Eros didn't give Blue a chance to decline. He stuffed the two banknotes directly into the boy's coat pocket and patted his shoulder again. "We agreed on this beforehand. Don't be polite. I’ll head in first!"

  With that, Eros smoothly draped his arm over Undine’s shoulder, shifting a good portion of his weight onto her. Undine, used to this dynamic, grunted slightly and braced herself, practically hoisting him up the final few steps.

  As they reached level ground, the pretty girl with cold-brown hair leaned in, scrutinizing Eros with intense curiosity. "So, you’re Undine’s brother?"

  Eros took a moment to look her over. She had long, flowing hair, a charming face, and a surprisingly well-endowed figure. "That’s me. Eros Lenka North." He extended a hand.

  "Joanie Claude Horn!" Joanie took his hand, her lips curling into a playful smile, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

  Watching Eros’s arm draped over Undine’s shoulder, Prince Saliba’s expression soured. "Is Brother Eros having trouble walking?"

  Eros frowned. Who is this guy calling 'Brother'? Still, considering they’d be classmates, he didn't snap. "I attempted to use a spell beyond my level and suffered some backlash. I haven't fully recovered yet."

  Saliba nodded, then barked at his lackeys. "Two of you, go help Brother Eros."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Undine’s brow furrowed. "No need. I’ve got him."

  "Nonsense!" Saliba countered. He reached out, intending to physically pull Eros away from Undine.

  Eros narrowed his eyes. What is up with this blue-haired brat? He leaned in, whispering into Undine’s ear, "Let’s just go."

  Undine nodded, expertly dodging the hands of the approaching lackeys, and continued walking toward the academy interior. Saliba’s brow deepened further as he watched Eros whisper so intimately into Undine’s ear.

  Behind them, a swarm of noble students followed at a distance. They were all eager to witness the upcoming talent assessment. They wanted to see if this "genius" actually lived up to the hype.

  After walking a bit, Eros felt some strength returning and retracted his arm. He looked at the girls suspiciously. "Who was that blue-haired guy back there?"

  Joanie burst into laughter at his description. "That 'blue hair' is the sacred symbol of the Augustine bloodline! Don't let the royals hear you calling it that!"

  "Oh, so the blue-hair is royalty," Eros muttered. "He seems to have a thing for our Undine."

  At the phrase "our Undine," Undine’s cheeks flushed a soft pink. But the subject matter quickly turned her mood sour. "Don't mention him. He’s incredibly annoying."

  Joanie chuckled. "The fact that His Highness Saliba is pursuing Sister Undine is practically public knowledge across the entire academy."

  Eros nodded thoughtfully. "But I heard the royal family doesn't allow their members to intermarry with outsiders?"

  Joanie confirmed this with a nod. "Correct. It’s supposedly to keep the Augustine bloodline stable."

  "Hah! So he wants my bratty sister to be his mistress? He can keep dreaming," Eros sneered, his tone sharp and disdainful.

  Joanie stayed silent on that front, but she leaned in and whispered to Undine, "Wait, aren't you the older sister?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  "Then why does he call you 'bratty sister'?"

  "Ignore him," Undine sighed, her tone resigned. "He’s been calling me that since we were kids. I’m used to it."