“That’s right! We are the Astraea Familia, champions of justice!” Alise decred, turning around, and striking a pose.

  Draco and Michalis were momentarily taken aback by Alise’s sudden shift in demeanour, but they quickly recovered, having known her for a while now.

  Ryuu, however, seemed unfazed and maintained her usual calm expression.

  “You must be little Leah, the girl we helped the other day,” Alise said, a fsh of recognition lighting up her eyes.

  “That’s right! I’m so gd you remember me!” Leah beamed, squeezing the doll in her arms tightly with excitement.

  Ryuu also recognized the girl; she had been with Alise during the incident.

  The previous day, the Evilus had unched a series of random attacks on the streets to divert attention from their pns for the factory that was raided ter that evening.

  The attacks caused widespread panic, sending civilians fleeing like rabbits, disregarding everyone else in their path.

  Little Leah, young and confused, was caught in the chaos, separated from her mother and nearly losing her life.

  Thankfully, Alise had been there to pull her out of the madness.

  Just then, Leah’s mother rushed over, noticing her daughter talking to strangers while she had been distracted.

  “Who are you?” the woman asked warily, eyeing Draco, who was tall and wore a thick bck cloak with bunny ears that obscured his features.

  ‘Hey dy, why are you looking at me like that? I’m not a bad dragon,’ Draco thought, aware that his outfit made him look suspicious.

  He found the stares from passersby annoying, especially with his draconic features on dispy, so he wore a cloak.

  “Ah, we’re not suspicious people!” Alise defended with a smile, recognizing the woman’s apprehension.

  “Mama, it’s the Astraea Familia!” little Leah excimed, pointing at Alise.

  “Ah!” the woman gasped, tears pooling in her eyes.

  “I’m so sorry for being suspicious of my daughter’s saviour. Please forgive me. I can’t express how grateful I am for your help. How can I ever repay you?” she said, falling to her knees in gratitude.

  ‘What the hell? This is so embarrassing, and it’s not even directed at me. How will this Onee-san handle it?’ Michalis thought.

  “Don’t worry about it! I was only doing what is right. We are always happy to help,” Alise replied, her tone bright and cheerful.

  ‘Ugh, she thrives on the gratitude of others,’ Draco thought.

  “Thanks for saving me, pretty Onee-chans and Onii-sans?” Leah said, looking between Michalis and Draco, a bit confused.

  “Ahem! We’re not from the Astraea Familia, but their friends from the Bahamut Familia. If you need help, feel free to seek out the pretty and handsome members of the Bahamut Familia!” Draco crified, pulling down his cloak’s hood with a smile.

  “Oh my!” Leah’s mother excimed, taken aback by Draco’s appearance.

  “Onii-san, what are you?” Leah asked innocently, pointing at Draco’s horns.

  “Well, little one, I’m from an extremely rare race called the Dragon Kin—perhaps the only one in all of Orario,” Draco replied.

  “Oooooh!” Leah excimed, her eyes sparkling with fascination.

  She then bombarded Draco with a flurry of curious questions, which he patiently answered until her mother pulled her away.

  “Bye, bye!” Leah waved, her doll in hand as her mother carried her off.

  “I don’t believe it,” Ryuu muttered.

  “Yeah, I don't believe it either! Draco, did you come here to steal our limelight?” Alise asked, her expression serious.

  “Can’t bme me! I’m just that handsome,” Draco replied, mimicking Alise’s usual tone.

  “Ugh, you’re really annoying,” Alise muttered to herself.

  “That’s not what I meant,” Ryuu interjected.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s the smiles of Leah, her mother, and the many others, is what we’re fighting for, Ryuu. There may not be many of them, but they exist. We shouldn’t forget that not everyone has the strength to smile all the time; doing so would be an insult to the work we do every day,” Alise said.

  Ryuu fell silent, contempting Alise’s words, while Draco and Michalis remained quiet, allowing the girls their moment.

  “You’re right, Alise. There’s no time to feel sorry for myself when we have a job to do,” Ryuu said, her eyes sparkling like a puppy’s.

  Ever since Alise saved her three years ago, Ryuu had become somewhat obsessed with her, tching onto everything Alise said as if it were the only truth that existed.

  Ryuu hasn’t yet realized how dependent she has become on Alise for her direction and goals in life.

  She was just a young, impressionable elven maiden.

  From Draco’s perspective, it was a bizarre retionship.

  Alise needed to be more aware and gradually wean Ryuu away from her; their current retionship wasn’t healthy.

  He had once faced a simir crossroad, but now each member of his familia was beginning to find their own identity.

  However, it was not his pce to intervene; the Astraea Familia would have to resolve this issue themselves.

  Looking at her leader with a smile, Ryuu felt a surge of encouragement. It was as if all her fears and doubts had vanished in an instant.

  Just as she was about to speak, a melodramatic male voice interrupted her.

  “Ohhhhh noooo!” the voice echoed down the street.

  Turning toward the sound, Ryuu, Alise, Michalis, and Draco saw a low-life hoodlum running away with something in his hand.

  “I will be taking this!” the hoodlum decred, snatching something from another man.

  “My money! My 400 Valis! It’s my entire savings! Help! Someone stop that thief!” the victim squealed.

  “Huh, is that a god?” Alise muttered, observing the victim.

  “What has the world come to when even the divine have to worry about being robbed? Also, how is 400 Valis the entire savings of a god? Did he just descend?” Alise fumed at the absurdity.

  “Now’s not the time, Alise! Let’s go!” Ryuu urged, taking off after the thief, with Alise following close behind her.

  Draco, however, remained rooted in pce, holding Michalis back from joining.

  “Why aren’t we helping?” Michalis asked.

  “It smells fishy,” Draco replied.

  “Sniff! Sniff!” Michalis inhaled deeply.

  “I don’t smell any fish,” he said, looking puzzled.

  “Are you faking being an idiot, or are you genuinely one?” Draco asked, his expression stern.

  “Sorry, it was a bad joke,” Michalis apologized.

  “It is indeed odd, given the current state of the city. It’s suspicious for a god to be wandering around this area so te in the evening. I also noticed the pouch stolen was carelessly pced in the open… also—” Michalis started, but was interrupted by Draco.

  “Yes, it’s almost as if it was deliberately pced there as bait. But what is the goal?” Draco completed Michalis’s thought.

  “Come on, let’s go help him. Everything will eventually be revealed,” Draco instructed.