February 14th, Valentine's Day on the South Continent.

7:15 AM.

"Speaking of which, today is the day Valentine was executed. Why do couples celebrate today? Aren't they afraid of being executed too?"

The light blue-haired girl sat at the street corner's open-air café, pondering and writing down her long-standing question in her notebook.

The young journalist had a Magic Energy Recording Camera hanging around her neck, and two identification badges pinned to her chest, sipping hot coffee, looking like she was on vacation.

Besides being the student council's secretary, Lavisseir was also a reporter for the "Hutton Daily."

"Senior Sister, aren't the trash bins filled with bouquets every Valentine's Day? Isn't that like an execution?"

The deep-red-haired Kukulka sat next to Lavisseir, asking seriously.

After transferring from the Royal Arolan Academy's academic exchange team to Ichrite Academy, she began practicing under Senior Sister Lavisseir and has now joined the understaffed student council, becoming a new staff member.

Her brother Kuise is the elder son of Count Paccas, a noble of the Arolan Kingdom, and was once the strongest fighter in the third grade of the Royal Arolan Academy. He encountered an unfortunate accident two years ago at Ichrite.

Even now, Kuise hides at home, afraid to go out, frightened even when the household attendants approach, fearing someone might attack him.

There was no doubt that the one who orchestrated that accident and presided over that competition as a judge was Dean Loren of the Sage Academy.

Though she believes her brother got what he deserved, personally she still finds Loren...

If he truly were the well-loved person his classmates claimed, he wouldn't have sat on the emperor's throne so effortlessly. Everything seemed to have been perfectly orchestrated.

"True, not executed like Lanyi the Sixteenth of ancient Poson by guillotine."

Lavisseir muttered to herself.

From time to time, she would glance naturally towards the distant pedestrian square while sipping her coffee.

There, under a large tree far down the pedestrian street, beside the circular wooden benches, stood a slightly uneasy young man—

A legendary emperor, Loren.

Who knows whom he's up against today.

Good luck, Loren, on whom we've placed our hopes.

"Kukulka, as I taught you before, the essence of a journalist isn't much different from a detective. When following an Eighth-order Strongman, we can't focus directly on them; otherwise, we'd easily be noticed. We must appear just right in the business district, not too close or too far, staying concealed while doing our work, and hoping to record something by chance."

Lavisseir spoke, turning to the junior sitting next to her.

"What about following a Ninth-order strongman?"

Kukulka asked.

With an imposing aura, her deep red eyes were filled with a frosty look, seemingly able to see through hearts.

Apart from the black and white interwoven family crest on her uniform, her head was adorned with a striking inverted Cross Holy Radiance ornament made of a red ribbon and gold metal lining—

She was also a priest of the Church of the Goddess of Destiny, making her views on Loren very complex.

She once revered Loren as a Great Priest, later considering him a hypocrite due to her brother's incident, but then he truly ended the South Crayney conflict, and she couldn't understand him anymore.

"That's beyond my experience. It's also my first time shadowing a Ninth-order strongman. Even in this regulated town area, where Dean Loren is a law-abiding citizen who won't casually activate spells, we need to keep a greater distance to avoid catching his eye. Additionally, don't make it too coincidental; today, let's pretend we're out for fun, encountering him entirely up to chance."

Lavisseir advised her junior Kukulka.

Running into him is a bonus, not running into him isn't a loss.

To gather information about Dean Loren, Lavisseir had been putting in full effort with student council affairs, pestering President Monasite and Frey, questioning everyone she could find, ultimately discovering the intel from a colleague, Miss Antanas, in another department at the Hutton Times Broadcasting Company.

"Senior Sister, I got it."

Kukulka nodded, her gaze heavy as she looked down.

"It's a pity that Frey isn't helping me this time. He might as well not have come back! Otherwise, I wouldn't even need to investigate myself in situations like this; just commissioning him would get me all the information I need."

Seeing her junior Kukulka feeling nervous about following her out to dig for news again today, Lavisseir changed the subject, complaining.

That adorable junior, ever since returning, stopped listening to her.

Previously, besides being expensive, he had no flaws; now, money couldn't even buy intelligence, making it seem like he truly knew Emperor Loren's entire schedule.

"Frey has returned?"

Kukulka wasn't unfamiliar with that name; before coming to Ichrite Academy, she had heard about the student council's deeds, and both Senior Sister Lavisseir and President Monasite often mentioned him.

For instance, the student council's commissions and community service, as long as the president instructed Frey, he would complete them quickly and voluntarily.

As for matters outside the student council, Frey could also be hired, and as long as the money was right, he could accomplish pretty much anything.

"Even though he's back, he's hard to find. You'd rarely spot him unless you contact him using Communication Magic."

Lavisseir said, spreading her hands with her eyes closed.

This guy seemed to have a passive ability making him disappear from the map and impossible to select.