The Crown's Promise!

"Me too," Diana nodded.

"Oh... it seems we have something in common," Ryuji smiled.

The conversation quickly fell into silence. Ryuji shifted awkwardly, not knowing what to say next. In his previous life, he wasn't exactly a ladies' man, so interacting with women—especially one as extraordinary as Diana—felt uncharted.

Even if Diana was ancient enough to be his ancestor, she was still a girl in his eyes.

"I'm heading to the temple. How about you? Do you want to go?" Diana's words carried an unspoken meaning—Paradise Island was not a place where men could stay.

Ryuji scratched his head, pretending not to notice. "This is a strange time for me."

"It's the same for me," Diana admitted softly, gazing into the horizon. She had never left Paradise Island before.

"Oh? It seems we have something in common again."

Diana smiled but said nothing.

"Since fate has brought us together, and I don't really have a plan yet, I'll accompany you for a while. I'll protect you while we're at it." Ryuji stood up and stretched, trying to sound confident.

"You... protect me?" Diana laughed, as though she'd heard the most amusing thing in ages. "I don't know who it was earlier that I sent flying with a single punch."

"Ahem, that's not what I meant," Ryuji said, embarrassed. "The outside world is dangerous. There are deceitful people out there, and you've never left this island. Plus, that spy... I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but he's hiding something."

"Steve? Why would you say that?" Diana frowned.

"I'm not accusing him of being bad. I'm just saying I've seen people like him before. I don't need to understand English to read a person's eyes. He's not telling the whole truth."

While Ryuji had a slight ulterior motive—planting doubt about Steve—his observation wasn't completely unfounded. Steve had his own agenda.

Ryuji added, "At first, he only wanted to leave Paradise Island, not save the world. 'Ares is behind the war'? Come on, that sounds too convenient, right?"

Diana didn't look convinced. "I trust my own judgment."

"Fine, fine. Forget about him," Ryuji sighed. "By the way, don't you want to say goodbye to your aunt?"

He tried to change the topic, hoping to lighten the mood.

Diana paused, then shook her head. "She'll be fine. Right?" She looked at Ryuji, her eyes full of expectation.

"Don't worry. I'll check on her."

As he said that, Ryuji spread his dark wings and shot into the sky. "Where do we meet?"

"Southeast. There's a small boat waiting," Diana called out.

"Got it!" Ryuji nodded and flew off.

Diana watched him disappear into the clouds before turning and running towards the temple. Her movements were swift and precise, leaping across rocky ledges with ease until she reached her destination.

---

Item Obtained:

Lasso of Truth

God Killer Sword

Amazonian Shield

Starlight Cloak

---

Meanwhile, back in the cave, Steve was pacing nervously, trying to figure out an escape plan. His compass was broken—likely damaged during the crash—and no map was in sight.

When Diana appeared, he nearly jumped out of his skin. For a moment, he thought the Amazon warriors had caught on to his escape plan.

"Nice outfit," Steve said awkwardly, trying to mask his surprise.

"Thank you," Diana replied calmly. "I know how to help you leave the island, but you'll take me to Ares."

"Ares?" Steve blinked. "Uh... sure, deal."

Whether or not Diana's story about the God of War was true, this was his opportunity to leave.

---

On the beach, Ryuji landed smoothly, startling the Amazon warriors still patrolling the area. Once they recognized him, they nodded respectfully.

"Mr. Ryuji."

"Hello," Ryuji replied, offering them a casual smile before heading towards a small hut nearby.

Inside, Antiope was resting. Though visibly weak, she was awake, staring at Ryuji as he entered. Her sharp eyes still held the strength of a warrior.

"Word is... you saved me," she said weakly. Her voice was steady, but the effort to speak clearly took a toll.

Ryuji stepped forward. "You don't need to thank me. Just rest. Let me check your injury."

Antiope didn't resist. The Amazons' healers had already treated her wound, but Ryuji placed a hand gently over her bandaged chest and let his magic flow.

"Good news—you're healing faster than I expected. By tomorrow morning, you'll be on your feet."

"Thank you," Antiope said softly.

"Where's Diana?"

"She's... on her way to the temple," Ryuji admitted.

Antiope sighed knowingly. "So she's leaving."

Ryuji's expression turned serious. "It looks that way."

"I understand her," Antiope murmured. She slowly removed the glowing Starlight Crown from her head and handed it to Ryuji. "Give this to her for me. And take care of her."

Ryuji blinked in surprise, but he accepted the crown, nodding solemnly. "I will."

"Promise me," Antiope said, her voice suddenly firm. "Protect her. No matter what."

Ryuji smiled faintly. "As long as I'm alive, no one will harm her. That's a promise."

Antiope's lips curled into the faintest smile, and she closed her eyes to rest.

Ryuji turned and left the hut, the weight of the crown in his hands a reminder of the promise he had just made.

To the Amazons, Diana was a warrior, a symbol of their strength. To Antiope, she was family.

And to Ryuji...

She was someone worth protecting.

###

Translator Note;

Oi, oi! You there, reading for free? Tsk tsk, you know what's important, right? Power stones! Give some love to the book if you want it to climb and get the attention it deserves!

So, here's the deal: 150 Power Stones by tomorrow and I'll upload THREE bonus chapters. Yeah, you heard me right, THREE! You don't want to miss that! And if you want more, don't be shy, join my Patreon for advanced chapters. You know you want to. patreon.com/TLLina—get moving, or I-i-i'll... Do nothing but go in a corner and sulk for hours 🥹😭