Imperial Capital, the Duke’s residence of the Olivias Family, study.
The night was deep. The magic crystal lamp on the table emitted a soft glow, illuminating the wide desk before Christ.
His usually calm azure eyes were now tightly locked on the report the steward had just presented.
The room was silent, save for the faint rustling of parchment being turned.
Christ read very carefully, almost word by word.
This report documented in detail all of Lilith Nacht’s public activities, social interactions, and background information in the Imperial Capital.
After a long while, he finally put down the last sheet of paper and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Is this everything?”
His voice was steady, betraying no emotion.
The old steward standing in the shadows bowed slightly and replied respectfully:
“Yes, young master. We mobilized the family’s intelligence network in the Imperial Capital and compiled all the information we could find on Miss Lilith from recent years.”
He paused, lowering his voice further:
“As you can see, there is nothing particularly special about Miss Lilith’s background. She is a collateral branch of the Nacht family, long since declined. In her early years, she traveled through several small southern countries before returning to the Imperial Capital.”
“With her excellent social skills and mastery of court etiquette, she gained considerable reputation among the upper-class noblewomen. Later, she was hired as a part-time teacher at the Royal Magic Academy.”
Christ’s fingers tapped lightly on the desk, his brow furrowed.
The fact that Lilith could be invited by his father, Duke Eisend, as an etiquette teacher already indicated that she likely had no blemishes on her record.
But Eisend didn’t know what was happening in the Imperial Capital right now.
Christ hit the nail on the head.
“All the information is too ‘clean.'”
“Yes, young master.”
The steward continued:
“Our people observed her secretly for several days. Other than her daily lectures at the academy and attending a few noble tea parties, she hasn’t done anything particularly unusual.”
“But…”
The steward’s tone shifted, causing Christ’s tapping fingers to stop.
“There is one thing.”
The steward’s voice carried a hint of confusion.
“She seems to be very attentive toward Miss Helos.”
Christ raised his eyes. Behind his lenses, his gaze sharpened.
“Attentive?”
“Yes.”
The steward recalled the reports from the spies.
“Not only did she actively approach Miss Helos at the academy, but her actions at the banquet also seemed to deliberately push the second young lady into the spotlight. And that act of giving her a royal invitation was too coincidental in timing.”
“Although I dare not claim she harbors ill intent…”
The old steward’s head lowered even further.
“Based on my personal judgment, Miss Lilith’s actions could indeed be ulterior.”
Christ put down the report and slowly leaned back against his chair, interlacing his fingers.
“A noble etiquette teacher who is proficient in social manners—would she take such special care of a young girl who just arrived in the Imperial Capital, is unknown, and even bears the name ‘Cursed Girl’?”
If she really wanted to climb onto the Olivias family’s good side, Eleanor would have been a better choice.
The study fell into a long silence.
Of course, he knew about Helos’s change.
At that banquet, the demeanor his little sister displayed had even surprised him.
All of this was inseparable from Lilith’s three years of teaching.
But the more that was true, the deeper Christ’s suspicion grew.
What exactly was Lilith’s goal?
Was she merely trying to cultivate an excellent student?
Or did she want to use Helos…
Or rather, use the Olivias family, to achieve some purpose of her own?
Christ could not tolerate any potential threat approaching his family.
He was silent for a few seconds before finally making a decision.
“I understand.”
Since conventional investigations couldn’t find anything, he would use some unconventional means.
Christ sat up straight again, took a blank sheet of parchment and a feather pen from the drawer.
The nib scratched across the paper, and he quickly wrote a letter.
He did not use the Olivias family’s sealing wax. Instead, from another hidden compartment, he took out a seal engraved with a tower and stars.
That was the personal seal of a high-level mage belonging to the “Tower of Truth.”
He sealed the letter and handed it to the steward.
“Go personally to the Royal Magic Academy and deliver this letter to Dean Finalais.”
The steward took the letter respectfully and did not ask a single question.
Christ stood up, walked to the large floor-to-ceiling window, and gazed out at the courtyard bathed in moonlight.
“Although Lilith hasn’t done anything particularly suspicious for now, her existence itself is an uncertainty.”
His voice echoed in the quiet study, carrying a hint of coldness.
“I don’t care what she’s trying to do, but I can at least make her stay away from Helos.”
Within two days, news reached Helos’s ears.
“Hey, Helos! Did you hear?”
Agatha burst into Helos’s room early in the morning, her face filled with excited gossip.
“Our academy’s pretty teacher Lilith, who taught history and noble etiquette, was suddenly transferred away yesterday!”
“What?!”
Helos was yawning while studying an ancient fragmentary text. Hearing this, she looked up sharply, stunned.
“Transferred? Where to?”
“They say it’s the academy’s exchange program!”
Agatha lowered her voice and spoke mysteriously:
“Dean Finalais personally issued the order. She’s being sent as an exchange scholar to the neighboring Kingdom of Frank for an academic visit! Rumor has it she’ll be gone for at least half a year!”
Lilith… temporarily transferred out of the academy to go on a business trip to a neighboring country?
Helos processed this sudden news blankly, a complex surge of emotions welling up inside her.
There was surprise, confusion—but the strongest feeling was an inexplicable sense of relief.
She couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.
‘Great!’
‘That ‘demon’ supervisor is finally gone!’
This meant she could finally shed all those tedious formalities, openly study her alchemy in the academy, and never again worry about that elusive figure suddenly appearing behind her and reminding her in a gentle tone, “Not ladylike enough.”
Agatha looked at her suspiciously.
“Why do you look so happy about this?”
“D-Do I?”
Helos immediately suppressed her smile and forced a stern expression.
“I’m just… glad that Teacher has such a great exchange opportunity.”
“Hmph, I don’t believe you.”
But Helos had no time now to think about why Lilith was suddenly transferred away, nor did she have the energy to dig into whether there were hidden circumstances behind it.
Her mind was completely occupied by her research.
That damned “will guidance” problem—she still hadn’t fully figured it out.
But that was fine. Just yesterday, Professor Graham had acquired some new materials—seemingly related to ancient alchemy.
Although the research on “metal activation” still had a ways to go, Helos felt a surge of motivation when she thought about how she was only two recipes away from successfully unlocking the “Enlightenment Arts” alchemy.
She decided to play it safe for now and prioritize unlocking the alchemy system.
Once she completed the remaining two recipes and formally mastered the power of the “Enlightenment Arts,” she could properly dive into researching that “metal activation.”