Although most mages neglected physical exercise due to the convenience of mana, Catherine had developed a habit of running every morning to maintain the necessary energy and physique required for handling long hours of business correspondence.
At this moment, as the first light of dawn broke, she wore a form-fitting black athletic outfit, jogging at a steady pace along a secluded, tree-lined path within the academy.
Her long, straight legs, wrapped in tight leggings, displayed elegant lines, and her chest rose and fell rhythmically with her stride. Her golden hair was tied back in a neat ponytail.
Fine beads of sweat trickled down her smooth forehead and neck, slightly dampening her sideburns, but her cerulean eyes remained clear. Her mind worked efficiently in time with her rhythmic breathing, sorting through the new information she had acquired yesterday.
"The person Greg Sass requested I assist when necessary, that first-year commoner girl named Victoria Cecil... she seems to have some kind of... unusual connection with the Holy Church of Light?"
Catherine analyzed the situation calmly while adjusting her breathing.
Based on her knowledge of the various powers on the continent, the Holy Church of Light, which sat at the pinnacle of faith and power in the human world, would never extend its reach toward a commoner girl with no background for no reason.
Unless there was some value within this girl that was not widely known—value significant enough to attract the attention of the Church's upper echelon.
But what exactly was this 'value'?
With insufficient information, it was difficult to draw a conclusion.
However, this clue alone was enough for Catherine to reassess Victoria's potential value and risks.
Individuals deeply involved with the Holy Church of Light often represented great opportunities, but they also brought with them an equal level of turmoil and trouble.
"And her inseparable companion, Silvia Lorraine."
Catherine's thoughts turned to the other girl.
Since the end of the first-year Placement Exam, she had heard rumors circulating within the academy about a freshman girl who could use Light magic with extreme proficiency.
At the time, Catherine hadn't paid much attention to it.
She knew that anyone capable of such proficiency in Light magic undoubtedly held an extraordinary status within the Holy Church of Light.
Catherine had clear, phased goals for her own business empire and family development plans.
At this stage, it was not a wise move to have unnecessary, deep interactions with a behemoth like the Holy Church of Light—an organization of massive scale, intricate internal relations, and a natural tendency to scrutinize or potentially interfere in secular commercial activities.
Therefore, she had chosen to observe from a distance at the time, avoiding any proactive contact.
However, now... because of that contract she had signed with Greg, it seemed she had no choice but to interact with these two girls of unique status.
This slightly disrupted Catherine's original rhythm.
But a contract was a contract; it had to be fulfilled.
She began to think about how to turn this obligatory contact into a situation more favorable for herself, or at the very least, how to avoid potential risks.
Furthermore, she couldn't help but wonder once again why Greg had specifically asked her to provide assistance to Victoria.
This was the core question that perplexed Catherine the most.
She tried to analyze it by putting herself in Greg's shoes.
The first possibility: apology and currying favor.
Had he discovered Victoria's potential connection to the Holy Church of Light and realized her status was extraordinary, thus taking the chance to make up for the conflict during the entrance exam, repair the relationship, or even try to climb the social ladder?
But as soon as the thought arose, Catherine quickly dismissed it.
No, it didn't seem like that.
If Greg were that kind of person, his attitude during their negotiations yesterday would never have been so casual, or even slightly impatient.
Although she was only the daughter of the King of Treasures and the heiress of the Roman Chamber of Commerce, compared to a giant like the Holy Church of Light...
Before the next leader of the chamber was established, her status still carried significant weight.
Moreover, if he truly wanted to curry favor with or compensate Victoria, wouldn't the most direct and effective way be to take those easily obtainable 1,000 Gold Coins and hand them to her personally?
Given Victoria's previously displayed economic situation, that huge sum of money would be enough to dissolve most old grudges and even build a considerable amount of goodwill.
Wouldn't that be much more cost-effective than taking a detour and providing potential small-scale future assistance through me?
This completely defied the behavioral logic of a profit-seeker.
The deeper Catherine thought, the more she felt a sense of losing control over the situation.
Greg Sass's behavioral patterns deviated sharply from her templates of human nature.
He had given up a massive, immediate benefit in exchange for an uncertain promise of economic aid for someone else's future... while seemingly gaining no substantial benefit for himself.
It was simply... incomprehensible!
As Catherine's thoughts swirled, her morning run neared its end.
Ahead was the Academy Central Square near the dungeon entrance, where an ancient megalithic statue stood. It served as her daily turnaround point and a place for a brief rest.
She slowed her pace and eventually stopped beside the statue's base.
She took a sip of water from the portable pouch at her waist, then used the soft towel draped around her neck to wipe the sweat from her forehead and neck, steadying her slightly rapid breathing and heartbeat.
However, the moment she looked up—
Two familiar figures happened to emerge from the shadows at the dungeon entrance.
They were the very two protagonists she had just been repeatedly analyzing in her mind and preparing to contact in the future—Victoria Cecil and Silvia Lorraine.
Only, they currently looked to be in a quite battered state.
Victoria's long gray hair was messy with several strands sticking out, and there were visible scratches and stains on her cheeks and arms. Her expensive academy uniform jacket was torn in several places and covered in dust.
Silvia was in slightly better condition, though her long pink hair was also disheveled. Her face was pale, the hem of her dress was torn, and her steps were somewhat unsteady as she walked.
Both of them carried an air of obvious exhaustion.
"Are they... just coming out of the dungeon? And it clearly looks like they've been through a quite difficult battle."
A flicker of genuine surprise crossed Catherine's cerulean eyes.
She was very familiar with the dangers of the dungeon through family intelligence and academy records.
Given their backgrounds, logically speaking, they should have done their utmost to avoid setting foot in such a dangerous area with such a high mortality rate.
But judging by the fact that they were just now walking out, it was highly likely they had spent the entire night in the dungeon.
This discovery left Catherine slightly surprised.
At the same time, she subconsciously considered whether she should take this opportunity to go over, say hello, and initiate a preliminary contact.
After all, a chance encounter always feels more natural than a deliberate arrangement. This might be a rare opportunity.
Rate on N.U.
