But before that...

"Hey, hey, why are you walking so fast up ahead?"

Ryuto's loud voice suddenly rang out.

"Huh?"

Surprised, Crepes·Clair's voice came from the side.

Of course, Ryuto was not talking to her.

"Uh? Who are you?"

The young man sounded quite impatient.

"I'm just an ordinary person."

"Since you're just an ordinary person, don't butt in here. Just stay quiet on the side."

"True..."

Ryuto responded with a wry smile.

"But before that, I have a question, I wonder if you can answer it for me."

"A question? What?"

There was some displeasure in the man's voice.

"Just curious about what you all are doing here."

"Doing? Isn't it just work? Outsiders shouldn't meddle... Brothers, let's go back."

Saying that, the young man took a step forward again.

"Work? Why do I always feel it's not?"

"What?"

The man turned around, somewhat angry.

"Kid, what do you want to say? Are you looking for trouble?"

Hearing this, Ryuto gestured with his hands.

"No, you've misunderstood. I actually mean..."

After a slight pause, Ryuto just smiled faintly.

"Could it be your 'work' is rebellion?"

"What...?"

The man angrily grabbed Ryuto's collar.

"You say that again, kid?"

"Well, maybe I'm mistaken, but what I saw makes me think so."

Ryuto had no intention of backing down.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Isn't it? Although I don't know what your job is, but it seems like your current actions haven't been authorized by your captain, so, I can only assume you are rebelling. If I'm wrong about anything, I hope you can correct me."

With that, Ryuto glanced at the other people who came with the man.

...

At Ryuto's question, the others just bowed their heads silently.

Indeed, were these people just incited by him? No, judging from this, it should be instigation combined with threat. After all, there was no reason to not get along with nobles, even though the other side was also nobility.

Moreover, it seems like it happens everywhere, being ostracized and such, even the special security team was no exception. Should I say the rules are the same? Or the stubborn nature doesn't change?

"You little..."

Just as Ryuto was sarcastically commenting in his mind, perhaps unable to bear it, the man clenched his fist and punched Ryuto's face hard.

Uh...

Looks like I'll be punched.

But just before that, the fist that was about to hit Ryuto's cheek was intercepted by someone else.

Huh?

"What?"

Not only Ryuto, even the young man uttered the same surprised voice.

Just as the two were surprised...

"Roth, I can overlook the others, but Mr. Amagi is not only a guest but also an important member of this operation. I cannot overlook any actions that harm Mr. Amagi."

Crepes·Clair's tone was much firmer than before, no, this should be considered normal, the previous situation was just too abnormal.

"What? This guy is the collaborator?"

But the man's surprise was not about being stopped or Crepes·Clair suddenly becoming assertive, but rather Ryuto's identity.

"Tch..."

After a moment of confrontation, the young man, coming back to his senses, withdrew his hand.