He also noticed something else.
Not everyone looked happy.
Some staff members glanced at him with subtle displeasure. A few looked away quickly. Others whispered quietly.
Isaac rolled his eyes.
These people were probably Celia’s fans who had joined the staff crew. From their perspective, he was the man who monopolized their idol.
"Isaac! You should’ve told us if you were coming," Arlene said as she rushed toward him.
"It was a spontaneous decision," he replied.
"Oh, alright. Then follow me."
Isaac nodded and walked behind her. As they moved through the corridor, staff members stepped aside to make way. Some still looked at him with curiosity, others with mild displeasure, but none said anything openly.
Arlene walked quickly, clearly used to managing chaos. She flipped through a few pages on the clipboard in her hand while walking, then tucked it under her arm.
Arlene was Celia’s manager and personal assistant. She handled schedules, staff coordination, costumes, stage planning, and even negotiations. In many ways, she was the one keeping everything organized.
But Isaac knew something the others didn’t.
She had once been a spy for the former Governor.
She had passed information about Celia’s movements, habits, and vulnerabilities. That information was meant to be used by the former Governor to control Celia in the future. When Isaac and Vale uncovered it, killing her had been the obvious option.
Vale had even suggested it first.
The problem was Celia.
To Celia, Arlene wasn’t just a manager. She was a childhood friend. Someone she treated like a sister. Someone she trusted without hesitation.
Celia had already been mentally shaken after learning the truth about the Governor and Vale’s past actions. Another betrayal from someone she loved might have broken something inside her.
That was why Isaac and Vale decided to hide the truth.
Vale placed a curse on Arlene, ensuring she could never harm Celia again. The curse also bound her actions in subtle ways, preventing her from leaking information or acting against them.
There was also another reason.
The Governor had dirt on Arlene and had forced her into spying. She hadn’t done it willingly. She had been trapped, cornered, and threatened.
That didn’t erase her actions, but it did change the judgment.
"Here. This is the room she is resting in right now," Arlene said, stopping in front of a door.
She opened it.
Inside, Isaac saw a busy scene. Several props were placed around the room. Some staff members were adjusting lighting references. Others were handling costumes. One person was checking measurements, while another reviewed a performance sheet.
Celia stood near the center, wearing a partially adjusted outfit while someone fixed the sleeve length.
"Isaac!" a beaming smile appeared on Celia’s face the moment she noticed him.
He raised his hand and gave a small wave.
"Everyone, we will take a short break. Come with me," Arlene said to the crew.
One of the crew members frowned. "But manager, we need to practice. The concert is almost upon us—"
"We are taking a short break. Come with me," Arlene said again, her voice firmer.
The crewmate clicked his tongue quietly but didn’t argue further. One by one, everyone left the room. Some glanced at Isaac again before leaving, their expressions mixed.
After the last person stepped out, Arlene closed the door.
Now only Isaac and Celia remained.
"They really don’t like me, huh?" Isaac said, chuckling.
"Don’t mind them," Celia replied casually. "Come here instead and tell me what happened in the Trial."
She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the table in the room.
Isaac sat on the chair, and before he could say anything, Celia climbed onto his lap.
He raised a brow. "Why are you sitting here?"
"Because this place belongs to me," she chuckled, leaning back into him comfortably.
Isaac smiled wryly and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"So tell me about your Trial," she said. "How did you all complete it so quickly?"
"You think we cleared the trial?" Isaac raised a brow.
"Of course."
Isaac shook his head and began explaining everything. He didn’t remember detailed information about people and kingdoms, but he still remembered the events. He described the strange circumstances, the chaotic politics, and the unexpected twists.
Celia listened quietly at first.
Then her eyes widened.
"You met a Saint from Hell?"
"Yeah."
"And you... used that to manipulate the situation?"
"Pretty much."
As Isaac continued, Celia slowly leaned forward, clearly getting more invested. By the time he reached the midpoint, she was already laughing.
"So you basically scammed everyone?" she said, laughing.
"More or less." Isaac nodded calmly.
He continued explaining, and she kept interrupting with comments.
"That’s evil."
"That’s clever."
"You’re terrible."
"That’s hilarious."
By the time he finished, her eyes were shining.
Then she leaned back slightly and spoke with a teasing smile. "So what about Selene? How is the progress between you two? And how did Alice react?"
"Well, Alice approached me first regarding Selene. She also pushed me to propose to her. And yes, Selene accepted," Isaac said.
"Yes!" Celia celebrated.
"Is it really something that needs celebrati—"
"So where is my reward?" she cut him off.
"Huh?"
"My reward. I get something, right? I was the one who pushed Alice to accept Selene and your pair," she said with a mischievous grin.
Isaac suddenly had a bad feeling. He knew that expression. She was planning something.
Before she could ask for the planned reward, he quickly said, "I actually brought something for you."
He took out a cake box from his spatial ring and placed it on the table.
He opened it.
Inside was a beautifully decorated cake. The frosting was smooth, and the layers looked soft. The scent was mild but pleasant.
Isaac expected her to get excited.
Instead, Celia froze.
She had a stiff smile.
"D-Did you make this for me?"
"..."
"O-On second thought, I don’t really need a reward."
"..."
Isaac stared at her in silence.
Did she really have to react like his cooking was some kind of disaster?
Clicking his tongue, he spoke, "It’s not my cooking. I got it from the Trial. It’s from a kingdom famous for their sweets. This is something rare enough that only kings and queens of other kingdoms are presented with on special occasions—"
"Thank you! I love you, Isaac!"
"..."
She immediately grabbed the knife and started slicing the cake.
The speed at which she changed her attitude made Isaac speechless.
She carefully placed a slice on a plate and took a bite. Her expression softened instantly.
"This is really good," she said happily.
"Your reaction earlier was unnecessary." Isaac clicked his tongue again.
She laughed, irritating him futher.
"I’ll become the best cook one day," he muttered.
"I’m looking forward to that," she said, still smiling as she took another bite. Then, she turned and gave him a bite.