Enya was bought by him from the slave market, not only as his personal maid but also as his guardian unto death.
In the original plotline, after An Su was sacrificed by the Cultists of the Esoteric Religion, it was Enya who found the hidden den of the cultists, slaughtered them, and chopped their bodies into pieces before the maid chose to commit suicide.
An Su was never discriminated against by his family, nor was he ever looked down upon by the servants.
He did not have a tragic childhood, let alone a sad and sorrowful one.
He did not live in an abandoned gray tower either.
Nor was he confined.
All this was an act for the Little Holy Maiden to see.
Just like in talent shows, where contestants dramatize how terribly they have suffered.
He was just an ordinary second-generation rich kid.
But even the children of the rich have their troubles.
After his mother died from a difficult childbirth, his father, Count Karlo, a man of deep affection, had no intention of remarrying. Therefore, his father's only surviving son was the sole heir to the Morningstar Family.
The reason why Count Karlo forbade him from studying magic was simple:
If you, my son, occupy yourself with studies all day long, who will inherit this vast family enterprise of mine?
Your dark talent is naturally suited for managing the treasury!
The Morningstar Family was a newly risen noble house, and Count Karlo had formerly been a common soldier who had distinguished himself in combat and for his military achievements was granted a fiefdom. Having discovered the largest gold mine in the border territories, he transformed overnight into a newly minted wealthy man.
The size of his domain kept expanding with each purchase, as did the rank of his title.
However, his temperament had yet to catch up to his noble title, hence his means of educating his child was extremely straightforward.
If reality had permitted, An Su would also have liked to live the simple life of a rich second-generation, but the plot forced him to make an effort.
Ten years later, in the special instance "Fall from The Abyss," The Abyss beyond the border collapsed, invading the real world.
The first bordering noble family to be wiped out was the Morningstar Family.
In order to protect their gold mine, An Su had to become a hardworking second-generation rich kid.
"Master,"
Enya watched An Su and said,
"The head of the family has returned. He hopes you can explain clearly, the matter of your talking back to him and running away from home a week ago."
"Dad's coming to settle accounts with me?" An Su felt a headache coming on.
"No, on the contrary, he is very satisfied."
Enya cleared her throat lightly and repeated Count Karlo's words in a cool tone, vividly,
"He said, 'At last, the boy has some of my spirit from back in the day! So obedient at such a young age, there's not a hint of a noble youth about him!'"
This old man's imagination of noble youth is a bit biased...
With a sigh of resignation, An Su set aside his book, "Lead the way."
Passing through the corridor and walking down a small alley planted with windmill chrysanthemums, one could see a European-style mansion. Entering the mansion and ascending to the third floor led to Count Karlo's hall.
This was a lavishly decorated hall.
Pale blue curtains flowed with the afternoon sunlight, while the rosewood furniture gave off a faint fragrance as it was warmed by the rays.
Count Karlo sat sternly behind his study, his countenance serious and his gaze as sharp as a hawk's.
"You say you want to join the Radiant Holy See?"
Count Karlo's expression did not seem pleased as he said mockingly to An Su,
"You think you can?"
Count Karlo was initially quite happy, thinking his child had finally done something commendable, daring to run away from home at such a young age, truly showing spirit. But to his astonishment, An Su's spirit was excessive; he was rebellious enough to want to join the Church.
Running away from home was something Count Karlo could support and understand, but running away to join the church was absolutely infuriating to him.
I told you to leave the house, not to join the monastery!
"Do you understand the rules of the Radiant Holy See?"
Count Karlo calmed his anger slightly and said to An Su,
"Once you become a saint, all worldly matters will be irrelevant to you."
"I understand," An Su nodded with neither servility nor overbearing confidence,
"Father, I too am determined to dedicate my life to the Holy Light, and I have already secured a spot in the test."
Count Karlo's expression darkened in an instant.
It must have been that nun from earlier who caused this.
Such a lack of judgment in friends.
His family's good-for-nothing scion, led astray by those so-called friends, now wants to devote his life to that damned Holy Light!
Doesn't Count Karlo understand his own son's situation?
His talent regarding the Holy Light was practically nonexistent, to put it plainly, he was an idiot when it came to the Holy Light.
This nun had enticed him to join the Church and even to take the entrance exam. Failure after failure, he'd waste the best years of his life on those tests—isn't this holding him back?
While the Viscount's children next door were already teasing married women, his own child was stuck doing tests every day. When would Count Karlo get to hold a grandchild?
"An Su... we all understand your situation,"
he decided to have a heartfelt talk with his son,
"Your talent doesn't lie with the Holy Light... We don't lack mages in our family. I know you bear grudges, but it's not that I don't support your dreams. It's that we need to face reality."
"Actually, managing gold mines isn't so bad,"
Karlo said with a negotiated tone,
"If you really don't like it, you can always go manage the silver mines..."
"Do you even know how difficult the Radiant Holy See's entrance exam is?"
Seeing that An Su was still unmoved, Count Karlo glanced at Enya standing by his side, "Enya, tell me, do you think your master could pass the test? With your master's level of skill?"
"He cannot," she said without hesitation, pointedly, "My master is useless."
After a while, Enya thought it over and added,
"However, I can go and assassinate the other candidates, that way he could pass."
...An Su observed the maid's expression, which was as tranquil as the water in an autumn pond within her amber eyes. Her statement about killing all the other candidates did not seem to be a joke.
You're even more extreme than I am...?
An Su felt a headache coming on again.
It seems that this whole family looks down on me.
They all think An Su won't make it.
Indeed, considering the original host's talents, it was a pipe dream to pass the Church's entrance exam.
The Church's entrance ceremony was divided into two scoring phases,
one being the cultural test.
The original host was uneducated from childhood, so he couldn't pass the cultural test.
Two, the talent assessment.
Which is to say, the magic aptitude test.
With the original host's inherited wealthy Sacred Body, he wouldn't score passing marks for this portion either.
After the initial two rounds of exams, there was the final test.
Actual combat.
An Su was sharp since childhood, adept at reading people and situations, and he understood that Karlo was trying to stop him because he feared that his son would waste his youth on meaningless endeavors.
Fearful that he would be delayed by studies during the prime years of a wealthy heir.
Knowing the reason, it was easier to find the right solution.
"Father,"
An Su looked straight into the Count's eyes, earnestly saying, "I will only take the test once. If I fail, there will be no second attempt. I will give up my dream and dutifully go home to inherit the gold mine!"
.