The Black-Haired Steward

At Magiya, there is a girl who doesn't stand out — but once you notice her, you never forget her.

Straight black hair that hangs down to her waist, and bangs that just barely cover her eyes.

A black dress that covers her from neck to ankle, a black coat, boots, a black veil that barely conceals her face, and through the gaps — black eyes.

Covered head to toe in black except for a sliver of her face, she leaves no lasting impression on anyone unless they observe her carefully.

But if you properly notice her even once, you'll understand why this girl is famous.

The reason is...

"Why are you here? Temni is that way."

"Professor, I belong to Vogue."

"...Why do you dress like that? You look exactly like someone who studies dark magic."

"That's discrimination, Professor."

Even her name is Steward — she was born into a devout and pious family and has never once been apart from the gods.

A child from the 'Sincere' family, where every member is a wizard who serves the divine and hails from Vogue, the department that studies holy magic and the gods.

Originally, members of the Sincere family are known for their white hair and pale, luminous eyes.

However, Steward's — or Sti's — mother came from the far Eastern Continent, and Sti inherited her mother's looks entirely, gaining black hair and black eyes.

Of course, since her all-black fashion — ominous enough to turn heads — is purely a matter of personal taste, Sti is very frequently mistaken for belonging to Temni, the dark magic department, rather than Vogue.

But anyone who has seen Sti quickly realizes she is unmistakably Vogue — because sitting as the only person in black among Vogue's sea of white-haired, white-clad members makes for an unforgettable sight.

Fortunately, since many members of the Sincere family are in Vogue, few people there doubt Sti's love for the gods or her borderline fanatical faith. But outsiders sometimes wonder aloud whether Sti is a heretic.

Whenever Sti meets such people, she sits them down for hours-long theological 'discussions' that border on divine punishment.

"Sti, I think you can stop now. I fully understand your devotion."

"No. Your doubting my devotion is not the issue. What I wish to address is the error in your judgment that our god is not omnipotent enough for my faith to be questioned. If you hear the history of the divine one more time, you will understand why our Vogue has such deep roots and a firm foundation."

"I was wrong......"

Whether her all-black appearance has contributed to her notoriety(?) is unclear, but Steward has a reputation rivaling that of the professors.

If you happen to wander the school at night and spot a black-clad girl praying in the Vogue chapel, try not to be startled.

If she catches you, you'll have to spend the entire night praying together in the chapel...

"Excuse me, what did you just say?"

Huh?

"My praying in the chapel at night is a precious process of confessing my sins before the Holy God. This won't do — come along. Let us pray together through the night."

W-wait, I—

"Hmm? You'll come along? Oh my, I'm so delighted."

Help me.......