When Enid got back to her office and opened the door, she found Antonio rummaging through her bookcase like he owned the place, clearly hunting for something.

  “Um, Headmaster Antonio?”

  “Evening, Professor Innis, perfect timing. Have a seat.”

  Enid shot him a look, not exactly pleased.

  “Going through my personal things like this feels a bit… inappropriate.”

  Antonio did not bother answering. He kept searching like he had not heard her.

  “…Ah, there it is.”

  He reached deep into the back of the shelf and pulled out a jar packed with dried tea leaves.

  It was Enid’s own blend, made from several rare ingredients, brewed properly, it eased fatigue and helped keep her curse from flaring up.

  She had gathered most of the materials years ago while adventuring with Antonio and the others, and almost all of them were the kind of potion components you could not buy even if you had money.

  Fireblossom petals that only grew near volcanic peaks, frostroot harvested from permanently frozen tundra, prismatic mageflowers that appeared only in places thick with mana, and sacred blooms that grew near the graves of saints, things like that.

  Honestly, if she sold everything required to make that one jar, she could probably buy a prime estate in the most expensive part of the imperial capital, with plenty left over.

  And Antonio just… took her special blend right in front of her, grabbed a huge handful, and tossed it into the kettle without hesitation.

  Even Enid felt her heart ache a little, and he was doing it with a student in the room.

  She was about to scold him for using those not exactly clean hands when she spotted a single golden cowlick poking up behind a chair.

  The office chairs had tall backs, and the student was short, so Enid had not noticed anyone sitting there at first.

  So this must be the “friend’s ward” Antonio mentioned in his letter.

  What surprised her more was that the student had somehow slipped past her senses.

  As a nature spirit who could feel the flow of natural elements, Enid could usually tell how many people were in the entire main tower without breaking a sweat, she just kept that ability shut off most of the time so she could enjoy some peace.

  That odd, prickling discomfort she had felt earlier seemed to be coming from this student, too.

  Who was this kid?

  Antonio noticed her confusion, but he gestured for her to sit first.

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  Then he set out three cups, poured the tea, and spoke toward the chair, as if addressing someone who was turned away.

  “Rosalie, come say hello to Professor Innis.”

  No movement.

  He called again, still nothing.

  Antonio frowned, stood up, and walked over to check why “Rosalie” was not responding.

  The moment he saw Rosalie’s face, he let out a laugh before he could stop himself.

  Rosalie was asleep.

  It was honestly impressive, falling asleep that fast, sleeping that deeply, while two people chatted and made tea right next to him.

  Antonio decided to wake Rosalie in the most obnoxious way possible, like he was playing a prank.

  Enid did not stop him.

  Antonio started clapping out of nowhere, tossing out loud congratulations like he was applauding someone on stage.

  Rosalie jolted so hard he toppled backward with the chair and hit the floor in a heap.

  Then he scrambled up and immediately started clapping too, still half-asleep.

  Enid could practically see it in her head, this kid had dozed off in class a lot.

  Only someone with experience could auto-pilot into applause that quickly.

  Now Enid finally got a clear look at him.

  Long blond hair tied into a ponytail that fell to his upper back, a slim build, a small frame, and a height about the same as Esme’s.

  His figure was, unfortunately, so flat front and back you could barely tell the difference, but his face was genuinely striking.

  It was delicate in a way that felt almost like fine porcelain, with features that looked carefully carved, and bright green eyes that glittered like emeralds.

  Rosalie finally came fully awake and realized Antonio and a beautiful elf woman were both smiling at him.

  The instant he remembered he had fallen asleep, he sprang up, smoothed his uniform shirt and skirt in a panic, and bowed apologetically.

  “I’m so sorry. The scent of flowers in here is really calming, I must have dozed off.”

  Antonio chuckled and ruffled his hair.

  “I get it, Rosalie. I’m not bothered, and Professor Innis won’t be either. Sit down and have some hot tea, it’ll wake you up.”

  “Thank you, Headmaster Antonio, and you are…”

  Enid gave him a gentle prompt.

  “You can call me Professor Innis, Rosalie, and…”

  She glanced at Antonio.

  “This is the student you mentioned in your letter, why are you having him meet me? Explain.”

  Antonio smiled, took a sip, and looked pleased.

  “Excellent tea. As for the reason, it’ll be easier if you ask Rosalie directly.”

  Enid turned back to Rosalie.

  Rosalie steadied himself and spoke with an unexpectedly pleasant voice, his tone and pace were soft on the ears.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rosalie, Rosalie Fleur, I’m a second-year student in the Divinity Faculty.”

  Even while he spoke, Enid could feel that same discomfort coming off him.

  More accurately, Rosalie’s very presence was stirring the curse inside her.

  Rosalie continued.

  “I asked the headmaster for permission to meet you in person, Professor Innis, and the reason is…”

  He paused, then went on.

  “I took part in the evaluation for your public lecture, and the moment I saw you, I felt an impulse I’ve never felt before. After that, the feeling only kept getting stronger, so…”

  Enid’s expression was getting darker by the second, and Rosalie seemed to realize he was starting to sound like he was flirting.

  He stopped.

  Antonio finally stepped in and laid it out.

  Rosalie was not only a Divinity Faculty student, he was also a Holy Son of the empire’s state religion, the Holy Spirit Church.

  Wait, a Holy Son?

  Wasn’t that title reserved for male believers, shouldn’t Rosalie be a Holy Maiden instead?

  Antonio said he was not mistaken, it really was Holy Son.

  Rosalie nodded calmly to confirm it.

  That was when Enid understood the strange sensation.

  As a Holy Son, Rosalie carried an immense, extremely pure divine power, pure enough that it made the “ancient twisted curse” inside Enid stir and scream for distance.

  That was the source of the discomfort she had felt all the way here.

  And then there was the second shock.

  This Rosalie, beautiful enough to rival Eleanor or Esme, was actually a boy.

  Prettier than most girls, a voice gentler than most girls, and aside from his painfully flat chest, there was almost nothing about him that did not read as “girl” at first glance.

  Enid had never seen anything like it before.