Crossover: The Problem Human of [Arcadia]

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"A high council meeting? Why all of a sudden?"

"You haven't heard? Lord Laius, the first in line to inherit, has been thrown into the Ice Prison."

"What? Why would Leader Aishelia suddenly make such a move?"

"Apparently he made a huge blunder during negotiations with the other communities."

"I heard it was serious. Even the second leader, Lord Arkeos, and the third leader, Lady Oscar, called for the council together."

"Didn't those two already leave Perseus to join the higher ranks of the Greek gods?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down. You can't say that out loud."

Walking down the marble corridor in his white Greek-style robe, Ryo's ears twitched at the chatter. He muttered quietly,

"So the leaks are this bad. Lady Aishelia's methods might be a little too obvious."

"Just call me Aishelia," the woman ahead of him replied evenly. "The marriage pact is already sealed, no need for polite distance anymore."

She kept her expression calm, though her words carried weight.

"And besides, I wasn't the only one who spread information from the inside. I just gave the push it needed."

Ryo shot her a sidelong glance, lips quirking.

"That joke of a marriage agreement… I don't think it's worth caring about."

"Please don't."

Aishelia let out a quiet sigh.

"If you keep talking, I might regret not crushing Laius harder when I had the chance."

That made Ryo chuckle.

Another sigh slipped from her lips. "From this moment, you're my newly promoted bodyguard—Eoa. You've seen the face you're supposed to use. Make sure everyone who saw you on the way here is properly hypnotized."

"Understood."

Ryo's hand brushed the hilt of his Zanpakutō as he smiled.

The two walked side by side until they reached the massive doors of an ancient palace. Guards bowed as they passed inside.

The hall was lofty and wide, sunlight pouring through stained glass windows depicting the feats of Perseus. Rows of sofas lined the chamber in neat symmetry.

Only five people sat inside.

Three were the elders Ryo recognized from Aishelia's intel, uncles and clan seniors who'd long been under suspicion.

The other two were different.

One, a middle-aged man with golden hair, sat encased in full armor save for his head: Arkeos.

The other, a demi-goddess draped in a coffee-colored Greek robe with one smooth shoulder bared, golden waves of hair tumbling freely: Oscar.

Both had left Perseus millennia ago, ascending to join the host of Greek gods as subordinate deities. But even after their departure, their influence over Perseus remained undeniable.

Ryo scoffed inwardly at the hypocrisy—"Holding onto something you don't even need"—yet even he couldn't deny their authority here.

Aishelia stopped at the doorway, her gaze fixed on the so-called elders. She whispered, "It's not too late to regret this."

"Worse than I thought," Ryo said lightly, then added with a teasing grin, "Give me ten seconds, and I'll kill them all for you."

Boom!

Twin surges of golden divinity flared into the air. Power radiated from Arkeos and Oscar, so intense it became visible, golden lightning crackling across its surface.

The mark of Zeus' bloodline. Shards of the thunder god's power itself.

Clearly, Ryo's words had struck a nerve.

Before the clash could ignite, Aishelia stepped forward. Her hand rested on the hilt of her slender sword, her face cold.

The divine pressure ebbed as quickly as it had risen. With her stance made clear—that she would defend Ryo—the two demi-gods reined themselves in, though their expressions turned glacial.

Oscar was the first to break the silence. She tapped her fingers and smirked faintly.

"Little Aishelia really has grown into a leader. Already learned how to cover for her people."

Expression unreadable, Aishelia answered flatly, "When it comes to protecting your own, I could never match you… Great-Grandmother Oscar."

The word "Great-Grandmother" hit like a slap. Oscar froze, tongue caught.

Arkeos spoke next, voice calm.

"You've grown."

His eyes narrowed slightly as they shifted to Ryo.

"He can stay. As an observer."

The three elders didn't even dare breathe loudly, nodding along like obedient shadows.

Oscar gave a sharp, irritated laugh.

"Brother, you dote on our great-granddaughter far too much. Should I just hand her over to you?"

"Not the time for this."

Arkeos frowned and gestured toward the sofas.

"Whatever our differences, let's sit and talk."

After a pause, Aishelia walked forward and sat opposite him.

Ryo trailed behind and stood just behind her chair, posing like a bodyguard but openly letting his gaze roam over the room without an ounce of respect.

Oscar and the three elders bristled at his arrogance, but under Arkeos' warning glance, they swallowed their anger.

Once Aishelia settled in, Arkeos waited a beat before speaking.

"Laius confessed."

Aishelia's expression didn't shift in the slightest. Ryo, however, smirked mockingly.

Neither said a word, but their faces made it plain: that's such a cheap test, it's not worth responding to.

Arkeos sighed.

"He admitted he had improper designs toward the leader's seat, resented you for standing in his way. On top of that, his visits to brothels were witnessed by members of [No Name]. To cover it up, he was forced into signing an unequal contract with them."

'Laius, you idiot… you actually took that fall?' Ryo muttered in his head.

The guy was reckless, sure, but he had guts. Covering something like that to protect the bigger picture? Loyal to the bone.

Aishelia's face stayed cool, her voice distant. "And?"

Another sigh from Arkeos.

"I want you to officially annul the pact with [No Name] at tomorrow's council."

"Brother!" Oscar snapped, unable to hold back.

Clearly, this wasn't something the two had agreed on beforehand.

Ryo's brow also twitched. 'Well… that complicates things.'

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