mayiwsk

The Ice Witch shook her head, deciding not to delve into the matter further.

Compared to her, who had only been in this part of the Southern Continent for a few months after arriving from the Northern Continent, Loren and Florence had known each other for years. They must know Florence better and be more familiar with her.

She rarely left the Temple of Gedalia in the Forest Capital and hadn't been to the Southern Continent in centuries. Sometimes, she found the city of Iketerre full of novelty.

"Where did you go today? I couldn't find you all morning."

The Ice Witch walked up to Loren, still somewhat displeased, and returned to the main topic.

Loren had seemed to disappear into thin air this morning.

If her guess was correct, this guy was using his "day off" to do something he shouldn't be doing.

Loren was stronger than her. If he consciously concealed his magic and whereabouts, she wouldn't be able to find him, let alone rashly tail him in that state.

"I... I went to see a friend."

Loren quickly answered sincerely.

It was awkward and natural to the point of being excessive.

Since Loren wanted to act this way, she could only play along.

"Then if you have another day off like this next time, take me with you, otherwise I'll feel unbalanced."

The stage of heroes in the Northern Continent was vivid in her mind, and the last words of the Saint of Destruction echoed in her ears. Everything reminded her that Loren was definitely suspicious.

For some reason, she felt that Loren's emotions at this moment were not entirely an act.

The Ice Witch moved closer, looked up at Loren, and asked.

"You have been working too hard lately; I see it. But next time you have time, could you also consider that I'm helping you work overtime?"

Yet this guy could put on a perfectly appropriate look of panic.

Gazing into those sincere eyes, the Ice Witch involuntarily lowered her guard for a moment.

Guilt mixed with gratitude made him unsure how to express himself.

That was what made it so terrifying because she couldn't tell if this man was deceiving her or being sincere with her.

Even if he was slow, he knew that a man and a woman going out together on a day off could probably be considered a date.

The Ice Witch pondered and nodded.

The Ice Witch was speechless.

Loren smiled helplessly.

The instructor had said that team-building with colleagues was normal. Sometimes, more team-building could strengthen the church's cohesion.

"So, your answer."

She snapped back to reality, and her gaze became clear again.

"I understand."

It seemed she didn't dislike him that much, at least for now.

The Ice Witch stared at Loren's flustered appearance, remaining silent for a moment.

"If you don't mind, I certainly don't have a problem with it."

If Loren were completely calm and composed, she would have been fine, just a normal mastermind quality.

Before gaining his trust, it would be dangerous to reveal her intention to expose him. The best way was to naturally obtain his permission, so that being by his side and tracking him would be reasonable.

It was like a weekend date with his girlfriend being interrupted by a colleague.

He had never understood what Almis was thinking from the first time they met. The only thing he was sure of was that Almis was good to him.

Loren's voice was weary.

She couldn't reveal her intention to investigate Loren, but she wanted a reasonable reason to keep an eye on him, to avoid being caught without a suitable explanation. The best way was to naturally obtain his permission, so that staying by his side, no matter how she tracked him, would be justified.

Loren explained nervously.

After all, a woman's curiosity could explain most things.

Her face still without a smile, she said to Loren in a flat tone.

"...Uh, Miss Almis, but we..."

"No, I'm really grateful to you, and you are someone I find incredibly reliable. In my most difficult times, only you were willing to support me so firmly. If it weren't for you, I don't know how I would have gotten through last month."

"Sorry... I don't know how to thank you..."

"It's just as colleagues. Or do you think someone like me is so boring that you don't even want to spend a day with me?"

The Ice Witch said.

That wasn't right.

Loren held the back of his head with one hand and said.

"Then it's a date."

After the Ice Witch finished speaking, she turned and left, also signaling that Loren could leave.

In the instructor's silence, Loren reopened the door to the Temple's vault and walked down the corridor, gradually quickening his pace.

In less than half a minute, his figure crossed the Yara moat and the harbor bridge, returning to the opposite bank where the Iketerre Opera House was located.

"Instructor, how's the time?"

"From the time you left Juliana's side until now, seventeen minutes and twenty seconds have passed."

The instructor's voice immediately came, proving that he hadn't disconnected, but had been listening without speaking.

Loren felt instantly relieved when he heard the voice.

Although the voice had been altered, and he couldn't tell what the instructor's original voice was like, all of Loren's sense of security was now in that voice.

According to the instructor's route plan, the most difficult hurdle of the day had been passed without any surprises.

"The good news is that you have many routes."

The instructor suddenly said.

"What's the bad news?"

Loren didn't understand what the instructor meant by "routes" at this time.

It didn't sound like he was referring to the route back to the opera house, because he was almost there.

"The bad news is that you've opened every route."

Loren didn't understand, his face full of confusion.

"It's not a big problem. Currently, you've returned to the main route of the date. Let's talk about the brotherhood route and the witch route later. Next, just have dinner with Juliana, watch a performance, and go to the Golden Bee Amusement Park for a little fun in the evening, and the date will be over."

The instructor's voice continued to ring in Loren's ears.

"Hiss."

The amusement park that the instructor mentioned made Loren a little worried again.

Because Iketerre's Golden Bee Amusement Park was always a crowded place, with many special souvenirs and limited-edition food prizes. On weekend evenings, it was even more crowded. Loren had never had the experience of going to such a fashionable place with a girl.

It was the instructor who analyzed Juliana's preferences and promptly selected this date itinerary, which, as expected, was very much in line with Juliana's wishes.

"Don't worry, I'll be in the amusement park tonight as well. If you encounter any trouble, I may appear as any passerby and help you."

The instructor said.

"Thank you, Instructor."

Loren felt an overwhelming sense of security.

"In any case, after today's exercise, your time management has improved a little. Be confident. Even if you have to face real hell-level difficulty next time, I believe you can get through it. What doesn't destroy you will make you stronger."

"What if I get destroyed?"

Although Loren didn't know what the instructor meant, the instructor's continuous riddles gave him the feeling that the gears of fate had already begun to turn, while he himself was completely unaware.

"I'm here."

The instructor's voice was still so certain.

"That's great."

Loren finally let go of his last worries.

"Can I ask you to guide me during my next date too, Instructor..."

"No problem, no matter when, no matter where, even if I have my own appointment, I will do my best to help you at the same time."

"Okay!"

The instructor's confidence, as unshakeable as a mountain before his eyes, seemed to infect him as well.

After all, they had succeeded today.

Next time, they would only be more successful!

On a bench at the edge of the Temple Square, a black-haired youth with a baseball cap was holding a cup of coffee in one hand, taking a light sip, finally cut off the headset and temporarily stopped communicating.

He opened his notebook, took out the Golden Bee Amusement Park admission ticket that was temporarily acting as a bookmark, and looked at the hand-drawn map.

The little black cat next to him moved closer.

"Meow, what if you happen to have three threads of your own next time, and you also have to command Loren's three threads at the same time? Are you really going to risk it?"

The Cat Owner seemed to foresee the worst-case scenario, looked at Lanchi, and asked with some concern.

"First of all, there's little chance of such a low-probability event happening."

Lanchi looked at it, just smiled easily,

"Secondly, this difficulty is nothing to me. Can you imagine me begging for mercy in fear?"

Those emerald, water-like eyes were still so clear, naturally filled with consideration and ease.

"Meow."

The Cat Owner meowed, staring at Lanchi and falling into a universe of thought.

Since Lanchi had said it would be successful, it didn't have to worry about the future anymore. It would just have fun with Lanchi today.

Then it pawed at the golden admission ticket that Lanchi had placed on the chair.

It seemed to remember that when Tata came back yesterday, a golden corner like this was also exposed at the edge of the shopping bag she was holding.

But it was probably mistaken; these two couldn't possibly want to go to the same place all the time.

(End of this chapter)