After teaching Irene and Amy the breathing technique, I stepped out onto the knight department's training ground with Amy.
Irene, infused with enthusiasm, had already begun practicing her swordplay.
-...Ah, I understand. I'll practice diligently till I master it.
-Why's it suddenly so hot? My face is all red. Theo, don't you feel the heat?
-Ah, let's go together? I want to practice my sword a bit more before I go. Now that I've learned this technique, I should make the most of it!
I was pleased with Irene's passion; her growth rate was bound to increase rapidly.
She must be part of our winter break attack on [Ford Company].
Amy, too, despite her lower combat potential compared to Irene's, had an assassin's skill with daggers and tenacity on par with Jang Woohee.
Her perspective could reveal aspects I might overlook.
Turning to Amy,
"Amy, make sure you master the breathing technique."
"...I understand, young master."
Amy nodded and looked at me with a calm gaze.
It seemed like she had something to say.
"Do you have something on your mind?"
"I get why you'd teach Irene; she's your fiancée and Aide. But why me?"
Her eyes were searching for a genuine answer.
The reason I taught her was, of course, to join me in attacking [Ford Company].
Amy's loyalty was ensured by Equilibrium's commands, and strengthening her was a logical step.
Yet, I couldn't disclose the full extent of my plans.
I quickly formulated an appropriate response.
"As I've mentioned, Amy, you're my secretary."
"······."
"Do you need any other reason?"
"······No, thank you for telling me, young master. I may be lacking, but I will train hard."
Amy bowed her head to me.
"Let's head back to the dorm, then. I'm exhausted."
"Yes, young master. The carriage should be here in about five minutes."
"Great. If we hurry, we'll catch it just in time."
I needed to sleep as soon as possible.
Tomorrow, I have to meet up early with Neike, Eshild, and others to teach them the breathing technique.
Although Neike is exceptionally strong, the technique used by Jang Woohee's father, which remains effective even later in the game, might still be an upgrade for what he was currently using.
I had to ensure they were all ready for the [Ford Company] raid at all costs.
I headed towards the carriage stop, moving briskly.
Amy trailed behind Theo, observing his pace.
Despite their speed, his silhouette was the picture of composure, his clothes without a wrinkle.
'Has he always had such a wide back?'
She knew of his rigorous and consistent training regimen, which included various strength-building exercises.
But today, his silhouette appeared broader than ever before.
‘He's growing fast...’
Amy had observed him since his childhood days when her patience with him was often tested to the limit.
She recalled a night he roused her at 2 a.m., pestering her to purchase a drink from the city.
No matter how often she informed him that the shop didn't open until 10 a.m., he persisted, childishly insisting she make it herself if necessary.
Those times were relentlessly demanding.
Not a single moment was lighthearted.
The concept of ‘endurance’ had been deeply ingrained in her mind through those daily tribulations.
Were it not for her younger sister, Selena, held by Equilibrium, Amy might have abandoned her post long ago.
But these days, the thought of harming Theo didn't cross her mind.
Instead, his unexpected kindness often surprised her.
Life had taken a sweeter turn.
‘It's a peculiar feeling.’
Amy could not see Theo's true inner feelings; they were impossible to guess.
But for now, her task was to look after him diligently.
With this resolve, she continued to shadow Theo closely.
4 a.m. was a time when sleep claimed most, yet Woohee lay awake.
The cause of her restlessness was Theo's statement:
-My mission is to annihilate [Ford Company].
Theo was not known for making idle comments.
But she couldn’t help but doubt whether it was really possible to bring them down.
After parting ways with him, she had done some separate research on [Ford Company], and there were a lot of suspicious aspects.
A recent stir had been caused by news of the creation of magical life forms called robots in the northern magical city, designed to mimic human movements.
The likelihood was high that [Ford Company] was orchestrating the production of these robots.
An article had mentioned a batch of 100 units produced as an initial test.
The capabilities of these robots, as reported, were remarkable:
- They executed commands emotionlessly and with precision.
- With a steady supply of mana, they could function indefinitely.
- They could grow continuously through learning.
Although she couldn’t use magic herself, she possessed the [Magic Nullification] trait.
It was important to know about magic with this trait so she knew as much as an average magic department student.
This understanding led her to appreciate the revolutionary nature of these robots.
'So he was aware of this all along.'
He also possessed [Magic Nullification].
In his presence, she had stubbornly proposed to undertake the rescue of Hyoyeon alone, despite the risks.
But he had flatly told her that it was too dangerous.
Showing such a side of herself was...
...embarrassing.
She had learned from a young age how to control her emotions, especially anger.
“Haah.”
Her throat felt parched.
She sat up, reached for the water beside her bed, and drank deeply.
After drinking, she sat on the bed for a while, staring off into the distance.
'In the end, it seems my only option is to place my trust in him.'
He was, as he had said, making quite thorough preparations.
It was beyond her imagination.
'He's really committed.'
She was well aware of his abilities.
Apart from his prophetic gift, he had been almost worthless until recently.
Now, he was taking actions that suggested a newfound awakening.
It was almost as if he had sold his soul to a demon.
The Chalon family's commemorative ring on his finger was a testament to this change.
Despite Piel's disapproval, he had acquired a ring reserved for the Chalon family's most honored guests.
His skills with the sword were also impressive.
While not flawless, his moves were deliberate, each slash and thrust confident.
'I wouldn't mind if he had made a pact with a demon.'
To her, saving Hyoyeon was the priority, and nothing else held significance.
The thought of her friend brought a fresh pang to her heart.
"I will definitely save you, Hyoyeon. It will be hard, but hold on just a little longer."
Lying back down, Woohee resolved to support him fully now that her trust was placed in him.
She planned to revisit the breathing technique with him tomorrow.
His physical condition was of utmost importance.
Yet sleep eluded her.
Her mind replayed teaching him that technique, his keen eyes following her dagger demonstration, the serious nod of his head as she pointed out flaws in his swordplay.
In those moments, he looked quite cute, a huge contrast to the formidable prophet she was accustomed to.
"Ah..."
Sleep was essential.
But the harder she tried to quiet her thoughts, the more persistent they became.
It wasn't until 5 a.m. that Woohee finally drifted off.
The third day of the Elinia Academy Festival began.
"La la la, la la la~"
Humming a carefree melody, a woman in her mid-20s, wearing a dress and with black hair, strolled near the Magic Department.
She was Roy, Maitri's underling, not currently masquerading as 'Fozya' the reporter, but as 'Yoru' the government official.
"The magic competition starts at 1 PM, right?"
He glanced at his wristwatch.
It read 11:50 AM.
There was ample time.
"So, what's for lunch today~?"
Surveying his options, a food cart offering lobster caught his attention.
"It's a bit expensive, but..."
Today, it felt justified.
That was thanks to Theo, whose proximity to his surveillance targets — Piel, Siena, and Aisha — had made his reporting to Maitri far more efficient.
"Yeah, this is a treat for myself. Let's eat!"
With that, Roy made his way to the food cart.
“!?”
And then, Theo abruptly came into view.
By his side were the surveillance targets, Neike, Eshild, and Aisha.
‘Why are they here…’
It seems like he has to postpone his plans of leisurely enjoying lobster.
Roy readjusted his disguised face and moved closer to them.
