Catherine's Growing Curiosity

The word 'opportunity' is sometimes like a mirage—it looks close, but in reality, it remains far out of reach.

Just a moment before Catherine was about to act, she suddenly realized her current state.

Her cheeks were flushed and sweaty from exercise, her athletic wear was damp and clung tightly to her body, her hair was a mess, and her overall appearance was completely unsuitable for a formal social encounter.

Ultimately, she had no choice but to temporarily abandon the idea. First impressions were crucial when establishing contact, as they often dictated the flow of all future interactions.

She shifted her body slightly, using the massive Hero Statue's base as cover to hide herself in the shadows. Peering out with only a small portion of her face, she quietly observed the two approaching girls.

She planned to wait until they left the area before heading back the way she came.

Exhausted as they were, Victoria and Silvia clearly didn't notice anyone else behind the statue in the square.

They trudged along, their low voices carrying across the empty square in the early morning air.

"That guy Greg is such a total bastard!!"

Victoria's voice was raspy and thick with dissatisfaction. She pumped a fist, which tugged at her wounds and made her hiss in pain.

"He practically worked me to the bone, and then he has the nerve to casually say... 'It's your own lack of endurance; your uptime is too short'?! Does he even hear himself?!"

Walking beside her, Silvia gave a helpless, gentle smile and spoke softly to soothe her.

"Victoria, don't be angry anymore. Senior Greg only did it so we could adapt to the dungeon's combat rhythm faster. And... we did succeed in the end, didn't we? Even if the process was a bit grueling."

Victoria curled her lip, her complaints far from over.

"But his double standards are off the charts! When he wants to settle accounts with me, he goes on about how 'even sisters should keep clear accounts' and nitpicks over every single copper. But when it's my turn to settle up with him, he puts on that face like 'we're brothers, talking about money hurts the relationship'! That shameless scoundrel!!"

Silvia covered her mouth and giggled, continuing her gentle persuasion.

"Alright, alright, look on the bright side. Our gains this time really were quite substantial. If Senior Greg hadn't led the way and directed us, it would have been impossible for just the two of us to get all this. We really should be thanking him."

"I know that..."

Victoria sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"I just can't stand that irritating attitude of his... and—"

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to Silvia, her gray eyes filled with a hint of suspicion.

"Silvia, lately... why does it seem like you're always speaking up for Greg? Every time I complain about him, you take his side. Since when did you two get so close?"

Silvia's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. A flicker of panic flashed through her pink eyes, but it was quickly masked by a tender smile as she waved her hands frantically.

"N-No, that's not it! Victoria, don't get the wrong idea! I just... I just feel like Senior Greg has saved me twice, and I've always been grateful. I want to repay his kindness, so I... I just said a few good things, that's all! There's really nothing between the Senior and me!"

"Oh... I see."

Victoria stared at Silvia for a few seconds. Seeming to accept the explanation, she nodded.

"True. That guy might be annoying, but he did save you. It's only right to repay a kindness. I thought the two of you had gotten really close while I wasn't looking."

"H-How could that be!"

Silvia's cheeks flushed slightly, but her gaze softened even more as she looked at Victoria.

"We're best friends who grew up together, aren't we? That will never change."

"Of course!"

Victoria grinned and threw an arm around Silvia's shoulder. "Come on, let's go back, take a long bath, and then sleep until we forget what day it is! I'm exhausted..."

Their voices faded as their footsteps moved further away, finally vanishing around the corner of the tree-lined path leading to the dormitory area.

...

Behind the statue, Catherine's expression was quite strange.

"Greg Sass and Victoria Cecil have not only reconciled long ago, but have even reached a point where they can party up and conduct high-intensity exploration deep within a dangerous dungeon?"

Furthermore, while Victoria hadn't noticed Silvia's feelings for Greg during that conversation, Catherine certainly had.

Although she had suspected some connection between the two since the 'magic conduit Screech' incident, she hadn't expected it to be like this.

This discovery instantly overturned many of Catherine's previous assumptions and made it even harder for her to understand the logic behind Greg's behavior.

Since their relationship was already so close, he had more than enough capability and reason to provide Victoria with any form of assistance personally.

So why go through the extra trouble of doing it through me?

If you let someone else bestow a favor, the beneficiary will be grateful to that person, not to Greg Sass himself. So what profit is there in this for him?

Unless... he doesn't care about so-called profit at all?

Was he helping Victoria out of some... purer motive?

Even if Catherine was loath to admit it, reality was telling her that there might actually be people in this world who didn't care about personal gain.

This realization caused Catherine a slight sense of discomfort, as if a crack had formed in the foundation of the worldview she had believed in for so long.

In this circle where the exchange of interests and power games were the dominant rules, she had seen too much pretense, calculation, and transaction. She had almost never seen a truly selfless act.

Yet Greg Sass's current behavior was faintly pointing toward this possibility outside of her understanding.

"In this world... does such a person really exist?"

Beyond her confusion, an unprecedented desire to investigate rose within Catherine's heart.

Greg Sass was like a meticulously designed puzzle that lacked the key hint; the more she tried to solve it, the more doubts she uncovered.

"Originally, I only wanted to contact them to fulfill my contractual obligations and perhaps build some valuable connections along the way."

"But now..."

She looked in the direction where Victoria and Silvia had disappeared, her lips slowly curving into a smile that was vastly different from her usual professional smile.

"Perhaps I can do the opposite and use them... to gain a deeper understanding of exactly what kind of person Greg Sass is."

"What secrets and value lie hidden behind his contradictory behavior, his secretive status, and the complex web of relationships he shares with these unique girls..."

"This might turn out to be an investment that is far more interesting—and potentially more rewarding—than simply fulfilling a contract."

She draped the towel back over her shoulder, adjusted her breathing, and set off with a steady stride, jogging back toward the dormitory area.

In her mind, she was already beginning to formulate how to initiate her first formal contact with Victoria and Silvia in a way that was both natural and efficient.