I stopped making fun of Irethiel after Ziona had finished eating.
We had already paid the bill and were now getting ready to leave, but the students who had been circling us suddenly approached.
When the people in the restaurant noticed the large number of students entering, they got up and decided to leave because they were afraid a fight would break out and they would be injured in the crossfire.
"Ares, our faction leader wants to speak with you; kindly follow us," Once they got close to us, one of the students said in a commanding manner.
However, Ares didn't respond to him; instead, he simply sat and casually looked at Ziona before speaking.
"Did you notice this, Ziona? You can tell the differences between Erina and Zerix by the different approaches that they made.
On the one hand, Erina herself approached me and asked for my time, and on the other, here comes Zerix, his faction members first hide their presence, then followed us around, and finally surrounding us.
It's almost like as if they're threatening me and telling me that I have no choice but to listen to them," Ares stated with a smirk.
"Yeah, but I'm glad they were considerate enough to not interrupt our meal time, as they approached us after we had finished," Ziona replied, giggling.
"...seriously? If I were you, I wouldn't have been able to finish my meal given how they were drooling while watching you eat," Ares remarked while chuckling.
When Ziona heard him, she was rendered speechless and her face twisted as she imagined them salivating over her food.
"...."
"...Y-You! Come with us already; we don't have time for this," One of the beastman students spoke up after overhearing Ares's conversation with Ziona and suddenly placed his hand on Ares's shoulder.
"...."
"Uh oh, now he's done it," Irethiel said abruptly as she observed the students' conduct.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Stupid bastard," Ziona commented, clicking her tongue.
!?
The student was perplexed upon hearing Ziona's remark, but before he could respond, he was jolted by a sharp pain in his arm, which was holding Ares's shoulder.
Ahhhhh!—
He suddenly began screaming in agony and pain as he realized his arm had become strangely bent and appeared to be broken.
And after hearing the student's agonizing sobs, the other students were startled and the hurriedly reached for their weapons.
Then one of the human student quickly drew a sword and pointed it at Ares.
"D-Don't even think about doing anything stupid, I only got orders to invite you, so don't force me in attacking you," the human student said.
"Do you understand why Zerix only advise you to invite me over pursuing or coercing me?" Ares inquired of the human student who was pointing his sword at him.
But the student was perplexed upon hearing him and didn't know how to respond.
Seeing his perplexed reaction, Ares continued to speak while holding a fork that was kept on the table he was seated at.
"...It's because he was well aware that you guys wouldn't be able to do so," Ares made a grin-inducing remark, and then he vanished from everyone's sight leaving just a blue trail behind, only to reappear beside the human student, holding a sword.
!?
The human student's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could react, his sword-wielding hand was repeatedly stabbed by a fork.
Stab!— Stab— Stab!—
Ahhhhh!—
He began yelping in pain and writhing on the floor, his hand gushing with blood.
Upon noticing this, a student who was a beastman ran over to Ares and attempted to slash him with his claws.
However, Ares easily evaded his attack and proceeded to repeatedly stab the beastman student's arm with a fork at a fast pace before kicking him in the stomach and sending him flying into one of the tables, breaking it.
Thud!—
And then, out of nowhere, another student crashed into the table next to that one, shattering it as well.
Thud!—
Ares turned in the direction of the source that had suddenly sent the other student flying.
"You didn't forget about me, did you?" Ziona said with her trademark battle grin on her face.
When Ares heard Ziona, he just smiled and then vanished from his spot, and began rampaging.
While Ziona was doing the same, and now only the students' painful screams could be heard in the whole restaurant.
***
And in a matter of minutes, every student was dealt with, leaving the entire restaurant in a bloody mess.
There were numerous broken tables, bloodied walls, broken plates, glasses, and windows, among other things.
Of course, the students were also in pretty bad shape and required immediate medical attention to prevent any fatal permanent injuries.
While obviously avoiding the vitals, numerous students had their bodies stabbed. In addition, some had their heads slammed against walls and floor, while others suffered fractures.
"...We don't have to cover the cost of the restaurant's damage, right?" Ziona abruptly questioned while realizing, her face uneasy.
"...."
After hearing Ziona, I simply and expressionlessly glanced around the messed-up restaurant before spotting a waitress hiding beneath one of the tables.
She yelled as soon as she felt my gaze on her.
"I am legally blind! I didn't see any of it. I have no idea who Ares the executioner is." She screamed and ran away.
"...."
"wow! She is witty," Irethiel made a remark and burst out laughing.
"...Was she thinking of me as some psychopathic criminal? And did she really presume I'd attack her without a reason or something?" I muttered as I watched the terrified waitress flee.
"...Maybe this is the first time you've ever seen a woman flee from you in fear, is that right?" Ziona chuckled as she spoke.
"No, I've scared off a lot of women in the past," I replied with a straight face.
"Wait, are you serious?" Ziona was taken aback.
"...."
"You over there! Have you called the ambulance?" I suddenly questioned as I walked over to the restaurant's counter.
!?
"Y-yes, sir Ares, I have already done that," Suddenly, the person hiding behind the counter stood up and responded.
"...As for the restaurant's damages, you can send the bill to Prince Zerix Madlock.
He will pay for all of the damage done here," I advised.
"Hehe, I will do as you say," The guy rubbed his hands together and said.
I then turned to face Ziona and noticed that she was struggling to contain her laughter.
"What? This is the best I can do because we are both disowned and don't have a reliable source of income," I smiled and nodded as I said.
"...Yes, that is correct. It is only fair that they pay for the damages since they were the ones who approached us," Ziona remarked with a straight face before breaking into laughter.
Pftt—hahahah!—
"Come on, what's with the laughter?" I inquired, still smiling.
"...Huu, I just find it amusing given how petty and poor we are," Ziona said, wiping away tears of laughter.
"...."
After hearing that unpleasant truth, I was momentarily rendered dumbstruck.
"Anyways, let's get going. We have a class to attend," I shook my head and said as I walked away.
"...Hey Ares! Wait for me," Ziona emerged from her thoughts and began trailing behind me.
***