“Haaa…”

Stepping off the field, Aestrea exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in.

His entire body ached, his muscles sore from the intense match.

Without wasting time, he quickly cast a few 『Clean』 spells over himself, getting rid of the sweat and dirt clinging to his skin.

A refreshing chill washed over him, making him feel at least a little lighter.

Now cleaned up, he looked around, scanning the area for the teleporter that would take him out of the stadium.

As he walked toward it, he pulled out his phone, unlocking it with a quick swipe. His eyes looked at the screen, searching through his schedule for the day.

It took a moment to find his name, but once he did—

Two more events.

『Mana Volleyball』 and 『Weight Throw』.

Great.

And as for tomorrow, the final day of the Snow Festival…

He had two of the main events left.

『Mana Circles』 and 『Snowy Love』.

Normally, the Snow Festival would last around two weeks, but due to the whole Archdemon incident, the schedule had been drastically cut short.

Not that anyone had really complained—the chaos from that fight still remained in the student’s minds.

And the Headmistress?

She conveniently returned only after the academy was fully repaired.

…How nice.

Quite the coincidence, huh?

Beep~

The teleport gate hummed as it powered up, casting a soft blue glow around him.

A second later, he stepped through, leaving the giant arena behind.

“Master!”

“…Papa…”

A voice and a soft whisper immediately called out to him, making Aestrea turn his head.

There, waving at him, were Alaine and Chaerin.

Without hesitation, he walked toward them, a small smile appearing on his face.

When he reached them, he gently cupped Chaerin’s cheek, his thumb brushing over her soft skin.

She blinked up at him, her expression warm but shy.

Then, he turned to Alaine, giving her a small, tired smile.

But before he could say anything—

“You played really well, Master!”

Alaine’s voice was bright, full of excitement.

Right after her, Chaerin spoke as well.

“Mhm! You were incredible, Papa!”

Her voice was quiet, but the adoration in her tone was easily noticeable.

Aestrea felt his chest tighten slightly.

He could already feel Lumi wanting to come out, itching to play with Chaerin. But he couldn’t let her—not in public.

Not where anyone could see her.

But, putting that aside, he smiled at their compliments.

“Papa, do you still have any more activities?” Tugging his sleeves, Chaerin looked Aestrea in the eyes and asked softly.

Like, he had mentioned before, she had a perfectly average appearance…

But, Aestrea didn’t know if it was because he was starting to see her as his daughter, but he felt like she was the cutest being in the entire world.

“Unfortunately, yeah…” he admitted, brushing through her hair with slow movements.

“So I’ll have to leave you with Alaine for a bit.”

Chaerin’s eyes flickered with something—disappointment, maybe—but she nodded slowly.

“Mhm… okay.”

A faint blush colored her cheeks as she leaned slightly into his touch.

Aestrea felt a strange warmth in his chest.

She was too cute.

It was hard to believe that this quiet, soft-spoken girl was one of the most dangerous assassins in the world.

For a brief moment, he almost forgot.

Almost.

But the reality wasn’t that kind.

The organization that raised her—wouldn’t let her go that easily.

They’d come back.

And when they did…

They would definitely die at Aestrea’s hands.

Vrum~

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

Pulling it out, he glanced at the screen.

A new message.

[Christina]

➤ [I have the money ready. Meet me at the Cathedral at 10 PM.]

➤ […Sharp.]

Aestrea stared at the text for a second.

For some reason, a small shiver ran down his spine.

Somehow, Christina’s words, even through the phone, could make him shiver.

Still, he quickly typed out a [Sure.] before slipping his phone back into his pocket.

“Master… should we go to the cafeteria?” Alaine asked, tilting her head.

Aestrea opened his mouth to agree—

But then his eyes turned towards Chaerin.

For some reason… the idea of bringing her to the academy’s cafeteria felt strange.

The stares.

The whispers.

The inevitable questions.

Yeah, maybe not.

But before he could respond, Alaine suddenly clapped her hands.

“Oh! I know a fantastic spot!”

Her green eyes lit up with excitement.

“Ah—!”

Before Aestrea could even react, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him along, practically bouncing as she led the way.

Chaerin, caught off guard, let out a small “Eep!” as Aestrea quickly took her hand, making sure she wasn’t left behind.

The three of them hurried through the campus, weaving past students and buildings, before finally arriving at—

[The Last Meal]

Aestrea blinked.

The restaurant’s exterior was simple, yet elegant. A cozy blend of warm lights and well-placed decor made it feel inviting.

Alaine, clearly familiar with the place, quickly led them inside.

The interior was just as nice—clean, quiet, and peaceful.

Not many people were around, which suited Aestrea just fine.

He exhaled softly.

‘Mhm… if the food’s good, I’ll come back.’

“Let’s sit there!” Alaine pointed to a small table by the window.

Aestrea nodded, leading Chaerin by the hand as they settled into their seats.

He let out a small breath, relaxing for the first time since the game.

Alaine, meanwhile, was already flipping through the menu, her green eyes scanning the options.

“What do you want to eat, Chaerin?” Aestrea asked, glancing at the small girl beside him.

Chaerin looked at him hesitantly.

“Um… I don’t know…”

Aestrea chuckled, reaching out and tapping her nose lightly.

“Then I’ll choose for you.”

Alaine observed the interaction in silence, her gaze softening just a little bit.

There was something about the way Aestrea treated Chaerin that felt… different.

He was always so terrifyingly calm with everything he did, but when it came to Chaerin, his actions were purely instinctual—natural in a way she wasn’t used to seeing from him.

Aestrea waved at a nearby waiter, ordering three bowls of beef stew, fresh bread, and a small fruit parfait for dessert.

When the food arrived, Chaerin’s eyes widened slightly at the steaming bowl in front of her.

“Eat up,” Aestrea said, placing a spoon in her small hands.

Chaerin took a careful bite, her expression instantly melting into delight.

“It’s good…!”

Aestrea smiled.

“Then eat as much as you want.”

As they ate, Alaine found herself watching the way Aestrea subtly spoiled Chaerin.

He tore small pieces of bread for her, refilled her water before she even asked, and occasionally brushed stray strands of hair from her face when they fell into her food.

He didn’t even seem to realize he was doing it—his focus was entirely on making sure Chaerin was comfortable.

Alaine rested her chin on her hand, staring at him with an unreadable expression.

‘He’s always been a little detached from people… but when it comes to her, he’s so gentle.’

Chaerin, unaware of Alaine’s thoughts, continued eating happily.

“Papa, the stew is really good!”

“I’m glad.” Aestrea reached over and took a napkin, wiping the corner of her lips where a bit of broth had dripped.

“Make sure to finish all of it.”

Alaine smirked.

“You’re spoiling her too much, Master.”

Aestrea raised an eyebrow.

“And?”

Alaine opened her mouth to reply—but then stopped. She couldn’t think of a reason why he shouldn’t spoil her.

‘Damn it. I’m actually jealous of a kid.’

She sighed, shaking her head with an amused chuckle.

“Nothing, nothing. Just keep going.”

After they finished their meal, Aestrea handed Chaerin the small parfait.

“For dessert.”

Chaerin’s eyes sparkled.

“Really?!”

“Of course.” He ruffled her hair.

“You deserve a little treat.”

Alaine rolled her eyes, but the fond smile never left her face.

‘Hopeless. Completely hopeless.’

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

After lunch, Aestrea made his way to the Mana Volleyball arena. The stadium was packed with students, the air buzzing with excitement.

His chosen team was already waiting, stretching, and preparing for the match.

“You’re finally here,” one of his teammates said.

“You ready?”

Aestrea rolled his shoulders.

“Yeah. Let’s just get this over with.”

‘I still have the Weight Throw activity after this….’

***

The match started, and immediately, Aestrea dominated.

The moment the ball was served, he moved like lightning, setting up perfect shots and sending powerful spikes that left the opposing team scrambling.

The audience gasped every time he jumped—his agility made it look effortless.

“HE’S LITERALLY FLYING! DIDN’T THE FIELD HAVE TEN TIMES THE PRESSURE OF THE NORMAL GRAVITY?!” someone shouted from the crowd.

In the final set, with the score nearly tied, Aestrea leaped into the air, his eyes locking onto the ball as he charged mana into his hand.

With one devastating strike, he sent the ball crashing into the opponent’s side with an explosion of force.

The opponents didn’t even notice when the ball had hit the ground.

“GAME OVER!” the announcer screamed.

“THE WHITE TEAM WINS!”

The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting his name once again.

***

Next was Weight Throw.

The event was simple: throw the enchanted iron sphere as far as possible.

The best distance so far was 97 meters.

Aestrea stepped up, gripping the heavy sphere in his hand. Without hesitation, he swung his arm back, gathering mana into his muscles, and hurled it forward.

The ball soared through the air—higher, farther—before finally crashing down at 177 meters.

Silence.

Then—

“WHAT THE HELL?!”

“THAT’S ALMOST DOUBLE THE RECORD!!”

Aestrea sighed, rubbing his temples.

‘Too much?’

***

After he was done with the activities, Aestrea headed towards the Cathedral.

The Cathedral stood tall in the quiet night, its massive structure looming over the snow-covered streets.

The cold air bit at Aestrea’s skin as he walked up the steps, his breath coming out in soft, white puffs.

The grand wooden doors in front of him were carved with old symbols, their edges worn by time but still carrying a presence that made anyone think twice before stepping inside.

For a moment, he just stood there, staring at them.

Then, with a quiet sigh, he reached out and pushed.

Creeeak—

The heavy doors groaned as they opened, revealing the vast interior of the Cathedral.

A rush of warmth greeted him, the dim glow of countless candles dancing across the high stone walls.

The smell of incense lingered in the air—soft, almost comforting.

The place was silent.

Except for her.

There, beneath the statue of the Goddess of Light, Christina knelt in prayer.

Her golden hair fell around her shoulders, glowing faintly under the candlelight. She was dressed in her usual refined saintess clothes, but something about her looked… different.

The usual sharpness in her posture was softer, her hands clasped together like she was holding onto something invisible.

Aestrea didn’t speak.

He just watched.

The flickering lights cast long shadows across the marble floor, and in that quiet space, he could hear the faintest sound of her breath—slow, steady.

Then—

She opened her eyes.

The moment their gazes met, something shifted.

Christina didn’t move right away.

She stayed there for a second like she was measuring something in the air between them. Then, with smooth, deliberate movements, she rose to her feet.

The soft click of her heels echoed in the empty Cathedral.

Aestrea took a step forward.

Christina did the same.

“You finally arrived.”

Her words were unexpectedly soft for someone who had quite a sharp gaze.

Seeing, this Aestrea gulped inwardly.

‘…I just wanted my money back…’

‘Why does it seem like she wants to kill me?’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep