Chapter : 666

"Do you want a sandwich, Princess?" Ken asked lazily. He offered a goofy, relaxed smile. "I think it is turkey. Or maybe chicken. It is very hard to tell. They squished the meat too much."

"I do not want your garbage," Hera snapped coldly. She refused to look at the food. "I want answers. I saw what you did."

Ken stopped offering the sandwich. He popped it into his own mouth. He chewed loudly. Crunch. Crunch.

"I did a lot of things today," Ken mumbled with his mouth full. He slouched his shoulders. "I hid under a table. I ate some cheese. I slipped on a banana peel. You have to be more specific. I am a very busy guy."

Hera let out a loud, frustrated sigh. She uncrossed her arms. She took a step closer to him.

"Do not play games with me, commoner," Hera warned smoothly. Her voice dripped with aristocratic suspicion. "I watched the fight. I watched General Vespera throw that lethal blood-spear. The spear aimed directly for your sister. You did not stumble. You did not slip."

Hera pointed a perfectly manicured finger at his face.

"You caught the spear," Hera accused fiercely. "You grabbed a concentrated attack of dark magic with your bare hand. You threw it right back at a Netherworld commander. You shattered her defenses. You are secretly hiding your true power."

Ken finished chewing his sandwich. He swallowed. He did not panic. He did not look scared. He just let out a long, dramatic yawn. He stretched his arms high above his head. His back popped quietly.

"You have a very wild imagination, Princess," Ken replied casually. He slipped his hands deep into his pockets. "I did not catch anything. I am clumsy. I tripped over a broken floor tile. My hand just accidentally slipped into the air. It was a lucky slip of the hand."

Hera glared at him. "A lucky slip? You threw the weapon back with massive force! You pierced a demon general!"

"That was not my fault," Ken argued lazily. He tilted his head to the side. He put on a innocent, goofy expression. "The magic spear did all the work. You are blaming the wrong person."

Hera frowned deeply. She looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"It is a very basic anime concept," Ken explained cheerfully. He used his flawless, ridiculous slacker logic. "That blood-spear was a cursed weapon. In my favorite ninja cartoons, cursed weapons possess their own dark spirits. The weapon holds immense, stored magical energy."

Ken pointed a lazy finger at the spot where Vespera had fallen earlier.

"When my hand accidentally touched the spear, the cursed weapon activated a temporary buff," Ken stated proudly. "The weapon transferred its own magic into my arm. It temporarily granted me immense physical strength. The spear literally threw itself back at the boss. I was just holding on for the ride. I was a helpless passenger."

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Hera stared at him. Her jaw dropped open just a tiny fraction of an inch. She could not believe the sheer absurdity of his excuse.

"You are claiming the enemy's weapon magically boosted your stats?" Hera asked. Her voice pitched up slightly. She sounded baffled.

"Exactly!" Ken nodded enthusiastically. He smiled a big, proud grin. "It is a massive plot device. The hero touches the evil sword. The evil sword gives the hero a power-up. Then the hero loses the power-up immediately after the fight. It happens in every single fantasy show. You should definitely watch more television. It is highly educational."

Hera closed her eyes. She took a very slow, deep breath. She smoothed the silk fabric of her white dress. She forced her aristocratic composure to return. She opened her green eyes. She looked at him with pure, unfiltered disbelief.

"I do not believe a single word you just said," Hera declared coldly. She crossed her arms again. "You are lying to my face. You are a massive anomaly. I refuse to accept your ridiculous excuses."

Ken slumped his shoulders even further. He let his back slide down the broken marble pillar. He looked bored.

"You can believe whatever you want," Ken mumbled lazily. He reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, wrapped strawberry candy. He unwrapped it slowly. "But I am telling the absolute truth. I am just a normal guy. I like snacks. I hate cardio. I do not have secret powers."

Hera took another step forward. She stood directly over him. She wanted to intimidate him. She wanted to break his lazy mask.

"I will expose you," Hera promised smoothly. Her voice carried intense determination. "I will find the truth. I will not let a , untucked servant deceive me."

Across the ruined ballroom, the girls of the 13th Unit watched the interaction.

Naomi stood near the center of the room. She wore her sleek red dress. She did not scowl. She smiled a very warm, caring smile. She liked Ken. She trusted him . But she did not like Princess Hera standing so close to him.

"What is she doing over there?" Naomi whispered softly. She crossed her arms. Her green eyes narrowed slightly. "Why is she bothering Ken? He just wants to eat his snacks in peace."

Sayma pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. The intelligent Vice-Captain held her neat notebook. She observed the two people carefully. "Princess Hera is highly suspicious. She observed the spear deflection. She is interrogating him."

Elma stood a few feet away. The blonde swordswoman from the 16th Unit wore her spotless white and gold uniform. Her golden curls bounced as she turned her head. She looked at Ken. She looked at her own Princess.

Elma felt a sudden, intense flutter in her chest. Her cheeks turned a bright, vibrant shade of pink. She felt very nervous. She did not want Princess Hera to hurt Ken. She secretly cared about the goofy boy.

"Princess Hera looks very angry," Elma noted quietly. She gripped the hilts of her silver swords. She tried to hide her blush. "Ken is going to make her even angrier. He never stops making jokes. He is going to get himself in trouble."

Laxmi tossed a tiny orange spark of fire between her fingers. She laughed a loud, happy laugh. "Ken can handle her. He will just confuse her with cartoon stories. He is the master of confusion."

Zinia cracked her knuckles. The strong earth mage nodded in agreement. "He always finds a way to talk himself out of a corner. Let us just watch."

Back near the broken pillar, Ken realized Hera was not going to leave. The proud Princess refused to accept his cursed weapon theory. She wanted concrete proof. She wanted to shatter his alibi.

Ken knew he had to end this conversation. He needed to prove his weakness. He needed to use a very bold, very risky strategy to make her go away. He decided to call her bluff . He prepared to drop his personal boundaries and invite a massive invasion of his privacy.

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