After sending Farao away, Theresia didn't return the copy of the contract to him, but kept it for herself.
Theresia wasn't angry about Linen's provocative little stunt—just annoyed by how childish it was.
Still, since the prince, clearly aware of his status as prey, had openly challenged her without alerting the academy, as the hunter, she had no choice but to accept.
Performing an assassination right under the nose of Zijinghua's Empress severely limited the Tower of Chronomancy's ability to help. Apart from her cover identity as a campus worker and a few small magical tools she carried, Theresia had zero support.
Fortunately, Theresia was a professional. For an assassin, working solo and unsupported was the norm.
For the next several days, while handling mundane campus tasks, Theresia gathered materials to craft a few useful magical tools.
In the world of magic, creating bombs from shampoo and alarm clocks wasn't exactly feasible, but with her experience, she still managed to salvage a few useful mana-charged stones from the dining hall's magic lamps.
And, of course, she had her primary daily task.
Monitoring Linen and finding the perfect moment to strike.
Right now, Theresia stood at the dormitory lounge, preparing cocktails—no, wheat juice—for students, while Linen sat nearby playing a card duel game with his peers.
Fewer than fifteen steps separated them, and Theresia knew she could blow Linen's head off with a single spell before anyone could react.
But then, the gargoyles guarding the dormitory ceiling would vaporize her into dust with their [Arcana Beams] the next instant.
Glancing at the gargoyles radiating cold light, Theresia lowered her head and silently polished a glass.
Initially, she hadn't understood why the Tower of Chronomancy would send an assassin with relatively weak Arcana skills for this job. But now, she finally understood.
This was Eden Academy, after all—high-ring powerhouses like Gust lurked everywhere, openly or covertly. After Ken's recent attack and subsequent escape, security had increased significantly, making it nearly impossible for powerful mages to sneak in unnoticed.
Ironically, someone like herself—a temporary worker with weak Arcana skills—stood a far better chance. And if she failed, the Tower could simply deny involvement.
But Theresia didn't particularly care. She held no real loyalty to the Tower of Chronomancy; she was simply doing her job for money.
Yet—what the hell was that bastard even doing every day?!
Her constant surveillance of Linen hadn't just made her familiar with his routine—it was engraved in her mind:
Monday: Argue with a girl named Hysteria after class, play cards.
Tuesday: Argue with the girl, play cards.
Wednesday: Argue, cards.
Thursday: Cards.
Is card dueling really that entertaining?!
What infuriated Theresia wasn't Linen's obsession with cards, but his attitude—carefree, indifferent, entirely ignoring the assassin lurking nearby.
It made her feel utterly mocked.
Especially since Linen had been the one to provoke her first, Theresia's carefully maintained patience eroded each day she had to witness this blatant disregard.
And yet, despite his apparent indifference, the lounge was always crowded when he played cards. Attacking him openly in public would be suicide.
The closest she'd come was the time Linen lost a match and had to drink a penalty shot—served by none other than herself.
Watching him smile smugly and raise a glass of wheat juice to her nearly drove Theresia to draw the dagger strapped to her thigh and slash his throat right there.
But trading her life for some spoiled prince's simply wasn't worth it. So Theresia maintained a pleasant smile, served his drink, and wished him an enjoyable evening.
She couldn't tell if he was deliberately mocking her, but this constant uncertainty wore on her nerves day after day.
"Hey, you!"
Just as Theresia was mentally rehearsing ways to kill Linen, a fierce-looking girl abruptly approached her.
"I've been watching you for days now. You're just a campus worker, but you keep sneaking glances, don't you?"
Theresia's hand polishing the glass didn't even tremble. She raised her eyes slightly to meet the girl's angry stare, responding calmly.
"Miss Hysteria, I'm not sure what you mean. I'm only here to serve drinks—that's my job."
"Stop pretending! You've been staring at that guy every day. Do you think I didn't notice?"
Theresia subtly shifted her breathing, placing her little finger lightly against a hidden switch in her palm.
With one quick movement, a hidden blade would spring forth. At this close range, even a prodigy like Hysteria wouldn't utter a single syllable of a spell before her throat was pierced.
However, Hysteria's next words nearly made Theresia lose composure entirely.
The girl suddenly leaned closer, whispering annoyingly close to her ear.
"You don't secretly have a crush on Linen Norton, do you?"
"Miss, you're imagining things. The prince and I aren't even acquainted."
"Hmph, is that so?"
When their exchange ended, both girls inexplicably relaxed, though each felt oddly annoyed.
Suddenly, Hysteria had an epiphany.
"So you weren't watching that annoying jerk, and probably not anyone else either—since even though he sucks at cards, he is a little bit more handsome than everyone else here…"
Theresia quietly nodded.
She had to—otherwise, this princess might conclude she'd been secretly spying on the boys' dormitory.
"I get it—I totally get it!"
Hysteria's eyes sparkled triumphantly.
"You weren't looking at that jerk or anyone else. You've actually been watching the card duels this whole time, right?"
Crack!
Theresia's glass cracked audibly in her hand.
Card duels, my ass!
Isn't this supposed to be a prestigious Arcana academy? Why the hell are all its students so obsessed with card games?!
Wait. Theresia suddenly saw an opening.
"Does Miss Hysteria enjoy playing cards, too? I noticed you haven't joined in these past few evenings."
"Tsk, just a minor problem," Hysteria waved dismissively, irritated. "I got into a small argument with that stingy jerk. He said the only way he'd reconcile is if I defeat him in one of those stupid after-hours 'Shadow Duels.' But I barely understand how to play that ridiculous game! I've lost several nights in a row already."
Shadow Duel?
Theresia had heard of it—a popular pastime among students, essentially card games with stakes. Because the academy prohibited gambling, such matches were held secretly after hours and jokingly dubbed "Shadow Duels."
As staff, Theresia always left the student dormitory lounge after curfew, returning to her own quarters—the one time each day she couldn't monitor Linen.
It turned out Linen hadn't been bluffing or trying to mock her—he genuinely hadn't considered her a threat, because he'd been busy with this foolish princess's Shadow Duels each night!
She'd been searching desperately for an opening, infiltrating carefully until she'd even earned two promotions. Yet, the opportunity had been staring her right in the face this whole time!
Theresia inhaled deeply, glancing bitterly at her employee badge—which had changed from "Storage Room Porter" to "Bartender"—and suddenly felt like dying.
Her approach had been wrong from the start. Linen Norton himself might've been cautious, but the idiots around him were nothing but vulnerabilities.
"I actually…really enjoy playing cards. If Your Highness wouldn't mind, perhaps I could teach you a thing or two?" Theresia ventured.
"No need," Hysteria replied curtly, chilling Theresia's heart instantly. But the princess quickly continued.
"You can just come directly with me tonight. That jerk looks down on me and allowed me to bring outside help. I've brought several people, but no one has beaten him yet. You better not disappoint me. Meet me in the academy's central garden tonight."
Fine—more card duels? Tonight, that obnoxious card-obsessed prince dies!
"After all," Hysteria grinned, patting Theresia's shoulder reassuringly, "you definitely look like someone who knows her way around a card game."
Oh, of course.
Theresia smiled warmly in return.
Then you can both die together.