For a long while, the baths were silent except for the sound of water.

Shien and Diere sat facing each other in the baths. One stared at the other, doing his best to imprint the image before him into his memories. The other looked indifferent, as if there wasnt someone of the opposite gender before her. The expressions on the two of them were completely different.

The silence just continued on between the two of them like that.

Cough

Shien started to feel a bit faint.

The current scene and situation before him made him seriously uncomfortable.

If things kept going on, Shien felt like he might end up awakening.

Thankfully, just as Shien was almost about to awaken, Diere finally spoke up.

You were following me. Was that because you learned something from someone?

Diere actually asked a question like that.

Huh? Shien didnt quite register it right away, and only after he realized did he stammer out, Ah, basically.

Generally speaking, Shien really should have denied it here.

If it was in a difference circumstance, Shien would definitely have mouthed back.

Unfortunately for him, in this situation, Shiens will had been greatly shaken. His thoughts keep drifting toward a direction that it shouldnt, so Shiens normal attention and reaction was much slower than normal, so his thoughts were a bit dull here.

The result is that Shien found himself speaking the truth before he properly considered the question.

(It cant be thats Dieres goal here, could it?)

Shien suddenly had a realization.

This girl knew that, didnt she? Thats why she did it this way to get the truth out of him, right?

Shien greatly suspected that.

However, Diere didnt give him to properly think it through.

Who told you? Diere maintained her calm and spoke, Vivian or the princess?

Youre that sure that its one of those two? Shien had somewhat regained his cool and spoke, Maybe its someone else that told me?

Diere immediately denied Shiens words.

Although theres many who knows about my situation, you can basically say that practically all the nobility in the capital knows, but youve only been here a single day. Thus, pretty much only Vivian or the princess could have talked to you about this matter. Diere spoke evenly, What did they tell you?

Shien was sure now.

Diere came here specifically to interrogate him.

Do you mind that much? Shien paused for a bit before asking.

Somewhat. Diere seemed to lower her eyes, This is my business. I dont want others to get involved.

Diere spoke those words without a hint of doubt.

Obviously, Diere disliked any involvement from Shien or anyone else.

No, dislike wasnt quite the right word there. Rather, its like a kind of stubbornness.

In the past, I accepted far too much help from Vivian, Leili, and the princess. Diere spoke in a low tone, The feeling of being able to only rely on others, being protected by others. I dont like it.

Thus, thats why Diere decided to leave the capital and step onto the path of becoming an adventurer.

I want to become strong. Strong to the point where I can defend against any attack without help from anyone else. Diere stated, If not for that reason, I wouldnt have chosen to head to Lamdrion.

While Vivian and Leili were still in the capital, Diere had enough of them taking care of her. Thus, it was natural for her to want to gain independence after they left the capital for Lamdrion. She didnt want to keep on bothering them.

Even so, Diere still accepted Vivian and Leilis invitation and headed to Lamdrion. The only reason for that is to get stronger.

Of course, Diere choosing to leave the capital is also for the sake of escaping the hostility and goodwill here.

The hostility doesnt need more mentioning. Its basically people like that young nobleman who hates Diere.

Goodwill needs even less mentioning. After Vivian and Leili left the capital, the only one left who would still help Diere is just the princess.

But Diere no longer wanted to accept the help of others anymore. She wanted it from the princess even less.

The reason for that is because that princess took on a teacher.

His name seems to be Aldia, right?

Shien pulled out that name from the silence.

Diere didnt reply.

Seeing that, Shien just continued to speak on by himself.

Back when we reached the capital, Vivian mentioned that the current captain of the royal knights is from the most famous knight family of the Kingdom. It seems to be something like the Arbin family?

Shien brought up the name thats famous through the capital and even the entire kingdom.

That guy called Aldia. Hes the current head of the Arbin family, right?

Shien worded it like a question, but his tone was of a statement.

Thats because it was already really obvious.

Vivian had also said it. As the Hero of the current era, the unbelievably talented Lucy took a legendary leveled knight as her teacher.

That knights level is 98. Hes the strongest person in the Mitra Kingdom, as well as the strongest member of humanity. His might was below only that of the three great goddesses and six great demon lords. All in all, hes really strong.

And Lucy called Aldia teacher.

Given all that, isnt the answer obvious?

Aldia Arbin. Thats the full name of that knight, isnt it?

Shien stated with certainty.

Diere still didnt reply.

Only, although Shien wasnt sure if hes mistaken there, but he felt like when he mentioned Aldia, Dieres mood seemed to have changed somewhat.

After an unknown about of time, Diere finally spoke up.

The Arbin family is pretty similar to the Latrard family.

Diere didnt answer any of the previous questions.

Eh?

Shien was confused for a moment.

Diere continued on in an even tone.

Latrard familys head has been the head of the adventurers guild each and every generation, leading all other adventurers guilds, covering the entirety of the mortal world.

The Arbin familys the same. The head of the family has been the captain of the royal knights every generation, and theyve always been strong.

Do you know why?

Diere gazed at Shien.

Its because the ancestor of the Arbin family was the strongest comrade by the side of the Hero a thousand years ago.

In other words, the Arbin family is actually the descendants of one of the members of the Heros party.

I heard once that the reason my ancestor was so strong, strong to the point to even catch the Hero Mitras attention and became his comrade, is because said ancestor was also a Hero descendant.

Diere spoke such a secret.

The ancestor Arbin inherited the bloodline of one of the Heroes before the Hero Mitra. Thus, the Arbin family line had produced great talents generation after generation. There had even been people who have reached the limit of life itself Level 100.

With that, its impossible for members of the Arbin family to not be strong.

Thats why theyd been able to be the captain of the royal guards generation after generation. They were unbelievably strong.

And Diere

Youre?

Shien looked at Diere with a complicated expression.

Diere finally showed some emotion on her face.

That emotion was self-loathing.

Diere Arbin. Thats my full name.

The girl before him was one of the inheritors of the Arbin bloodline.

She was the same as Lucy, a descendant of a Hero.