She spoke to Isaac, Professor Catherine and Alice.
She kept them engaged in conversation, eventually lifting the gloomy atmosphere and turning it into a light-hearted one.
Eventually, plates were cleared, and Isaac rose from his chair, gathering the dishes one by one.
"I’ll do that," Celia said, moving to stand.
Isaac shook his head. "You’re a guest. Sit down. Read something, and relax."
"Let me wash dishes. I can’t just do nothing."
Isaac gave a small laugh and kept his hands in motion, rinsing off plates and stacking them carefully. "If you really want to, then you can do it after you start living here permanently. Until then, let me."
That answer caught her off guard.
A faint flush rose to her cheeks, and she turned her head away as if she didn’t want him to see.
Isaac chuckled.
By the time he finished the last dish, Alice and Professor Catherine were already preparing to leave.
Alice was fastening her cloak, while Professor Catherine adjusted her gloves with her usual calm precision.
Before stepping out, Professor Catherine turned back to Isaac. "Go to Paul’s weapon shop later, and take a few weapons made with Hell-Iron Myre from there. You’ll need them."
Isaac nodded, though the mention of Paul brought another matter to mind.
"Professor, I need four more subjects. I already have people in mind. Can you tell them I want them to become my subjects, and that I’ll come to meet them once I return from my trial?"
Her brows rose slightly. "Who are they?"
"Freya, the part-timer at my shop. Paul, the weaponsmith teaching Tyr. Peter—you should remember him from the academy. He was close with Alice and me. He awakened as an S-rank Golem Master Talent. And lastly, Chairman Lucius."
Professor Catherine’s expression didn’t change much, but there was a brief glint in her eyes. "You’ve chosen interesting names. I’ll pass the message."
Isaac reached into his spatial ring and took out a glass vial.
It was last the bloodline upgrade potion.
He handed it to her.
"Please give this to Selene. Tell her I would’ve liked to give it to her in person, but I can’t delay my trial.
"And with the city’s situation being unstable after the incident with the governor, I couldn’t risk waiting.
"Tell her this potion is my thanks for everything she’s done for me."
Alice, who had been listening, blinked in surprise.
Her eyes widened just a little, and for a brief moment her lips parted as if she wanted to say something.
Then, the surprise faded, replaced with a small, almost relieved smile.
She understood what this meant. Isaac had forgiven Selene. And to Alice, nothing could be better news than that.
Finally, just as they were about to step out, Alice lingered behind.
She walked up to Isaac, reached out, and gently held his hands together in hers. She bent down slightly and pressed a kiss against his hands that were held by hers.
"I know you’ll complete your Evolutionary Trial easily. I trust you. Just... don’t fight recklessly and get injured, okay?"
"Do I get a reward if I come back uninjured?" Isaac asked with a sly smile.
It took Alice a second to realize exactly what he was hinting at.
Her face turned crimson.
She pulled her hands back in a rush and spun on her heel, muttering something under her breath as she hurried out the door.
Isaac couldn’t help but laugh softly.
For someone who acted like an insatiable seductress whenever they were alone, Alice was still ridiculously embarrassed by any show of intimacy in front of others.
While Isaac was still smiling to himself, Professor Catherine’s gaze shifted toward Celia.
She didn’t speak aloud, but her voice was transferred directly into Celia’s mind.
’Celia.’
Celia stiffened for a brief moment before regaining control of her expression.
As a veteran awakener, she had been trained to listen to telepathy without outward reaction.
It was an important skill to fight intelligent monsters, or awakeners.
Still, her fingers twitched slightly at hearing Professor Catherine’s voice.
’Do you like Isaac?’
Celia’s smile almost slipped.
Her eyes flicked toward Professor Catherine as if to question what she was saying.
Professor Catherine returned the look with a sly smile.
’I’ll tell you a secret.’
Celia’s brows drew together.
’Isaac grows stronger by sleeping with women.’
"What!?"
Celia’s voice slipped out before she could stop herself.
Her eyes widened.
If Catherine hadn’t already cast a thin veil of silence to keep Alice and Isaac from hearing and noticing her reaction, both of them would’ve noticed her shock immediately.
Celia’s face heated up, and she turned away quickly, hoping neither of them saw.
Then she looked back at Isaac, only to feel her chest tighten with embarrassment.
"W-why are you telling me this?" she whispered, though she didn’t expect a real answer.
’I told you about Emily’s situation earlier. This is the perfect timing. Isaac needs to grow stronger, and right now he wouldn’t refuse if you made a move.’
Celia’s lips parted, ready to argue, but Catherine didn’t let her.
’You’re not taking advantage of anything. You’d only be helping him.’
’And Emily is a royal, like you. She grew up surrounded by marriages with multiple partners. She’ll accept it if Isaac gains another. As for Alice, I’ll talk to her.’
Celia’s hands curled into fists on her lap.
She didn’t answer immediately.
’The choice is yours.
’You can take what you want now. Or you can hold back, and regret your choice for the rest of your life.’
Those words dug deeper than Celia wanted to admit.
She thought of her brother.
Of all the times she wished she had acted differently.
If only she had stood by him.
If only she had shared his burden.
The regrets of the past weighed heavy, and Catherine’s words only sharpened them.
Her chest tightened.
If she let this chance slip away, would she feel regret like this in the future? Celia didn’t want that.
Her gaze moved back to Isaac.
He was counting the grains, looking perfectly unaware of the conversation happening right under his nose.
She bit her lip.
A trace of determination flickered in her eyes.
She made her choice.
Isaac turned, sensing someone looking at him.
He noticed her stare and raised an eyebrow.
"Is there something on my face?"
"Nothing~," Celia replied with a quick smile.
Professor Catherine, watching the exchange, chuckled under her breath and then turned away, walking out with Alice.
That left only Isaac and Celia in the quiet room.
"Well," Celia said. "We should head to the smith. Hold my hand, we’ll use the teleporter."
Isaac nodded.
Without hesitation, she summoned a cloud of dark blue mist that expanded rapidly.
She reached out and grabbed Isaac’s hand.
They had held hands before, but this time, her grip was firm, almost unyielding, as if she had no intention of letting him go.
Isaac glanced at her, puzzled at the intensity.
Before he could say anything, the mist enveloped them both, and they kept walking.
A message blinked across his vision.
[Wife candidate Celia von Rae’s affection for you has reached 95.]
’???’
’Why did it increase again?’