Preaching

Benjamin was a little surprised.

No way? He had just checked a goblet with the sensing method and confirmed there was nothing wrong before preparing to drink it. Besides, poisoning wine was far too straightforward a method.

Though suspicious, Spencer was right beside him, so it was inconvenient to question the System directly in his mind. Nor did he intend to tear off all pretenses just yet. Therefore, he chose to hand the wine back.

"Forget it... Your Excellency should drink it instead. Alcohol isn't good for spiritual energy, and the dean has expressly forbidden us mages from drinking it again. Though I'd like to indulge, I'm really not allowed."

Spencer nodded at this. "I see."

He took the goblet, smiled as he glanced at Benjamin twice, and drank it down in one gulp without hesitation. Yet after swallowing the entire cup, nothing unusual happened to him. His cheeks merely flushed a little.

Benjamin smiled without giving anything away.

"Could you tell me where the restroom is? Sorry, but I'll have to excuse myself first."

Spencer pointed in a direction, and Benjamin turned to leave. The instant he turned around, however, helplessness appeared on his face as he questioned the System in his mind again.

"...What is going on?"

"There really was something strange in that wine," the System said lazily. "Of course, not the sort of poison you were imagining. Aside from the expected ingredients like alcohol, that cup also contained an extremely faint trace of spiritual energy."

Benjamin frowned and asked, "Spiritual energy can remain inside ordinary wine?"

"Normally, that would definitely be impossible. That's why I said the wine was strange."

Benjamin shook his head helplessly.

Whatever the case, the System's warning had been a good thing. It had kept him from drinking that strange wine. Now,