In Chaldea, the training room was rarely used.
Only Mash, Ritsuka, and Gray ever came there—because operational staff were few. And for Naoki, who operated far beyond normal human limits, ordinary exercise offered little benefit.
So, at this moment, the training room should have been empty.
But when Naoki and Gray arrived, they found someone already inside.
"Huh… Huh… Huh…"
Circling the vast training floor, Olga Marie—wearing a tight sports outfit—continued running. The sweat dripping from her body suggested she'd been at it for some time, and likely hadn't used any Magecraft.
For a Magus, this was an extremely rare sight. At least, Naoki rarely saw Magi voluntarily training their physical bodies. The last time he'd seen such dedication was before he joined Chaldea.
"Huh… ten laps… Haah…"
Once she reached her self-imposed target, she slowed to a stop beside a chair. Marie reached for the towel on the seat to wipe the sweat from her face and neck—but as she bent down, she happened to spot Naoki and Gray standing nearby.
"Gray, Natsukawa. You two hardly ever come to the training room."
"And you? Why all of a sudden? I asked you to join before—you never agreed."
After drying her face and neck with the towel, Marie picked up her water bottle and took a sip. "Ugh… Hmm, no special reason—just rehabilitation."
"Rehabilitation… Rei's Magecraft Regeneration should be flawless. Or have you just not fully adjusted yet?"
"Something like that. Besides, I've been thinking it's about time to train my body again. Otherwise, all the martial arts I learned in class will be returned to you, Teacher."
Hearing Marie call him that, Naoki couldn't suppress a smile. "That's a title I miss. You still remember I was your teacher. Back then, you'd sneak into my room late at night to complain—I didn't see a shred of respect for your instructor."
"Ugh! That was as Director—not as your student! And I graduated from the Clock Tower ages ago. You're not my teacher anymore either. That was just teasing, okay?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I know, Your Excellency Director."
Seeing Marie's flushed cheeks, Naoki waved his hand casually. "By the way, this is a rare opportunity. Want another class after all these years?"
"Eh?" Marie blinked in surprise. "A… martial arts class?"
"Yes. You still have stamina left. Revisiting old lessons isn't bad."
"I'll ask first—are you going to knock me out again like before?"
"Ahahaha, no way." Naoki shook his head. "And I'm not saying I'll be teaching you—Assistant Gray, please take over for me."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At the same time.
In the cafeteria, upon hearing Ritsuka's sudden question, even Rei felt momentarily puzzled. Manaka inside her mind immediately went on alert.
[Another seductress… Let me handle it—I'll disrupt her emotional state with mental operations]
(Wait, don't rush)
[There's already not enough to go around—if there are more, it'll get worse]
(I think we're misunderstanding—or perhaps there's a backstory. Let's ask for details first. From experience, ninety-nine percent of cases aren't what you imagine.)
[Ask carefully.]
Watching Ritsuka's nervous expression, Rei smiled gently. "That's quite a sudden question. Why are you asking this, Fujimaru?"
"Oh, this… Ugh… Actually, Aoko-san asked me to help." Ritsuka confessed frankly. "She said the Department Head has very close relationships with women—he often brings girls home. So she wants me to keep an eye out, in case any 'seductive women' show up."
"But based on my observations of the Department Head, I find it hard to judge what counts as crossing the line by Aoko-san's standards. So… Rei-san, as his fiancée, surely you'd know."
[Hmm… This child is good-hearted. No threat detected.]
(Manaka, you switched gears too fast. But she really is honest—and sweet. Aoko too… why does she do things like this? Doesn't she know we're watching?)
Rei could guarantee that, as long as she remained in Chaldea, the scenario Aoko imagined would never happen. She had always been meticulous in managing every aspect of Naoki's personal life.
"I understand… but I can only say that Aoko is overly worried." Rei laughed. "As you said, Master does maintain friendly relationships with most of the women in Chaldea—but aside from me, he maintains no physically intimate contact with anyone else."
"Eh… really?" Ritsuka sounded skeptical. "I remember the Department Head once said the Director comes to his room every midnight. That doesn't count?"
"Yes. After all, Marie only visits to vent—to Master. She never crosses any boundaries. At most, she asks him to stroke her hair. It's simply her own way of relieving stress. During the day, she's Director, burdened with responsibilities. Only at night can she let loose without caring about appearances."
If Marie heard Rei's assessment, she'd likely smirk bitterly.
Had she known Rei was tucked under Naoki's covers, would she dare merely ask for her hair to be stroked? Every single time she went, she summoned every ounce of courage!
"But if you truly want to know, Fujimaru, you only need to observe the relationship between Touko and Master."
"Eh? Touko-san?"
Ritsuka pictured the mature woman with orange hair who lived permanently in the workshop like Da Vinci.
"Why?"
"Because, from Aoko's perspective and position, Touko is the most dangerous target. I suspect the real reason she gave you this task is so you'd watch Touko."
"After all… for a younger sister, having an older sibling who's brilliant—and constantly bickers with them—can sometimes be exhausting."