Eros turned around and saw that the speaker was the faculty member previously dispatched by the academy. The man looked terrible—his eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was weary. It was clear he hadn't slept well, if at all, over the past few days.
In response to the question, Eros organized his thoughts and gave a prepared account of how he had encountered the Senior Deacon and been escorted out early. The faculty member nodded, a tired smile flickering across his face.
"Exhausted, aren't you? I'll take you to the purification station. Once you're cleared, you can head to the temporary quarters in the camp to rest."
Eros gave an affirmative grunt and followed the man, with Undine in tow. Though he carried no actual contamination, the protocol had to be followed. Once the process was complete, they were led to a row of terraced houses.
"Pick any room you like," the staff member said, gesturing toward the buildings. "If you need anything else, just let me know."
Eros actually did have one requirement. His current clothes were materialized from Ling, which made him feel slightly "unsecured." He took the opportunity to ask, "Do you have a change of clothes?"
"Of course! Wait a moment, I'll fetch some for you."
The man soon returned with a set of crisp, new sacrificial robes. Eros wasn't picky; he thanked him and accepted the bundle. After delivering the clothes, the faculty member returned to the plaza to wait for the rest of the students.
Inside the temporary quarters, Eros donned the new attire and looked himself over. He nudged Undine in the ribs and grinned. "Do I look like a priest?"
Undine pouted. "Not even a little bit!"
Eros snorted. Just as he was about to jokingly "suppress" Undine with one hand, a knock sounded at the door. He opened it to find a young boy he didn't recognize.
"May I ask who you are looking for?" Eros inquired, confused.
"You must be His Highness Eros, correct? Lord Regexima would like to invite you for a meeting," the boy said with a polite smile.
Eros frowned. He didn't know anyone named Regexima. However, given the formal invitation, he saw no reason to refuse. "Now?"
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"Yes." The boy's smile remained fixed.
From inside the room, Undine called out, "I'm coming too!"
The boy glanced at her, his smile unchanging. "Lord Regexima only invited His Highness Eros. He specifically mentioned he wishes to see only him. Oh, I forgot to introduce him—Lord Regexima is one of the Storm High Priests of the Church of the Sea. Son of the Storm, Favored of the Calamity—those are his titles."
Eros’s expression shifted to one of shock. In the Church of the Sea, a Storm High Priest held a status equivalent to a Cardinal Archbishop in the Church of Reincarnation. This was a High-Positioned One of at least Sequence 2!
Why was a High-Positioned One stationed at a camp for such a low-level Sin Realm? Or had he come specifically because of the mutation within the realm? Was the influence of "that gaze" from the Evil God so severe that it required not only a Sequence 3 Saint but also a Sequence 2 High-Positioned One?
Taking a deep breath, Eros said gravely, "Please, lead the way."
The boy nodded and turned to guide him. As for Undine, the moment she heard a Storm High Priest was involved, she pulled her head back into the room. A terrifying existence like that was better left to Eros.
Soon, they arrived at an office door. The boy knocked, and a deep, rugged voice boomed from within: "Come in!"
Eros entered and was met with a peculiar sight. A burly man with messy hair like tangled seaweed sat on a sofa with his back to the door. From Eros’s vantage point, he could see the man was cradling a small boy in his lap.
Yes, a little boy...
Eros’s expression turned odd. The burly man set the child down and said, "Go out for a moment." The child obeyed, bowing to Eros as he passed. The boy who had led Eros there also excused himself, leaving Eros alone with the man.
Eros suddenly felt a surge of nerves. Does this Storm High Priest... have a thing for little boys? I'm much older than that; surely he isn't interested?
The man, oblivious to Eros’s internal panic, kept his back turned until he tore a strip of cloth from his own sleeve and tied it over his eyes. Only then did he turn around and smile. "Come, take a seat."
Eros suppressed his anxiety and stepped into the office. The door behind him slammed shut with a heavy thud, making his heart hammer even harder. He moved to bow to the High Priest, but just as before, he found his body frozen in place.
Regexima waved a hand dismissively. "No need to bow to me. Sit."
Eros moved stiffly to the sofa. Sensing his unease, Regexima added casually, "Don't worry. I only like the young ones."
Eros let out a long breath of relief, his tension finally ebbing. "Lord High Priest, may I ask why you sent for me?"
Regexima scratched his chin and spoke with an air of carefree nonchalance. "No particular business! I simply heard the Church of Reincarnation gained a new God-Son—one graced by the Elven Goddess herself. I was curious, so I wanted to see you. Since I happened to be in Hydalam and this Sin Realm ran into trouble, I decided to drop by."
Eros’s mouth twitched. You wanted to see me, yet the first thing you do is blindfold yourself? What is that supposed to mean?