The Banquet

Tina took out the evidence of Ulrich's treason.

“I want you to help me.”

“These are...”

“Ulrich is a traitor to the Church, and these are proofs of his plans to launch a rebellion. I want you to help me expose him. I also have a condition.”

“Huh?”

“Whatever benefits you gain from this can be used however the Sarather family wishes, but the credit for exposing Ulrich must go to Sathya. Oh... and don't tell her.”

Tina did not say much else.

She only needed to state her terms, lay down her cards, and leave.

Only a future family head who was eager to prove themselves would understand the true value of this information.

It took Krulu a long time to fully digest those words.

“Let me see the evidence.”

“Okay.” Tina pulled out the gathered information and documents from her shoulder bag.

Among them were proofs of Ulrich purchasing slave armies and various weapons, as well as evidence of him rebuilding an abandoned manor. He had even embezzled high-tier weapons that originally belonged to the Inquisitors, kept receipts of transactions with the black market, and a letter that was more than enough to prove his treasonous intent.

Krulu almost laughed out of sheer disbelief after reading through them. This wasn't just gathering evidence; it was practically stripping him bare.

“I see. This is indeed surprising. To be honest, Miss Tina, you've exceeded my expectations.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” Tina said.

“Haha, you're being too polite, Tina. Honestly, I don't really care that much about the position of apprentice Saintess anymore~ To me, my friendship with you all is what matters most.”

Krulu shrugged.

“My helping you this time is also so you'll look after me in the White Dusk Forest~”

“What do you need?”

“Nothing really. You're actually quite cute. Honestly, I was looking forward to you saying something like, 'Does the great Lady Krulu really need my help?'”

As the champion of last month's magic competition, she certainly had the right to be proud.

“Thank you.”

“It's the least I can do as your teammate. Oh, right—tomorrow night, I'm hosting a banquet for our entire team. I hope you can make it. It'll be right here.”

...

Tina was sent back to the academy in a "private carriage."

She had the driver drop her off halfway, choosing to walk the rest of the way back to the dormitory herself.

It was only noon, and the news of the top floor of the library being blown up was still causing quite a stir.

Afterward, she went home to carefully inspect her body.

There was still no change; there was only an occasional burning sensation around her neck.

Sathya had not come to look for her either.

Though perhaps expecting that was merely wishful thinking.

What made Tina even more anxious was that she couldn't even get in touch with Velrose. As a result, she had no way of knowing how Sathya was doing.

That evening, she received an invitation to Krulu's banquet.

The girl seemed to have either looked up everyone else's schedules beforehand or asked them in person.

Tina had originally wanted to decline.

Because Sathya, as the team leader, would definitely attend.

But after a fierce internal struggle, she ultimately decided to go.

The next day, Tina put on the blue dress Sathya had bought for her and grabbed the bag she had purchased at school.

The outfit felt light, but her heart was heavy.

Before she set off for the banquet, a "private carriage" arrived to pick her up. The carriage was adorned in the classic Sarather style and crest, pulled by a white horse walking slowly, steady and elegant.

The driver brought her into the estate, and the mansion lit up with bright lights was naturally where the banquet was being held.

Along the way, she ran into two classmates who were also heading there.

One was a boy with glasses, long hair, and thick eyebrows, who seemed to be a very quiet person.

The other was more of a "comic relief." He wore his school uniform and didn't even seem to have combed his hair, completely oblivious to the status of the person who had invited him.

“Oh my god, White, this is my first time in such a wealthy place!”

“...”

“Can I go take a look over there?!”

“Don't tell anyone you're my friend later,” the boy named White said, clearly at a loss for words.

“White, look, is that Tina? Good evening, Miss Tina!”

However, Tina ignored them and vanished from their sight in an instant, as if they had just witnessed an illusion.

By then, Tina had already reached the front doors of the mansion. Several maids bowed to her and guided her up the stairs to the dining hall on the second floor.

The dining hall could only be described as magnificent.

Both sides of the room were lined with fruit platters and drinks. Professional bartenders served beverages to several young ladies from a temporary bar counter. A piano played a lively tune, accompanied by a dedicated violinist.

Miss Krulu was currently sitting in the most luxurious chair at the dining table. When she saw Tina arrive, she called out a greeting.

“Good evening~”

Tina curtsied in return, then randomly found a seat and began scanning the room for Sathya.

She hadn't arrived yet.

It wasn't until the hands of the clock pointed to half-past six that Sathya finally walked through the main doors.

She wore a black dress with a belt wrapped around her slender waist. The intricate white lace, carved like a work of art, gave the hem of her skirt a rich sense of depth, which, combined with her black thigh-high stockings, created a beautiful sight.

Her deep eyes locked onto Tina in an instant, completely ignoring everyone else's congratulations and greetings. For a split second, it felt as though the rest of the world had vanished, leaving only the two of them.

However, this private world was quickly swallowed by the lively atmosphere of the banquet.

The guests immediately began whispering about Sathya, mostly in praise.

“I thought Lady Sathya wasn't coming.”

“Look how beautiful she is. Her eyes are so gorgeous. Is she really a girl from a small convent?”

“She took first place in the school's astrology department again a few days ago. A lot of upperclassmen don't even want to participate anymore when they see her name...”

“That's what you call a powerhouse blessed with talent.”

The banquet officially began at seven o'clock. Krulu stood up, raised her glass, and gave a speech.

She didn't say any polite platitudes, instead joking about the interesting rumors and events that had occurred around the Holy Academy recently.

For instance, how students from a certain society tried to host a "Most Handsome Boys" and "Goddesses" ranking, only to fill it with their own personal favorites; how some tried to start a logistics business on campus, resulting in elite students of the Holy Academy willingly doing the work of carriage drivers; and the ghost stories and various bizarre rumors passed down from the mountains.

She was like the most cheerful and outgoing student, navigating all social interactions with effortless ease.

There were congratulations and expectations, but it was mostly lighthearted entertainment meant to foster friendship.

Tina barely ate anything during the banquet. She watched Sathya cautiously, even looking for an opportunity to make contact and test her.

Yet Sathya seemed to be actively avoiding her.

Or perhaps there was simply no chance to get close to her at all.

Until the very end of the banquet, Sathya never spared her a single glance.