The man who appeared was handsome enough, but what truly stunned them was the Battle Aura enveloping his entire body. Coupled with his golden hair, he looked like a Saiyan straight out of a manga.

"Holy crap, is the real protagonist here?" Lulu blurted out, not a shred of gratitude in her voice despite the handsome stranger’s sudden, showy rescue.

*Oops. Slipped into cursing again. Not ladylike at all.* She’d dressed up so nicely today, hoping to snag a guy. *But who’d want me looking like this? Still… he did save us. Maybe I’ll repay him properly later.*

"Lulu, snap out of it! We’re in a fight!" Alice snapped. *When will this girl stop daydreaming?*

Jolted back to reality by Alice’s shout, Lulu realized now was no time for flirting. "Right, right!"

While the two bickered like usual, Evelyn had already recognized the newcomer.

"Well, well. If it isn’t the new Dragon Slayer Hero?" Evelyn’s voice dripped with mockery. "Shouldn’t you be cozying up with your princess? What brings you here?" She and Zhang Yong hadn’t come unprepared—they’d gathered intel. This Hero’s reputation preceded him.

Unswayed by Evelyn’s beauty, the Hero raised his sword, his body angled sharply. Fury and frustration twisted his face. "Do you have any idea why I’m here? I was enjoying a peaceful life with my princess! But today—today was special!"

"Open house day?"

"A stage performance?"

"Full of girls?"

"No clue."

"Of course you don’t. Only a handful knew. Since you’ve ruined everything anyway…" He paused dramatically. Lulu’s eyes sparkled with anticipation behind him. *This’ll be good.*

Everyone leaned in—except Alice. Her gaze lingered on the Hero, tangled with sorrow and longing. Strangers would’ve thought he’d wronged her deeply. Yet this was their first meeting.

"It’s your fault!" the Hero roared. "This wasn’t just any stage! I planned to confess to my princess there. I’d prepared a special surprise beneath the stage—all wasted because of you!"

*Ah.* No wonder he was furious. A confession on such a day would’ve sealed the deal. Now ruined by their sudden arrival. *Honestly, rubbing love in single folks’ faces on a day like this… how are we supposed to survive?*

*But better not say that aloud. Might get us killed too.*

The Hero’s passion demanded a response—even if half-hearted. "My apologies," Evelyn drawled. "I suppose I’ve unwittingly saved every single soul in this kingdom. They should thank me."

*Preach. On behalf of Single Folks United, I salute you.*

"How dare you?!" The Hero’s voice cracked. "Do you know how long I prepared? This outfit was custom-made for today! Blessed with Holy Light to shine brilliantly on my way—!"

*Holy Light? I thought it was Saiyan energy.*

The first to strike wasn’t the fuming Hero, but Evelyn. Her command sent the remaining beasts lunging. The aura that had briefly cowed them was gone. Prey scent flooded their senses.

Lulu and Alice had been watching. They sprang aside just as the beasts pounced—not toward the monsters, but behind the Hero. *No way we’re fighting fair. We barely beat the first one with a sneak attack and that iron rod.* Weaponless now, they’d be torn apart.

*Not that we’d drag him down with us. Pretty girls don’t do that.*

Richard Clayderman sighed, forced to shield them from the beasts’ first assault.

"Give us weapons. Anything!" Alice demanded. Unarmed, she was useless. *These two proved their strength earlier. With blades, they could help—and maybe I’ll get a shot at those two spectators.*

No time to pick. Richard tossed two weapons from his spatial gear. "Catch!" One blade sang through the air—a dragon’s roar, not mere theme music.

*Damn. Grabbed the dragon-slaying blade by mistake. I barely use this myself.*

"Fine steel," Alice murmured. Testing its edge, she dodged a beast’s swipe and carved a deep gash across its flank. "You’d lend me something this precious?"

"Don’t get attached. You’re giving it back."

"Tch. Selfish."

"Flattery won’t work. It’s mine."

Lulu, struggling with an ordinary sword against the beasts, yelled, "Help us already! This isn’t the time for flirting!"

…

"Charming, aren’t they, Hero?" Evelyn murmured.

"Hmm. When do we leave? They’ll hold out a while longer."

"Whenever you like."