unyielding weight of her noble pride. "I must agree. Your savage ways are quite ill-suited for any meaningful relationship, Lyra. You would likely try to dismantle your partner simply to see how they function."
A sneer twisted Lyra's lips, the expression a perfect, chilling blend of raw amusement and predatory malice. "Oh, now you're just spouting utter bullshit. I'll start believing whatever nonsense you two have to say when you can stand up after I flick you with a single finger."
"You—!" Elysia and Lisanna grew increasingly fired up, their powerful auras beginning to crackle and bleed into the air around them.
The temperature around Elysia plummeted, causing delicate, intricate patterns of frost to bloom on the ground at her feet, while the air around Lisanna shimmered with golden light, growing brighter and hotter with her indignation.
Throughout the entire exchange, Orion simply watched with a wry, knowing smile, the picture of calm at the eye of a hurricane.
Beside him, Terra, having just polished off a pastry, tilted her head with boundless curiosity and subconsciously leaned against his arm, seeking his comforting presence.
"Uhm, are they going to fight?" she asked, a hopeful, excited glint in her hazel eyes. "That would be cool to see."
Orion shook his head, placing a large, gentle hand on her head and ruffling her hair. "If this were some weeks ago, I would've needed to give my sister a proper spanking before she started throwing fists. But at least now, they all somewhat understand we're on the same team."
He looked at the bickering trio, his gaze softening with profound affection. "Who knows, maybe one day all this arguing will actually make them closer."
Terra scrunched up her nose, her mind working to process the alien concept. "Oh. That's kind of weird… but I guess it makes sense. Like, they're way more lively than the noble weirdos at the Academy. Those guys just whisper and stare."
Before Orion could respond, a crisp, electronic chime suddenly echoed through the serene, holographic training grounds. The sound was sharp, official, and utterly out of place, instantly slicing through the heated argument and silencing the three women.
Orion's expression remained calm, but his brows furrowed slightly in thought. He retrieved a sleek, black device from his pocket. On its smooth, obsidian surface, a screen was flashing insistently with a high-priority call request.
Elysia and Lisanna's eyes immediately narrowed, their previous irritation vanishing as they instantly identified the primary sigil: the interlocking rings of the Provincial Hero Association Directorate. It was the symbol of the neutral body that connected every hero organization across all regions.
But layered over it, almost eclipsing it with its sheer presence, was another, far more imposing insignia: a silver trident crossed over a shield, wreathed in stylized, powerfully rendered waves.
Elysia crossed her arms, her irritation replaced by a cold, calculating focus.
"The Argent Federation's symbol," she muttered, her voice low and laced with concern. "Tch. The Directorate is already making big moves, involving a province as complicated as them."
Orion simply offered a calm, unconcerned smile and activated the device.
A holographic interface materialized in the air, expanding into a giant screen that hovered silently before the group.
The image that flickered to life was of a man seated at a chrome table in a sterile, metallic room. His presence was so commanding it seemed to suck the very air out of the training facility, an aura of crushing authority that transcended the thousands of miles between them.
His dark blue and silver uniform was immaculate, adorned with medals that spoke of countless battles won. His shoulders were broad, his posture an unyielding testament to a lifetime of military discipline.
His face was sharp, as if carved from granite, and his analytical gaze swept over them, missing nothing. This was Major Corbin Stone.
The shift in atmosphere was instantaneous and absolute. Elysia and Lisanna instinctively straightened their postures, the gravity of the situation settling upon them like a physical weight.
Even Lyra, who had been leaning casually against her tree, pushed herself upright, her arms crossed and her expression a mask of pure, undiluted disdain.
Terra, however, stopped mid-chew on another pastry, her eyes wide with simple, unadulterated fascination. "Woah… it's like a live holo-vid. He looks super serious. Is he a famous hero? His uniform is really shiny."
Major Corbin's gaze passed over the women as if they were nothing more than decorative furniture, seemingly not even hearing Terra's innocent comment.
His focus locked solely onto Orion.
At this point, there was no need to address the prime heirs of the Wintercroft or Vance families; intelligence from the Directorate had already made it painfully clear who the true mastermind was.
The man's powerful, deep voice filled the room, each word resonating with the unshakeable authority of a battleship's main cannon. "Orion. I am Major Corbin Stone of the Argent Federation's 3rd Fleet. We have been dispatched under PHAD authority to investigate anomalous B-Rank energy signatures that are destabilizing this region. Our intelligence points to two individuals operating outside of the established system. We wish to open a dialogue."
Orion's brows curled slightly, a lazy, amused smile never leaving his face. "Really now? Alright, let's cut the bullshit, Stone. Just what do you want to say to us?"
There was a beat of profound silence. Elysia discreetly rubbed her temples, knowing full well that Orion lived to provoke these self-important, authoritarian figures.
Lisanna wore a wry smile, having expected nothing less.
Lyra's smirk widened in genuine, vicious amusement, while Terra simply watched on in dazed, pastry-induced wonder.
Major Corbin's gaze turned ice-cold, a look that could shatter the will of lesser men and curdle the blood of demons. Even through the screen, the sheer pressure behind it caused Lisanna and Elysia to feel a reflexive pang of tension.
Corbin's voice boomed again, devoid of any warmth or pretense of diplomacy. "I see the reports of your brazenness were not inaccurate in the slightest. The purpose of this call is to inform you that your actions are destabilizing the established balance of the C-Rank Provinces. Your matter is now one of inter-provincial security. It would be in your best interest to cooperate fully. We are prepared to use any means necessary to ensure that stability."
The threat was barely veiled, hanging in the air like a guillotine poised to fall. Faced with the implicit menace of a B-Rank powerhouse from one of the continent's premier military forces, neither Elysia nor Lisanna backed down.
Elysia let out a cold snort, sparks of brilliant, diamond-hard frost twinkling into existence around her. Lisanna's playful frown returned, her eyes narrowing as a spark of brilliant golden light flashed within their depths.
All the while, Lyra let out a loud, theatrical scoff, a jeer that Major Corbin's disciplined expression tried, and failed, to completely ignore.
It was then that Terra opened her mouth, her voice clear and utterly guileless. "This guy is just like all the other weirdos. I kind of want to see you beat him up, Orion."
There was a brief, almost comical pause.
Major Corbin actually blinked, as if he had just heard something so outlandish it had short-circuited his military-trained brain.
And then Orion began to laugh. It wasn't a quiet chuckle; it was a full, rich, mocking laugh that echoed through the facility, each note chipping away at the Major's composure.
"Look, Stone," Orion said, his tone lazy and dismissive. "I am well aware of how this song and dance goes. You think we're going to sit here, trade verbal barbs, and try to scope each other out, right? Sorry, I don't play these dumbass word games like you so-called nobles. Just hurry up and get your ass down here so I can deal with you and whoever else comes with you. You're cutting into my time with my cute girlfriends."
At the last comment, Elysia pinched the bridge of her nose while Lisanna simply sighed, though a hint of a pleased smile touched her lips. Any remaining tense atmosphere was deflating like a punctured balloon.
This was only compounded when Terra pointed a finger at the screen and said, "Oh look, this weirdo is practically grinding his teeth."
Indeed, Major Corbin's knuckles, resting on the chrome table, had tightened so hard they were white. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes held a gaze that promised a swift, violent death.
He practically spat his next words. "Two days. Zenith City central spaceport. Be there."
The transmission cut off abruptly, leaving the giant screen blank. Orion was still wearing his casual, infuriating smile.
Miles away, on the bridge of the naval fortress-carrier ASF Vanguard, Major Corbin Stone sat motionless, his expression unreadable.
The three elite privates who had been standing at perfect attention to the side could no longer hold their silence.
"That damn arrogant boy!" the red-haired private seethed, his fists clenched. "Who does he think he is? Just because he stumbled into some B-Rank power, he thinks he's hot shit?"
Major Corbin raised a single hand, a simple gesture that carried enough weight to instantly silence the private and the other two who were about to chime in.
He took a slow, deep breath, the cold fury in his eyes receding into a deep, analytical calm. "They will all be dealt with in due time," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerously low timber.
Back in the tranquil, holographic serenity of the Wintercroft estate's training facility, a brief lull of silence descended.
The blank, black screen where a Major's furious face had been moments before seemed to absorb all sound, leaving only the gentle, simulated breeze rustling the leaves of the unreal cherry tree.
Orion's lazy, confident smile never left his face; he looked as if he'd just finished a mildly amusing game of cards rather than provoking a B-Rank military powerhouse from a major world power.
A few feet away, Lyra simply scoffed and rolled her eyes, the entire display having been an utter waste of her time.
Beside Orion, Terra, having already dismissed the angry man from her thoughts, was happily munching on another lemon-cream pastry, her focus entirely on the delightful culinary experience.
Only Elysia and Lisanna's expressions grew more serious, the weight of the confrontation settling in. The casual atmosphere of their lunch had evaporated, replaced by the cold reality of continental politics.
Elysia locked her silver-blue eyes with Orion's, her voice sharp and direct. "Orion, I know your power is unfathomable, but this is still dangerous territory. The Argent Federation is not like those pathetic, peacocking Valerians you and Lyra dismantled. This is a true B-Rank military Province. They have direct, high-level connections to the Directorate, and persistent rumors claim their admiralty has ties to an A-Rank Province through back-channel military alliances. Provoking a man like that… it will only lead to further complications."
Lisanna nodded, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a thoughtful frown.
"Ellie's right," she remarked, her golden eyes losing their mischievous glint. "From the intelligence briefings my family has access to, the Argent Federation is far more rigid and disciplined than anyone from even that Ironhearth Province you humiliated. Their command structure is absolute. To even qualify for the rank of Major, an individual must be at least a mid-tier B-Rank Talented with a distinguished service record. That man, Corbin Stone, he's no doubt an elite among elites, trained for warfare and exterminating country-level threats. Hero rankings, to men like him, are just daytime entertainment for the masses."