"The demon worshiper who nearly ambushed me was promptly detained and taken to the temple."

According to the law, demon worshipers must be transported to the temple as soon as their identities are revealed.

The ones escorting him were holy knights, ensuring no mishaps like self-destruction would occur under Kate’s thorough subjugation. Still, vigilance was necessary.

While immediate execution was the standard protocol, this case was treated as an exception.

The fact that the demon worshiper used magic within the academy and managed to suppress their killing intent until the very moment of the attack suggested they were no ordinary individual.

Moreover, sending someone to assassinate me indicated that they were likely a trusted operative among the demon worshipers.

Of course, it could have been a desperation move, a gamble knowing that Kate was my bodyguard. But judging by their ability to induce a heart attack in a passerby, it was clear they were skilled. If not for the arrow that intervened, the situation could have been dire.

With the demon worshiper escorted to the temple, I was immediately surrounded by both my guards and academy security personnel and escorted back to the dormitory.

After all, an incident involving a demon worshiper using magic to target me inside the academy couldn’t go unnoticed.

"So, you haven’t gone outside at all since then?"

"Yeah."

"You even had someone else, not Adelia, run your errands?"

"Right."

Three days had passed since the incident, and I hadn’t set a single foot outside my dormitory.

I usually needed to go out to fulfill my teaching duties or assist Elena with her research, but my perspective changed after facing a direct threat from a demon worshiper.

The outside world—or even just stepping out of my dorm—felt too dangerous. The attack made it clear that assaults by demon worshipers weren’t just some distant, theoretical threat. They could happen anytime, anywhere.

The naive thought that I’d be safe inside the academy was tossed in the trash that day. My mere existence could bring harm to innocent bystanders.

"You made the right call. Honestly, I was really worried about you. I thought you didn’t realize how important you are."

Mari, who had come to visit me after hearing about my self-imposed isolation, expressed her relief.

Technically, she should have been attending classes, but as my fiancée, her attendance was excused. And with the recent incident, no one questioned her absence.

"No, I understood my position. I just thought demon worshipers were… someone else’s problem."

My response sounded more like an excuse than an explanation.

It was stupid of me to think that way, though I could blame it on the deeply ingrained mindset from my past life. Minerva’s capital—and the academy in particular—was known for its excellent security.

It was easy to believe that with a little caution, everything would be fine. And since nothing had happened during my first week back at the academy, my guard had slipped even further.

People could call me an idiot for only realizing this now, and I wouldn’t argue.

Demon worshipers were despicable; I knew that from various reports. But since they’d never targeted me personally, I’d convinced myself I could ignore the threat.

Now, I understood how wrong I was.

Not only had they come for my life, but they had nearly killed an innocent person in the process. That alone made it clear what kind of beings demon worshipers were.

Still, one thing gnawed at me—the words the demon worshiper shouted just before attempting to kill himself.

"The Father of All Things…"

I couldn’t help but wonder about the significance of those words, but I decided to shelve the thought for now. The pressing question was how to return to my normal routine.

The incident within the supposedly secure Halo Academy would undoubtedly tarnish the reputation of the Minerva Empire.

Even without reading the newspapers, I could picture the fallout. The academy’s chancellor and higher-ups were likely facing intense scrutiny and criticism.

Politically, it was unfair to blame them entirely, but politics often operated on finding scapegoats.

For now, however, with Mari publicly declared as my fiancée, the situation remained stable. I had no plans to leave the empire, so that stability was unlikely to falter anytime soon.

"Things will probably change when Cecily and Arwen arrive," I thought as I munched on cookies baked by Adelia.

Cecily and Arwen were unofficially my lovers, unlike Mari, whose relationship with me was formally recognized.

Other women were involved in my life, but none had been publicly acknowledged like Cecily and Arwen.

"How long are you planning to stay cooped up? A week? A month?"

"At least a week. The academy probably wants me to stay put for now, too. By the way, how’s Lina doing? I imagine she’s under a lot of stress."

"She hasn’t been attending classes either. I bet she’s busy with meetings right now."

"Hmm…"

I nodded. It was no surprise that Lina would be dealing with the political repercussions of the incident.

Having made up my mind to never let such carelessness endanger others again, I turned to Adelia, who had subdued the demon worshiper just three days earlier.

"Adel?"

"Yes? What is it?"

Since Mari was present, Adelia responded formally. She had always been my steadfast protector, but this recent incident made me realize something.

Adelia was my shield against external threats. But what if that shield broke? What if she couldn’t protect me?

I needed to prepare for the worst.

"You once told me it wouldn’t hurt to learn some basic self-defense, maybe even how to handle small weapons."

If that shield ever failed, I needed to be able to resist, even minimally. If I were to die, it wouldn’t just sadden those close to me—it would devastate them. I needed to learn how to survive.

Even if I lost my arms, as long as I survived, divine power could restore them. According to Luminous, I might even be able to reverse time, albeit briefly.

"So… could we start today?"

"It won’t be easy."

"That’s better than being injured or dead."

Adelia stared into my determined eyes, her expression unreadable. She finally nodded.

"I’ll have to ask the baron for permission first. That’s the proper protocol."

"Fair enough. Let’s do that."

Father would undoubtedly approve. As someone who valued discipline, he wouldn’t refuse my decision to learn martial skills.

With the teleportation device in the dormitory, correspondence with the manor was swift. Soon after, I received a response.

"The baron says he’ll come in person."

"…What?"

I blinked in surprise at Adelia’s unexpected reply.

Equally taken aback, she handed me the letter.

"He said it’s better to teach you properly if you’re going to learn."

"Does that mean he doesn’t trust you?"

"I wouldn’t say that. The letter just says he’ll come personally…"

"…"

Was this just an excuse to get out of work?

***

News of Isaac's near ambush by a demon worshiper spread across the world in no time.

It was no surprise—Isaac, nearly being assassinated, had caused an uproar, and as expected, the Minerva Empire found itself in a difficult position.

The prestigious Halo Academy, constructed with the help of master craftsmen from the Ters Kingdom, had been exposed as vulnerable for all to see.

In the midst of this turmoil, the person most inconvenienced was…

"Ugh, those damned bastards…"

…none other than Arwen, who had missed the perfect moment to make her public announcement due to the demon worshipers.

She had originally planned to announce it today, but the attack on Isaac by the demon worshipers had completely derailed her plans.

When she first heard the news, she had been worried about Isaac’s safety. However, upon learning that he was unharmed, relief quickly gave way to irritation.

"I wanted to show it to him so badly…"

With a slightly melancholic expression, she gazed at the carefully prepared "gift" resting in its box.

Just the thought of wearing it and showing it to him was enough to make her feel unbearably shy, but at the same time, she felt a flutter of excitement.

She couldn’t help but wonder—what kind of reaction would Isaac have? Just imagining it made her heart race and her lips curl into a smile.

"…No, I can’t wait any longer."

If she hesitated again, she would miss the opportunity once more. Even if it meant risking embarrassment, she had to make her announcement within the next week.

With a determined expression, she quietly closed the lid of the box containing the gift.

Tap, tap.

After ensuring no one else was around, Arwen tapped the communication crystal resting on her desk with her finger.

The crystal, a magical artifact for communication, shimmered faintly. Although Arwen, as a high-ranking elf, could typically use telepathy, the vast distance made it impractical even for her.

Thus, she relied on the crystal to reach someone far away.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

[Yes, I can hear you, Your Majesty. What’s the matter?]

A sultry woman’s voice echoed from the other end of the crystal. If Isaac had heard it, he would have immediately recognized it as someone very familiar.

After checking her surroundings once more to ensure privacy, Arwen cleared her throat, her face noticeably reddening. Her ears twitched up and down erratically, betraying her nervousness.

"I… I’ve made my decision, so I’m contacting you."

[Oh? Finally? But isn’t the timing a bit…]

"I know, I know… but if I keep delaying, it’ll never happen…"

[Hmm… I see. So, what do you need my help with today?]

The woman on the other end asked with a voice dripping with amusement. Arwen hesitated for a moment, her pride warring with necessity.

Although she usually found this woman irritating, in this instance, she had no choice but to swallow her pride and ask for help.

When it came to matters of romance, Arwen was utterly clueless compared to the woman on the other end, who had considerable experience in such things—and with Isaac no less.

"I… I need to know what Isaac likes… and what kind of… um… things he enjoys."

[Oh my~ That’s easy. I’ll tell you later when everyone else is around, so just wait a little longer.]

"I-I’ll be waiting."

Click.

With that, the crystal dimmed, and the connection ended. Arwen stared blankly at the now-dark crystal before letting out a long sigh.

"…A gift should make the receiver happy, after all."

For that, she was willing to set aside her pride entirely.