Saintess? Or Strega?

In disguise, Elise was chatting happily with Laetitia. Though they'd only met a few times before, each encounter had left a deep impression on Laetitia.

Eventually, Laetitia had taken the initiative to greet Elise. One thing led to another, and they exchanged contact information. Since then, they occasionally messaged each other.

While they weren't as close as Sylvia and Elise, it would be fair to call them good friends.

"There really are a lot of people out today! Are they all headed for the main gate?"

"Of course. Who else could cause such a stir?"

Elise had entered the academy via special channels provided by the Integrated Enterprise Foundation. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she'd completed her enrollment in advance.

So there was no need to visit the student council office. Instead, Vice President Laetitia would personally escort her to the girls' dormitory.

Hmm... This is actually my first time staying in a girls' dorm as a girl! Elise thought to herself.

Even on these quieter paths, they passed by many students heading toward the gate, all murmuring Elise's name or referring to her as "Lady Saintess."

Already feeling embarrassed, Elise's cheeks flushed even deeper.

She had predicted she'd be popular in this aquatic city, but not this popular. She'd underestimated her appeal among students.

Even Laetitia couldn't help but tease her.

"That level of popularity is downright frightening. I've lived in this city a long time and never seen anyone compare to you. Not even Queenvail's idols get this much attention, Lady Saintess."

"Geez, keep talking like that and I might get mad, Laetitia!" Elise replied. But her tone held no anger—only a hint of shyness.

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Laetitia laughed, satisfied with her playful jab. She knew going too far would earn her a real complaint from Elise.

"Anyway, have you decided on your title yet? What will it be?" Laetitia asked, bringing up one of the hottest topics among the student body.

Elise's title!

To the world, Elise Holiness was undeniably a powerful Genestella, and one with special abilities—a Strega.

Normally, those with such powers were given special, fixed titles.

Men were called Dantes (Magician), women Stregas (Witch).

The term "magic" here referred to mystical arts—not evil. Still, the term "Strega" caused quite a stir online.

Elise was unique. She had carried out many relief efforts and earned the widely known title of "Saintess."

Now calling such a person a Strega brought about a different connotation.

It implied labeling a true saintess as a witch!

If this were ancient times, everyone knew exactly what that meant:

A death sentence!

So a movement began online, demanding that Elise retain the title of "Saintess." Given her fame, this debate spread quickly, and the number of supporters for the "Saintess" title kept growing.

However, another group argued that the modern meaning of "Strega" had evolved. They insisted the title should reflect the current era and not cling to outdated interpretations.

Both sides clashed fiercely online, neither backing down.

In the end, the controversy was picked up and heavily sensationalized by opportunistic journalists, turning it into a massive public debate.

It reached such a scale that Elise herself had no choice but to speak up and share her thoughts on the matter.

This entire incident made one thing clear—the power of public opinion was terrifying!

"So tell me, Lady Elise, are you a Saintess now, or a Strega?" Laetitia asked, hands clasped behind her back and upper body slightly leaning forward, her eyes narrowed in a playful smile.

"Hmhm!"

Elise gave a proud little snort, her lips curling into a grin. Under Laetitia's curious gaze, she extended her little "claws."

"Right now, I'm obviously a Strega! And not just any Strega, but a super evil one here to punish a certain naughty girl!"

"Eh?"

Before Laetitia could react, Elise had already instantaneously moved behind her and launched a tickle attack straight at her underarms.

"Hahaha! Stop, stop! I admit I was wrong! Hahaha!" Laetitia laughed uncontrollably.

As the second-ranked member of Page One at Saint Galahadworth Academy, Laetitia was undeniably strong. Even if she wasn't taking this seriously, few people could catch her off guard.

But Elise completely shattered Laetitia's understanding of what it meant to be a "Strega," leaving her momentarily questioning if she was even one herself.

Then again, this was no time for reflection—Laetitia still needed to escape Elise's "wicked claws."

As the two played around, their antics started drawing attention from nearby students.

Soon, murmurs began to spread.

"Hey, isn't that the vice president? Why is someone messing with her like that?"

"Who's that girl in the hat? She actually dares to mess with the vice president? Wait... that eyepatch! Don't tell me she's...?"

Elise's fame was on a whole other level. Many of her features—like her blonde hair, blue eyes, gentle demeanor, and signature eyepatch—had been broadcast widely by the media.

She had worn a hat to disguise herself, covering the eyepatch. But during the scuffle with Laetitia, the hat was accidentally knocked off.

It didn't take long for the students to piece it together.

"It is Lady Saintess! She didn't enter through the main gate after all—Laetitia must've brought her in."

"Quick! Notify everyone—the Saintess is already inside! Stop waiting at the gate!"

The crowd descended into chaos once more. Just before fleeing, Elise cast a meaningful glance at Laetitia, who returned a sheepish smile.

"I'll deal with you next time!" Elise shouted playfully before dashing away, leaving Laetitia behind to ponder how she would survive whatever came next.

...

"I'm very happy that everyone likes me. But please, stop the arguments."

"I'm just a student entering the academy—there's no need to go to such lengths because of me."

"Some words today no longer carry the meanings they once did. We should move forward with the times and not remain bound by the past."

"There are so many adorable and kind-hearted kids today who are called Stregas! I really like them. I want to be a great Strega too—one who brings everyone hope!"

In the end, Elise made her own statement, and her title was officially settled.

Elise Holiness—The Wordweaving Strega!