Gaia + Monica =?

Theus rubbed his eyes, staring at the scorched, shattered target in the distance as he fell into deep thought.

What had he come here for again?

Hadn't Gaia just come to his office yesterday? How had she already pulled out something like this today?

Had he transmigrated again?

"Let me get this straight, Gaia. Yesterday, you came to my office and applied to join the delegation heading to the Mechanical Cathedral, intending to find a way to rescue Chloe?"

"That's right!"

"Then, without spending even a moment mourning Chloe, you turned around and developed a magnetic storm coil for me?"

"Um, why magnetic? Wasn't that lightning that came down just now?"

"Magnetism and electricity are basically the same thing. Wait, don't change the subject. How did you make this thing in a single night?"

"Oh, this? I recruited a batch of new researchers overnight. Plus, this launchable lightning rod was already part of our technological reserves, so it only looked like we brought it out quickly. We'd actually prepared it long ago."

"Is that so?" The explanation barely held up, but Theus still felt that something was off.

He looked around suspiciously. Then his gaze suddenly froze, locking onto a figure trying to quietly retreat behind the others.

"Monica!!!"

The petite banshee jolted when someone suddenly exposed her presence. She froze in place, even the tip of her tail going rigid.

After a moment, she forced out a smile and slowly turned around.

"M-My Lord. I'm a legitimate researcher. The projects I applied for before were all submitted through proper channels. How could you suspect me?"

Theus narrowed his eyes.

Monica might have been a legitimate researcher, but Monica doing legitimate research was highly unlikely.

"Then let me ask you: did you apply for this project? Did you write a