When life becomes repetitive, time seems to fly by. This remains true even after I revealed my identity.

In the blink of an eye, the weekend had arrived. As adaptable creatures, people had grown somewhat accustomed to the attention directed at me. Even before my confession, my striking red hair and distinctive appearance naturally attracted attention wherever I went, and this hadn’t changed.

The only noticeable difference was the way people now looked at me, as if they were seeing a celebrity in person. Especially during outings, I always had to bring along Adelia and Kate. Both were strikingly beautiful in their own unique ways, and with me added to the mix, it was impossible to avoid attracting attention.

Kate, in particular, rivaled me in fame and radiated an aura of holiness wherever she went. During the first week, I had to endure countless stares everywhere I went, but by the weekend, those who were already part of the academy seemed to grow used to it. However, that didn’t apply to people who had heard the rumors and sought me out specifically.

The news that I was a student at Halo Academy had spread far and wide, and since I had no plans to leave until the vacation period, I was stuck dealing with the situation. This led to a variety of visitors—ordinary citizens and those with ambiguous statuses—causing quite a bit of trouble. Some even attempted to scale the academy walls, keeping the guards extremely busy. I heard the empire had deployed knights to address these concerns.

Fortunately, the academy strictly required verified identification for entry. If a student wanted to bring someone in, they had to accompany them. So far, there had been no reports of dangerous individuals infiltrating the academy, but it never hurt to be cautious—after all, even a high-ranking cardinal had turned out to be a demonic worshiper. There was a possibility that an academy official, not a recent visitor, could be one as well.

Currently, the Luminous Church, with Kate at the forefront, was conducting a thorough investigation, while the Mora Church was discreetly lending a hand. However, with only a week passed, or perhaps due to the lack of any actual incidents, they had yet to uncover anything significant. Suspicious individuals were sometimes flagged, but they were typically released after a simple investigation. Most cases involved people lurking around just to catch a glimpse of me, which had now become routine.

Cherry, however, was an exception to this "legal stalking." She had never been caught, not even once.

"It’s amazing she’s never been caught," I mused.

Despite her conspicuous appearance and the spread of rumors, she managed to remain under the radar. Ever since I had trailed Hiriya, I’d suspected she might genuinely have a talent for stealth.

Anyway, the weekend arrived, leaving me with ample free time. Normally, I would spend weekends training with Adelia or going on dates with my romantic partners, but this week, I skipped those activities. With everything going on, I decided it was best to remain cautious.

Additionally, it was midterm season, and Cecily was busy assisting Descal with Helium’s administration, making the situation even more challenging.

"Waah!"
"Eek?!"
"Adel, you’re lucky. You get to spend time with me without worrying about anyone else."

I sneaked up behind Adelia, who had changed into her workout clothes, and gave her a playful back hug. She jumped in surprise, her reaction vividly transmitted through her body. Even through her workout clothes, her firm muscles were evident. Despite her rigorous duties, Adelia’s dedication to training ensured her physique remained impeccable.

"You scared me! And for the record, this isn’t playing—it’s work. Please make that distinction."
"But you don’t hate it, right?"
"…Well, no, I don’t."

Adelia initially tried to maintain a professional stance, but her true feelings couldn’t be entirely suppressed. Her face reddened slightly, and I smiled gently at her. While she usually presented a dignified image, moments like these revealed her endearing side.

Though she claimed to distinguish between work and play, the lines blurred entirely in the dormitory. A mere glance between us could spark a subtle tension, and if the mood intensified, it wasn’t long before we crossed the line. When Mari and Cecily were present, I managed to restrain myself, but in their absence, there was no need to hold back.

"So, what’s the plan for today? We usually use the public training grounds, don’t we?"
"We can handle strength training with the equipment inside, but for cardio…"

Adelia remained in my embrace, seriously pondering the matter. My playful antics must have become routine by now.

"Why not just go for a run outside?"
"No. I’d rather skip it altogether than do that."

She rejected my suggestion firmly, her cautious nature unchanged even after a week back at the academy. While I appreciated her vigilance, I couldn’t help but feel a little stifled.

The academy’s staff, along with the Luminous Church and Mora Church, had conducted extensive investigations, and Helium’s personnel were also involved. With such measures in place, the likelihood of an incident occurring at the academy was minimal. A short jog outside shouldn’t pose any real risk.

"What if we ask Kate to join us?"
"Kate?"
"Yeah, we could work out together with her."
"Hmm…"

Adding Kate to the mix would serve as an additional safeguard. Adelia appeared to consider my suggestion. Kate’s presence was a significant deterrent, offering reassurance even in uncertain situations.

"Do we really need to go that far? If you ask, Kate will certainly agree, but isn’t it unnecessary?"

Adelia’s expression turned skeptical as she questioned the need for Kate’s involvement. True, it might seem excessive to burden her on a weekend. While she would undoubtedly agree to my request, it felt intrusive to disrupt her routine.

"I just think it’s important to stick to an exercise regimen. Skipping even one day makes me uneasy."
"Uneasy?"
"Yeah, opportunities to build stamina like this aren’t common. Besides, as someone said, my body will soon become a public resource…"
"…"

Adelia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at my self-deprecating remark. It might have sounded like a joke, but it wasn’t. Once everyone’s business was settled, they’d undoubtedly come rushing to me like untethered wild horses.

Cecily, for instance, was already a daunting prospect. She was currently preoccupied with assisting Descal and had little time to visit. But what would happen once her responsibilities ended? It was easy to imagine her pouncing on me with relentless enthusiasm. And she wasn’t the only one waiting in line.

"You know divine power serves as a growth enhancer, right? It’s why holy knights can grow stronger through prayer. The more divine power accumulates, the greater the growth. If I don’t convert it into stamina regularly, it’ll be like pouring water into a bottomless pit."
"Hmm…"

Adelia listened attentively, though she seemed unconvinced. While she believed in Luminous, her focus had always been on martial arts, making it harder for her to grasp the concept fully. I simplified my explanation further.

"If I don’t, I might waste away."
"What?"
"I’m serious. I could wither away from lack of stamina. My strength is fine, but I absolutely need to build endurance."
"Let’s go immediately. Does Kate have workout clothes?"

And just like that, she was persuaded. Judging by her amused smile, she took my words half-seriously, but they were no joke. The future, as revealed by Luminous himself, was a genuine concern.

Thankfully, thanks to Zenon’s Biography, I had no shortage of divine power, but even that wasn’t enough to keep me entirely safe. It was shocking how much I truly needed.

"Even if I assigned myself to one person per day… it wouldn’t be enough."

I might even have to deal with more than one person at a time. People’s desires varied, after all. Moreover, women tended to grow more passionate with age, unlike men. This was all a necessary investment for the future.

"Exercise?"
"Yes. Do you happen to exercise, Kate?"
"No, not at all."
"What?"

When I called Kate over, I discovered something truly surprising—Kate didn’t exercise at all.

Her response, that she would rather spend the time praying to Luminous, was very much in line with her devout personality.

"Aren’t you the High Inquisitor, Kate?"
"Yes."
"I remember seeing you in white armor, wielding a heavy mace…"
"To vanquish filthy demon worshipers, yes."

How? Both Adelia and I unconsciously shifted our gazes to Kate’s arms.

Dressed casually for the weekend, her slender arms were visible, appearing far too delicate for someone who wielded heavy weaponry. Her overall physique was equally far from muscular, more akin to Mari’s in stature. While divine power could temporarily enhance strength, basic physical training was usually recommended for efficiency.

"You haven’t completely avoided exercise, right?"
"Not entirely. I underwent training while living in the church, probably the same regimen as holy knights."
"And after that?"
"I haven’t exercised since. I never felt the need to."

What was with this person? How did she even rise to the position of High Inquisitor?

Adelia, equally doubtful, asked cautiously, "Excuse me, Cardinal Kate, but may I examine your body? It might be inappropriate, but…"

Kate readily agreed, perhaps because it was Adelia asking.

"Cardinal Kate…"
"Yes, Adelia?"
"Forgive me if this is impolite, but I think you should consider exercising regularly on weekends. Even if you are blessed, this is…"

It must have been more alarming than expected. Judging by Adelia’s serious tone, Kate’s arms must have felt unnervingly soft.

On the flip side, it highlighted the unparalleled effectiveness of her divine power. With a single burst of strength, she could outmatch holy knights who had trained for decades. However, without divine power, Kate would be no more than an ordinary woman, which could spell disaster in the wrong situation.

Adelia’s straightforward warning carried weight: "Focusing on just one strength is never a good choice. If that strength becomes unavailable, you’re left vulnerable."

After a silent exchange of glances with Adelia, Kate turned to me. It seemed she was leaving the decision up to me.

I nodded. "I think we should exercise together. Besides, it’s an opportunity to improve your physical condition while also ensuring my safety."

"Understood."
"Oh, by the way, Adelia will lend you workout clothes."

I handed Kate the exercise gear I had prepared in advance. While it was slightly oversized for her smaller frame, it would suffice for now. Kate soon emerged in black workout clothes, and we decided to buy her proper shoes later.

Seeing Kate out of her usual nun’s habit was a refreshing change. Her golden hair fell gracefully to her chest, and her blue eyes carried a charming hint of awkwardness.

"How is it? Does it fit okay?"
"It’s a bit loose, but it’ll do. The chest feels a bit tight, though."

While her comment was without malice, it inadvertently struck a nerve. I glanced at Adelia, whose polite smile twitched slightly, her face shadowed just enough to reveal her discomfort.

For the record, Adelia was far from small in that area—quite the opposite, actually. Kate’s growth was likely due to the abundant divine blessings she had received. Thinking about it, most women around me seemed generously endowed in that regard.

"…Except for one."

I wouldn’t name names out of guilt. Besides, that one person had her own distinct strengths, which could be just as overwhelming depending on preferences.

Thus began our weekend workout session. Surprisingly, Kate managed to keep up with Adelia and me, enduring the routine with unexpected resilience. At least, at first glance, she seemed fine.

"Cardinal Kate, are you okay?"
"Yes, I’m fine."

But it became clear she was relying entirely on divine power. Normally, one would deplete their stamina first and then use divine power like a recovery potion. Kate, however, skipped that step entirely.

When we restricted her divine power use…

"Haa… haa… haa…"
"Kate, are you alright?"
"Y-yes… haa… I’m f-fine…"

Not fine at all.

In less than three minutes, Kate was already struggling. But then, just as quickly…

"Whew. Whew. Whew."
"You’ve recovered already?"
"I used divine power to restore myself."

Her regenerative ability was absurdly high.

"…It feels like I’m raising a tiger cub," I thought to myself.

With that, the uneventful weekend passed by, leaving me with a mix of amusement and concern about the days ahead.