“Eve? No, my name is Christina, a High Holy Maiden of the White God Holy Church in the Empire. If the Silver-haired Fairy would like, please call me Tina.”
Tina smiled and gave a noble curtsey as she spoke.
This Saintess was indeed not Eve.
Whether it was her demeanor or those eyes that Ai’er couldn’t see through…
‘Wait, White God Holy Church? Is the religion in this world the same as the one on Eve’s side? Is it such a coincidence?’
“Hello, Miss Tina. Please call me Ai’er.”
Ai’er returned the gesture politely. Since she was currently Elena’s maid, her every move reflected on her master.
But a sense of vigilance rose in her heart.
Even if this Saintess looked like Eve and should feel familiar and friendly, Ai’er couldn’t see through her eyes.
Those eyes were too clear, giving Ai’er a sense of strangeness.
“Then, Miss Ai’er, shall I lead the way? The library is this way.”
Tina smiled slightly, turned, and walked in a certain direction.
‘Should I follow? But Elena…’
“By the way, if you are thinking about Miss Elena, please don’t worry.”
Tina stopped and clapped her hands.
As the sound faded, a woman dressed as a priest appeared behind Ai’er.
It happened silently, as if the woman had appeared out of thin air. The moment Ai’er noticed her, she trembled in shock.
“She is my attendant, Miss Ai’er.”
Tina was still smiling, but her gaze toward Ai’er held a bit more playfulness.
“When Miss Elena comes out, she will inform her of your departure to the library. Now, do you have any other difficulties you need me to resolve?”
‘Is she trying to force me to be alone with her?!’
If that was the case…
Ai’er took a deep breath and smiled back at Tina.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Miss Tina.”
This Saintess and her attendant… with limited points and no Disposable Magic, Ai’er definitely couldn’t win a fight.
But since they were in the Academy and the other party had identified herself…
Ai’er glanced at the system prompt in the corner of her vision.
She would go and see.
Having made up her mind, Ai’er followed the High Holy Maiden.
—
At a corner not far from the Academic Affairs Office, a young doctor watched the back of Saintess Christina leading Ai’er away.
“White God Holy Church…”
The doctor wore an Imperial physician’s armband on his sleeve. He checked his pocket watch.
He had intended to take this chance to contact Ai’er, but the sudden appearance of the Saintess had completely disrupted his plans.
“But no matter. There will be many opportunities.”
Putting away his watch, he took one last look at their retreating figures and walked in the opposite direction.
The moment he left, Saintess Christina’s lips curved slightly.
—
“Miss Elena, may I ask what happened? As long as it is within the Academy’s power, we will — “
“I believe I’ve made myself very clear. Do I need to repeat it one last time?”
“But you said withdrawal — !”
A pulse of freezing mana instantly covered the entire Academic Affairs Office.
The teachers and clerks stood up, some even grasping their staves, looking ready to flee at any moment.
“My patience is limited.”
Retracting the scattered mana, Elena took a deep breath.
The girl sat opposite the female clerk handling her paperwork, one leg crossed over the other, her left hand propping up her cheek. A silent restlessness burned in her dark blue eyes.
“This…”
The female clerk didn’t know what to say.
She only knew that no one in the Academic Affairs Office could stop this Duke’s Daughter.
Her only hope was that the Great Mage in the Academy had noticed the mana pulse and would come to save them.
Silence.
In the silence, time trickled by, each second feeling agonizingly long.
Elena grew impatient. Ai’er was still waiting outside, and she didn’t want to waste any more time here.
Just as she was about to act —
“The reason?”
A magic circle unfolded out of thin air in front of Elena.
First came the voice, then the person.
An intricately structured staff, black robes, white hair and beard, and an expressionless face.
A white-bearded old man stepped out of the circle.
It was just like that time at the Siris Estate.
“Reason? Because I no longer have a reason to stay at the Academy.”
Elena stood up, preparing to walk out of the Academic Affairs Office.
She hadn’t come to submit a withdrawal application; it was more of a courtesy — she had indeed gained something important at the Academy, so she felt an obligation to inform them before she left.
Now, she had nothing more to say.
But in the next instant —
Magic-formed ice crystals instantly formed a massive wall, completely blocking Elena’s path.
The girl turned her head slightly, her dark blue eyes flowing with displeasure.
“…Are you blocking my path?”
The pulse of mana exploded again, completely shattering the massive ice wall in front of her.
The White-bearded Great Mage remained silent for a moment.
If he were to fight this young lady now, he really didn’t know who would be left standing.
“Miss Elena, do you remember the agreement you made with this old man?”
That was one year ago.
Even though she could bypass all procedures to enroll as the Duke’s Daughter, she still needed a teacher or a high-ranking official within the Academy to serve as a recommender.
After her parents passed away, Elena had very little contact with the outside world.
At that time, it was this White-bearded Great Mage who had stepped in.
“If you need a recommender, I can help. I can even arrange the most suitable courses for you after you enter the Academy and provide all the resources you need. But in exchange, you must obtain a graduation certificate from the Academy.”
Obtain a graduation certificate…
Elena knew what that meant.
No matter how fast one completed their studies, they had to work as an apprentice magic user in the Royal Palace for at least one year to obtain it.
She was 18 now. According to Imperial law, she had two years before she officially inherited the position in the Duchy of White at age 20.
More importantly, there was the Monster Tide that occurred in the Duchy of White every ten years.
If Sirius led the people of the Duchy against the Monster Tide when she turned 20…
To whom would the people’s hearts turn?
“…Fine.”
But…
Ai’er waking up was more important.
She had already lost almost everything. She didn’t want to experience any more loss.
As for the agreement with the White-bearded Great Mage…
“There was an agreement, but what of it? If the Duchy cannot resist the Monster Tide, will you take responsibility for the consequences?”
Only silence met Elena’s question.
“Excuse me.”
“Wait.”
As the words fell, the White-bearded Great Mage teleported in front of Elena.
“Regarding the internship, if Miss Elena needs to return to her country to deal with the Monster Tide, the Empire will naturally not stop you. But as for the agreement — if such a simple promise cannot be fulfilled, it will be a stain on your reputation in aristocratic circles.”
“I don’t care.”
“Wait, I have a compromise.”
A document woven from mana appeared before Elena’s eyes.
Elena scanned the text quickly. When she reached the end, her eyebrows rose slightly.
“…Fine. I accept these conditions. But if anyone else tries to block me after this, I will no longer be polite.”
With that, Elena left the Academic Affairs Office.
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