《Glamorous Fraudulent Marriage of The Fake Saintess》 CH 1 Thump, thump! It was like someone was hitting me in the head with a hammer. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± I groaned, struggling to open my eyes. I had a pounding headache. What did I do last night? Oh right, didn¡¯t I attend Soyeon¡¯s birthday party? I was so excited that I couldn¡¯t stop myself from drinking. I ended up downing more liquor than a lightweight like me could handle. ¡®God, you are punishing me right now?¡¯ My head felt like it was about to break, it was the worst hangover I¡¯ve ever had. Let¡¯s drink some water first. I finally fully opened my eyes. ¡®Huh?¡¯ When my vision cleared, it wasn¡¯t the childish flower-print wallpaper of Soyeon¡¯s house that greeted me, nor was it the white ceiling of my house. ¡°Wha- Huh?¡± ¡°Wh-wh-who?¡± The bare shoulders of a naked man came into sight. ¡®Ahh!¡¯ I bolted upright, clamping my mouth shut. My vision was filled with his chest and shoulders. His collarbones were recessed beneath broad shoulders, with defined muscles under smooth skin. What the hell am I looking at? What the hell was this man with flawless abs doing in my bed? ¡®What happened to me last night?¡¯ The most perfect abs I¡¯d ever seen flexed once more. Then, a cold voice pierced my ears at the same time. ¡°¡­..Who are you?¡± ¡®Hyuk.¡¯ My breath was caught in my throat as I raised my head in surprise. Blue eyes, bluer than the sky in winter, met mine. Suddenly my lips stuttered unconsciously. ¡°¡­.H-Hello?¡± ¡°Hello?¡± The mysterious handsome man frowned. In the next moment, my world was upturned. Rustle. Not even the chirping of birds were heard over the eerie silence that befell upon us. Then suddenly, a cold object was held to my neck. ¡°Are you kidding me? What are you doing in my bed?¡± The man let out a low groan. Wa-wait, this thing under my neck right now¡­ is a dagger, right? Was it a real knife? ¡°Ca-calm down¡­. Please calm down.¡± ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to play word games with you. Identify yourself right now.¡± The cold blade was pressed closer to my neck. This was driving me crazy. My head was still throbbing from the hangover, and I wasn¡¯t fully awake yet. Furthermore, the man threatening me while he pinned me down had an unrealistically beautiful face, which was unsuitable for this bloody situation. ¡®What the hell is going on here?!¡¯ Is this not a dream? That¡¯s it! I must be dreaming. Right, this unrealistic situation couldn¡¯t be real. I muttered in vain. ¡°What a strange dream, haha, ha.¡± Then the handsome man¡¯s face wrinkled again as if on cue. ¡°You must want to die.¡± The wide side of the dagger pressed against my throat. Huff. I let out a small gasp. The suffocating pain was too vivid as if it was real. ¡°Intruder, I don¡¯t want to have a long discussion. Now, you tell me who¡¯s behind this, or¨C¡° The blade of the dagger that was reflected in the man¡¯s blue eyes flashed. I realized instinctively- This was a real situation. I had no idea what had happened before waking up, but my life was currently in danger. I closed my eyes tightly as soon as I realized how crucial my next moves were. A video clip of ¡®How to Cope When Met With a Strange Person¡¯ that I watched one day flashed through my mind. When you¡¯re threatened by a stranger, the first thing you should do is not engage in shallow self-defense. The first thing ordinary people must do is¡­ ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Scream out loud to ask for help! The man flinched at the loud cry. An opportunity! As I was about to turn over my body- ¡°Sir Ian! Are you all right?¡± Snap. The door opened. ¡°Huh?¡± I looked back at the door in surprise. I screamed for help, but I didn¡¯t expect it to come so quickly. The man who opened the door saw us and hardened like a stone. Only the handsome man who was attacking me spit out swear words in a low whisper. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°Is there a problem!¡± ¡°Are you an intruder?¡± People rushed into the room with their swords crossed. Their bodies stiffened as soon as they saw us. ¡°Si-sir Ian. This is¡­.¡± ¡°Are you¡­. not an intruder?!¡± ¡°I-I am sorry Sir Ian! I¡¯ll leave!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± The man hurriedly shouted and got up. The blanket that was covering us slipped at the same time. ¡°This isn¡¯t the case at all! Wait¡ª¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The people¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. I looked down at my body with certainty, my figure that was hidden under the blanket was exposed. The seductive purple silk slip worn last night and¨C ¡®Wait? What is this?¡¯ I¡¯ve never worn anything like this before! I freaked out at the erotic pajamas I had never seen before. It wasn¡¯t just that. Hickeys were visible on an exposed portion of skin¡­. ¡°Argh! What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°W- we are leaving.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Ian!¡± People covered their eyes and left hastily. Soon, the door closed. The sound of grinding teeth could be heard in the silence. ¡°That was your plan.¡± ¡°What? No, wait a minute. I didn¡¯t know what was going on-¡° ¡°You are pretty smart. So tell me who is behind all of this?¡± The man looked at me with stern eyes. His blue eyes sparked with flames. ¡°I, Ian Estaban, will screw over the person who decided to mess with me.¡± Ian Estaban. The moment I heard his full name, I frowned. It was an overly familiar name. The dream I had last night came back to me. I¡¯ve been having strange dreams for a while. The plot of the romance novel¡¸A Saint Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¹which I had just finished reading, kept repeating itself in my dream.¡¸A Saint Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¹is a lovey-dovey romance novel between a heroine who was a saint and the male lead who was a knight. It had a very peaceful and cute atmosphere until the final villain blackened. ¡®Final Villain.¡¯ Although he was successful in usurping the throne by rebelling, he was cursed and turned into a tyrant who ran amok. ¡°Hey, please calm down.¡± My scared reaction was a little late, so I laughed awkwardly in a cold sweat. It couldn¡¯t be, I don¡¯t think so. There was no way the man in front of me was the ¡®Ian Esteban.¡¯ I guess I haven¡¯t fully awakened from my dream yet, since I¡¯m experiencing hallucinations. I was sure about that. ¡°Commander! It¡¯s me!¡± Someone hurriedly knocked on the door, Ian groaned lowly. ¡°Come on in.¡± ¡°What the hell happened?! The guys who just left spoke of nonsense that the commander slept with a woman- ugh!¡± The young man who approached me opened his eyes wide as if they were about to pop out. ¡°Co-commander. You really brought a woman¡­.¡± ¡°No. Damn it, it can¡¯t be!¡± Ian growled. He said as he swept his hair roughly. ¡°Somebody pushed this woman into my bed, I guess this is what that person wanted.¡± The young man then opened his mouth and quickly covered his forehead with his palm as if he had a headache. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s brilliant¡­.! ?? You¡¯ll have trouble getting to the cardinal position if you don¡¯t correct the rumors correctly!¡± ¡°Cardinals have to be chaste from generation to generation¡­ God damn it.¡± Ian glared at me, goosebumps raised up across my back. ¡°Who is it? Who sent you?¡± This was driving me crazy, I licked my lips. Everything felt surreal, but the bloodthirsty flowing from this man was insanely vivid. ¡®Am I really going to die like this?¡¯ Ian clicked his tongue and gave me a hard stare, one as hard as a stone. ¡°Lucian, get my sword.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lucian¡­ At that name, I gulped. Lucian was clearly the name of the faithful subordinate to Ian Esteban in the novel. Come to think of it, even his indigo hair matched with the description of ¡®Lucian¡¯ in the novel. I was stunned that there was more proof that this wasn¡¯t a hallucination. Meanwhile, Ian slowly drew the sword that Lucian had given him out. My chin was soon lifted by the cold sword tip. ¡°Tell me who made you do this.¡± Ian whispered in a low voice like a demon. ¡°If you want to live.¡± ¡®He is serious!¡¯ I realized instinctively. This life was real. Let¡¯s think! Let¡¯s think! Think of a way to stop him from killing me! I opened my mouth with a strong survival instinct. If this is really the world in ¡¸A Saint Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¹, the only way I can survive was- ¡°Wait, a saint! I¡¯m a saint!¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± I closed my eyes and shouted. When I slowly opened my eyes again, I saw Ian and Lucian staring at me blankly. I breathed in and shouted again. ¡°I¡¯m a saint who was called by God and just fell into the church!¡± There was a saint in the world of the novel,¡¸A Saint Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¹. She had been called by God, was living happily until she received a revelation and was summoned to the church. The news was spread that the woman was destined to fall anywhere in the church whether in a hallway, a bathroom, it was literally anywhere. However, the saint who was thus summoned was treated with the utmost respect as a holy messenger of God. ¡®If this person in front of me is really Ian, then this place would be in the church too!¡¯ It was a quick-witted trick and seemed to make sense. I felt a ray of hope when I looked up at Ian. The blue eyes stared at me with suspicion. ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Did I get caught? ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a saint appearing in only a scanty piece of cloth.¡± Oh, my clothes were a little¡­ I looked down at my body. The silk slip I was wearing still had a lethal figure hidden in it, which made me blush just by looking at it. I swear I¡¯ve never spent money on such erotic clothes. ¡®Where the hell did these clothes come from!¡¯ CH 2 Ian pressured me again when I couldn¡¯t respond quickly from humiliation. ¡°Show me proof that you¡¯re a saint.¡± ¡°P-proof?¡± ¡°Yes. If you are really a saint, you should have a power as well.¡± Power. I opened my eyes wide after hearing that word. In the world of¡¸A Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¹, the saints all essentially held a power. It was a mysterious ability, whether it¡¯s healing or foresight. It appeared that I had correctly deduced the setting, based on the fact that the plotline of saintly powers was revealed. I don¡¯t know what had happened but this place seemed to fit the worldview of¡¸A Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¹. But the joy of getting it right was fading away. Ian asked in a cold voice. ¡°Can you answer me? You¡¯re not trying to say that you don¡¯t have any power, are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Foresight! My power is Foresight!¡± I shouted hastily. Healing was the first thing that came to mind, but it would be problematic if you were asked to heal a wound. However, Foreknowledge is still an option and the power I need to claim to be able to deceive him. ¡°Foreknowledge.¡± Ian looked at me with a cold look. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to tell me this. Where is my sword now?¡± My head felt like it was about to burst for a moment. Ian Esteban¡¯s sword. I knew the sword well. Ordinary people believed the magnificent sword he usually carries around his waist was a prize from the Emperor, but it was not true. It was really- ¡°In the subspace. Do you always keep it there?¡± It was created by magic and kept in a virtual inventory. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Ian sulkily raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Did you just guess?¡± ¡°No! A Sa-saintess, That¡¯s it, I¡¯m really a saintess!¡± My hands and feet were trembling to say that I was a saintess with my own mouth, but I exclaimed briefly. ¡°Commander, it doesn¡¯t appear to be an answer that can be given by chance.¡± Nice, Lucian! I looked up at him more proudly at the back. ¡°¡­¡­Is it true? A real saintess?¡± Ian muttered slowly as he gazed down at me with suspicious eyes. I tried my best to make an innocent expression like a saintess. It appeared to be a failure as Ian¡¯s look became further distorted. ¡°It irritates me a little because I feel like you¡¯re making fun of me¡­¡± ¡°No way, Commander.¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ a new saintess for the first time in 15 years. It¡¯s encouraging if it¡¯s true¡­¡­ well, yes. For the time being, I¡¯ll trust you.¡± ¡°Well thought!¡± I answered loudly. I thought I should stand out before the saintess verification process begins. ¡°All right, saintess. Then there¡¯s something I want you to do first.¡± Ian raised the corners of his mouth slowly. It was a smile that brought a shiver down my spine. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°After 15 years, the saintess appeared and somehow ended up in my room¡­ creating a lot of trouble for me.¡± My knees froze even more than when I would speak respectfully. I rolled my eyes and said, ¡°I apologize on behalf of the God who sent me for the¡­..¡± ¡°No apologies. I need you to explain it together with me.¡± ¡°Commander. You seem to scare the saintess too much. She must have been surprised¡­¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Ian made a low click with his tongue. ¡°Alright, before we go out to explain, why don¡¯t you change your¡­.. profane clothes first.¡± Ian then wrapped the cloak that had been hanging over the chair around my shoulders. He then checked around my neck. ¡°The insect bites need some treatment.¡± ¡°Yes? Bugs? Ah¡­ ah.¡± My eyes and Lucian¡¯s gaze were drawn to my collarbone. The red marks on my white skin were prominent enough to make his face turn red just from looking at it. ¡®¡­..Did you say that after seeing this?¡¯ There¡¯s no way. You¡¯re an adult, but you had no idea what these marks mean. Ian just spoke as if he felt sorry for me. ¡°You¡¯ve been bitten a lot. It looks very painful¡­ Anyway, Lucian. Take good care of it.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander! Come along with me, saintess. I¡¯ll get you a change of clothes.¡± Lucian hurriedly beckoned to me. As I followed him, I felt relieved for now. ¡®Alright, I¡¯ve saved my life for now.¡¯ It was just a matter of standing out before the lie is exposed, and to figure out how I got into this strange world in the first place. ¡­Can I do it? * * * In conclusion, I haven¡¯t run yet. I looked down at the clothes I had just changed into with awkward eyes. Even though the cream-colored dress was a cute design that I would never wear, it was a million times better than that sassy slip. I had changed my clothes and looked in the mirror. A woman about my age stared back at me in the mirror. Her hair was light brown like hazelnuts. Her green eyes were a dark viridescent. A pretty likable woman blinked at me. [T/N: Yes, it is different from the cover that we saw. Let¡¯s just see how the story progressed. It might be that the illustrator changed the features of our FL. Who knows :smirk:] ¡°This is¡­.. me.¡± I sighed. It was hard to believe, but it was real. In order to survive, I had to accept it. ¡®If you become a character in a novel, wouldn¡¯t you want to be the main villain or at the very least a supporting character, even if you were not the heroine?¡¯ I¡¯ve become an extra who doesn¡¯t even have a name. ¡®In the first place, I¡¯ve never read a chapter like this!¡¯ Ian was a faithful and perfect Holy Knight commander from the beginning to the finish of the novel, a character who was literally pure. A woman hiding in Ian¡¯s bed like that. I never remembered reading such a scandal in the original. ¡®¡­.Wait. Perhaps there is a reason why this case did not appear in the original story.¡¯ Was it possible that he discovered and dealt with a woman hidden in the bed before others talked about it? ¡®Was this body I entered supposed to die? Did I just survive a one in a billion chance¡­?¡¯ The thought of that sent shivers down my spine. If it had been just Ian, he could have dealt with it one by one to avoid any scandals. He was such a character. My mind went blank due to the sudden realization. ¡°Saintess, have you changed?¡± Lucian asked cautiously outside the door. He appeared anxious that I may have shattered the window and fled. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t that reckless. Escape was the original goal, but an escape that fails in five seconds was of no use. I had to wait for an opportunity to get away from Ian and his henchman, Lucian, for now. Ian had returned after leaving the room so I could quietly change clothes. ¡°Now you¡¯re wearing something that looks a little bit like real clothes.¡± Ian commented after seeing my change from the slip to a plain dress. Then Ian sat down on the sofa and pointed to the chair across from him. ¡°Now. Please sit down here, saintess.¡± He called me a ¡®saintess¡¯, but Ian¡¯s eyes were still filled with doubts about me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we have a sincere conversation before going out to explain in front of an audience?¡± ¡°Haha¡­.. Yes, we should.¡± I swallowed my fears as I reluctantly responded. While changing clothes, I desperately racked my brain, but I didn¡¯t have enough time to think of anything. From now on, I had no choice but to get through this situation on the fly. Please shine, my wits. A question came at me as soon as I sat down in the chair. ¡°All right then. Can you tell me where you came from and who you are?¡± ¡®As expected, this is the first question.¡¯ The first question was as expected. The most basic of the basics. ¡®I¡¯m Lee Seo Yeon who lives in Korea. I was in your arms when I woke up after drinking at my friend¡¯s house.¡¯ I¡¯ll be dragged into the torture chamber dedicated to the Holy Knights if I tell the truth like this. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m going to die of a headache.¡¯ If this was a dream, I really want to wake up. I opened my mouth as I swallowed my cries. ¡°My name is¡­.. Irene. I am Irene Grace.¡± In this worldview, ¡®Irene¡¯ was a very common name. The heroine¡¯s friend¡¯s name and aunt¡¯s name were both Irene. Grace is also the most common last name. In other words, Irene Grace is like the Kim Young-hee in Korean. ¡°Irene Grace.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my name.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a very common name?¡± ¡°It is said that the more common a name is, the better.¡± Ian groaned and clenched his chin. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± All right, this was the second question but it was an expected question. I expected you would ask a question like this. I secretly lowered my hand and pinched my thigh. ¡°I¡­..¡± My eyes quickly watered from the sting of my hands. With bright young eyes, I gazed out of the window in the distance. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t¡­. come from this empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ian raised one eyebrow and looked at me as if he wanted to ask for more. ¡°Actually, I was a slave. A runaway slave.¡± ¡°A runaway slave?¡± Ian¡¯s brows furrowed. I had to change the script quickly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been abandoned since I was a child, and I¡¯ve lived as a slave without ever seeing my parents¡­ I was fortunate enough to be able to run away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever told it to anyone.¡± I lowered my head and spoke in a hushed tone. This was the best I could do. I had no way of proving my identity if I was a slave. In other words, Ian couldn¡¯t trace my identity. A certificate of slave trade would never reach me if I claimed I had run away. In that short time of changing clothes, it was impossible to plan out any more. ¡°So you were a slave.¡± Ian muttered slowly and stared at me. My spine was weak, terrified for no reason because of his sky-blue eyes. ¡°Why does it sound like a good excuse?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s because you¡¯re not a pushover, right? Ha ha. ¡®I¡¯m not a person who will eat up the Emperor in the future.¡¯ ¡°Well, all right. First, let¡¯s go into more detail. Who was your slave owner before you ran away?¡± A flurry of precise questions erupted. From this point forward, everything was important. I covered my mouth with my hand. CH 3 ¡°From what I remember¡­.hmm. This is too much for me. My head feels dizzy when I think about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As I acted as if I were dizzy, Ian¡¯s eyes squinted at me. There wasn¡¯t a sign of belief either. Nevertheless, I continued to act in front of him. It felt like I was auditioning for the most important acting role of my life. ¡°Could you not ask me about that? Furthermore, there¡¯s solid evidence that I am really a saint-.¡± The moment I spoke up, I suddenly got a sharp headache on my head. ¡°Ung¡­..¡± I held onto my forehead and groaned. Strange imagery flashed through my mind. ¡°It¡¯s your last mission. We¡¯ll let you go if you succeed in this.¡± A man, covered with a black cloak, smiled at me. ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult mission, is it? You just have to do what you have been told.¡± Rumble. I felt my body tremble like a leaf. My whole body was frozen with fear. ¡°Sneak into his bedroom and make everyone believe that he slept with you¡­ incite the biggest scandal in the cathedral. Do you understand?¡± A man in a cloak approached me. The closer he got to me, the more nervous I became. Then the man raised my chin and whispered. ¡°Listen, number 76. You must, you must, succeed in this mission.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Gasp.¡± I gasped for breath as if I was a drowning person pulled out of the water. After blinking a few times, my vision returned to normal. The man in the cloak was nowhere now. What I saw in front of me was Ian looking at me with surprise. ¡°Haa, haa¡­.¡± I had shortness of breath. The fear that seemed to be engraved in my instinct evoked the moment I saw the man. I¡¯ve never felt this way in my life. ¡®It was¡­, what was it?¡¯ Dreams? Illusions? No, it was too vivid for that. ¡®The memories of the original owner¡¯s body?¡¯ Number 76. The man definitely called me number 76. Was it originally the name of this owner¡¯s body? ¡®A number is a name, what is that¡­.This must be.¡¯ It was like a real slave. My head throbbed from the memories that had suddenly popped up. I held onto my forehead and managed to recall why I was here again. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I had a headache all of a sudden.¡± By the end of my sentence, I was trembling. Ian, who had been staring at me silently for a few moments, asked. ¡°Is it because I asked about that memory?¡± Lucian lowered his head to Ian and whispered carefully to him. ¡°Sir, she seems to be in a lot of pain. I don¡¯t think she is lying.¡± Ian rubbed his forehead, as if he was troubled. His neat eyes first showed signs of exhaustion. It was the first time she had an understanding of his personality. Maybe that was why. My mind suddenly flashed back to the biography of a man named Ian. Ian Esteban. A man who was famous across the continent as a faithful Holy Knight Commander. In reality, he was a vengeful demon who had sharpened his sword for decades behind the mask of the commander of the Holy Knights. Ian¡¯s father, the former Emperor, was known to have died on the battlefield. But the truth was; ¡®He was killed by Ian¡¯s brother, the current emperor.¡¯ Ian held his breath for a long time after learning this and dreamt of revenge. Finally, he became a Cardinal and obtained the military power of the Holy Knights. He got revenge by killing his older brother, the Emperor, and usurping the throne. The process could never have been smooth. It must have been painful for him to have to serve the older brother who killed his father. The hidden fatigue seemed to have passed through Ian¡¯s eyes for a while now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, saint.¡± Ian, who had previously looked me up and down, now stared at me with his blue eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t trust people who aren¡¯t even sure where they¡¯re from. I believe they¡¯ll understand my position¡­.Lucian¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°How long will it take for the saint verification process to be ready?¡± ¡°It will take a week because Priest Kennen, who is in charge of verification, has urgently traveled to the Holy Land.¡± ¡°A week.¡± Ian looked at me with cold eyes. ¡°Would it be a problem if I kept a saint in my custody for a week?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Yes, if the saint verification process reveals that Irene is truly a saint a week later. That would be the case.¡± This guy really. I bit my lips hard. Ian still didn¡¯t trust me. Well, I didn¡¯t think that he could easily be fooled by a few minutes of my acting. ¡®I need to gain his trust right now.¡¯ Those words, to keep me imprisoned, could never have been a joke. Ian wouldn¡¯t leave me alone for a week. He was a man who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do anything to reach his goal. ¡®I¡¯ll be dragged away if that¡¯s the case. The Holy Knights have a torture chamber dedicated to them.¡¯ My body shivered. I don¡¯t want to get hurt. I don¡¯t want to die. So no matter what! Now I have to make Ian believe me. ¡®I have no choice but to throw caution to the wind, as expected.¡¯ I took a deep breath and looked up straight at Ian. ¡°Sir Ian.¡± I wouldn¡¯t necessarily know the location of Ian¡¯s sword. But, there was a chance I could find out if I thoroughly researched the information. But this wouldn¡¯t be enough. I opened my eyes again and looked straight up at Ian. ¡°I know where your father is buried.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The room was filled with Ian and Lucian¡¯s silence. Ian¡¯s eyes widened slowly and he stared at me blankly. Soon his mouth opened slowly. ¡°¡­¡­You.¡± ¡± ¡­¡­¡± ¡°You, how? That¡­¡± The former emperor, Ian Esteban¡¯s and the current emperor Rashid¡¯s father, was not buried in ¡®A Haven for Warriors,¡¯ where only the Royal Family and Sword Masters have been buried for generations. The former emperor was buried under Ian Esteban¡¯s mansion. For more than a decade, the remains of his father, who was killed by Ian¡¯s brother, were kept hidden. ¡°If-If you so.¡± Ian opened his mouth again. His lips trembled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to put up with it anymore.¡± I¡¯ve been patient all this time. This is indescribable information. Ian had no choice but to trust me when I brought this information out of my mouth. This was information that no one knew except Ian¡¯s closest aide, Lucian, and Ian himself, the owner of the house. ¡°I know that you cherish your father¡¯s remains. However, God Elune didn¡¯t tell me more than this.¡± If I knew more than this, my life would be in danger in another sense. Ian stared at me for a long time without saying a word. He finally nodded slowly as cold sweat began to form on his back. ¡°Yes, if you already know this much, my lady is obviously a saintess. Unless, you have betrayed me, Lucian.¡± ¡°Commander¡­.!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just joking.¡± Ian swept his hair up after saying that. His silver hair like moonlight scattered over his forehead. His eyes were once again revealed and had regained their usual calm and composure. ¡°Does God Elune whisper such information to the saintess?¡± ¡°I was surprised that such a vision suddenly came into my head.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Perhaps, God Elune wants Sir Ian to trust me.¡± I stared at Ian with unwavering eyes. Ian looked at me and suddenly raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°You are a saint with this much power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Am I now in a position where I need to beg you to stand on my side?¡± ¡®No, please don¡¯t do that.¡¯ I was scared just thinking about it, and it made me want to cry. It was at that moment, I put an awkward smile on my mouth. ¡°Co-commander. Commander!¡± Outside the room, a panicked voice could be heard. Ian raised one eyebrow as if he was frozen. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I-I think you should take a look at this. The newspaper¡­ The newspaper!¡± ¡°Newspaper? What¡­ Give it to me.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A man rushed into the room almost as if he was rolling. The man, who saw me, opened his eyes wide and stuttered. ¡°She-she- she is¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Get straight to the point.¡± ¡°Co-commander. That¡¯s¡­ First, look at this!¡± The man handed Ian a pile of paper. ¡®What is wrong with him?¡¯ I slowly jerked my head back and peered into the stack of papers Ian had been handed. It was a newspaper. I lifted my eyes. ¡®! I knew this newspaper. The newspaper that the heroine enjoyed reading!¡¯ Whaaat!? My eyes gradually grew bigger. Why was there a picture of me on the front page of the newspaper? On top of that, our bodies were barely covered by a blanket. ¡°Th-th-this picture¡­.¡± I stuttered and pointed my finger at the newspaper. ¡°This is me and Sir Ian, right?¡± I accidentally took the newspaper away from Ian. It became more obvious when I saw it up close. There was a woman lying in the bed in the photo, and Ian pinned down on her naked upper body. ¡°Isn¡¯t this an infringement of portrait rights?¡± I exclaimed and Ian¡¯s subordinates blinked. ¡°What? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­First of all, give me that paper again.¡± Ian said with a devilishly low tone of voice. ¡®This guy. This guy is angry.¡¯ I could tell by the tone of his voice. Ian was angry to death. ¡®There is no way!¡± ¡°Ex-excuse me. Is this newspaper already published?¡± I couldn¡¯t accept the situation, so I asked the appropriate question. His subordinate also gave a clear reply. ¡°Ye-yes. It¡¯s already circulating throughout society. It was issued in a special way because it was breaking news¡­¡± I held my head in dismay. There was even a big title on the picture. ¡¸Ian Esteban, The First Love of Many Young Girls, Playing With Fire With a Mysterious Woman?!¡¹ This was driving me crazy. The following section was even more speculative. ¡¸Sir Ian Esteban, The Respected Commander of the Holy Knights, was seen in his bedroom with a woman this morning. The appearance of the woman who has been involved in an affair-.¡¹ ¡°You rubbish reporter¡­.!¡± ¡°Yes? Rubbish¡­.?¡± The corner of the newspaper was crumpled in my hands. Obviously, this was a picture taken by one of the maids who happened to run into the moment when Ian threatened me as soon as I opened my eyes. How the hell did you get this picture! CH 4 His subordinate hesitated and looked at me. ¡°F-fi-first of all, what should I call you? I mean, can I call you Madam?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not his wife!¡± The subordinate stammered more as I became defiant and started to shout. ¡°But, you are the Commander¡¯s lover, so¡­.¡± ¡°I said I am not his lover!¡± ¡°Yes? Then it-it¡¯s a one night fling¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Ian raised his hand. His subordinate and I both shut our mouths at the same time. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ian slowly swept his hand up his forehead. He didn¡¯t say anything, but I could tell. That man was pissed off. ¡®Of course you are mad.¡¯ It was not surprising that even if he made hundreds of women cry with his face, Ian was actually a virgin. He kept his virginity throughout adulthood in order to become a cardinal. It wasn¡¯t bad enough that the virginity he had determinedly kept for so long was taken away from him in a single day by a woman he didn¡¯t know; it was even publicized across the nation. Lucian said in a piteous voice. ¡°Someone seems to have planned well for this conspiracy. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have developed this quickly.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± As he looked at the picture, Ian burst out laughing. The picture depicted a couple, a disheveled brown-haired woman and a silver-haired man who appeared to be deeply in love. ¡°You got that right.¡± Ian gritted his teeth. The newspaper was soon crumpled in his grip. Then Lucian said cautiously. ¡°Co-commander. It¡¯s not true, but this picture taken was overly explicit¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. If you tried to spin it more, it would only look ridiculous.¡± Ian slowly turned his head and looked at me. It was as if my spine had become as cold as frost, it seemed to be frozen by his cold eyes. ¡°Now we¡¯re both in trouble, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You and I. I think we¡¯re stigmatized as being in a relationship.¡± Ugh, I heard his grinding teeth. ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ Even though Ian was being sarcastic before, he still called me a saintess. ¡°If this continues like this¡­.we will be dragged under.¡± The special underground torture chamber dedicated to the Holy Knights¡­! That¡¯s something I wanted to avoid. I looked up at him and wore a virtuous expression on my face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve been through this¡­ and I¡¯m sorry on the behalf of God Elune. Sir, let¡¯s calm down and come up with a plan together.¡± ¡°You.¡± Ian turned to address me. ¡°Yes sir?¡± ¡°You seem like a con artist.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Oh my, I am still lacking to act like a saintess.¡¯ ¡°I was very embarrassed. Who took the picture in such a short period of time and even tipped off the newspaper?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m 100% innocent! We need to find and put them in jail!¡± I wet my lips and spoke as if I was really angry but I wasn¡¯t actually upset. I couldn¡¯t stop looking at him. Anyway, I had to appeal that I had absolutely nothing to do with the people who spread this rumor around. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m in a gang with the person who took that photo! Oh, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m on their side.¡¯ I recalled the voice that told me to complete the mission. The voice that called me number 76. ¡°Lady.¡± Ian lowered his hand and slowly tilted his head to the side. Crack, crack. The sound was insanely terrifying. I answered quickly and earnestly. ¡°Yes, Sir Ian.¡± ¡°I would have regarded you as an enemy and thrown you straight into the dungeon if it hadn¡¯t been for the conversation we just had.¡± Gulp. I swallowed my saliva. To be honest, if I were Ian, I would have screamed and yelled to lock this spy up right now. However, the actual Ian only sighed lightly. ¡°But, our saintess succeeded in convincing me.¡± Uh. I opened my eyes wide at the hopeful words. ¡°Since you¡¯ve said ¡®that information,¡¯ I¡¯m sure you¡¯re bound to be a saintess. Well, the truth will be revealed in a week at the very least.¡± That¡¯s right, the saint verification process will take place in a week. I gave a single nod. ¡°Thank you for trusting me, Sir Ian.¡± ¡°Things have gotten so messy and dirty.¡± I heard a grinding sound as soon as I said the word ¡®dirty.¡¯ I tried to be full of life and pretend I didn¡¯t know anything in Ian¡¯s eyes. ¡°For the time being, our saintess must accompany me.¡± ¡°I-I should?¡± ¡°Of course. For now, we¡¯ll have to kiss each other and somehow put an end to this damn scandal.¡± The capital of the Rehart Empire was turned upside down. ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°Wh-What¡¯s happening!¡± Many ladies shouted while squeezing the newspaper. ¡°The commander ha-ha-has a woman. Ah, I think I¡¯m going to faint¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a vulgar photo¡­! ??Even if the sky falls, I thought you¡¯d be everyone¡¯s commander forever!¡± Some of them gripped the newspapers close to their noses. ¡°Who is our opponent? I¡¯ve never seen such a lady in social circles!¡± ¡°Do you think the commander had an accident with a foreigner?!¡± ¡°Aahh, I should¡¯ve left it if I knew you were going to lose your virginity!¡± ¡°Who the hell is this Lady!¡± The news quickly spread to the Imperial Palace. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?.¡± Rashid, the young Emperor of the Lehart Empire, raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°My younger brother makes all the women lose their rationality.¡± ¡°I never thought that the perfect Commander of the Holy Knights would cause this kind of accident.¡± The Minister of Finance, Duke of Briott also shook his head. Rashid grinned. ¡°It is going to be noisy in the capital for a while. I think I should commend my younger brother for throwing bones at the people who are always hungry for entertainment.¡± ¡°Furthermore, Your Majesty. Will there be any surprises in the upcoming cardinal selection now that revelations have come to pass?¡± Rashid shrugged his shoulders slowly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pity. The doctrinal law is so strict that it can¡¯t be helped. A believer who has lost their purity will not be able to reach the highest rank.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really unfortunate. The Holy Knights¡¯ Commander, who was a strong candidate for the Cardinal position, fell down like this¡­¡± ¡°All because of a woman. Haha, I can¡¯t even tell what¡¯s in store for me in human affairs.¡± Loud laughter resounded throughout the meeting room. Only I, Lucian, and Ian remained in the room after he rushed his subordinate out. ¡°The newspaper has already spread throughout the capital. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in recalling it, Commander.¡± Lucian spoke in a somber voice. Ian nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah. Now, I have only two options left¡­First, I tell the world that she is a swindler who was sent to get me into trouble, by digging up the saintess.¡± Gulp. I swallowed saliva. To be honest, that was the best option for Ian right now. It would be better for him to get a confession that I was a con artist hiding in Ian¡¯s bedroom, even if he tortured me to receive it. ¡®Honestly, it is the truth.¡¯ ¡°It is the most convenient for me, but not for the saintess.¡± Ian said with a sly smile. I resolutely answered. ¡°¡­You said first, is there any second option?¡± ¡°Of course there is.¡± ¡°Please tell me.¡± I said with earnestness. Ian didn¡¯t answer me, but said something unexpected instead. ¡°¡­..No matter how much you think about it, to the point where it hurts your head, you really are a saintess¡­¡± It was a voice that seemed reluctant, but considering the atmosphere¡­ It seems that Ian trusts me to some extent. I sighed inwardly in relief. ¡®Bringing up the Emperor¡¯s remains was successful.¡¯ Ian seemed to have decided to trust me. I would have been dragged away without as much as a conversation if I hadn¡¯t gained some trust in advance. Even in the midst of all of this, he seemed to have a knack for maintaining a relaxed demeanor. Ian looked at me slowly and said, ¡°No one would believe the truth if I told them that the saintess appeared on my bed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s definitely true. Even if I stand by God Elune. Why did you drop me in such a place¡­.haha, ha¡± Ian shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I have no choice but to move on to the second method.¡± Finally, I could hear the second method! I opened my eyes and listened to him. ¡°Admitting that I am in a relationship with the saintess.¡± ¡°Whatever it is, the second method is better than the first. It¡¯s probably a lot more- Yeah? Yes? I beg your pardon?¡± Ian folded his eyes and laughed as if he liked my bewilderment. ¡°I gather that you¡¯re in agreement.¡± ¡°Excuse me, hold on a second! Why does the story turn out like that!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s much better to have a pure image rather than to be considered promiscuous by the people?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s weird that the plan changed like this! Aren¡¯t you supposed to fight rumors? Nothing happened between us! That rubbish journalist, no- Are you going to just give in to the reporter¡¯s outrageous claims!¡± ¡°Rumors are so powerful that it¡¯s easier to go along with them rather than fight a losing battle.¡± CH 5 Ian shrugged his shoulders. I trembled in anger. Lucian quickly added an explanation as if I wasn¡¯t there. ¡°As the saintess knows, now it¡¯s happened and no one will believe the truth. The commander¡¯s virginity is¡­.gone.¡± ¡®How do you just lose your virginity?¡¯ Virginity is important in this world! Was it alright to let something as important as your commander¡¯s virginity get taken just like that? I couldn¡¯t snap out of it and my lips stuttered. ¡°Also¡­.are you really going to admit that you and I slept together?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the story. You and I have been in love with each other since the beginning.¡± Ian spoke softly in a languid tone. The story itself was surprising, despite his calm tone. ¡°But, because of my position as Commander of Holy Knights, I chose to be single. In the morning, the woman I had dreamed of appeared in my bed. I thought this was a dream and we coveted each other¡­.¡± Ian¡¯s voice was getting lower and slower. Ugh. Goosebumps spread all over my body as the story went on. Ian smiled as he saw how disgusted I was by the story. ¡°It turned out to be reality and not a dream. As soon as you became a saintess, you corrupted me with your own hands.¡± Ian muttered with a voice the size of an ant and said with a sly smile. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Well, I hope you understand.¡± Ian slowly continued. Until then, I thought there won¡¯t be any more shocking remarks. But, Ian exceeded my expectations again. ¡°Let¡¯s announce our engagement. Let¡¯s get married, just for a year.¡± ¡°What?¡± I opened my mouth wide, and after a second I came back to my senses. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. No way! I can¡¯t admit we are in a relationship, moreover marriage!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough for me to lose my virginity, now you¡¯re going to turn me into a guy who can have a one-night stand with anyone?¡± Ian growled. I gasped in astonishment. Ian sighed a little, and this time he spoke sarcastically. ¡°As I said, Let¡¯s pretend this is a love marriage. Let¡¯s just say we¡¯ve been in love with each other for a long time.¡± ¡°What happens if I say no?¡± Then Ian said with an angelic smile. ¡°What do you think is going to happen?¡± ¡°¡­.You will kill me?¡± ¡°What do you mean? How could I do that to my beloved?¡± Ian closed his eyes and laughed. ¡°My wife.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± I cried out in fear. ¡°I understand the commander¡¯s plan. I fully understand and I honestly think it¡¯s an effective plan.¡± Yes, Ian¡¯s plan was bizarre enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, but it was also the most plausible in this situation. ¡®If I tell them that nothing happened between Ian and I, even an ant passing by will not believe it.¡¯ Then this was a way to reverse the scandal. A fateful love story between the commander of the Holy Knights and the saintess would fascinate quite a few people. Yes, this plan should be the best option for Ian, but not for me. ¡°But I can¡¯t be engaged with the commander.¡± Ian raised one eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡± Well, if I married him, my escape plan would take much longer. ¡®Well, it appears that an easy escape plan was unlikely since the moment I told them about the Emperor¡¯s remains.¡¯ Still, the escort (surveillance in the name of) for just a ¡®Saintess who knows the secret¡¯ and a ¡®Saintess who knows the secret and even became the fianc¨¦e of the commander¡¯ must be different. However, I couldn¡¯t mention these. I shook my head for a moment and said, ¡°I have someone I love.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Is that true?¡± Ian frowned. Soon, he tilted his head as if he had remembered something and asked. ¡°Was he the one who made those marks?¡± Marks? If it¡¯s a mark¡­ Oh, right. It seems he was referring to the red marks on my neck when I got on the bed. I was a little surprised. I thought he didn¡¯t understand anything about those red marks. Was it a lie? ¡°Lucian told me the meaning behind those marks.¡± Ian¡¯s face stiffened as he said. As if he were talking about something very strange and unfamiliar. ¡®¡­I am also a virgin.¡¯ He suddenly appealed to me. I was a little embarrassed to look at Ian¡¯s face all of a sudden. ¡°Oh I see.¡± ¡°Please answer me. Did you get into my bed with your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± I don¡¯t even know why I had those marks on my body. No, I honestly expected it. They must have dressed me up to look like I was in a more provocative situation for the photos. But I couldn¡¯t say that, so I had no choice but to create an imaginary person who didn¡¯t even exist. ¡°Are you in a deep relationship? With that boyfriend.¡± ¡°Um, well, it¡¯s not really like that, but¡­¡± ¡°Then break up.¡± ¡°What? Th-that¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°You said you aren¡¯t even close.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re still dating now!¡± Tsk, ??Ian clicked his tongue. I added quickly in case there would be another story about dating. ¡°Actually, we are close. We love each other very much.¡± ¡°Lady Irene. Then let¡¯s do this.¡± Ian narrowed his eyebrow as if he was reluctant, then he came up with another suggestion. ¡°If you break up with your boyfriend and join my plan, I¡¯ll give you enough compensation.¡± ¡°¡­.Compensation?¡± I should have refused right away. The mouth stained with capitalism unknowingly spat out a question. ¡°Anything you want.¡± Anything? What this man said was dangerous. I slowly glanced at Ian. I didn¡¯t know how much I would be exploited, because this Genie, the fairy of the lamp, didn¡¯t set the range to define the scope of ¡®anything.¡¯ ¡°If it¡¯s hard to decide, I¡¯ll give you an example. How about 10 million Mars?¡± ¡®How much is that?¡¯ I thought hard. I remembered a line from ¡®A Saint Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡¯, in which the main character paid one million Mars for a two-story house in the capital. ¡®Wait. If a two-story house in the capital is 1 million Mars¡­ How much is 10 million Mars?¡¯ Ten houses in Seoul! I shook my head in disbelief. I didn¡¯t think of it after I entered this world, but as I slowly considered it, I realized I needed money. And I needed it desperately. I didn¡¯t have the bank account from which I had carefully saved from my part-time job expenses. There wasn¡¯t even a piggy bank where a hundred won (?) coin could be taken out of. Truly penniless. I needed money to survive in this world, while having no connections at all. At least until I found a way out of this world! I don¡¯t need ten houses, but I thought it would be great if I had enough money to live without needing to do anything for a year or so. And, above all else. ¡®Listen, number 76. You must succeed in this mission at all costs.¡¯ The whisper that had hit my head a few hours ago came back to me. When I remembered the voice that had been immersed in my head, I got goosebumps all over my body again. ¡®I need to figure out who that voice is.¡¯ It was likely that the owner of the voice was still watching me. Because the article was widely spread, the scandal erupted as someone had intended. But will the owner of the voice let go of this body that I have possessed? ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ If I ran away recklessly, Ian and the owner of that voice¡­ There would be a high possibility of being chased by both of them at the same time. I slowly looked up at Ian after gathering my thoughts. ¡°Is there a deadline? Did you say one year?¡± ¡°Of course. I have no intention of continuing the fake marriage any further.¡± ¡°Please give me some time to think.¡± I ended up saying. I needed time to organize my thoughts. This proposal was too risky. My head was now overloaded with a lot of information that had been accumulated in a short period of time. I spent several hours swaying around frantically after getting into Ian¡¯s bed. Ian, who had been silent for a moment, softly nodded his head. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll give you time to think.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Have a servant call me or Lucian inside when you¡¯re ready.¡± I nodded and Ian smiled softly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you soon. My wife.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Ian chuckled as if my protest was funny. I turned to Lucian and ordered him to give me a room. While I was walking down the hallway following behind Lucian, the people who saw me momentarily paused. ¡°Is-is that her?¡± Isn¡¯t that right? Hair color and features are so identical to those in the photo.¡± ¡°And she is with Sir Lucian. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°She is the commander¡¯s woman.¡± I was taken aback by the whispers I heard. Lucian whispered cautiously around the corner of the hallway. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people watching. If you accept the commander¡¯s proposal, you will have to get used to this kind of thing in the future.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°But most of the people in the temple are naive. What¡¯s scariest are¡­..¡± Lucian blurred his words. I already knew it without having to listen. ¡®Social Circles. Imperial Family.¡¯ Especially the Imperial Family, who knew everything about the dark secrets of the current emperor. CH 6 ¡°Excuse me, Sir Lucian.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°What will happen if I reject Sir Ian¡¯s offer?¡± Lucian grimaced then laughed as if he was in trouble. ¡°Perhaps the Commander will continue to make proposals to the Saintess in order to reach an agreement.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°¡­.and personally, I would like the Saintess to accept Commander Ian¡¯s offer. I apologise for saying this.¡± No. I shook my head. Of course, Lucian would prefer that. He has lived with Ian for nearly two decades, being his loyal servant and right-hand man. Ian¡¯s failure to become a Cardinal would create a significant impact, even to Lucian; his decades of hard work will be in vain. ¡®Becoming a Cardinal is to ascend to the highest rank in the Elune Church.¡¯ In other words, it meant gaining the military power to control the Holy Knights Commander¡¯s army. In ¡ºA Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡», as soon as Ian became a Cardinal, he led the entirety of the Holy Knights to the Imperial Palace for a raid. Ian¡¯s vengeance was successful, not only because of his own abilities, but also because of the Holy Knights¡¯ immense power. ¡°I understand that my request for the Saintess is unreasonable. However, people will gossip about you wherever you go, so you will tired of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But this is really important for the commander. As much as 10 million Mars will be yours without resistance.¡± ¡°Pardon, Sir Lucian.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to use honorifics with me. Please speak comfortably to me.¡± ¡°Uh, well, then Sir Lucian.¡± ¡°Yes, Saintess. Please speak.¡± I decided to ask something that has been bothering me for a while. ¡°Is Commander Ian completely eliminated from becoming the next Cardinal?¡± ¡°Yes. Probably.¡± Lucian nodded with a stiff face. ¡°Because it is the law that a person who is not pure does not deserve to be the supreme servant of the god Elune.¡± ¡°I¡­.See.¡± My voice trailed off by the end of my words. Lucian, who was staring at me, said. ¡°Are you concerned about it? Saintess.¡± ¡°Um, probably. Yes.¡± I admitted with a sigh. ¡°Honestly, Commander Ian becoming a Cardinal was very promising up until today. The youngest Commander of the Holy Knights and the youngest sword master¡­ Everyone already looked at him as the next Cardinal.¡± And Ian successfully became a Cardinal in the novel. It was a simple matter of course. The God of this Empire, Elune, is also known as the God of Forces. The armed forces were naturally revered by the believers. If the strongest Holy Knight becomes the Commander of the Holy Knight Division and stays in that position until the predecessor retires, he will be the next Cardinal without a doubt. Lucian looked at me with a warm smile on his face. ¡°Thank you for worrying about our Commander, Saintess. Even the Saintess must be troubled right now, in many ways. Saintess is a very warm person.¡± No, It¡¯s not because I¡¯m concerned; it¡¯s because it¡¯s my fault. I stealthily avoided Lucian¡¯s eyes because I had a bad conscience. Lucian laughed and said, ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. The Commander might not be able to become a cardinal, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll lose his place to someone else.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I squinted my eyes. What are you talking about? At that precise moment, Information that I passed over in the novel flashed through my mind like a thunderbolt. ¡¸The first qualification to become a Cardinal is to be the strongest. The second qualification is to be a sword master.¡¹ That¡¯s not all, in the novel there was something even more advantageous for Ian as a candidate for Cardinal. This was a time when the quantity of upcoming and current sword masters were at an all-time low. ¡°Currently, the Commander is the only sword master on this continent. So if the Commander fails to become a Cardinal, the position will remain vacant.¡± ¡°I see! Wait, what happens then¡­¡± There was only one reason why Ian wanted the Cardinal position. The reason was to gain the Cardinal¡¯s military power of Eluneism. But if the Cardinal doesn¡¯t exist¡­.. ¡®The army will be directly under the command of the Commander of the Holy Knights, who is in a position below the Cardinal!¡¯ Oh My God. That was it. I opened my mouth wide. I could see why Ian wasn¡¯t as angry as I had thought. ¡®It was because a Plan B existed.¡¯ It was true that Ian¡¯s plans were disrupted because of me. The fact that his seemingly flawless image was stained would be a huge blow. But other than military power, the Cardinal position does not have anything else beneficial to him. However, as the Commander of the Holy Knights, Ian was still able to gain military power. ¡®No wonder! He didn¡¯t try to kill me at all!¡¯ I breathed a deep sigh of relief. We walked while continuing to talk, and soon we arrived at the end of the hallway. There was a large door right in front of us. ¡°This is the temporary residence where the Saintess will stay for the time being.¡± Lucian said, opening the door. I looked into the room and opened my eyes wide. ¡®Wow¡­ it¡¯s beautiful.¡¯ The room was lovely and spacious, and it was nicely decorated, with white as the main color. As I frantically looked around the room, Lucian said something to me. ¡°Formal residences will be provided after the Saintess verification process.¡± ¡®This a temporary residence?¡¯ ¡®How much better would a formal residence be?¡¯ ¡°Do you have any more questions, Saintess?¡± ¡°No, I think this is enough for now.¡± ¡°If you have any other questions, please call me at any time. A believer and an escort will arrive soon to serve the Saintess. Don¡¯t be surprised if someone knocks on the door.¡± Lucian left the room with a soft smile, then only silence remained in the room. ¡®I am alone.¡¯ As soon as I realized it, my whole body seemed to lose strength. Because of the incidents that occurred in succession for several hours, I must have been very tired. I staggered over to the bed and collapsed on it. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s insanely fluffy¡± The bed was more luxurious than any bed I had ever laid on. Is this really a temporary residence? I would gladly live here for the rest of my life, if I was told to. ¡®I have to consider Ian¡¯s proposal¡­¡¯ My eyelids quickly became heavy from excessive fatigue. This was not the time to take a nap. It was reason enough to forcefully pinch my thighs and try to stay awake. ¡ªHello, Number 76. A cold voice rang in my ears. ¡°Ugh?¡± I covered my ears and looked back. There was no one there but a dark shadow swaying. ¡°A-a demon? A monster?¡± My heart was beating like crazy. As I tried to calm myself down, I could hear a titter from the shadow. ¡ªDon¡¯t be afraid. I am here to tell you that you are doing a great job. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡ª By the way, you didn¡¯t make a report. The shadow slowly came to me. The dark shadow that was just around the corner whispered insidiously. ¡ªThe superiors have high expectations of you. It would be better for you not to delay it further. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡ªUm, Could it be that you¡¯ve changed your mind? No, I don¡¯t think so. You have nothing in this world, not even your family. As the shadow drew closer, a chill surrounded my body. I barely fixed my trembling chin. ¡ªAll right, number 76. I¡¯m looking forward to the future. Don¡¯t let me down. A scandal alone will not be enough to bring down one person, right? Make sure you take care of it. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡ªRemember. Your life is in our hands. Wherever you go, you can¡¯t get away from us. You may have forgotten, so we will remind you again. At the same time, there was a burning pain in my thigh. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡ªThe curse we placed on you is still in effect. The deadline is this year. You have to end him this year. Politically¡­ well, or his life itself. ¡ªWell then, do it well. With those words, the shadow disappeared like smoke. ¡°Huh, hu¡­¡± I breathed heavily. Cold sweat dripped off my body like rain. ¡®What-what was that?¡¯ I raised my trembling hand forcing it into a fist and somehow managed to move my heavy head. ¡®The owner of that voice doesn¡¯t want to release me.¡¯ Besides, their voice said ¡®we¡¯. It meant there was not only one enemy. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ I struggled to calm myself down. But to be honest, I was so scared. The sight of the black shadow with a human-like figure was terrifying when I recalled it. If they¡¯re capable of penetrating the church, they must be powerful wizards. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Should I ask Ian for help? No, that was impossible. Ian wouldn¡¯t believe the story of me waking up in an unknown body in a world I didn¡¯t know. No, not only Ian, but no one would trust me. ¡®If I were to ask for help hastily, it would only provide proof that I was a spy.¡¯ There was no one to ask for help. A sense of helplessness and fear strangled me. Simultaneously, memories that did not belong to me flooded my mind. ¡®Now let me go. If it was due to debt that my parents sold me, I¡¯ll make money and give it to you.¡¯ This was ¡®my¡¯ voice. In other words, the real voice of number 76. ¡®I¡¯ was begging someone. Desperation and despair filled ¡®my¡¯ heart. ¡®A debt? That¡¯s ridiculous. Your mother has sold you for some money, now you belong to us forever. If you want to run away, then run away. Don¡¯t you know that death is imminent for traitors? Even after you die, even your body will keep being ours.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ was sad. It was miserable. ¡®I¡¯ had been sold to this dark guild, ¡®Nine,¡¯ since ¡®I¡¯ was young, so young that ¡®I¡¯ can¡¯t even remember. The moment ¡®I¡¯ was sold to Nine, ¡®my¡¯ identity was erased. ¡®I¡¯ became a non-existent being in this world. It was worse than being a slave. The guild treated ¡®me¡¯ like an animal. A life that carries out and fulfills missions received from superiors. ¡®I¡¯ couldn¡¯t even make friends. Since ¡®I¡¯ changed ¡®my¡¯ appearance every time ¡®I¡¯ was on a mission, no one knew who ¡®I¡¯ really was. ¡®I¡¯ was unhappy. ¡®I¡¯ wanted to escape from this world. ¡®I¡¯ wanted to leave for a new world, a new world with no guild nor a God who left ¡®me¡¯ in pain. So ¡®I¡¯ said, ¡®The night before the mission begins-¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­Ugh.¡± I came out from the flashback. ¡®What was that towards the end?¡¯ ¡®What did ¡®I¡¯ do?¡¯ It was a very disappointing ending. CH 7 It was hard work but at least I got something out of it. ¡®I¡¯ was once a loner with no connections other than this guild. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it wrong to say that ¡®you¡¯ were a runaway slave?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ had no identity, just like a runaway slave. I unintentionally told Ian a lie that was close to the truth and above all, the most important information. ¡®I didn¡¯t know who that voice was.¡¯ Was it Nine? It was most likely Nine, one of the many dark guilds. In the novel, Nine was a group that tormented the heroine terribly. A group of assassins known throughout the continent as the greatest dark guild. They didn¡¯t hesitate to do inhumane things to get the heroine. And they were the ones who turned Ian into a tyrant after putting him under a terrible black magic curse. ¡®It¡¯s supposed to be Nine.¡¯ This was way too big. ¡®You can¡¯t get away from us no matter where you go.¡¯ The voice of the shadow came back again. I got goosebumps all over my body. ¡°I¡¯m freaking out.¡± I muttered, biting my lips. Suddenly, I felt pain in my thigh that was burning earlier. ¡°What is it?¡± I lifted at the hem of my clothes and was surprised the next moment. ¡°Argh!¡± A number was engraved on my thigh. The number ¡¯76¡¯ is very clear. ¡°Lady Irene! What¡¯s going on!¡± Someone vigorously kicked the door open. Then I hurriedly pulled the hem back down. Suddenly a girl came running to me. ¡°Lady Irene, are you all right?¡± ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± ¡°Ah, my name is Annette. I will serve Lady Irene from today on. Please ¨C no, no. Not this! I just heard you scream! Are you alright!¡± Annette is wide-eyed full of worry. I have to reassure the girl first. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I found¡­. a bug.¡± ¡°What? A bug?¡± Annette had a sullen expression on her face. But she clenched her fists firmly as soon as it happened. ¡°Where are you! I, Annette, will exterminate you immediately!¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s already run away.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Although her fists clenched fairly tightly, Annette was visibly relieved. She was a cute girl. But I didn¡¯t have time to have a friendly conversation with Annette now. ¡°Miss Annette. I apologize for saying this when we¡¯ve just met, but please take me to Sir Ian.¡± ¡°Yep! Understood! I¡¯ll guide you to the Commander¡¯s room now!¡± I organized my thoughts as I headed to Ian¡¯s room. The number ¡¯76¡¯ was engraved on my thigh. It was likely to be evidence of a curse. ¡®You said you put a time-limited curse on me.¡¯ In the original story, there was a person who was put with the same curse by Nine. The man, who failed to complete the task in the allotted time, caught fire from the area where the cursed tattoo was engraved, and his entire body was consumed by the flames. The vivid, terrifying description made me break out in a cold sweat. ¡®Did it say I had a year to end Ian?¡¯ Ian is not easy to deal with. If I tried to do something like that, I¡¯d definitely die. ¡°They are absolutely ridiculous. They can do it themselves!¡± Or at least give me some money for this! Do you intend to let me handle this horrendous task without any support? I muttered unknowingly as I burst out in anger. ¡°Yes? Lady Irene, what did you say?¡± ¡°Ah. It¡¯s nothing.¡± As I smiled at Annette gently, she blinked her eyes quickly in embarrassment. ¡®What is this strangely adorable creature?¡¯ I felt like I was being hurt and healed in such a desperate situation. ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°She is the Commander¡¯s lover.¡± The people I just saw in the hall were whispering again. It was not pleasant chatter, but it was easy to get out of the hallway as the crowd split up every time I went out. I soon arrived in front of Ian¡¯s office. The knights guarding the front of the office informed him of my visit. ¡°Commander, she is here.¡± The knights referred to me with the very strange word ¡®She¡¯. ¡®It seems like I¡¯m having a secret meeting with a real lover.¡¯ Soon, the door opened. Ian greeted me with a surprised expression. ¡°Have you already thought about it?¡­.What happened? You look as white as a sheet, as if you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡± For a moment, I faced Ian silently without saying a word. The way he talks freely to me, meanwhile being the Commander of the Holy Knight Division. In a situation where priests of a certain religion deny the existence of ghosts, even mentioning it, makes it seem as though they are not particularly religious. However, Ian is indeed the best knight of the Empire. The sword he wears around his waist draws attention. Ian in the original novel was strong enough to deal with a battalion alone with just that ordinary sword. Furthermore, no one dared to confront him when he was equipped with the Real Holy Sword, which is now asleep in a secluded space. Even so, he eventually fell for the evil trick that Nine had planted¡­ but that was because a lot of things were twisted. ¡°Lady Irene.¡± Ian¡¯s unfriendly face seemed to soften a little at the moment while he called my name. ¡®Okay, calm down. Let¡¯s calm down Lee Seo-yeon.¡¯ I comforted myself. Let¡¯s think about the options I had. First, ¡®end¡¯ Ian as ordered by Nine. This is nonsense. The original number 76 might have some mysterious talent, but I don¡¯t have any. Now, I am just an ordinary person who doesn¡¯t even know how to hold a sword. Moreover, it cannot be guaranteed that Ian would be finished even if an army came. He is known as the strongest in the world. So option number 1 was definitely eliminated. ¡®Second option, run away.¡¯ This isn¡¯t a wise choice either. Nine is a dark guild that has roots all over the continent. If I ran away clumsily, I would be caught in their hands soon. And lastly, the third option. I burst out laughing as I was thinking of it. This ridiculous option seemed to be the most attractive option right now. This is crazy. ¡°Commander.¡± ¡°Yes. Please speak.¡± This is the best option right now. I clenched my fists and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Engagement, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°¡­.All of a sudden?¡± Ian raised one eyebrow. ¡°You asked me to do it. Did you decide to change your mind?¡± ¡°Of course not, but¡­¡± Ian took one step closer to me. He came close to my nose and whispered in a low voice. ¡°I hope this decision was made wisely. You are saying that you want to be my wife. Are you serious?¡± I got goosebumps down my spine. Perhaps it was like entering a tiger¡¯s mouth to avoid a lion. But I firmly hid my trembling. My gut told me, this is the best way for me to survive now. ¡°Yes, I meant it.¡± Then Ian raised the corners of his lips with satisfaction. I hastened to add more. ¡°Instead.¡± ¡°Instead?¡± Ian tilted his head slightly. ¡°Please ensure my safety.¡± Ian¡¯s expression darkened as if he heard something unexpected. I quickly added. ¡°If I become the fianc¨¦e of the Commander of the Holy Knights, I will get a lot of attention. Don¡¯t you know you have a lot of enemies as the Commander? There could be a lot of people who can¡¯t hurt you, and they would try to hold me as a hostage, as I¡¯m relatively weak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. As long as you decide to be in the same boat as me, no one will dare to touch a single hair of yours.¡± Thank you for your bragging¡­.. Honestly, the next person who I¡¯m scared of is the person in front of me. I tried to shake off those thoughts and say. ¡°Please give me an escort. Someone who can always protect me. It would be better for someone with magical powers or strength!¡± I can¡¯t be helplessly attacked by a guy who infiltrates with shadow magic like before. Ian looked a little surprised again. I added beforehand. ¡°I¡¯m very sensitive to safety. I really am.¡± ¡°¡­.All right. I will give an escort for you, so don¡¯t worry. More than that¡­.¡± Ian lowered his waist a little. Like jewels, those sky blue eyes looked at me closer. I held my breath and stared into them without realizing it. ¡°Are you sure about breaking up with your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I lied that I had a lover. I wasn¡¯t sure at the time, but now that I¡¯d recalled 76 memories twice, I was certain. Number 76 was a loner. A complete loner to the extent that no one knows the true form of number 76 other than Nine. ¡®That means there¡¯s no need to worry about a previous relationship.¡¯ Of course, there will be no original lover who will come running after hearing about our engagement and say, ¡®How could you do this to me!¡¯. Thanks to this, I could talk to Ian confidently. ¡°I will break up with him.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you have a boyfriend that you can¡¯t live without even after death?¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever said that¡­ I cleared my throat and answered. ¡°Um. It hurts my heart, but we have to say goodbye. For the sake of the plan.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Ian looked at me intently. Ah, I¡¯m sure you would think about it if you were really getting engaged, but why are you examining everything so closely when this is fake? After a while, Ian said something ridiculous. ¡°You can¡¯t cheat on me!.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Can¡¯t cheat on you. After all, Isn¡¯t what I¡¯m doing with Sir Ian a fake engagement?¡± ¡°Anyway, no. Don¡¯t you know that trust is the soul of a relationship like this?¡± Huh, true. Well, I didn¡¯t mean to date around anyway, so I nodded vigorously. ¡®You¡¯re the only one who loses.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t me who had to waste my natural face and body at best. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Ian shrugged, clearly pleased with my gracious answer. ¡°Now, let¡¯s hear the requirements.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Right. The most important step remained. Ian looked at me like he noticed something. ¡°I don¡¯t think money is the only thing that has changed your mind¡­What has moved your mind?¡± ¡°Hmm, hmm.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Then I will tell you my requirements from now on.¡± Ian¡¯s eyes glowed with an interesting light. Lucian was also pricking up his ears. I cleared my throat slightly and opened my mouth. ¡°First of all, I shall gratefully accept the amount you proposed.¡± ¡°Great. 10 million Mars, and what else?¡± ¡°I already asked you for an escort knight with excellent skills¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll also give you the best defense artifacts. For a fianc¨¦e who is safety-sensitive¡± ¡°Thank you. And, finally.¡± This was the most important part. Maybe more than 10 million Mars. ¡°Help me disappear from the Empire in a year.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This may have been unexpected as their eyes grew slightly. CH 8 ¡°So that I, Saintess Irene, can completely disappear from this world. Please help me in preventing everyone who knows me, including Sir Ian, from looking for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you agree, I will happily become your fianc¨¦e. For one year.¡± One year was an appropriate time limit. After completing hard calculations while walking down the hallway, Ian should accomplish his plan exactly 10 months later. He will gather the entire troops of Holy Knights and attack the Imperial Palace. Ian would not need a fake fianc¨¦e once he becomes Emperor, having already gone crazy by that point. But for some reason, Ian didn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty ¡­ that¡¯s a strange demand. Would you tell me why?¡± ¡°No.¡± I said firmly. He clenched his teeth and looked straight up at me. Ian held a strange expression as he responded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It is a difficult condition to comprehend, but if you really want to¡­¡± ¡°All right. If you promise me that, we¡¯ll make a deal!¡± I reached out my hand saying that. Ian just stared at my hand for a few moments, saying nothing. What? Don¡¯t you know how to shake hands in this world? That¡¯s right, you don¡¯t. As I wiggled my fingers in embarrassment, a large hand grabbed mine. His body was warm, in contrast to his cold appearance. I grabbed it and shook it up and down with satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your cooperation. When will the contract be ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you right away. Lucian.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lucian eventually returned with a dark purple manastone. My eyes gleamed as I recognized the magical stone. ¡®An immutable contract.¡¯ A contract that was made with that stone ¨C a stone of contract ¨C had to be kept no matter what. If you do not comply, the price is the contractor¡¯s soul. Their soul would be dragged into the void, leaving only their body behind. The penalty is clear, and so is the reliability. Immutable contracts had the highest value of all contracts. It¡¯s most likely worth the cost of a decent home. I could see that Ian was willing to fulfill his promises just by bringing this contract stone. ¡°Would that be all right? Even if I proceed with this as an immutable contract?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I raised the corners of my lips confidently. ¡°Are you really confident, Sir Ian? Will you keep all of your promises?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ian smirked. ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll sign the contract. Sir Ian will abide by the three conditions I mentioned earlier and I will-¡° ¡°You will be my fake wife for a year.¡± Suddenly, as if remembering something, Ian added. ¡°Without two legs.¡± [T/N: It¡¯s an idiomatic expression of two-time, which means betray, cheating or deceive.] ¡­Why do you keep obsessing over it? It was a bit absurd, but I nodded my head. ¡°Okay. Include that. So, the contract is completed, right?¡± We put our palms together on the contract stone. Dark blue magic gushed out of the stone at the same time, enveloping us. ¡®I¡¯m glad it¡¯s not a system where you have to write your real name on a contract stone.¡¯ I had such a useless thought while watching the sacred spectacle. * * * ¡°Are you okay, Commander?¡± Lucian followed after him with a worried face. ¡°The Saintess did not request unreasonable terms, but it would be preferable to use the immutable contract as little as possible¡ª¡± ¡°The shackles from this contract must be put on for sure.¡± Ian gently frowned as he remembered Irene¡¯s face as she reached out to him. Throughout this strange day, she was the strangest thing. Ian thought back to the moment he opened his eyes for the first time today. First, it was his sense of smell that detected abnormalities. There was a strange smell on the tip of his nose. The scent of another person¡¯s flesh. Mixed in, there was also a faint scent of bath salts. Something was wrong. The moment he realized it, he heard a strange voice. ¡®Wh-wh-who¡­¡¯ A voice that trembled like a deer about to be hunted. His heart went cold in an instant. He now had the intruder in his arms. ¡®What¡¯s this, who are you?¡¯ Ian was already tightening his right hand as he asked. So he could control and subdue the strange deer¡¯s neck at any time. With big green eyes, the intruder looked up at Ian and, shaking her lips aimlessly, said. ¡®¡­¡­Hello?¡¯ Hello. The strength was drained from his grasp as soon as he heard the greeting, trembling like a leaf in the wind. What kind of intruder would say something so stupid. Am I dreaming? Isn¡¯t this reality? Ian would have been able to subdue the woman faster than breathing if that stupid thought hadn¡¯t crossed his mind. But Ian couldn¡¯t do that. It was a mistake to be so careless at that time. ¡®Things would have gone a lot easier if I had suppressed my hesitation.¡¯ Ian hated being faced with something unexpected. But he also understood that he needed to be able to accept the variables created by overlapping coincidences. A corresponding, unexpected variable was the woman. ¡®Please help me disappear.¡¯ ¡­and it was a bit of a strange variable. ¡®So that I, Saintess Irene, can completely disappear from this world.¡¯ Ian shook his head to disregard useless memories. It was time to prepare himself for this variable and deal with it. ¡®Saintess, err.¡¯ He didn¡¯t completely trust her statement. But there was no doubt about it, the ¡®evidence¡¯ that Irene described was not something a con artist could discover. ¡°Anyway, the Saintess¡¯ power is amazing. I can¡¯t believe she even got that information.¡± Lucian said with a serious expression as he had also considered it at the time. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, it was amazing.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this Saintess¡¯ power extraordinary?¡± Otherwise, he would have been in trouble. Because Ian¡¯s plan could not be discovered by anyone. Even if the opponent was a saintess. ¡°I suppose so. I suppose so.¡± When Irene discovered that the emperor¡¯s remains were sleeping beneath his mansion, Ian had to carry her in one boat alongside him. Or remove her completely. ¡°Anyway, did you notice it Commander? I could smell the residual effects of magical power when the Saintess returned earlier.¡± ¡°You did too?¡± She had a faint smell. Those were traces left from Irene herself or someone nearby who used magic. ¡®I didn¡¯t think she was capable of using magic.¡¯ Besides, when Irene returned to the office, her face looked strangely different. It was as if she had been chased by someone. Ian tapped the desk with his fingers. Obviously, that woman wasn¡¯t just a naive person. It was clear that she was hiding something from Ian. ¡®I¡¯ll try to figure out what her plan is.¡¯ She might be scared if he tries to dig it out forcibly. She appeared to be more surprised than she looked. ¡°Lucian.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Prepare for the most luxurious engagement.¡± First of all, he was thinking of making his fake wife, who has already appeared in articles, as the most gorgeous bride in the Empire. The title of ¡®Innocent Holy Knight Commander¡¯ has slipped out of his hands. If you have lost something, you must also gain something. The title, ¡®A man who loves a woman so much that he throws away his virginity that he has kept his whole life,¡¯ would also be an effective image to win over the public opinion. ??* * * ¡°Ugh.¡± I fell flat on the bed. A blanket filled with feathers wrapped around me softly. I rolled to the side, half-conscious, drunk on the softness. No matter how much I rolled, the bed didn¡¯t end. Indeed, it was a matter of course. Because I was a Saintess who appeared for the first time in fifteen years. ¡®¡­Umm.¡¯ My heart was pounding with a heavy feeling of pressure. I stopped lying around and opened the book I acquired earlier. It was a book that Lucian brought back for me. ¡®That man seemed very concerned when I said that I was a runaway slave.¡¯ Although I was born a slave, Lucian was relieved when I told him that I learned to read as a child before being sold into slavery. He then went to the library and borrowed books like ¡ºHistory of the Empire¡» and ¡ºEvangelism of Empires¡» which he thought would be useful for learning basic knowledge of the Empire. ¡®I mean, he is a very thoughtful person.¡¯ It was no wonder that such a capable aide was paired with such a terrifying person. Anyways, I decided to take a look at the books Lucian had lent me. Although I read the original novel, I still didn¡¯t fully understand this world. ¡°That¡¯s right, now, First of all, ¡ºHistory of the Saints¡».¡± Looking at the table of contents, it seemed to be a book about the past saintess¡¯ abilities and stories. I almost opened it on the back and read about the most recent saintess. ¡°Saintess Cordelia.¡± Born as the second daughter of Count Bernadette, she was determined to be a saintess at the age of seven. Being born with a golden spoon and growing up to be a saintess, she seemed to have accumulated many virtues in her previous life. ¡°Her ability¡­to make flowers bloom?¡± What, flowers? I tilted my head. That¡¯s a bit simple for an ability. The question was resolved after a while. It was written that drinking the flowers bloomed by Cordelia in a decoction as a tea would have a great energizing effect. ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s amazing.¡± That was a very useful ability. Laurel Lai, a saintess who was called by god before Cordelia, also had outstanding abilities. The ability to heal! Although there was a time limit, she had to treat the wound within ten minutes. It was still an amazing ability. ¡°They¡¯re all¡­ worthy of the name of a saintess.¡± I broke out in a cold sweat a little. Saintess Irene must also have great abilities to match with them. I¡¯m really good at catching bugs¡­..but, actually I¡­ I was a Computer Science Major student until I opened my eyes in this strange world today. I didn¡¯t have much talent for coding, I was only motivated to find where the bug occurred. ¡®But, how do you use that power here?¡¯ ¡°Arghh.¡± I buried my head in the pillow and groaned. It¡¯s good that I saved my life by pretending to be a saintess, but there was still a problem. ¡°I was able to pass on the knowledge I had read from the original when I spoke to Ian.¡± Will I be able to keep up this scam for a whole year? CH 9 ¡®Well.¡¯ My stomach ached from the tension. Did I have to deceive not only Ian, but the whole nation for such a long time? ¡®Is it possible to do it, Lee Seo Yeon?¡¯ I don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t confident. I buried my face in the pillow again and let out a sigh, then I quickly raised it again. ¡®No. I have to do it whether I am confident or not.¡¯ That¡¯s how you survive. I had to deceive Ian to be able to survive from him first, and now I have to endure for a year to get out of Nine with Ian¡¯s help. ¡®And the knowledge I read from the original work can be useful in the future.¡¯ I was aware of the big things to come. In addition, the setting of the main characters, like Ian, was quite memorable. ¡®For example, on the day when the female lead makes her debut in a year from now, there will be a massive lightning storm on the island.¡¯ The heroine, who awakens as a Saintess, used her powers for the first time that day during a lightning storm. The heroine¡¯s ability is to control the weather, her awakened power quelled the storm. ¡®Since then, she has aided many areas suffering from drought and floods.¡¯ The power of most Saintesses is related to saving lives. Above all, the heroine¡¯s ability to control the weather was suitable for rescuing people in the event of a natural disaster. In any case, if the people are informed of such thunderstorms in advance, they will be able to prepare for flood damage. Afterwards, they will praise me for the grace of the Saintess! Of course, I didn¡¯t want to take credit away from the heroine, so that was just an example. ¡®The problem is that my memory is not so prodigious.¡¯ Still, I have read¡ºA Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡»three times. Although I do not know the exact sentences, or on what pages or lines they are, I could recall the approximate contents. ¡®I can do it.¡¯ I clenched my fist. Under the power of ¡®prediction¡¯, I could tell people about the original story without feeling incongruent. ¡®Besides, I¡¯m going to disappear from the world in a year, which means I could cover the shortcomings of not knowing the information after the book is finished.¡¯ Of course, the original information could not be overused. I was worried that the story would be twisted due to my intervention, and the bottom line was also a problem. ¡®So let¡¯s use it only occasionally. It will have an impact!¡¯ ¡°Good good.¡± I clenched my fists and shouted. Would that scary Holy Knight Commander treat me with respect if I predict the future once or twice? ¡°Saintess, did you call me?¡± Then, I heard a voice behind the curtain. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ Now that I think about it, I wasn¡¯t the only one in this room. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Dame Joan.¡± I answered the person behind the curtain with the most graceful voice. ¡°I understand. Please call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Phew. I sighed softly. Dame Joan is my escort whom Ian posted for me today. A small, but powerful swordswoman who prefers to use a rapier. She was also skilled with swords and has a knack for magic. Lucian gave a little hint that Dame Joan was a talented person who might one day become a sword master. ¡®Such a great woman escorts only me¡­ Isn¡¯t it a waste?¡¯ I had that thought for a moment, but I pretended not to know and decided to accept Dame Joan. The person who was targeting me was none other than Nine. Preparation was not enough, no matter how much certainty one had. Deng, Deng. Then I heard a bell ring. I looked at the clock and it was already past midnight. ¡®The time has already come.¡¯ I closed the book and put it on the side table. It was time to go to bed. From tomorrow onwards, a very daunting schedule will be waiting for me. ¡®He said we¡¯d have an engagement in three days, that man.¡¯ What kind of engagement ceremony is held after three days? Even roasting soybeans over lightning would appear to be more time consuming. ¡®But, before the rumors spread indiscriminately, we have to spread the word in advance.¡¯ The preparations for the engagement ceremony were also finished, and there were things that I had to figure out on my own. ¡®First of all, I have to break this time-limited curse.¡¯ I glanced at the hem of my pajamas. The number ¡¯76¡¯ drawn on my thigh was much blurrier than before, but if you look closely, you can clearly see the outline. I¡¯ll be burned by a curse on my thigh if I don¡¯t finish Ian in a year. ¡®Fortunately, there was a scene in the original story where the heroine solved this time-limited curse.¡¯ In the original story, Nine once placed a time-limited curse on the heroine¡¯s best friend. It was a terrible curse to poison the heroine. Fortunately, the heroine was successful in breaking the curse within the time limit. I am about to try that method too. ¡®I hope it works.¡¯ No, it will work. It has to work. Otherwise, I¡¯m dead. ¡®Sigh, How could I possess such a strange character?¡¯ I wrapped myself in a blanket as I was lamenting over this. Anyway, it was time to fall asleep for tomorrow. I said to myself as I turned off the lamp on the nightstand. ¡°Go to sleep, Dame Joan.¡± ¡°Good night, Saintess.¡± That was my first day that went by like a storm. * * * ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± In the bright morning sun, I frowned. ¡°Lady Irene, did you cough?¡± Annette¡¯s gentle voice was heard. The voice reminded me once again that what was happening to me was not a dream. Ian, the Saintess, the lie, the fake marriage, Nine. None of them was a dream. ¡®¡­It¡¯s the worst morning.¡¯ I staggered myself up. ¡°Lady Annette, Is there any water?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll bring it to you now!¡± Annette soon walked over towards the bed canopy and handed me a glass of water. A tray with some paper rolls is also included. ¡°I¡¯ve also brought you newspapers to read.¡± Newspapers from various publishing companies were neatly arranged on the tray. ¡®Wow. I feel like the president of a conglomerate.¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Lady Annette.¡± ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t mention it¡­!¡± Annette said, blinking her eyes in embarrassment. I looked at one of the papers on the tray. I was subconsciously looking, but it happened to be the . They were the ones who brought up the scandal between me and Ian yesterday. ¡°Oops, Lady Irene! That newspaper¡­!¡± Annette was nervous as she had realized it late. But I had already seen the front page clearly. The following article was written on the front page of today¡¯s Empire Morning. ¡¸She is the veil-wrapped lover of the Commander of the Holy Knights! Reporters searched for information on her but came up empty-handed. Is Sir Esteban¡¯s iron wall defense intended to hide his lover?¡¹ ¡®Please don¡¯t pay attention to this!¡¯ I screamed inwardly, but I knew the truth. If I were an ordinary imperialist, I would have bought this newspaper with a blink of an eye. Annette said in a small voice. ¡°My apologies. I forgot to put that aside.¡± ¡°No, I should know that these articles are going around.¡± is a gossip and loaded newspaper, but it¡¯s not a third-rate newspaper. It would not be an exaggeration to say that almost every salon has this newspaper. It is an influential newspaper. The fact that it was on the front page of such a newspaper for the second day meant that Ian and I are the most gossiped about people in the current social circles. ¡®Well, of course.¡¯ I pulled myself out of bed with a sigh. Annette asked. ¡°How is your schedule today, Lady Irene?¡± I answered softly. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°What? Magic Tower?¡± Annette¡¯s eyes widened. I smiled lightly and nodded. ¡°I have some things to buy.¡± ¡°Shall I go instead?¡± ¡°No. I think I¡¯d better go and choose for myself.¡± ¡°Understood! Then I¡¯ll help you prepare right away!¡± Annette said with a solemn expression on her first mission. Surprisingly, there were several clothes that fit my body in the temporary residence¡¯s closet. Lucian seemed to care about me. I wore a casual outing dress and covered it with a cape. ¡°You look perfect in the hooded cape that¡¯s in vogue these days! You¡¯re so pretty, Lady Irene!¡± Annette waved her hands to emphasize she liked the style. ¡®That¡¯s wonderful, hooded capes are on trend.¡¯ I put my hood back on as I thought this. I was able to move to the carriage without drawing much attention because of the hood. Once we got in Annette told the coachman where to go. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be going to visit a Magic Tower, which I¡¯ve only read about in novels. I¡¯m nervous all of a sudden.¡¯ My heart was pounding as I stared out the window of the carriage at the rapidly changing scenery. The Magic Tower is a building where romance fantasy novels are concentrated. A place where genius wizards and sages were! The Ivory Tower of Knowledge! ¡®Of course, The Magic Tower in this novel differs slightly from The Magic Tower in other fantasy novels.¡¯ ¡°We have arrived, Lady Irene.¡± Dame Joan kindly escorted me out of the carriage. I took Dame Joan¡¯s hand, got off the carriage and looked up. ¡®It¡¯s so high¡­¡¯ It was incredible to stand in front of the Magic Tower, which I could only imagine by the novels I read. The two twin buildings with dark blue lights hovering, in contrast to the pure white church building, were mysterious in itself. I hid my tension and confidently stepped inside it. ¡°Welcome, customer. How may I help you?¡± As soon as I opened the door and walked in, I was welcomed with nice words. As I raised my head, a friendly-looking wizard from the desk in front of us smiled broadly at us. I squeezed the cape tighter and walked over to him. Fortunately, there were so many unusual customers, so my behavior did not stand out. ¡°Hello. I came here because there is a magic tool I want to buy.¡± ¡°I see. Is it solely for your personal use? Or is it a gift?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for personal use.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for personal use, customer. If that¡¯s the case, our staff will help you with counseling right away!¡± As the wizard at the desk smiled and talked, another staff wizard led me to a single room. I was amazed at how smooth the process was. ¡®I heard that it was completely commercialized, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this much.¡¯ The Magic Tower was once a purely academic institution where wizards gather and study. It was like all the Magic Tower in fantasy novels. However, everything changed when the current genius magician, Rizello, took control of the Magic Tower. The Tower¡¯s reform was declared by Rizello, who repaired every nook and cranny of the isolated Tower. As a result, the Magic Tower became the ideal commercial facility it is today in less than a decade. I was also told that because of this, he amassed unprecedented wealth. ¡°This is the counseling room, customer.¡± The wizard at the desk greeted me with a bright smile and directed me to the door. It was confusing whether they were wizards or service veterans who received the ¡®Most Friendly Staff Award¡¯ this month. CH 10 ¡°Dame Joan. Miss Annette. I¡¯ll be right back. It¡¯ll take a little while, so don¡¯t wait for me and go do your business.¡± I looked back and smiled softly. Although the Magic Tower was transformed into a commercial facility, there was still a tradition within it that continued to persist¡­ One-on-one counseling is always required! Dame Joan doesn¡¯t like it when I go off on my own, but she didn¡¯t object this time. The Magic Tower was an impregnable fortress. It was a crime-free area where not a single theft occurred. So Dame Joan could only be relieved when I¡¯m here. ¡°Welcome, my name is Rozeline Mayer, a second-degree wizard who will help you with your consultation today!¡± Another wizard greeted me when I entered the counseling room. I quickly got to the point. I did not have any time to lose. ¡°You sell not only magic tools and scrolls, but also magic potion ashes, right?¡± ¡°Of course, Customer. What ingredients do you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to get the roots of the Red Hemut Flower, Boyer Tulips, Cakulta Extract and Orbyi Fruit.¡± Rozeline, who quickly took down my order, smiled. ¡°Fortunately, most of the ingredients are readily available. Only for one thing!¡± ¡°What? One thing?¡± ¡°Cakulta extract containing narcotic ingredients is designated as a restricted item due to the current drug control period. I apologise that I couldn¡¯t help you, Customer.¡± Thud. It felt like lightning struck my mind. ¡®A drug?! I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing!¡¯ This was not mentioned in the novel at all. The heroine only had to make the medicine with the ingredients provided by Rizello, the Master of the Magic Tower. ¡®This is the difference between me and the heroine who was born with a golden spoon!¡¯ ¡°How can I¡­ can¡¯t I find it? I have a very urgent situation.¡± ¡°I am very sorry, Customer. I don¡¯t think I can help you until the crackdown period is over. Please forgive me, Customer.¡± My fingertips were cold. The time-limited curse could be detoxified by ingesting a potion made of specific materials for a certain period of time. Of course, Rizello created this antidote formula specifically for the heroine, and it was not widely known. The problem was that it must be consumed ¡®over the course of time¡¯. The exact time period was not specified in the book, but the crackdown appeared to have been taken steadily for more than months ¡°Could you tell me how long the crackdown will last? Will it take more than half a year?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, it seems like there is about a month left. I would have been able to help you right away if it had been after the crackdown ended, but that¡¯s too bad.¡± A month! That¡¯s soon enough to wait. I sighed in relief and nodded quickly. ¡°I see! Thank you for your answer. Then I will buy the rest of the ingredients first.¡± ¡°I will ring you up right away, Customer.¡± I took out my wallet and spent a total of 23 Mars. Ian wisely paid 1,000 Mars in cash first when the contract was signed yesterday. The rest of the money was going to be deposited after I opened an account. ¡°Thank you for the transaction, Customer. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°Where should I go to get to the lab floor? I heard they provide an admission counseling service for the Magic Academy, and my friend asked me to find out.¡± I hastened to ask Roseline before she could finish her sentence. I didn¡¯t have enough time to move without purpose. Before Dame Joan thought I was taking too long, I had to stop by the lab. ¡°You can go to the lab floor through the other tower, Customer. The Twin Towers are right next door, so you¡¯ll be able to find them right away.¡± ¡°I see! Thank you. Is it alright if I leave through that door?¡± I asked, pointing to a door that was different from the one I came in. ¡°Sure, please use the door that is convenient for you.¡± ¡°Thank you! Goodbye then!¡± ¡°Have a good day, Customer. This was your counselor, Rozeline Mayer!¡± I hurriedly left the door without hearing Rozeline¡¯s parting words. Dame Joan was nowhere to be seen because I had exited through the door opposite the one I had entered. ¡®Let¡¯s finish within ten minutes and come back!¡¯ I came to the Magic Tower for two purposes. First, to get the ingredients of the antidote to break the time-limited curse. Secondly, and more urgent, was to devise a way to falsify the Saintess verification process. Surprisingly, this method also appeared in the original story ¡ºA Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡». Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy, because it involved deceiving the church. I was planning to meet face-to-face with Rizello, The Master of the Magic Tower. In the original story, the heroine was in a situation where she had to go through the process of verifying a Saintess by cheating. It was also Rizello who helped at that time. ¡®Of course, I will have to pay, unlike the heroine who received Rizello¡¯s affection.¡¯ That would have to cost a lot of money too. But I¡¯ve learned that I need to be bold in what I need to invest. The first expenditure of the 10 million Mars from Ian was to be made here. I carefully walked out of the Magic Tower, in case I might run into Dame Joan. There were a lot of people on the street crossing the tower on the other side. It looked like there was a festival going on nearby. I heard a familiar voice from somewhere as I was walking through the crowd. ¡°Please do-don¡¯t do this¡­!¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not bad people.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play for a minute. Why are you doing this? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°I have to go back quickly! Ge-get out of my way!¡± That was Annette¡¯s voice. I could see Annette at the entrance of the alley over there. Annette was surrounded by bullies with her back against the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll show you a fun time. I¡¯ve never seen a church girl before.¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re from the church? You¡¯re very old-fashioned.¡± ¡°You pray after you eat, but your shoulders are as thin as a sheet of paper.¡± One of the men tried to grab Annette¡¯s shoulder. I screamed loudly into the alley without further thought. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this little girl?¡± The bullies turned to me at once. It¡¯s okay. I comforted myself. It was a busy street with so many people. Everyone seems to avoid butting in because it looks like a quarrel now, but if it becomes more dangerous, someone will at least report it. ¡°Miss Annette, come here.¡± ¡°Oh, Lady Irene¡­¡± ¡°Oh, was this girl¡¯s name Annette? Her name is cute.¡± ¡°The name of the new girl is cute too. Lady Irene, let¡¯s play together.¡± The bullies, who I thought would be embarrassed to intervene, did not hesitate and pushed me as well. I hid my embarrassment and glanced out from the alleyway. However, some passersby only glanced down the alley once or twice, and most of them were busy looking ahead and walking forward. ¡°Can you show me your face, Lady Irene?¡± ¡°Yes, take off your hood. It¡¯s dark and I can¡¯t see your face well.¡± They approached me quietly after saying that. One of them came close to my face and squinted his eyes. ¡°Wa¡­wait a minute. Isn¡¯t this the face we saw in the newspaper?¡± ¡°What newspaper?¡­ hold on. It¡¯s very similar, now that I think about it.¡± ¡°Your face is just like the woman who¡¯s dating the Holy Knight Commander!¡± Surprisingly, the bullies seemed to be gossip readers. They recognized that I was the ¡®Ian¡¯s lover¡¯ in the newspaper and caused a commotion amongst themselves. ¡°Sh-she she¡¯s really the lover of the Holy Knight Commander.¡± ¡®Maybe this is a good thing.¡¯ Now that they knew that I was Ian¡¯s ¡®woman¡¯, the bullies wouldn¡¯t be able to touch me easily. Unless they were big guys. ¡°Hey, hey, let¡¯s let her go.¡± ¡°Yes, I think I picked the wrong person.¡± The bullies took a stealthy step back, as expected. It was time to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Wait, wait.¡± Then the biggest bully stepped in. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? She¡¯s the woman who made the Commander of the Holy Knights throw away his virginity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He narrowed the distance with a big smile. ¡°How great is she? Huh?¡± ¡­Here you go, big bastard. When he looked at me closely, my eyes widened. I smelled something dangerous and looked around the street. It was time to shout for help. I looked around. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Something resembling a purple curtain was blocking the border where the street and the alleyway met. It seemed that at some point, one of the bad guys had put a magic barrier on the alley. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see inside from the outside anymore. Let¡¯s start with a friendly introduction, shall we?¡± ¡°Now that I see you, I am a little curious. What trick did you use to seduce the Commander?¡± ¡°I just want to take a look, lady. Just a look.¡± ¡®¡­Crazy people. Are you doing this to harass women?¡¯ ¡°Do-don¡¯t touch her!¡± Annette shouted and stepped forward. Annette¡¯s arm was shaking in front of me. ¡°Oh, church lady, are you going to play with me first?¡± The bullies approached with giggles. Damn it. I chewed my lips and gently slipped my right hand into my arms. ¡°Miss Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Run! Now!¡± With a warrior cry, I threw and scattered all the pointed fruits from my arms. Let¡¯s do that. Bang! Bang! The fruits that were thrown into the air exploded with a loud noise as soon as they hit the bullies. ¡°Ugh! What the hell!¡± ¡°Ah! Ouch! It stings!¡± ¡°Miss Annette! Run!¡± I grabbed Annette¡¯s wrist and ran out of the alley. But we crashed into the purple curtain and fell backwards. ¡®What is this barrier? It doesn¡¯t just block your view?!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a low-level barrier, Lady Irene! If you hit it hard enough, it will eventually break!¡± ¡°Ooh, it stings!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see!¡± The bullies yelled in a state of panic while we continued to pound on the barrier. With a crackling sound, cracks began to form through the barrier. ¡®We did it!¡¯ The moment when we broke the barrier, I was filled with euphoria. ¡°Oh!¡± The tangible barrier that had been broken with our fists had disappeared. The sudden unhindered momentum of my attack caused me to fall forward. My body leaned over, and the ground drew nearer in an instant. I¡¯ll hit it. I instinctively closed my eyes tightly. But there was no subsequent shock. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Something firm yet warm held me up. ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡± I raised my head to see who helped me, thanking them reflexively. Then, as it was, my body hardened like a stone. ¡°Ah, now I can see a little bit ahead.¡± ¡°These are real! I was going to let you go and play, but you dare do something like this¡­ huh?¡± ¡°Wa-wait. That person, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± The bullies also slowly grasped the situation and stiffened just like me. I gave a cut-off greeting with a very awkward smile. ¡°I-I see you¡¯re here.¡± Ian didn¡¯t smile back. He just stared at me with his blue eyes. ¡°I believe I asked you to stay calm until the date of the engagement, my future wife.¡± Ian said in a slow tone. I felt a cold sweat seeping out and laughed awkwardly again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, haha. I was taking a short break, but things got a little twisted.¡± ¡°It must have been very stuffy inside the church.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s an unfamiliar place, so¡­¡± ¡°Therefore.¡± Ian cut me off and smiled coldly. ¡°Would you please explain to me what happened to you personally at the Magic Tower. My future wife.¡± Gulp, I swallowed my saliva. It was the first time that name made me hesitate with chills. CH 11 ¡®It happened.¡¯ I don¡¯t know how Ian¡¯s going to react. ¡®It¡¯s okay¡¯, I comforted myself. I am someone who is supposed to deceive the whole nation for the next year. We can easily break through this difficulty! I opened my mouth with an awkward smile. ¡°I was just going to get some fresh air, but the big Twin Towers caught my eye. As you know, the Magic Tower is one of the most famous places in the world. I couldn¡¯t resist my curiosity.¡± Ian raised one eyebrow. It was a look wherein he didn¡¯t hide his suspicion. Suddenly, Annette shouted. ¡°It¡¯s because of me, Commander! Lady Irene was just looking around the Magic Tower, but I left Lady Irene at will.¡± ¡°Miss Annette.¡± I looked back at Annette in surprise. Annette¡¯s face had an outwardly confident expression, but I could see her fingers fidgeting behind her dress. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Ian frowned. Annette¡¯s fingers trembled more and more. ¡°I thought it would be fine because I was only going to buy things nearby for a bit. Then I stopped and met bad people¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Annette lowered her head and had a long face. ¡°Because of me, even the Lady was in danger. I have nothing to say to excuse myself.¡± ¡°Lady Irene¡­¡± In fact, all Annette did was walk along the main street. Annette probably had no idea she¡¯d run into such big, crazy people in such a bustling place. I was about to defend her by telling the truth, but Annette looked up at me with deeply moved eyes. ¡°Ha. Well. I see.¡± With a sigh, Ian made an unexpected statement. I raised my head in surprise. ¡°Do you believe me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t lock you up, but please be careful in the future. Even though the rules are strict, but such trash exists everywhere.¡± Ian threw his cold eyes behind us. The bullies, who had been frozen like statues, fell to their knees when Ian appeared. ¡°Co-command-¡± ¡°Please for-for-forgiiiiiive us, Commander! We were wrong!¡± But their pronunciation was very strange. ¡®The Orbyi fruit did a good job.¡¯ The guys who were hit by the fruit I had thrown had swollen faces. Their puffy lips looked ugly in appearance. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to apologize to me, right?¡± Said Ian as he looked down at the bullies with an ice-cold gaze. ¡®Wow, if I were you, I would have passed out right here.¡¯ My limbs shrunk just watching from the side, but how terrifying would it be for the bullies? ¡®Then why did you harass me on the street? Crazy bastards!¡¯ ¡°La-lady. I¡¯m sowwy!¡± [T/N: It¡¯s supposed to be ????? means ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯, but author makes it in cuter way.] ¡°I have committed a mortal sin!¡± As I listened to the bullies¡¯ strange pronunciation, I tilted my head. ¡°Sowwy, what language is this? Miss Annette, Do you understand?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°La-Lady¡­!¡± ¡°Anyway, there is no agreement and I want you to be judged by the court.¡± People like that should not be let loose into society. Then, I heard someone rushing in. ¡°Lady Irene! Are you all- Commander?¡± It was Dame Joan who ran down the alley. Dame Joan, who had found Ian and me, bowed modestly. ¡°I am glad to see that you are safe. It¡¯s all my fault for not escorting you properly. I will accept any punishment.¡± ¡°No, Dame Joan! I came out through another door and Dame Joan couldn¡¯t find me. It was my mistake, Ian. Dame Joan didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± I hurriedly defended Dame Joan. Dame Joan was just tricked by me. When I watched movies, I was so angry when I saw characters who were making trouble by avoiding the bodyguard¡¯s surveillance, but I didn¡¯t know this would end up being me too. ¡°Raise your head. Joan.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold you responsible for what happened today. I¡¯ll take Lady Irene back home, so you take care of them before you go back.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± As Dame Joan approached the bullies, they trembled like crazy. ¡°Hik, Joan Ortes?¡± ¡°The crazy dog, Joan?!¡± ¡°Ple-please save us!¡± The bullies bowed deeper and began to beg. As Joan got closer, some started crying. I wanted to see more of it, but Ian took me out of the alleyway. ¡°If you are curious about the Magic Tower¡­¡± Ian spoke softly as he walked to the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll do you a favor. I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± ¡°Sir Ian will accompany me on my tour to The Magic Tower. Are you really going to do it?¡± ¡°There are dangerous people in the Magic Tower. A Saintess who hasn¡¯t appeared in 15 years must pique people¡¯s interest.¡± Ian didn¡¯t look very good as he said that. ¡®Dangerous people¡­ Are you talking about Rizello?¡¯ Well, even in the original story, Ian and Rizello were not on good terms. Of course, Rizello was obsessed with the original heroine, and Ian was¡­ ¡®Because he was the first love of the heroine.¡¯ I thought that Rizello, who was jealous of Ian, started to quarrel with him over everything and their relationship was not good. ¡®What are we going to do?¡¯ I didn¡¯t meet Rizello. There are only 13 days left before the Saintess Verification Process. I had to meet Rizello before then. ¡®Visiting the Magic Tower directly is unreasonable for the time being.¡¯ ¡®Do I have to give up and find another way?¡¯ It was the surest way to go straight to the Magic Tower, but since this happened, there was nothing I could do. As I sighed deeply, Ian glanced at me. ¡°Do you remember that the day after tomorrow is our engagement?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I couldn¡¯t have forgotten. It¡¯s my first engagement. ¡®I¡¯ll be engaged to a man I¡¯ve known for three days, Lee Seoyeon¡¯s life is so exciting and mysterious.¡¯ I understood why Ian was in such a rush. Since the scandal hit the headlines in the newspaper, the relationship had to be officially acknowledged as soon as possible. Before this nasty rumor gets bigger. I clearly understood that we had to wedge ourselves into a serious engagement relationship, not one playing with fire. ¡®But that¡¯s when Ian is perfectly convinced that I¡¯m a Saintess.¡¯ I know that Ian decided to believe in me because I told him about the previous Emperor¡¯s remains. Ian had to decide whether or not to abandon me because the Saintess Verification Process would take more than ten days. In the end, it was a good thing for me that Ian chose to be in the same boat as me. But, what if Ian finds out that he made the wrong choice? Have I made any plans for that? With a great deal of curiosity, I opened my mouth. ¡°Perchance, though it¡¯s not likely to happen, undoubtedly a one in a million chance. But, what if I don¡¯t pass the Saintess Verification Process? What would happen?¡± ¡°Are you curious?¡± Ian slanted up one corner of his mouth. I got goosebumps all over my body and quickly regretted asking and shook my head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not really curious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! I won¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I don¡¯t think my wife fully understands our contract yet.¡± Ian slowly leaned his upper body towards me. Blue eyes as clear as a glass lake stared me down. ¡°We¡¯re already in the same boat since we shared the immutable contract. Whoever cheated or lied¡­ Even if you¡¯re not a Saintess, for the duration of the contract, you¡¯re still my wife. In any form.¡± ¡®In any form?¡¯ A dangerously low voice pierced my ears. His soft voice was as friendly as ever, but the content was gruesome. ¡®What kind of form will I be in!¡¯ ¡°Of course, it hurts to be betrayed.¡± Then Ian made a remark that made my jaw drop. ¡®It won¡¯t hurt you. That¡¯s when you¡¯re going to take me to the dungeon and not forgive me.¡¯ I snorted unconsciously with whispers that couldn¡¯t be heard. Ian looked at me and raised the corners of his mouth as if it were funny. ¡°So don¡¯t betray me, my wife.¡± ¡°Stop calling me wife, especially when it¡¯s only the two of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Even if you hate it, you have to get used to it.¡± ¡®Ha.¡¯ I laughed profusely inside. So that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to be like. If so, that¡¯s good. I won¡¯t be the only one being teased. ¡°You¡¯re right, honey.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I looked up at Ian and smiled, my eyelashes fluttering. The word ¡®honey¡¯ was emphasised. ¡°You need to get used to it from now on. We¡¯re still only engaged now, but we¡¯ll have to get married and have our first night soon. Isn¡¯t that right, honey?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ian¡¯s face hardened visibly at the words of the first night. I giggled on the inside. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for that day. How far shall we go on our first night? I¡¯m nervous. Isn¡¯t that right, honey?¡± Ian¡¯s face became pale. I giggled and leaned deeply on my back. ¡®It¡¯s easy, a pure man.¡¯ Ian didn¡¯t say what he was thinking until the carriage went all the way. * * * ¡°Sir Ian¡¯s aide¡­ Lucian, I heard he¡¯s making the rounds through all the big groups of merchants.¡± A smooth voice rang through the Emperor¡¯s private office. The owner of the voice has red hair hanging down to her waist. She is Empress Lorelai, the main character who created a stir in The Empire five years ago with ¡®The Marriage of the Century¡¯. ¡°People say they are buying all kinds of rare flowers, jewelry and outdoor decorations.¡± Emperor Rashid sniggered. ¡°He must have decided to throw a grand wedding. My brother isn¡¯t the type of person to be extravagant¡­ Is it a late affair? Or is the Saintess that attractive?¡± ¡°Your Majesty only watched Sir Ian because he didn¡¯t have the will to make a family.¡± Ian Esteban is the first heir to the Imperial Family. However, until now, it was an established fact that Ian would become a Cardinal and would not be seen as an heir. That was one of the reasons why many of the imperial faction did not keep Ian in check. ¡°But now, he will have a Saintess as his wife. Ha.¡± Rashid gently stroked his chin. ¡°Did my brother have a change of heart? What do you think, Empress?¡± ¡°Sir Ian has always shown his faithfulness to His Majesty. Until now¡± ¡°Well.¡± As he spun the wine glass in his hand, Rashid murmured slowly. ¡°Did my dear brother really find his first love, or did he start coveting this throne¡­ oh, right?¡± Rashid¡¯s eyes lit up as if he remembered something. ¡°If you meet that Saintess, it will be easy to get a sense of it. Can¡¯t you see through her eyes whether she¡¯s really in love with my brother?¡± ¡°Soon, Duke Beyontin will move first, Your Majesty. How about waiting until then?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Rashid shrugged at Lorelai¡¯s words. ¡°The Empress knows the best, but I¡¯m not the type to just wait.¡± CH 12 The evening after I went to the Magic Tower. I pretended to read the ¡ºEvangelism of the Empire¡», that Lucian had given me, while secretly pondering how to survive in the future. Completely immersed in my thoughts, Annette¡¯s voice was heard through the door. ¡°Lady Irene, I brought tea for you.¡± ¡°Come in!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the lovely scent of Bergamot today ¡ª huh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Perplexed by Annette¡¯s sound of surprise, I walked through the canopy of the bed and looked out the door, my reaction mirroring hers. Dame Joan was wielding a wooden sword in a spacious room. Huff, Huff. The sound of her exhaled breath was unusual every time her sword was swung. ¡°Dame Joan? What are you doing?¡± ¡°The Commander, huff, I¡¯m being punished for what I¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Pun-Punishment? How many swings do you have to do?¡± ¡°Five thousand times.¡± ¡°Five thousand times!¡± I felt like I was going to faint. Five thousand times. That was abuse! Abuse was taking place near my room because of me. I was startled and started walking. ¡°This is too much! I¡¯ll go talk to the Commander.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Lady Irene? Lady Irene, huff, thank you for your care, but I received a very finite punishment.¡± Joan maintained a calm expression while talking to me, continuing to wield her sword. ¡°Five thousand times is easy!¡± ¡°I am serious, the Commander gave me a lenient punishment unlike usual. It¡¯s all due to Lady Irene who supported me. Thank you.¡± Dame Joan bowed politely towards me, putting down her sword for a moment. She quickly started back up with her punishment. ¡®She seems to really think so¡­¡¯ Perhaps, it¡¯s like a morning walk for the warriors of this village to swing a wooden sword five thousand times. Accepting her determination, I picked up the book and sat up straight in a chair. The rest of her training seemed so arduous and it was a bit awkward for me to be lying down alone. Annette poured the tea next to me and stared admiringly at Dame Joan. ¡°Uh, can I bring you a drink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Annette¡¯s offer was simply rejected. We watched Dame Joan in awe for a moment. Every time she swung her sword, Dame Joan¡¯s arm muscles flexed. ¡®It¡¯s amazing¡­ a woman with a body like that.¡¯ Thinking back, what did the bullies mean by ¡®crazy dog¡¯? ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Lady Annette later.¡¯ I closed the book ¡ºEvangelism of the Empire¡» with that in mind. I couldn¡¯t think of any survival inspiration while staring at the book in the room. This was not the time to be idle. It was time to go actively seeking information. ¡®Information is my weapon. My armor, of course, is also information!¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of going to the library.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll escort you.¡± Dame Joan immediately put down her wooden sword and led me to the library. ¡®Hmm. I need to trace some suspicious books.¡¯ That was something that I did not want Dame Joan to notice. Thankfully, Dame Joan decided to wait at the library entrance after much deliberation, as I kept saying I needed some alone time. I was relieved and went inside the library. ¡°Welcome.¡± When the librarian saw me, he gave me a big smile and greeted me. Although I had not been confirmed as a Saintess, I was already treated as one thanks to the Commander of the Holy Knight division¡¯s guarantee. ¡®Ian¡¯s status is amazing.¡¯ I looked around the library, appreciating Ian¡¯s influence all over again. Fortunately, there were few people in the library. As I searched through a bookshelf, I picked up the book titled ¡®The History of the Saintesses¡¯ and opened it. Hoping to find out if there were any Saintesses with the power of foresight. The following facts I came across were beneficial in their own way. I learned that there were several Saintesses with foresight abilities in the past. There was a Saintess among them who made me flinch, with a track record of 100% accurate prophecies, she was unusual. ¡¸Saintess Agnes Blois. Owner of the power of foresight.¡¹ My eyes stopped on a page. Agnes claimed that she had only used her abilities once in her life. She was only ever called a Saintess once. And since then, she has never been able to show her power. However, Agnes was still revered as the Saintess of Salvation. Her single prophecy led to victory in the Great War. ¡®To be forever admired for just one prophecy holds great weight.¡¯ I wish I could do that too. As a small citizen, a life of constant deception was too much for me to bear. With some blasphemous thoughts, I continued to read the book. A strange phrase soon caught my attention. Saintess Agnes left a will shortly before her death. ¡¸At that time, I should not have made that prophecy.¡¹ That¡¯s how the will began. I opened my eyes wide. It was a prophecy that saved the world, why did she say it shouldn¡¯t have been done? ¡¸A Great War broke out because of my foresight. The balance between humans and monsters that had been well maintained was shattered. In the end, we came to drive the monster out of the North. How much blood was shed in the process? How many lives have been lost?¡¹ Even though each letter had to have been written hundreds of years ago, it appeared as if the emotions contained within it could be touched by hand. I panicked and finished reading the will. ¡¸Perhaps the power of foresight was a curse rather than a blessing.¡¹ That was how the will ended. I was captured by the strange feeling, scratching my cheek. How could such a great Saintess die with so many regrets? In the end, she felt a bitter taste she wasn¡¯t expecting. Then the noon bell rang. ¡®It¡¯s already this late?¡¯ I was surprised and looked towards the librarian. The librarian was absorbed into looking through books and other documents. I sneaked over the corner after seeing that he wasn¡¯t monitoring me. The corner bookshelf that holds records containing the history of the afterlife. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ Here it is.¡ºList of Dark Guilds.¡»¡¯ I took out an extremely thick book. This book was how the heroine, who suffered from Nine in the novel, was able to obtain various information. After searching through the table of contents, I soon found the portion pertaining to ¡®Nine¡¯. ¡®From the establishment of illegal gambling houses to human trafficking and murder contracts, the worst group in history.¡¯ The list of Nine¡¯s evil deeds continued on after turning the page. That was how it was ¨C even in the dark ¨C something even worse had to have been going on. ¡®They also managed to corrupt the Sword Master, Ian.¡¯ In the original, Ian Esteban was an unfortunate character. He was a vengeful man who had been sharpening his sword for ten years after his biological father was murdered by his older brother. He eventually succeeded in usurping the throne, but by then he was already under the spell of Nine. Ian¡¯s hatred and vengeance grew into substance, and the magic that already had a hold on him grew stronger. ¡®It was as soon as Ian became Emperor.¡¯ The purpose of magic was to brainwash. Ian would have become the puppet of Nine and used as a shell of an Emperor. Unexpectedly, Ian was no ordinary human. His soul was not directly subdued by the magic. Rather, he killed all of the Nine guild members who approached him. Nine failed to properly tame Ian. Brainwashing Ian was a trump card that Nine risked the survival of the guild for, so their failure must have been a huge disappointment. However, it was even more regrettable for the Rehart Empire. ¡®He wasn¡¯t brainwashed, but instead, the magic amplified Ian¡¯s hatred like crazy.¡¯ His vengeance towards his older brother, that gnawed at him for the past ten years. The hatred that had accumulated over years towards the brother who killed his father, kneeling under him. They amplified the magic several dozen times, and finally Ian went crazy. ¡®Tyrant, Emperor of Blood.¡¯ Ian would be called with those titles. The most respected Commander of the Holy Knights in the Empire had fallen so horribly. The male lead and the heroine appeared in the original novel in order to stop him. They finally defeated Ian after many twists and turns¡­ and the Empire was at peace again. Well, that was what it was in the original novel. ¡®Although the original heroine had to kill her first love herself and was left with trauma¡­¡¯ Her overall situation was better than the man who died after being driven to insanity. When I remembered what happened to the original Ian, I felt bitter. ¡®If Ian didn¡¯t fall under the spell.¡¯ If it can be stopped, Ian might be able to avoid that tragic fate. ¡®What if I pretend to have foreseen his tragic end and bring up the original story?¡¯ I put my hand over my pounding heart. There were a few things that quickly stopped that idea from developing further. First, all I know is that Ian is under a spell. I did not know how or when Nine casted it. Second, if I get caught telling Ian, Nine will 100% kill me. And lastly, third, ¡®Perhaps the power of foresight was more of a curse than a blessing.¡¯ The final line from Saintess Agnes¡¯ will was repeated in my mind. Even though Ian was sacrificed, the Empire in the original story will eventually be at peace under the rule of the original male lead and heroine. It was undoubtedly a happy ending. ¡®If I change the flow¡­¡¯ The theory of the butterfly effect came to mind. A story about how a single flap of a butterfly¡¯s wings can create a tornado on the other side of the world. Furthermore, it completely interferes with the flow of the original novel. I had no idea what the outcome would be. ¡®¡­First. Let¡¯s focus on not dying.¡¯ I shook my head. My life was in danger right now, like a candle in front of a typhoon. Even after digging deeper into the book, there was no plausible information about Nine. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect much.¡¯ I closed the book with a little disappointment. There was a saying; if you know your enemy and you know yourself, you can win every battle. But I know very little about Nine right now. Being chased by Nine felt like being chased by a veiled dark guild, an intangible mist. ¡°Should I go around to places like the back alley and ask for information about the guild or something, like the heroine did in the novel?¡± No, I shook my head. In novels, there are many heroines who are saved even if they are in danger, but I wasn¡¯t one of them. If anyone were so much as to growl when I went to such a dangerous place¡­ I¡¯d be sad all over again. Anyways, ¡®Maybe sooner or later, they¡¯ll come to me again.¡¯ Nine may still believe that I am carrying out the mission diligently and in accordance with their wishes. I¡¯ve got Ian¡¯s fianc¨¦e status and they might be proud of me. They will definitely contact me. Not long from now, maybe before the wedding. So immersed in thought, I was biting my lips without realizing it. I became aware from the sudden taste of blood in my mouth. ¡°Your lips are bleeding, my Lady.¡± It was a man¡¯s voice. I spun back. A handsome man with dark blonde hair was standing there. Looking at his attire, he seemed to be an Eluneist. CH 13 ¡®This church group selects its members by face.¡¯ The man in his late twenties was dripping with a languid and gloomy energy. He was different from Ian, who had a sacredly ascetic and beautiful aura. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I surprise you?¡± ¡°N-no.¡± I closed the book as if nothing had happened. The man¡¯s gaze shifted to the book I was holding, then back to me. ¡°The library is closed at this time, and I¡¯m here to inform you that my Lady is the only one inside now.¡± ¡°Oh, is it break time?¡± I turned my head and looked towards the librarian. There really was no one in the library. ¡®The librarian¡­ you greeted me so kindly, did you forget about me?¡¯ There was a mysteriously dreary atmosphere in the quiet library. The blonde man smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the entrance. It¡¯s dangerous to have such a beautiful person alone, even if it¡¯s in the Church.¡± The man called me beautiful as if saying the weather is good. I scratched my cheek at the blatant compliment. ¡®But, don¡¯t you know who I am?¡¯ Because I made my debut in the newspaper, most people in the Capital would recognize my face. The blonde man continued. ¡°Did you get used to living in the Church? Lady Irene.¡± As expected, he knew me. I nodded. ¡°Yes. Everyone is friendly and nice, so I got used to it easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Can I give you some advice?¡± ¡°Advice?¡± I turned to the blonde man with round eyes. The blonde man said, while smiling with his beautiful eyes. ¡°As you know, attending Mass once a week is considered a virtue in Elunism.¡± Something like that¡­ was a virtue. True. Now that I have discovered the knowledge in the original novel, I finally felt like I was part of it. I ended up listening to the blonde man, thinking about whether I should attend Mass tomorrow. ¡°But I only ask for you to be present, but it doesn¡¯t matter to which mass it is. For example, the Mass that takes place tomorrow is a three-type triathlon also called Mass.¡± ¡­What? My eyes nearly popped out when I heard the unexpected words. I turned to look at the blonde man, barely able to hide my surprise. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Haha. There are many Masses that aren¡¯t strenuous. For example, the Mass held on Monday is reciting prayers.¡± Monday. No matter what, I will attend Mass on Monday. I looked at the blonde man with a determined expression on my face and eyes full of anticipation. ¡°I see. There is still a lot I don¡¯t know about the Church, but thank you for your advice.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m only doing all I can to help the beautiful lady.¡± The blonde said it flashing a bright smile. ¡°Come to think of it, this is my first time seeing my Lady, but I couldn¡¯t even greet you properly. Would you please give me the honor of kissing the back of my Lady¡¯s hand?¡± The blonde man slightly bowed his back and held out his hand as if to ask for the back of my hand. ¡®Are you really a believer?¡¯ Of course, there was no gender solemnity in Elunism¡¯s culture, but this person was a bit peculiar. I felt this man seemed to have seduced about a hundred women. ¡®Umm, I have a fianc¨¦. Can I give the back of my hand to a stranger?¡¯ The blonde man tilted his head as I pondered. ¡°Ah. Would Lord Ian not like it? Does he have an exclusive right?¡± Lord Ian? After I heard that name, I stood tall. In this country, the title ¡®Lord¡¯ is used to refer to someone of the same or lower rank. And now there are only two people in the whole empire who can call Ian like that. Cardinal, the highest ranks of Eluneism¡­ ¡®The Emperor.¡¯ I quickly glanced at the man. In the original story, this era¡¯s Cardinal was a woman in her old age. I racked my brain hard and remembered the Emperor¡¯s description in the original. He was clearly described by the heroine as a handsome man in his late twenties with dazzling blonde hair. It was a description that exactly matched the man standing in front of me now. I clenched my fist with tension. ¡®The Emperor, why did you approach me like this?¡± Come to think of it, it was understandable for the Emperor to be curious about me. However, this approach was unexpected. I turned my head and looked around the entrance without saying a word. Dame Joan will be waiting for me outside the entrance door. As I calmed down, the man smiled with a slight tilt of his head. ¡°You¡¯re very quick-witted, Saintess.¡± I gulped and swallowed my saliva. What should I do? First, I should greet him politely. It was the moment I was about to bow my head. ¡°When did you come, Your Majesty?¡± A gentle voice rang in my ears. I quickly turned my head. Ian was approaching from the entrance door. ¡°Ah. Younger brother.¡± Blonde, no. The Emperor smiled softly. ¡°I was thinking of having a conversation with my brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e, but how did you know I would be here?¡±¡°Why did you come without sending a message to me? If you had told me beforehand, I would have made preparations.¡± Ian quickly came to my side. I wondered why I hadn¡¯t known the Emperor¡¯s identity before, after seeing the brothers standing next to each other. The two were quite similar. In particular, their eyes were the same shade of blue. But there were a lot of other things as well. From hair color, posture, to facial expression. It was as if the Emperor was a cold frost in flowing water. A courteous smile came to mind with that cold face. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my office.¡± A terrifyingly beautiful, inhuman smile. Even though he was smiling, my spine seemed to freeze. This was because I know the ugly side of the Emperor and Ian¡¯s hatred. But the Emperor did not have much reaction towards that smile, unlike me. He just shrugged his shoulders. ¡°More than that, the Lady must have been surprised by your sudden appearance, brother.¡± ¡°¡­I see, Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± I quickly bowed with my right hand on my left chest. ¡°Look at this.¡± The Emperor clicked his tongue. ¡°We were talking in a more relaxed atmosphere.¡± The man changed into a different person as soon as I found out that he was the Emperor. The man who had smiled gently at me and called me ¡®Lady¡¯ disappeared in an instant, and a man with arrogance and irreverence appeared. Ian slightly raised the corners of his lips and said, ¡°My fianc¨¦e is a shy person. If you have something to tell her, please say it to me.¡± ¡°Not exactly, but I just wanted to get along. Aren¡¯t you my special brother¡¯s first lover? You¡­ Hmmm. So this type was your type.¡± The Emperor¡¯s gaze moved up and down, slowly scanning me. I felt like a piece of meat hanging from a butcher shop for a brief moment. As if each part is being thoroughly assessed. Discomfort ran through my body, but I tried not to show it. At that time. ¡°Irene.¡± Ian gently grabbed my shoulder. ¡°Come this way a little bit more. Aren¡¯t you too close to a man who is more of a stranger than I am?¡± ¡°Oh, hmm. Yes¡­?¡± With a puzzled look on my face, I was dragged behind Ian¡¯s back. Soon Ian¡¯s broad back blocked my view. It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t see the Emperor at all; it was just that I could only see his face. I blinked my eyes quickly. It was like, Ian covered me up. ¡°A stranger?¡± The Emperor chuckled as if it was a funny statement. ¡°How can the fianc¨¦e of my younger brother be a stranger?¡± ¡°Everyone aside from me are outsiders.Therefore, even if it¡¯s my own brother, he¡¯s considered an outsider.¡± ¡°For some reason, you want to completely monopolise your fianc¨¦e.¡± The Emperor raised one eyebrow. His aura was similar to Ian¡¯s, however his seemed colder. ¡°I wasn¡¯t greedy in the least. Neither for mother¡¯s affection nor father¡¯s recognition, was I?¡± ¡®¡­Crazy guy.¡¯ I clenched my fists behind Ian. It was because of that person that Ian did not get enough affection from the previous Empress and the recognition of the previous Emperor. Ian Esteban. A second Prince who can do anything. He possesses a brilliant intellect, a rare talent for swordsmanship, and a straightforward demeanor. Ian was a threat to the next Crown Prince¡¯s position. Many believed that Ian would be appointed as Crown Prince for the Empire¡¯s future while the previous Emperor was still alive. ¡®Rashid probably didn¡¯t know that.¡¯ When Rashid heard someone praising Ian, he became even more sensitive. Rashid was hysterical even if his mother stroked Ian¡¯s hair once or if his father gave him his one and only compliment. When the Emperor passed his sword to Ian, his hysteria reached a pinnacle. Rashid might have tried to assassinate Ian if Ian hadn¡¯t implicitly stated that he had no intention of aiming for the throne when he joined the Holy Knights. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s tried a few times already.¡¯ Despite his appearance, Rashid was an unscrupulous person who would deal with anyone for the sake of his own safety. Even in the original, the embattled Rashid made the worst decision. ¡®He tried to submerge the entire Capital that Ian seized by opening the dam.¡¯ It was a crazy plan to annihilate not only Ian, but also many other people of the Empire. I tried not to show my contempt in front of Rashid. Ian¡¯s voice was unpretentious and cool, in contrast to mine, which was filled with conflicting emotions. ¡°Your Majesty, isn¡¯t there no reason to be greedy for things that are not mine?¡± His voice was calm, he said this as if it were natural for neither his mother¡¯s affection nor his father¡¯s recognition to be his. How long have you been repressing your emotions and putting on such a poker face? ¡°But this one is different.¡± Ian tightened his arm around my shoulder. ¡°I found her and I chose her, she¡¯s mine.¡± ¡­I was so embarrassed that I just muttered under my breath. No matter how much we are acting now, I never thought I¡¯d hear such a line full of obsession from Ian¡¯s mouth. ¡®It¡¯s poisonous. It¡¯s poisonous.¡¯ CH 14 ¡°I see.¡± Rashid seemed to already know as he raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°I said this because I am glad. You finally got to know a woman, so how can I not be happy as an older brother. I was always worried ¨C you¡¯re good at everything but aren¡¯t you too cold sometimes?¡± Rashid leaned his chin against Ian¡¯s shoulder, as if he were joking. ¡°But now I¡¯m relieved. Right, a man is born again in a woman¡¯s arms.¡± [T/N: It means if a man has had sex, he cannot go back to a time when he has not had sex (a virgin), and something in his mind would change.] His serious gaze stared at me with a smirk on his lips. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you later today. I was going to see you alone, but it seems I took up to four hours for nothing.¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t do my best.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t use such a hard way of speaking. Aren¡¯t we brothers?¡± Rashid tapped Ian on the shoulder. ¡°Then see you again, brother.¡± I secretly examined Ian¡¯s complexion after seeing Rashid¡¯s figure fade into the distance beyond the library. He must feel very dirty; even I would feel that way. He¡¯s probably barely holding back from wanting to destroy it all. Still, please don¡¯t break my shoulder, which you¡¯ve been holding for some time. Surprisingly, Ian¡¯s face had no emotion when I looked up at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Irene.¡± I was embarrassed because he was so emotionless. Ian turned to me curiously and stared at me in silence. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°No, that¡­ um. I thought you weren¡¯t going to release this.¡± I pointed an awkward finger at my shoulder, which Ian still had an arm wrapped around. ¡°Ah.¡± Ian released his arm as if he had just remembered something. Ian¡¯s body temperature was surprisingly warm, contrary to his cold expression. Even after his skin had left mine, I was conscious of the residual heat for quite a while. ¡°That, hmm.¡± I coughed to shake off the awkward feeling. ¡°But how did you know I was here?¡± ¡°Dame Joan told me that His Majesty was here.¡± Ah. I express my deepest gratitude to Dame Joan. I should say thank you in person. ¡°By the way, what brought you to the library?¡± He tossed a sharp question at me. I flinched for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but laugh haha. ¡°As you know, I am a little short of common sense about the area because I am not from this Empire. They say books are a repository of knowledge and a window that shines on the world. So, I came to take a look at that window.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ian looked at me with suspicious eyes. Oh no. Did I talk too much? From time immemorial, scammers have had loose tongues. I slowly turned my gaze to the front, reflecting on what I had done. ¡°It¡¯s good to look out the window.¡± Phew. My shoulders stiffened unconsciously in response to his cold, falling voice. ¡°Try to see it in broad daylight if at all possible. Suspicious beings are bound to roam at night, even inside a Cathedral .¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Sir Ian.¡± ¡°For example, a Saintess who likes looking out of the window.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I shut my mouth and tilted my head slightly to look at Ian. As his gaze met mine, I quickly looked straight ahead again. ¡®That damn window talk, why did I overdo it!¡¯ As I walked to my room with Ian, I cursed myself. When we got to the entrance of the room, Ian looked around with his hawk eyes until I went inside. It was more like taking a lost child to a shelter than escorting a Lady like a knight. ©¤©¤?????©¤©¤ The next day, there was a guest who arrived to see me in the morning. ¡°It is Mercy from the Mercy Dress Shop!¡± Annette said excitedly. I didn¡¯t know her well, but she seemed to be a famous person. ¡®Oh. Ian said I had to pick a dress for my Engagement Ceremony tomorrow.¡¯ Come to think of it, it was a very demanding schedule. I couldn¡¯t believe that I have to choose a dress today and have an Engagement Ceremony tomorrow. Thinking about the engagement ceremony tomorrow, made my stomach hurt from stress. I shook my head and got up from my seat. ¡°Please tell her to see me now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After a while, Mercy entered my room. With five employees and a huge rack of dresses. ¡°Hello, Lady Irene. It is a great honor to meet Irene, whom I have only heard of through rumors.¡± Mercy bowed politely with one hand on her chest. I smiled broadly, hiding my awkwardness. ¡°Nice to meet you, too. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ¡°I was very surprised because it was the first time I received a request from Sir Ian. Furthermore, Sir Ian requested it on behalf of the Lady! I thought this Lady Irene must be very special to Sir Ian.¡± ¡°Haha. I see.¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯m special to him. He must be paying special attention to me as a person of interest. As I sat on the sofa, Mercy showed me a large catalog. ¡°We¡¯ve only picked the most recent ones for this season, only the highest quality has been selected. Originally, I would have liked to make an order that would suit your taste perfectly, but unfortunately I heard that time is short.¡± Mercy¡¯s words went in one ear and flowed out the other. I was distracted by looking through the catalog she had brought with her. ¡®Crazy. Beautiful.¡¯ Every time I turned the catalog page by page, I could only look on with admiration. Among them, there was a dress that particularly caught my attention. The pink fabric was as cute as cotton candy, and the lace was as delicate as a wedding veil. It was like a princess dress from a fairy tale book. ¡®In an orphanage, someone would always tear the pages of a children¡¯s book with a dress like this.¡¯ My heart was pounding with the innocence of a child, which I had thought had died out. I quickly raised my head and exclaimed. ¡°Could I choose this?¡± ¡°Yes? That¡¯s¡­¡± Mercy expressed displeasure for the first time. ¡®Ah. Is it too expensive?¡¯ Well, it looked very expensive with lots of lace and jewelry on it. I was going back to looking through the catalog with slight remorse when Mercy spoke. ¡°It¡¯s because the price is too low.¡± ¡°What?¡± Did I hear something wrong? I was perplexed as I looked down at the catalogue. Obviously, the price tag under the dress had a lot of zeros. ¡°Sir Ian specifically warned me not to choose anything less than a certain amount.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you really like the design, would you like to add more jewelry?¡± This person was rather worried about me, saying that the goods she wanted to sell were inexpensive. ¡®Not because it¡¯s overpriced, but because it¡¯s underpriced.¡¯ A shock like a bell being struck rang in my head. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I think we can meet the minimum price if we put diamonds here, here, here.¡± ¡°What is the minimum amount?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ten thousand Mars¡±. ¡®Oh My God.¡¯ Are you really going to spend that much money on a dress? Even that¡¯s a minimal amount of price? ¡®I think I¡¯m going to develop a messed up sense of money.¡¯ ¡°What would you like to do, Lady Irene? Do you want me to show you dresses that are more than 10,000 Mars or increase the price of this dress?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I pondered vigorously for a while. Then the conclusion came quickly. ¡°Please add more jewelry to this dress.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an excellent choice. It¡¯s a basic, sophisticated design, so you won¡¯t feel too much if you add jewelry.¡± ¡®If you put more jewels on it, I can take it off later and use it as backup.¡¯ Of course, Ian was going to put a large sum of money into my account, but he still doesn¡¯t know about human affairs. Since I never know when cash will run out of value, it seemed like a very good plan to prepare an emergency fund called jewels. ¡°Then, we will finish the work on our side and deliver it by tomorrow. Would you mind trying on the dresses we¡¯ve brought? I want to know how Lady Irene feels.¡± I tried on some of the dresses Mercy had brought, pretending not to win Mercy¡¯s favor. ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a fashion show.¡¯ I opened my mouth wide every time I looked at myself in the mirror after slipping on a fancy dress. I never expected to wear dresses like this in my life. ¡°You are very beautiful, Lady Irene!¡± The fitting show became increasingly enthusiastic thanks to Annette¡¯s constant cheers. ©¤©¤?????©¤©¤ ¡°Irene Grace, Irene Grace¡­ Damn it! Why is her name this?¡± The right hand man of the current emperor and the owner of this house, Duke Beyontin, slammed his desk. ¡°It¡¯s such a common name! There must be a million people with the same name. Damn it!¡± ¡°Pl-please calm down. I¡¯m still trying to sift through the hair color and other features, Duke¡± ¡°Her hair and eyes are both of a common color! What the heck, she¡¯s so common that it¡¯s unnatural. It is impossible for the past to be uncovered if we continue like this.¡± ¡°I think Ian is hiding it so well.¡± ¡°Even so, her face has already been revealed. Even if it is only one person, someone should know this girl!¡± Duke Beyontin inevitably gritted his teeth. His aide put up his glasses. ¡°The fact that the past has been hidden up to this point implies that it is also intentionally covered up.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s probably right.¡± Duke Beyontin slumped into his chair and raised the corners of his lips sullenly. ¡°Ha. Is it possible that the noble Commander of the Holy Knights has fallen in love with a crooked woman? Perhaps even her given name is a fictitious name.¡± ¡°There is a possibility. If it is a past that should never be revealed, it must have been covered up to this point.¡± ¡°I think so. Who knows, she might be a criminal or maybe a prostitute.¡± Duke Beyontin gently stroked his chin. ¡°Then you should try poking the beehive.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Literally, you¡¯ll be trying to poke it. You¡¯ll attempt to light up the rabbit hole. Make that bunny jump out and run wild.¡± ¡°Irene Grace is currently inside of the cathedral, so there¡¯s no way to meet her. But, tomorrow is the Engagement Ceremony. Commander Ian wouldn¡¯t hide that woman, even at his Engagement Ceremony.¡± ¡°Okay. The Engagement Ceremony would have quite a lot of guests. It¡¯s a perfect stage.¡± Duke Beyontin¡¯s low laughter echoed through the office. CH 15 ene10-13 minutes * * * The long-awaited Engagement Ceremony has finally arrived. I tilted my head as I looked in the bathroom mirror. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The ends of my hair were dyed a different color. Pink like petals. ¡®What¡¯s on it?¡¯ As I rubbed my dyed hair, the situation became more serious. The pink color began to spread further. ¡°Ugh, why is it like this?¡± ¡°Lady Irene! What¡¯s going on?¡± Annette¡¯s voice was heard outside the curtain. I answered hastily. ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± I stared blankly into the mirror, putting my face close to it. ¡®This¡­ What the hell is this?¡¯ Without even touching it, my hair was quickly turning pink. ¡®What¡¯s this? What¡¯s this! Why is it doing this!¡¯ I watched, utterly speechless, as my reflection in the mirror changed almost instantly. My hair turned almost completely pink in less than a minute. It wasn¡¯t just that. My eyes also changed into a splendid golden color. I stared blankly at the mirror. The strange thing was that it didn¡¯t feel incompatible even though I had a completely different hair and eye color. As if this was my original appearance. ¡®No way.¡¯ Celina, the heroine in ¡ºA Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know Love¡» often enjoyed changing her appearance. I liked the scene where the male lead used a transformation powder he had procured and went on a date without anyone recognizing him, enough to read it several times. ¡®No way, the original owner of this body¡­ What if number 76 also used it?¡¯ The goosebumps spread slowly down my spine. This pink hair and gold eyes were definitely too flashy for the dark guild members who had to take missions in the darkness. So did ¡®she¡¯ intentionally disguise herself as having common brown hair and green eyes? ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ I pulled at my pink hair. It so happens that today is the morning of the Engagement. ¡®Let¡¯s be calm. Lee Seoyeon, calm down!¡¯ I took a deep breath. There¡¯s a saying, even if you are caught by a tiger, you will survive if you keep your cool. [TL/N: it means there is always a solution to problems.] For now, the ceremony is still a few hours away. Changing my hair and eyes back to their original color is my top priority. I called Annette who was waiting outside the curtain. ¡°Miss Annette?¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Irene!¡± ¡°Can you run an errand for me?¡± ¡°Of course! Just tell me!¡± ¡°I want you to go to the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± I quietly lowered my voice. ¡°Miss Annette. I will definitely be indebted to you if you could carry out the errands I am asking you to do and keep it secret.¡± Annette is a faithful and loyal believer. If a person like Annette would be attracted to a reward, this would be it. ¡°Miss Annette, you do know that I am a Saintess right?¡± ¡°What? Yes. Of course.¡± ¡°Alright, I shall promise you this. I will definitely use my powers once for Miss Annette when I am able to use them freely.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± A shrill voice was heard behind the curtains. ¡°Lady Irene, that¡¯s too much for me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Anyway, I¡¯m in a hurry for now, so could you run an errand for me without asking any questions?¡± ¡°Ju-Just say anything!¡± Annette raised a serious voice at the same time, realizing I was being serious. I told her the outline of the errand. Go to the Magic Tower. Buy transformation powder. Options are with brown hair and green eyes. Transformation powder is expensive, but fortunately, it was an item that could be easily obtained with money. ¡°If you look in the third drawer, you will find gold coins in a gray pocket. Please take 5000 Mars with you!¡± The gold coins that Ian had handed over the other day were being put to good use, as they could immediately solve problems that would need the use of cash. Annette appeared to be perplexed about the 5,000 mars, but she quickly responded. ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll be right back!¡± I slid into the bathtub as I heard Annette¡¯s footsteps. I hope she doesn¡¯t get caught by anyone. * * * Rozeline Mayer, a second-class wizard in Magic Tower, was yawning and tidying up the desk. The most important thing in entertaining guests was the clean exterior. Rozeline, in the spirit of ¡®The customer of the Magic Tower is the king,¡¯ tends to keep things organized even on a sleepy morning. ¡®I didn¡¯t come to the Magic Tower to become a salesperson, but¡­ uhh. I should quickly accumulate my annual leave and enter the research tower.¡¯ It was then that a customer came in these early hours. ¡°Ah, hello.¡± A cute girl with brown hair timidly walked into the counseling room. She looked quite awkward. Incidentally, she is the Magic Tower¡¯s first visitor of the day. ¡°Welcome, customer. How can I help you?¡± ¡°I want to get transformation powder.¡± The awkward customer ordered something quite daring. The process and materials used to create transformation powder are extremely difficult, but you can get it by merely paying some money at the Magic Tower, where the best wizards gather. The problem is that you would need quite a lot of money. ¡°The item you ordered is not unusual, and I think we can give it to you right away without any additional process. The price is 4,000 Mars. How would you like to pay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay it all in cash.¡± The brown-haired girl held out gold coins with her hands trembling. It was a large sum of money that didn¡¯t sit well with the awkward hands. She was a customer who paid a large sum of four thousand mars for transformation powder so early in the morning, with an expression as if she had never been to the Magic Tower before. ¡®You are a unique customer. ¡® But there are always one or two unique customers who come to Magic Tower. This guest most likely has a unique story, but if Rozeline listened to every single one of the guests¡¯ stories, his nerve cords would have worn out by the end of the evening. The brown-haired girl returned home while holding a magical bag of transformation powder. She had a cautious demeanor, as if she were carrying a newborn baby rather than a bag. What a cute guest. It was then that Rozeline grinned and was about to sit back down. ¡°Who¡¯s that customer, just now?¡± ¡°Gee, ah! ¡° Rozeline unintentionally screamed. A tall man appeared out of nowhere at the doorway. He is tall and has messy black hair. In addition, he wore a mask with an odd pattern on his face. There is only one person that wears a mask like that in this Capital. ¡°Master.¡± Rozeline said, rubbing his chest. ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°Haha. Did I surprise you? I¡¯m sorry. But the customer who just came here, what did she buy?¡± ¡°It was transformation powder, Master.¡± The Master of the Magic Tower took a step towards the window and looked down through it. The figure of a brown-haired girl who was just walking through the Magic Tower was reflected in the Master¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why did a Cathedral member need transformation powder?¡± ¡°What? Is she from the Cathedral?¡± Rozeline¡¯s eyes widened. There was no law prohibiting Elune¡¯s congregation from visiting the Magic Tower, but visits between the Cathedral and the Magic Tower were extremely rare. This is because there was no overlap between divine power and mana. ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°Haha. You can tell by just smelling the holy power.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Rozeline rolled his eyes. He didn¡¯t know at all. Sure enough, does genius have a good sense of smell? Regardless of Rozeline¡¯s question, The Master of the Magic Tower muttered while stroking his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t think she came to buy the powder for herself. Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Why are you thinking so hard, Master?¡± Rozeline asked implicitly. He couldn¡¯t work any longer because his boss was still in the same room. The Master of the Magic Tower looked back at Rozeline and smiled. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I just hope that there will be active exchanges between the Cathedral and the Magic Tower on this occasion. I was thinking about something like that.¡± ¡°Exchange? Ah, yes¡­¡± Rozeline said, barely hiding his trembling expression. There is no benefit in exchanging divine power and magical power because they are completely incomprehensible to each other. As expected, his boss is unique. Rozeline was thinking this when the Master of Magic Tower, who appeared to be deep in thought, opened his mouth. ¡°Then it would be quite interesting.¡± The corners of his lips, which were visible through the mask, went up. * * * I nervously patted the bathtub rim while waiting for Annette. Meanwhile, my hair had completely turned pink, and even after rubbing and washing my eyes in disbelief, I couldn¡¯t see my brown hair. ¡®I¡¯m not even a female wizard who uses transformations, what the hell is this? It¡¯s crazy. Really.¡¯ When I hit the bathtub¡¯s rim so hard that my fingers hurt, Annette had returned. ¡°Lady Irene, I brought you exactly what you requested!¡± Annette murmured quietly, like a cautious squirrel. I reached out my hand outside the bathroom curtain towards her. Soon, a silk pouch was in my hand. ¡°Thank you. Thank you very much. I will never forget what happened today!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that! I am glad I could help you.¡± ¡°I am sorry for the sudden request again. It might have been a little embarrassing, but this is a secret. Can you keep it?¡± ¡°Of course, Lady Irene. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Isn¡¯t Annette actually an angel or a fairy? I wiped away my tears and opened the pouch Annette had given me. It contained five-colored transformation powder. When the powder was dissolved in the bathtub, the water instantly became a perfect iridescent color. ¡°Heub.¡± I took a deep breath and dove into the bathtub¡¯s water. I emerged from the water after a short time and hurriedly approached the mirror. ¡°Do¡­ne.¡± As before, a woman with brown hair and green eyes faced me in the mirror. ¡®Done. That¡¯s it.¡¯ The light was turned off. I bit my lips and finally finished the long bath. ¡®There is no way there will be an incident no matter what kind of life enters another body.¡¯ I had all sorts of complaints on my mind. I hope the rest of the day passes safely. * * * Since morning, the Cathedral has been alive with activity and excitement. The guests who had filled the temple murmured fervently. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that Sir Ian is getting engaged.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m glad he is in a serious relationship with that woman. If he had just been playing with her at night, I would never trust any man in the world in the future.¡± ¡°Sir Ian, who was like a statue, became love-struck¡­ Ah. I can¡¯t believe it either.¡± ¡°What kind of woman could make Sir Ian give up on the Cardinal position.¡± ¡°That is the main thing the people who have gathered here today are curious about. What kind of lady is his fianc¨¦e?¡± CH 16 ene9-12 minutes ¡®I can hear you all¡¯ I was breathing rapidly in the waiting room. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Ian was standing next to me. He was dressed in deep blue robes. He already had a handsome face but when he dressed up, he literally seemed to shine. ¡®You mean I have to hold hands with a person who looks like this and stand in front of all those people?¡¯ The guests who come here will be frantic with their curiosity of me. Of course, there are many people who also want to find faults with me. I¡¯m still nervous, but the confidence of dressing up in a 20,000 Mars dress was dwindling because my fianc¨¦e was so handsome. ¡®Anyone can become a squid when placed next to a person like this!¡¯ [T/N: squid means ugly] ¡°Are you so nervous that you can¡¯t even answer?¡± Ian approached me, wondering. As his burdensome beauty approached, I said bluntly without knowing it. ¡°Please go away. Sir Ian¡¯s face doesn¡¯t help.¡± ¡°Why are you so passive? It¡¯s not like the person who provoked me in the carriage yesterday.¡± Ian leaned his upper body slowly towards me. ¡°Where has the Lady who exclaimed with excitement, to get used to it for the first night, gone?¡± It was a foul to talk about it now. I glared at him slowly. ¡­Not obviously, but gently. ¡°I can¡¯t help but be nervous! If they find my weaknesses, they¡¯ll bite me for it, and say my skin is not good, my hair is frizzy and so on¡­¡± ¡°Who will dare to pick on you?¡± ¡°Ah, of course they can¡¯t do that openly because I am Sir Ian¡¯s fianc¨¦e but in the back-¡° ¡°No, look in the mirror.¡± Ian grabbed my shoulder and turned my body towards the mirror. When I looked in the mirror with a puzzled expression, there stood a woman wearing a fancy dress and an expression that did not match her elegant dress. ¡°I don¡¯t see any flaws in my eyes.¡± From behind, Ian¡¯s voice pierced my ears. Wh-what. My body stiffened. You knew how to say this? ¡®He is supporting me¡­ right.¡¯ The problem was that since the person with infinite beauty said that, the me in the mirror was transforming into a squid in real time right now. ¡®Sigh, well. Okay. Who wouldn¡¯t kneel next to him?¡¯ I gave up and became que ser¨¢, ser¨¢ mode. [T/N: que ser¨¢, ser¨¢ in Spanish means whatever will be, will be] Let them spread the words that the man is too good for the woman. After all, it must be more difficult to find a decent person next to Ian. Ian smiled as if he had noticed the confidence on my face. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Ian bowed his head slightly and whispered beside my ear. The sensation caused my hair to stand on end as a chill ran from my ears to my toes piercing through me. ¡°From the moment you walk out that door, you become someone I love.¡± I nodded low and clenched my fists tightly. Ian straightened his posture and nodded at the knights guarding the door with a smile. The knights opened the door on both sides. This was the moment when our curtain of acting rose. * * * ¡°That lady¡­¡± ¡°She is Commander Ian¡¯s lover.¡± The moment the door opens and the main couple of the day enters, the audience, which had been sitting quietly, began to stir slightly as if someone had poured cold water on them. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the Lady, who appeared, holding Ian¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a face I¡¯ve never seen before in the Empire.¡± ¡°She looks cute.¡± ¡± Isn¡¯t that dress made by Mercy?¡± ¡°Oh, I must have seen it hanging in the shop a while ago. But¡­ oh my. How many jewels did they add?¡± ¡°Miss Mercy¡¯s dress can¡¯t be worn by any young girl, but with that extravagance¡­ it¡¯s clear that she comes from a wealthy family.¡± ¡°Perhaps she is the hidden daughter of a high lord who hides somewhere?¡± Whispers flew from place to place. Coming and going. Regardless, the couple moved forward. Soon in front of the bishop, Ian grabbed his fiancee¡¯s hand. There was a faint smile on his face as he looked down at her. ¡°No, is Ian smiling right now?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s dazzling.¡± ¡°It was such a rare smile, but it came out so easy¡­ haha. He must have been really in love for a long time.¡± ¡°What on earth is so special about that lady that he fell in love with her?¡± People¡¯s eyes glanced at Irene like crazy. It was a beautiful face that could easily win people¡¯s hearts, but not one that would cause someone to go blind simply by looking at it. Ian famously turned down a courtship with Princess Violet, a beauty of the century, even called the ¡®Miracle Born by the Continent.¡¯ People who remember that time couldn¡¯t believe what was happening in front of them. ¡®Princess Violet couldn¡¯t get a piece of Ian¡¯s smile no matter how hard she tried!¡¯ That lady, who appeared to have fallen from the sky, however, couldn¡¯t play fire with Ian in the Cathedral, and even promised to marry in front of the priest. How on earth¡­ Do you have an irresistible charm? ¡°Did you hear that rumor? It was said that the Lady was actually a Saintess who was called this time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The gentle whisper of a woman drew everyone¡¯s attention to her, and everyone turned to look at her in astonishment. In fact, she was the one that Ian had planted; the people who gathered around were unaware. ¡°I also didn¡¯t hear the details. Bishop Kennen who is in charge of the Saintess Verification Process, is currently absent? It¡¯s a tradition that you can¡¯t be recognized as a Saintess until you¡¯ve been verified, but that¡¯s just a rumor¡­ From what I heard, that Lady is a new Saintess who appeared after fifteen years.¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± ¡°How the hell did this happen. Then the Holy Knights Commander and the Saintess¡­¡­?¡± The shocking news caused people to shudder and their eyes to light up. ¡°There was a story about them being discovered in Ian¡¯s bedroom, but I¡¯ll have to tell you the specifics.¡± ¡°What is the story?¡± ¡°Wait, the Saintess descends anywhere in the Cathedral once they are called. Could it be that the place she descended from was Commander Ian¡¯s bedroom?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness?¡± People began to express their imagination in an excited tone. Irene looked up at Ian who was facing her and smiled softly as she listened to the faint murmur. ¡®It¡¯s going well as planned.¡¯ Although Ian was the one who planted a person among the guests, this was a plan that the two of them had planned together. At first, people who looked at the relationship between Ian and Irene as just a scandal now began to recognize it as a love story and became intrigued. Irene slightly opened her mouth and whispered so that only Ian could hear what she was saying. ¡°Smile deeper.¡± His heart was worn on his face as a loving smile but even with that, it wasn¡¯t enough. It was necessary to create a more romantic scene in order to encourage people¡¯s imagination. Ian paused for a moment and raised the corners of his lips. An unfamiliar smile spread like the sun in the spring on his face that is normally a lake of ice. ¡°Is this all right?¡± Ian whispered quietly. Irene didn¡¯t answer right away, and she bit her lips for a moment. After a few seconds, Irene barely answered. ¡°¡­Yes, I think so.¡± She thought that no matter how many times she saw that face, She¡¯d never get used to it. * * * ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ I secretly sighed. The Engagement Ceremony has finally come to an end. We promised to get married in front of the bishop and set a date for marriage. But I could say that today¡¯s real schedule starts from now on. This Empire has a tradition. Following an engagement or wedding ceremony, the man¡¯s side had to hold a banquet with the men and the woman¡¯s side with the women. And now I am standing in front of the salon where the banquet will be held. ¡°Will you be okay? Doing it by yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ian asked again. Of course, it¡¯s not because he¡¯s worried about myself, but the fact that I¡¯ll be on my own. ¡°Anything like a banquet can be canceled even now.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s a tradition in this country that everyone keeps. It¡¯s going to be very strange if we don¡¯t hold it.¡± I said reconciled, shaking my head. I couldn¡¯t be worried about jumping into the social circle alone. But today was only the beginning. I can¡¯t stand the next year if I keep being scared. ¡°Trust me, Ian. I will go.¡± I tapped my chest and tried to open the door. Then I saw a group of young girls walking over. I hurriedly turned around to Ian. ¡°Goodbye kiss on the cheek! Hurry up!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°They¡¯re looking from the other side. Hurry up!¡± We were set to be lovers with a burning love. Lovers who love each other so much that they can¡¯t stand parting for a bit! Of course, I had to give him a goodbye kiss. ¡°¡­all right.¡± Ian approached me as I lowered my eyes. Subconsciously, I closed them. Smooch. A soft, light touch pressed down on my cheek. A soft, warm feeling. A tickling sensation spread, similar to being stroked with a feather. At that time. ¡°You¡¯re a little late- hey!¡± The salon door clicked and opened. The lady who discovered us took a step back in surprise. ¡°I-I apologise.¡± The lady, whose face had turned red, stepped aside quickly and fanned her face. At the same time, we could feel the gazes of many of the ladies in the salon fixed on us. ¡°Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­!¡± Ian whispered softly with a small sigh. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°Yes. See you later.¡± A very businesslike conversation came and went. The ladies who didn¡¯t know the contents of the conversation blushed even more. They seemed to know what we shared. I shut the door and took a look around the salon after sending Ian away. It was finally time to get down to business and start to socialize. I was getting a lot of curious looks. I could feel the tension in the salon as I waited to see who would speak first. At that moment, I could clearly hear the sound of shoes approaching. CH 17 ene10-12 minutes ¡°Dear, are you the new Saintess sent by God?¡± Oh. Straight to the point from the get-go. I returned my gaze to the owner of the voice that had asked me. It was a young lady with light lemon-colored blonde hair down. I unintentionally admired her. ¡®Pretty.¡¯ She was a woman wearing a primary coloured dress with mismatched accessories, regardless of this her beauty was stunning. ¡°My name is Cordelia Bernadette.¡± ¡°Cordelia?¡± I paused at the familiar name. Cordelia Bernadette was a name that I knew. She certainly is¡­ ¡®The youngest Saintess, who was summoned 15 years ago.¡¯ After that she became the youngest Saintess, however another Saintess has not appeared for fifteen years. I kept my surprise hidden behind a smooth smile. ¡°Saintess Cordelia. It is an honor to meet you. My name is Irene Grace.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Irene. I heard that you are a new Saintess. Is it true?¡± Saintess Cordelia seemed to be the type of person who loved to speak bluntly. I ¨C hmm ¨C coughed a little and laid my eyes down as if I¡¯m embarrassed. ¡°When I came to my senses, I realized I was not in the Cathedral. Usually, the Saintesses are called that way.¡± The important point here was modesty. Thanks to my engagement with Ian, I was receiving attention in both good and bad ways. In times like these, humility was needed. ¡°I don¡¯t think a lowly person like me should be called a Saintess, but¡­ I can¡¯t give you a definitive answer that I am a Saintess because the verification process hasn¡¯t been carried out yet.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cordelia scanned my face slowly. ¡°If you were a true Saintess, you would have already been given power, regardless of the verification process. Are you not able to feel your power?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°Hmm. For your information, I have the ability to make flowers bloom.¡± Cordelia raised her chin and closed her eyes for a moment after saying that. At the time, I instinctively realized this was the right moment to praise her. ¡°I heard, if you drink the flower decoction, it has a great rejuvenating effect, right?¡± I clasped my hands together and opened my eyes. ¡°I think it¡¯s a great power. It¡¯s very romantic, like something out of a fairy tale!¡± ¡°Huh, hmm, is that so?¡± It seemed like the timing was right. Cordelia is the only Saintess with a similar age to me. I heard she¡¯s also the most active Saintess in the social world. Only if I do well will things go smoothly for the next year. ¡°Someday, I¡¯d like to drink tea blessed by the Saintess. Of course, this is merely a wish on my part.¡± ¡°Hmm, well, a cup of tea is easy enough¡­¡± One of the men who stood by Cordelia¡¯s side like a bodyguard gave her a gentle glance at that moment. Cordelia coughed in vain as if she had come to her senses. ¡°Hmm! Anyway, when did you start getting acquainted with Sir Ian?¡± She threw another straightforward question again. The young girls looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and excitement in their eyes. Among them, there were clearly undesirable glances. ¡®Is now the time?¡¯ It was time to tell the love story between me and Ian. ¡®The story of how I fell into Ian¡¯s bed and us coveting each other thinking it was a dream.¡¯ Director: Ian, Screenplay: Ian, Directed by: Ian. Although it was a very promiscuous and lewd story with the subject coming from an innocent man¡¯s head, it was certainly stimulating. If you tell a story like this, the people who were satisfied will not be able to dig into the ¡®truth¡¯ behind it. ¡°It¡¯s a bit long, and again¡­ it¡¯s an embarrassing story.¡± When I said that and my cheeks blushed, everyone¡¯s eyes widened. Everyone seemed to have instinctively grasped the story¡¯s obscene extent. ¡°But I think everyone is curious, so even though I¡¯m shy, I¡¯ll let you hear it.¡± I began to confide in Ian and I¡¯s fictional love story. Gloss over something that you want concealed, reveal what you want to be made known, and keep your imagination as wide as possible. ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± Everyone was so focused and they even gasped, there were exclamations that erupted from time to time. A lady was blushing so hard she almost got a nosebleed. ¡®Excuse me Lady, your nose is bleeding.¡¯ It was at this point in the story that Ian finally slipped his palm into the back of my nightdress. ¡°Lady Irene. Are you here?¡± A male voice called me. ¡°What! What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Why is a man here?¡± ¡°Ugh! At a time like this!¡± Everyone was taken aback by the unexpected appearance at the door. This was the women only area. It was a place where only the ladies got together to hold a party. A middle-aged man appeared from beyond the salon door. Behind him stood a Bishop with a troubled expression on his face. ¡°Are you Count Paras?¡± With a surprised expression, a lady called out the man¡¯s name. ¡®Count Paras?¡¯ I believe I¡¯ve heard the name before. Count Paras, who saw me, strode forward. ¡°Apologies for the unexpected visit. Ladies.¡± The Count looked towards me as he bowed his head toward the young ladies. ¡°Excuse me. Lady Irene. Since we received a disconcerting report, I came here despite feeling bad.¡± ¡°Count Paras, it¡¯s just speculation¡­! Sir Ian would never take such a woman as his wife.¡± The Bishop who had been following Count Paras, stopped him with a perplexed face. But the Count was obstinate. ¡°This is about Lady Irene. Doubts need to be rooted out. Lady Irene would want to put these suspicions behind her before holding the Saintess Verification Process.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± When I couldn¡¯t take it any longer and asked, the Count replied with a strange smile. ¡°We¡¯re attracting too much attention. Shall we talk on the terrace?¡± ¡°¡­I agree.¡± The Bishop, the Count, and I moved to the terrace. Even so, the terrace was not divided by a thick door, so if everyone in the banquet tried to listen in, they could hear everything. ¡®What the hell is he trying to bring up?¡¯ I raised my eyes to Count Paras who was facing me. With a sad expression on his face, the Count said, ¡°First of all, I apologize for saying such blasphemous words. I didn¡¯t want to upset you with this, but I couldn¡¯t help it, since I received an unpleasant report about Lady Irene last night.¡± ¡°Did you say it was an unpleasant report?¡± A sad sigh came from the Count. ¡°Yes, it was a report about Lady Irene¡¯s past.¡± ¡°Report about my past.¡± I repeated it slowly. ¡®You are not talking about what happened when I was in Nine.¡¯ Nine was not a simple place. The guild members who belong there are thoroughly controlled by Nine. They carry out their missions as if they don¡¯t exist in the world, with no identity or name. It is not a past that can be dug up by merely a few days of background investigation. ¡®Then, there is only one answer.¡¯ I smiled innocently at Count Paras and said, ¡°What kind of past?¡± The conclusion is simple. The Count is lying. My past that he is trying to report on, there¡¯s a ninety nine percent chance that it was a contrived trap. ¡°The report that came to me said Lady Irene Grace is a wanted fugitive criminal from the neighboring country of¡­ Pangena.¡± The Count spoke as if he were embarrassed. ¡°A wanted criminal?¡± ¡°Yes. A criminal who committed fraud and gambling¡­ Of course I don¡¯t believe that Lady Irene and the wanted criminal are the same person. There is no solid evidence either. However.¡± Count Paras said vigorously. ¡°Once a suspicion arises, it will spiral out of control if it is not explained. It is regrettable that Lady Irene would suffer from this misunderstanding even before you are proven to be a Saintess.¡± The Count continued with mixed eyes. ¡°Therefore, Lady Irene. Please tell us about what kind of life Lady Irene had before you were summoned to be a Saintess. In this way, you¡¯ll be able to completely block this promiscuous misunderstanding.¡± He spoke for a long time, but eventually Count Paras had only one intention. Calling me out to talk about my past from my own mouth. ¡°Hmm.¡± I nodded slowly, very slowly. ¡°You are right. Indeed, you are right.¡± Count Paras¡¯ thought circuit was roughly understandable. Count Paras appeared as one of the imperial nobles in ¡ºSaintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡». The imperialists were divided into two factions. A faction that keeps Ian, who is the first heir of the Emperor¡¯s successor and has outstanding ability and popularity, in check. And there¡¯s the faction that stands up for Ian, hoping that he¡¯ll be able to do more than what the Emperor has done so far. The reason why the faction was divided was that the current Emperor did not express a clear position on Ian. Anyway, Count Paras was a representative of the people who kept Ian in check. Because he was a member of that faction, he would naturally conduct an investigation into my background as soon as he read the newspaper. ¡®You must have thought it strange, because no matter how hard you investigated, you couldn¡¯t dig up my past.¡¯ If there was a past that was kept so tightly hidden, he would have thought it would be hiding something bad. He probably made this move with such expectations. It wasn¡¯t a bad shot¡­ ¡®It wasn¡¯t a good shot either.¡¯ As I gently nodded, the Count seemed to be a bit perplexed for a moment. He quickly rearranged his expression and reached into his pocket for a piece of paper. ¡°Look at this wanted paper here.¡± A portrait was painted on the wanted paper. It was a work from a sloppy portrait artist, as if they had just added features to a potato. ¡°The painter¡¯s painting skills¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very good.¡± ¡°Huh, hmm, I couldn¡¯t get a clear sketch of the wanted criminal, so it turned into such an ambiguous portrait. But, with brown hair and green eyes, as well as the gender and age, they fit Lady Irene perfectly.¡± Haa. I sighed softly. As I said, Irene Grace was a very common name. The appearance of brown hair and green eyes were also common. If you searched all over the continent, it would not have been impossible to find a criminal whose name overlapped with my physical characteristics. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the Count¡¯s subordinates who most likely have worked all night to find such a criminal. CH 18 ene10-13 minutes ¡°Is that all the evidence you have to suspect me as this criminal?¡± ¡°The name, age, and physical appearance all match. I thought it was a matter that the public was sufficiently suspicious of, therefore I couldn¡¯t help but be concerned.¡± I laughed inwardly at the voice that sounded very concerned to me. Now that I see it, Count Paras was just blowing smoke. [PR/N: try to mislead or threaten someone by giving false or exaggerated information/to deliberately confuse or mislead someone in order to deceive them.] ¡®Listen, everyone in this salon can hear.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s correct that our descriptions are similar, but you know my name is very common and also the same age doesn¡¯t prove anything either.¡± I spoke timidly. Count Paras seemed surprised I didn¡¯t panic at all. ¡°And¡­ ah, yes. Did you say I have the same appearance as them? What a relief. I can get rid of Count¡¯s ¡®worry¡¯ right here.¡± When I smiled broadly at the Count, he looked perplexed. Don¡¯t be fooled; everyone in the salon is listening. I had to put an end to Count¡¯s suspicions. In other words, I had to nip it in the bud before these accusations spread. Hu, After that, I sighed softly and ran my hand through my hair. ¡®I just thought it was a terrible thunderbolt in the morning.¡¯ To think it would be helpful in this way. ¡°Do you have any cutlery?¡± When I looked around and asked, Lady Hana handed me a paper knife with a bewildered face. I took it to the tip of my hair. Tss. A lock of my hair, about a finger¡¯s length, was cut. ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± Surprised sounds erupted from everywhere. My unexpected action baffled the Count as well. ¡°Ah, Lady Irene. What is this all of a sudden¡­ Huh?¡± The Count¡¯s voice soon became strained with embarrassment. My hair turned into a different color once it was no longer a part of my body. It became pink like cherry blossoms. ¡°What is this¡­¡­¡± The Count¡¯s mouth was puffed up with surprise. I smiled and said, ¡°Brown isn¡¯t my natural hair color. It¡¯s actually pink.¡± I said as I looked at my lock of hair. The Count still seemed dumbfounded. ¡°No-No way.¡± The Count stuttered. ¡°You changed your hair color using magic¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The Count gave a blank expression when I spoke with a bright smile. You must have been surprised ¨C of course you would have been; I was surprised as well this morning. After a while, the Count barely managed to counter as he came to his senses. ¡°Forgive me, but I think it¡¯s strange. Why were you using that expensive transformation powder? Do you intend to hide your identity?¡± Well, it seems to have come out like that. My smile deepened, Count Paras was right; I have an identity that cannot be revealed. That was why I couldn¡¯t let anything else slip through the gap. I spoke softly, tilting my head. ¡°Because¡­¡± With his chin raised as if to say something, the Count looked at me. With a grin on my face, I said, ¡°I liked a pink dress.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± The Count¡¯s voice was twisted, as if this was an entirely unexpected response. I continued speaking, looking as if I didn¡¯t know what was wrong. ¡°I¡¯m obsessed with pink these days, but my hair is pink as well.¡± ¡°Wh-What the¡­¡± The Count puffed, his expression puzzled. ¡°Do you think that makes sense? That¡¯s why you used transformation powder?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean when you say it doesn¡¯t make sense. Isn¡¯t it true that you can¡¯t have pink hair and wear a pink dress? You¡¯ll look like you¡¯ve been devoured by the color pink.¡± I made a face as if I didn¡¯t understand. It was a strategy to use bold acting skills to overcome the lack of rationale. ¡°What kind of¡­¡± Count Paras flustered. The Bishop, who stood next to the Count, nodded with a bemused expression. ¡°That is a little strange.¡± ¡°Yes? I¡¯m glad you understand, Bishop. For your information, Ian came up with the idea for me, since I was worried about it.¡± People were riled up again by the new lies. ¡°Ian personally¡­¡± ¡°Ian bought the transformation powder, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not arrogant in the least. This time they¡¯re really falling in love.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s ridiculous!¡± ??The Count raised his voice. When the weapon he brought turned into nothing more than an unloaded gun, he looked very embarrassed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Don¡¯t make excuses like that, tell me the truth! What kind of past are you hiding? If you can tell me honestly right now-¡° ¡°Who are you pressing right now?¡± At that moment, a cold voice pierced my ears. Count Paras¡¯ face hardened and froze as he turned to the side. ¡®When did you come?¡¯ The unexpected appearance of Ian surprised me as well. Though I didn¡¯t show it on the outside. ¡°Si-Sir Ian.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot of questions about my fianc¨¦e.¡± Ian strode up. His blue eyes were cold. The Count attempted to take a step back, but the terrace railing quickly blocked his path. ¡°You should have dealt with me. How dare you threaten her?¡± Ian glared at Count Paras as if he were a petty bug. He was not only the righteous Commander of the Holy Knights, but also a member of the Royal Family, the former Emperor¡¯s son and the first heir to the throne. ¡°Sir Ian, I did not mean it like that.¡± Count Paras stuttered. Ian seemed pretty scary. That¡¯s why he took advantage of the after-party banquet and aimed at me when Ian wasn¡¯t here. ¡®If you¡¯re that scared, you shouldn¡¯t have done it in the first place!¡¯ You were surprised. Huh. I glanced over at Count Paras and organized my thoughts inside. ¡®To put it another way, the Count is nothing more than a minion thrown in frontline.¡¯ Who would it be? The real culprit who controlled the Count. ¡°I just, I was just worried about the growing misunderstanding surrounding Lady Irene, therefore.¡± ¡°Are you now saying that¡¯s an excuse?¡± Ian looked back at me this time. I was surprised when I looked into his cold dark blue eyes. Ian approached me and asked carefully. ¡°Are you surprised? Your complexion.¡± My complexion? Inadvertently, I caressed my cheek. It has to be the same complexion as before. But I opened my mouth softly and spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°A little¡­ I was a little surprised.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have left you.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not Ian¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°You look so pale¡­¡± Ian¡¯s eyes were concerned as he looked at me. I looked at his eyes, secretly admiring them. He seemed to be a melodramatic actor who had been performing in melodramas for over a century. ¡®You¡¯re a virgin, with no experience with love¡­ but you¡¯re portraying it well enough?¡¯ Then there was an odd sense of competition. I couldn¡¯t lose because I¡¯d improved my acting skills by reading a variety of romance novels and dramas. ¡°Sir Ian, you don¡¯t look very well either. Are you worried because of me? Don¡¯t do that¡­ It hurts my heart more.¡± I wanted to stroke Ian¡¯s cheek, but I didn¡¯t have the courage to do so, no matter how competitive I was. ¡°You really are¡­ you always put my thoughts first.¡± Ian was also a formidable opponent. His sweet voice gave me creepy goosebumps. I felt like all eyes in the salon were focused on us. Now is the time. I scraped together my shoddy acting skills. ¡°Of course. The most important thing to me is¡­ It¡¯s always you, Ian.¡± I didn¡¯t forget to flutter my eyelashes as I said that. If you watched the drama, you may have noticed that the impressive scenes had nutritional value in their own right, as I¡¯ve always tried to recreate the scene with my best friend Soyeon. I was excited and wrapped my hand around one of Ian¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Therefore, don¡¯t worry about me. As long as I have you, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a brief moment, Ian was deafeningly silent. When there was no response back, I felt a little proud. ¡®I think I won.¡¯ It was a victory for K-drama fans. Then Ian opened his mouth after a few seconds. ¡°Irene. How about taking a break today?¡± ¡°Shall we? I¡¯m a little bit tired.¡± I quickly accepted Ian¡¯s suggestion. As I boasted about my phony love story with Ian, the goal of today¡¯s after-party banquet was accomplished. Ian, who was escorting me off the terrace, looked back at Count Paras. ¡°You should think about how you¡¯re going to make amends for your rudeness.¡± Count Paras hardened like a stone. Ian left the terrace without looking at the Count. Of course with me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have to retire first.¡± After coming back to the salon, I apologized to the young ladies. ¡°No! Hurry up and head out.¡± ¡°You did a great job today. I¡¯m sorry that you went through something unfortunate at the end.¡± ¡°I hope to see you again soon.¡± Saintess Cordelia greeted me with her eyes full of jealousy. I left the salon with Ian after greeting the young ladies. ¡°Phew.¡± I sighed as I walked back to my room through the hallway. Then Ian spoke in a low voice. ¡°They¡¯re moving faster than I thought.¡± ¡°But I handled it well.¡± I said without hiding my pride and Ian turned to me. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± What. Are you still worried about my acting? I chuckled, as if I wasn¡¯t bothered by it. ¡°The Count was so low-key that he didn¡¯t even seem afraid. Once he started panicking, he fell onto the grass.¡± [TL/N : falling onto the grass means getting tired and eventually giving up.] Even if Ian hadn¡¯t shown up, Count Paras would have been slowly but steadily digging his own grave. He felt like a Level 1 enemy, as befitting of the first confrontation. ¡°By the way, it seemed like everyone was interested to know about my past. Well, of course they are.¡± I looked up at Ian after a few moments of thought. ¡°Can I tell them about my past as a runaway slave?¡± ¡°Will you be fine?¡± Ian asked if I was fine again. It seemed to be a question of whether I would be okay even if such a past were revealed. ¡®You¡¯re very considerate today.¡¯ In a nostalgic mood, I scratched my nose. It felt strange to be considered by someone who had stated on the first meeting that he would kill me. ¡°Hey, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. The problem lies with you, Ian. Is it acceptable if your fianc¨¦e is known as a runaway slave?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me where you¡¯re from.¡± Ian said it straightforwardly. ¡°Whether you were a slave or a member of the Royal Family, you were a hindrance to me.¡± ¡°Yes, Yes. I am really sorry.¡± I apologised soullessly, without feeling remorse. Ian stared at me. Wasn¡¯t that not sincere? It was then when I began to feel guilty towards him. ¡°However, if the truth is revealed, there may be a group of people attempting to torment you, taking advantage of it.¡± I nodded slowly at his words. Slavery was considered uncivilized in this country, Rehart Empire. Even so, if I said I was once a slave, I¡¯m sure some people would look down on me. ¡°I have an idea.¡± I perked up my ears at Ian¡¯s next words. ¡°What is it?¡± Hearing the explanation, I opened my eyes wide after a while. CH 19 ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Ian¡¯s idea was out of the ordinary, but it was equally appealing. Furthermore, it corresponded to the slightly irrational remarks I said a while ago, ¡®I dyed my hair a different color because I wanted to wear a pink dress.¡¯ I really liked the new lie suggested by the Commander of the Holy Knights. I had arrived in front of my room and raised my head to look at Ian. It was time to say goodbye. ¡°Oh, and~ Sir Ian.¡± I grabbed the doorknob and looked back at Ian. I had suddenly remembered it. ¡°My hair is actually fake.¡± ¡°What?¡± As expected, Ian¡¯s brow furrowed. I quickly replied with a follow-up. ¡°My hair is originally pink.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± I cut a few strands of my hair and handed them to Ian. The hair that had fallen out of my head quickly lost their magic and turned pink. ¡°I was hiding it to avoid tracking, but I forgot to tell you ahead of time.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? You forgot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Ah, and my eyes are originally a golden-yellow color. I¡¯ll show you my true self next time. Then goodbye! It¡¯s already night.¡± ¡°Stop right there, Madam.¡± I stood tall as I snatched the doorknob. As expected, that person could not simply ignore the matter. ¡®Damn you, Count Paras!¡¯ Even if it wasn¡¯t because of him, the truth would be revealed eventually. Ian moved in closer and grabbed my chin. I could feel his gaze piercing my face. ¡°¡­This is fake. All of this.¡± Ian¡¯s words made me shudder. ¡°I just changed the color. As I previously stated, the purpose is to avoid tracking. Sir Ian is well aware of how tenacious these people are.¡± Ian clicked his tongue. ¡°As expected, you, do you realize that it¡¯s too suspicious?¡± I smiled apologetically while suppressing my racing heart. ¡°Be honest with me. Tell me what your real identity is.¡± My heart was racing like crazy as I heard his devilishly deep voice. I barely calmed down and raised my eyes to Ian. ¡°We¡¯re both hiding secrets from each other.¡± Ian frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. Just as I¡¯m hiding my real identity, Ian was hiding his real purpose. His real purpose was to bring down the current Emperor. ¡°Sir Ian would not open up about everything to me. But I promise. Whatever I¡¯m hiding, I will be your faithful wife for a year.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ian was silent for a moment. He looked down at me, as if he was searching for something. At that moment, I began to hear a group of people in the hallway in the distance. I could feel the group approaching us, and then they came to a halt as if they had found us. ¡°Please kiss me on the cheek.¡± I raised my head and whispered to him. Ian, as a Sword Master, could not have known his popularity. Ian slowly lowered his head and brought his lips closer to my cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t make me too curious about you. I would be in trouble if there are more questions than this.¡± Shallow goosebumps spread all over my body. * * * The following day. The following day. Numerous institutionalists read with their eyes wide open. ¡°Have you all read today?¡± ¡°Of course. Oh my God¡­ I didn¡¯t know that Irene had such a past.¡± The nobles who had gathered around and were having tea time excitedly murmured. ¡°Lady Irene, she is a member of the Royal Family!¡± ¡°She was a Princess from a faraway island as well!¡± ¡°The nobles of the Rehart Empire were soaked in peaceful days, but they become crazed when hearing romantic stories.¡± Everyone was enthralled by the fact that the newly appeared Saintess was a Princess from a faraway island country. My remarks that made many ladies flutter yesterday, ¡®I changed my pink hair because it didn¡¯t go well with a pink dress,¡¯ made more sense now. The Royal Family may have been familiar with the luxury of being a Royal Family and a Princess who grew up beautifully, regardless of how small an island country on the periphery was. [TL/N: periphery means countries are those that are less developed than the semi-periphery and core countries.] ¡°However, who were the bad guys who kidnapped Lady Irene?¡± ¡°As if that wasn¡¯t enough for them; they also sold her as a slave. What a terrifying experience that must have been. Stupid bastards!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Sir Ian rescued a carriage that was about to be sold into slavery. What a dramatic fate!¡± Ian frequently crossed the border to subjugate monsters in order to fulfill his duty as a Sword Master. Slavery was still practiced secretly in neighboring countries, unlike in the Rehart Empire, where it was strictly prohibited. Ian was also known for raiding top slaves and freeing them. ¡°A Princess who was about to be sold as a slave fell in love with the Holy Knight who saved her¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so dramatic and romantic. This is real. All of the playwrights will lose their jobs!¡± ¡°No wonder the new Saintess spent a lot of money.¡± A young lady who was at the after-party banquet yesterday nodded her head. ¡°She used the transformation powder because she wanted to wear a pink dress. I was amazed at how casually she spoke.¡± ¡°It was such a high class way of thinking. I couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d been kidnapped and sold into slavery. Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for her?¡± ¡°She is likely suffering partial amnesia from that shock.¡± ¡°Everyone should be careful when you treat the new Saintess. Let¡¯s not talk about her past.¡± In the words of one woman, everyone agreed with a sad expression. ¡°I hope the Saintess Verification Ceremony will be held soon. What kind of power would the new Saintess possess?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore because I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little worried now. Until now, Saintess Cordelia has been the youngest Saintess for a very long time. As you may know, Cordelia¡¯s family is a little bit¡­¡± ¡°Is it unusual?¡± Everyone nodded at someone¡¯s remark. ¡°Yes, exactly. I¡¯m not sure if the new Saintess will suffer because of her power.¡± ¡°Come on, she has Sir Ian. Did you all hear about the gossip of how Count Paras fought with her and ran away from Ian?¡± ¡°I heard that when Sir Ian was pushing out the Count, his face was so terrifying. Oh, I should¡¯ve seen it in person.¡± ¡°I know right.¡± A sigh of disappointment erupted from everyone. * * * ¡°A runaway slave?¡± The Emperor¡¯s private office is located in the deepest part of the Imperial Palace. The Emperor Rashid¡¯s laughter echoed in the secret space where only a few people are allowed to enter and leave. ¡°Hahaha. Hahahaha!¡± Rashid burst out laughing, then snatched a jewel from the desk and hurled it at the servant who had come to report. ¡°Take it. It¡¯s the price of making me happy.¡± ¡°Thank¡­ Thank you.¡± With a puzzled expression, the servant said as he accepted the jewel. Rashid abruptly turned away from the servant and returned his gaze to the Empress. ¡°You did a very good job making Count Paras into a clown. Hearing such interesting news¡­ our new Saintess was a slave. The plot will be drastically altered because this occurred. Isn¡¯t that so? Empress.¡± Empress Lorelai smiled softly. ¡°A lot of things changed.¡± ¡°My brother too.¡± Rashid said with a smirk. ¡°I was surprised that he suddenly fell in love with a woman and he went to see her. It would¡¯ve been suspicious if he had fallen in love with a woman from a prominent family. But if she was a runaway slave¡­ that¡¯s a different story.¡± Rashid¡¯s mouth was sneered, and he laughed twistedly. It was pointless to be a member of the Royal Family in a faraway island country in the past. The world is enormous, and like the stars in the night sky, there are countless countries and Royal Families. Emperor Rashid considers the Royal Family of a kingdom so insignificant that they don¡¯t even know the kingdom¡¯s name; they are less valuable than the commoners of the great Rehart Empire. ¡®What matters is that that woman had put her name on the slave list at least once.¡¯ Rashid gently stroked his chin. Slaves are still slaves. When it comes to the Imperial Family, no matter how adamantly Rehart Empire opposes slavery and is sincere about eradicating slavery in a foreign country, it¡¯s a different story. The Imperial Family is the most conservative people. It was unprecedented to bring slaves from foreign countries to become the Empress. If Ian truly took the Saintess as his wife, it was safe to say that he truly had no intention of aiming for the throne. ¡°As expected¡­ My brother is trustworthy.¡± Rashid licked his lips and whined. ¡°Faithful, useful¡­ you bastard.¡± The most formidable force. Handsome face. Even numerous Holy Knights were loyal to him. It was frightening if he became an enemy, but if he were a dog on a leash, he is a powerful ally. ¡°And¡­ slave or whatever. She is definitely an interesting woman.¡± Rashid clenched his jaw slowly. Irene¡¯s expression clearly changed subtly when he made the mistake of calling Ian with ¡®Lord¡¯. ¡®She must have noticed that I am the Emperor.¡¯ The strange thing was what happened next. Those who recognize the Emperor usually show one of two attitudes. Either fear or adore and flatter. Irene was neither the former nor the latter. ¡®If I bothered to analyze any further, I feel like she would try to distance herself from me.¡¯ Whether they are aristocrats or not, commoners tend to withdraw instinctively in front of the Imperial Family. But she didn¡¯t show any sign of that. ¡°Are you thinking about that new Saintess kid?¡± The Empress, Lorelai¡¯s voice interrupted Rashid¡¯s thought. ¡°The world is noisy because a new Saintess appeared after fifteen years, however there is nothing different for Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Haha. Are you trying to keep her in check because she is your new junior?¡± ¡°No matter how much the new Saintess flies and crawls, there is no other Saintess who is loved by God as much as you, my Empress.¡± ¡°You are flattering me.¡± Lorelai drew an arc around her lips as she smiled. * * * ¡°Count Paras has been imprisoned for blasphemy!¡± Annette, who had brought a tray of snacks, exclaimed excitedly. I was surprised and asked her back. ¡°Blasphemy?¡± ¡°How dare he question the new Saintess and accuse her of being a criminal! The verification has yet to take place, but Lady Irene is truly a Saintess. Sir Ian has acknowledged it!¡± ¡°Haha¡­ is that so?¡± I felt like a cat on hot bricks after she mentioned the words of the Saintess¡¯ Verification Ceremony. The engagement ceremony went smoothly. But the real gateway started from now. ¡®Somehow, I have to pass the Saintess¡¯ Verification.¡¯ Only ten days remain until Bishop Kennen, who is in charge of the Saintess¡¯ Verification, returns. By then I¡¯d have to do something about it. ¡®Ugh. I should have met Rizello then!¡¯ Shall I visit the Magic Tower again? Then Ian¡¯s voice came to my mind. ¡®If you are curious about the Magic Tower, please ask me. I will accompany you.¡¯ I shook my head helplessly. He said that. But if I went to the Magic Tower alone again, it would be suspicious this time. ¡®But I can¡¯t escape secretly¡­ What should I do about this?¡¯ I suddenly stood up from where I had been lying like wet laundry on the chair. ¡°Ah!¡± Why did I come up with this only now? I smiled complacently. I remembered. A way to meet Rizello without going to the Magic Tower. CH 20 ¡°Miss Annette, do you have any letters for me?¡± ¡°Ah, I was going to collect it and give it to you at noon, do you want it now?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Soon Annette brought a pile of letters. It was a considerable amount at first glance. ¡°There are so many invitations for Lady Irene! When I went to pick them up, more were still arriving.¡± ¡°Wow, thank you.¡± Those piles of letters were all invitations. Of course. The engagement ceremony yesterday served as a sort of semi-debut for me. People who I met at the after-party banquet yesterday seemed to be excitedly sending invitations to me. Even in the original story, the heroine was surprised by the number of invitations she received the day after her debut. ¡®Still, this amount is surprising.¡¯ I went through a huge pile of letters one by one, not sure whether there was anything I was looking for. But fortunately, I soon found an invitation that stood out among the letters. ¡®Wow, flashy.¡¯ The invitation with its pure white and flamboyant golden embellishment was by far the most overwhelming presence. I picked it up quickly and checked the sender¡¯s name. ¡®As expected.¡¯ I smiled brightly. The sender was Cordelia Bernadette, the youngest Saintess. She greeted me for the first time at the after-party banquet yesterday. The shimmering invitation made me guess just how much wealth the Count Bernadette, a well-known and prominent family, possesses. ¡°Is this an invitation from Lady Cordelia?¡± I purposely made a surprised face . ¡°Lady Cordelia is inviting me¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, of course! Lady Irene has not yet held a Saint Verification Ceremony, but she clearly recognizes you as a Saintess. Would you like to attend, Lady Irene?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯ve already gotten so many perks out of being a Saintess. I would be in big trouble if I made a mistake during the Saintess Verification Process. Hahaha. After a brief moment, I nodded my head as I was sweating. ¡°Yes! I would like to go.¡± Annette looked pleased with my answer. It was as if she was seeing her daughter say she would go to her friend¡¯s house for the first time. ¡°Oh, the invitation is for Wednesday. Lady Cordelia is famous for holding weekly social gatherings every Wednesday.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Of course I already knew. That was why, among all these piles of letters, I looked for only an invitation from Cordelia. ¡°I wish I could get to know Lady Cordelia.¡± I put on a fluttering expression like a child puffed out at the opportunity to make friends. ¡°Miss Annette, please send a reply that I will attend.¡± ¡°Certainly, Lady Irene!¡± Annette nodded her head happily. ¡°I, and this is out of the blue¡­¡± Annette twisted her fingers together and paused for a moment. I asked with my eyes wide open. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You look so much better this way!¡± This way? ¡­.Ah. I looked down at my hair. Today, I didn¡¯t use any transformation powder. In other words, my current appearance is my original appearance, with pink hair and gold eyes. ¡®Since I have already been exposed in front of people, it would be funny if I continued to disguise myself with transformation powder.¡¯ Even so, pink hair. I stared at my hair with a slightly awkward feeling. The bright, lively hair like cotton candy, a gorgeous color that ¡¯76¡¯, a member of the dark guild, desperately hid. ¡°You really look like a Saintess in a fairy tale book.¡± Annette said and twisted her body, as if she was shy to give compliments so openly. ¡°Haha. Thank you. Oh, and Miss Annette, with what happened last time¡­ Thank you so much.¡± I lowered my voice and said thank you. I glanced at Dame Joan who was standing quite a bit away from us. Then Annette also lowered her voice and whispered. ¡°What. I¡¯m glad that I could help you.¡± ¡°As Miss Annette knows, my Engagement Ceremony was a very important day. However, I was so embarrassed that the transformation powder¡¯s effect had run out unexpectedly in such a whirlwind morning.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I would have done that too.¡± Annette, the kind and pure Annette, seemed to believe what I said. I¡¯m sorry, Miss Annette. If I deceive Annette, who is like an angel and a fairy, I will definitely go to hell. ¡°I will never forget my promise.¡± ¡°Phew! It¡¯s really nice to repay you.¡± We floundered like smuggling robbers. As Dame Joan glared at us, I slowly turned my head away from her and pretended to be quietly drinking tea. Fortunately when Dame Joan came up to me, she didn¡¯t ask at all about the conversations we had. * * * ¡°Lady Irene seems to be adjusting well to church life.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ian responded intently to Lucian¡¯s report. ¡°Yes. She replied to an invitation letter stating that she would attend Cordelia¡¯s tea party today.¡± ¡°Cordelia.¡± Ian tilted his head for a moment. Cordelia Bernadette was the only Saintess at the same age as Irene, and Irene was a good person to get close with. But did she really move with such a simple calculation? Ian remembered the face that shamelessly smiled at him last night and placed pink hair in his hand. ¡®I¡¯ll show you my original appearance next time. Then goodbye! It¡¯s already night.¡¯ When he thought about it again, he realized how ridiculous it was. Ian smirked in vain. ¡®She¡¯s an unpredictable woman.¡¯ It was difficult to put into words how he felt about someone. He originally thought she was being overly intimidated. He didn¡¯t like that. But It would be easier for him to deal with. However, ¡®Farewell kiss on the cheek, hurry up!¡¯ ¡®There is something we are hiding from each other.¡¯ It had only been a few days, but Ian has already found himself surprised because of her several times. An unpredictable woman. He didn¡¯t know what kind of unexpected behaviour she would show tomorrow. Ian hated these variables. That was probably why. The reason his gaze is drawn to her, who bounces around like a spring. ¡°What happened to Count Paras?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t opened his mouth yet. It¡¯s obvious that he was ordered by someone.¡± ¡°Try digging into Duke Beyontin.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lucian nodded when he heard the name of Duke Beyontin, a representative of the pro-imperial faction. No matter who was behind this instigation of Count Paras, it was obvious to see who was at the top. Ian recalled his older brother¡¯s face and raised the corner of his mouth obliquely. He had made an oath before. I will never lose anything precious to him again. And Irene Grace was his invaluable strategic partner for now. ¡®Although it¡¯s a flaw that she¡¯s difficult to predict.¡¯ ¡°You said she was going to attend Saintess Cordelia¡¯s invitation.¡± ¡°Lady Irene? Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Send my carriage.¡± Lucian¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at first, but he quickly responded with a salute. ¡°Oh, yes! Okay.¡± * * * ¡°This?¡± My eyes landed on the enormous carriage. It was a carriage with an aura that seemed out of the ordinary at first glance. A pure white carriage with blue, gold accents. The massive and beautiful carriage was as dazzling as a god¡¯s chariot in mythology. Annette also looked surprised. ¡°This is Sir Ian¡¯s carriage¡­! Dame Joan, did Sir Ian really send this carriage?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Annette stared at the carriage, her mouth wide open and her eyes gleaming. Even for his fianc¨¦e, Annette¡¯s reaction indicated that sending his carriage to someone else was unusual. ¡®Why does it feel like I am riding in a private plane with my lover¡¯s initials written on it?¡¯ Well, there was nothing bad about it. The carriage looked surprisingly cozy inside when I opened the door. Dame Joan went on to say that various forms of defensive magic are also in use. It sounded like a state-of-the-art defensive fortress in the shape of a carriage when I first heard it. I was able to move comfortably from within the fortress to Cordelia¡¯s mansion as a result of this. It didn¡¯t take long to get to the destination. Soon, we reached Count Bernadette¡¯s mansion. ¡°Welcome, are you Irene Grace?¡± The person who seemed to be Bernadette¡¯s butler glanced in awe at the carriage I was riding in and greeted us politely. ¡°The lady is waiting for you. Please come this way.¡± I followed the butler¡¯s directions and entered the mansion. I could feel there were a lot of maids¡¯ eyes on me. The butler then led the way to a large and beautiful salon. Bright lights, music, and laughter poured out from inside. Once I stepped inside, everyone turned towards me and the laughter stopped a few seconds later. ¡°You¡¯re here. Lady Irene.¡± Cordelia approached me with a dignified gesture. She looked beautiful today, with her honey blonde hair and pale cheeks. ¡®Your fashion sense is still very unique¡­¡¯ Cordelia was wearing a dress and accessories that did not match each other again this time. The striking incongruity between the bright red ruby necklace and the deep blue sapphire earrings caught my attention in particular. ¡®You¡¯re still pretty. As expected, your face is like a gangster.¡¯ ¡°Hello, Lady Cordelia! I was very happy to be invited.¡± I smiled broadly and greeted Cordelia. Cordelia raised her chin elegantly and guided me to the table. Then people who had already taken their seats greeted me. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Aden from Count Othello.¡± ¡°Hello, Lady Irene. I¡¯m Lorena from Baron Alois.¡± Given that they had been sitting next to Cordelia before I arrived, the man named Aden and a lady named Lorena seemed to be the closest to her. I took a seat next to Cordelia at her proposition while remembering the names of people who greeted me. Then Cordelia spoke to me. ¡°Everyone in the capital has been talking about you.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s an excessive amount of attention on me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. You are the first lover that Sir Ian chose.¡± Then Lorena intervened with an interesting look. ¡°Anyways, May I ask if the story in newspaper is true? Lady Irene was kidnapped-¡± ¡°Lady Lorena.¡± Clack. Cordelia put down the teacup sudden enough to make a sound. With a startled expression, Lorena looked back at Cordelia. ¡°Let¡¯s not ask too many in-depth questions today.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I apologize, Lady Irene¡­¡± Lorena apologized with a full face. Then when I looked back at Cordelia, I was slightly startled by her. ¡®Are you worried that I might recall a painful past?¡¯ I was a little surprised. Surprisingly, Cordelia seemed to be a fairly soft-hearted person. ¡®She¡¯s different from my first impression.¡¯ I started to like this young Saintess a little bit. Then the salon door opened again after we had a brief conversation about the weather. ¡°Hello, It was a long wait.¡± When someone greeted us lively, several people suddenly entered the salon with a huge hanger. ??They brought all kinds of beautiful and colorful clothes hanging on the hangers. ¡°We brought all the new products that we got directly from the Othello Family this time.¡± ¡°We created a special texture with the finest silk imported from the Western Kingdom for the clothes that we got directly from the Alois Family.¡± The well-dressed members of the staff rushed to sell the items to Cordelia. Cordelia and her aide observed them as they were accustomed to doing so. ¡®Well. There was content like this.¡¯ The scene was set for a feast of brightly colored clothing and decorations. It was a beautiful sight. ¡®But why do you have to do that?¡¯ But then my expression became bitter. The employees who came directly from Othello and Alois families were each recommending accessories to Cordelia. Cordelia filled with a pair of purple earrings that were almost reddish in color and a pale blue necklace from each of the two employees. ¡®Oh my gosh, no matter how much your face is like a gangster, that¡¯s a little¡­¡¯ Then I clicked my tongue involuntarily. ¡®Wait. When I thought about it, if they are from Othello and Aloise families¡­ Perhaps?¡¯ I returned my gaze to Cordelia¡¯s closest aides, Aden Othello and Lorena Alois. They were looking at the family¡¯s employees who were working hard and smiling. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I tilted my head with a subtle expression on my face. ¡°You look really good in it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone who can pull off this color so perfectly.¡± Cordelia smiled faintly satisfied as the staff heaped praise on her. ¡°Lady Irene. What do you think?¡± With her purple earrings and sky blue necklace on, Cordelia turned to face me and asked. If the purple and sky blue colors had a matching tone, they would be a good match, but the two ornaments were surprisingly dissonant. It was a sight that could be trusted, even if it was downgrading itself out of fear that her beauty would damage people¡¯s eyesight. CH 21 ¡®What do I think?¡¯ ¡®What are you asking? It looks horrendous.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just the staff members, even Aden and Lorena had their eyes on me. I groaned inwardly. ¡®Honestly I don¡¯t like it, but Cordelia seems to be satisfied with it¡­¡¯ Besides, if I tell her my honest opinion straight out, I¡¯m afraid Aden and Lorena will kill me with their gaze. Of course the best answer is this. Just as I was about to open my mouth. ¡°Hey, do you really need to ask for someone else¡¯s opinion? You can see the answer just by looking in the mirror, Lady Cordelia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You are so beautiful. You¡¯re so perfect as you are right now.¡± Aden¡¯s commotion quickly prompted the staff to appease her. Cordelia then tilted her head. ¡°Umm. I definitely prefer the purple earrings, but I¡¯m concerned about the necklace. I¡¯m curious if this one is better¡­¡± Cordelia said as she took another necklace from the jewelry box. It was an orange necklace, but it looked a lot better than the pale blue necklace, which was almost white and looked like it had been soaked in water for a long time. But Lorena was startled and waved her hand. ¡°Oh my! What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Whoever sees you now will notice that the necklace you were wearing was much better! It suited you well. It¡¯s perfect as it was.¡± Aden and her staff also joined. ¡®Are you serious?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t hide my uncomfortable expression. If Cordelia liked it, I thought I would just give it a thumbs up and pretend that I also liked it or that it looks good on her. But those people were ignoring Cordelia¡¯s taste and pushing only their own opinions. This is almost like a fraud. ¡°Lady Cordelia.¡± I don¡¯t know what they were doing. I jumped up from my seat. Everyone stared at me as I walked closer to get the jewelry box, and they were startled by my actions. I searched the jewelry box without hesitation. ¡°Lady Cordelia, do you like purple?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, yes. I do.¡± ¡°Please try changing to these earrings.¡± I took out a purple earring which has a much lighter and softer color from the jewelry box. The employee¡¯s face became hardened for a moment. Cordelia seemed slightly startled as she held the earring to her ear. By simply looking at them, her skin color changed slightly to the point where it was incomparable with the previous earring. ¡°And with this necklace.¡± I handed her a studded necklace with light green gemstones like a delicate bud this time. While Cordelia put the necklace on, a light exclamation could be heard around her. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Your skin looks brighter.¡± For the first time, honest admiration flowed from the mouth of those who were watching her. And I noticed Aden and Lorena were locked in intense stares. Cordelia touched the necklace awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s pretty, but¡­ a bit, Isn¡¯t this necklace a little bit plain? The color is light.¡± Cordelia said something absurd. Because it was different from what she usually wore, as she was usually plastered with bright primary colors, she seemed to feel a sense of incongruity. I shook my head. ¡°I doubt it. I think a light pastel tone like this looks much better on you.¡± ¡°I think¡­ It seems so¡­¡± ¡°You certainly look much better now.¡± Then someone¡¯s voice interrupted. I shifted my gaze to see who it was. It was a young man who introduced himself as Baron Ray Monaghan during the greeting time earlier. ¡°Right? You have good eyes.¡± ¡°Also? Isn¡¯t this our first meeting?¡± ¡°I think you have a good eye for some reason. I mean, it feels like you are carefully observing a lot of individuals.¡± I said it with a smirk as if I were joking. Ray¡¯s previous expression then disappeared all of a sudden. His eyes became cold as he stared at me. Ray quickly changed his expression back and smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that before, haha. It¡¯s unclear whether it¡¯s a compliment or not, but I¡¯ll take it as a compliment. Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a compliment! That¡¯s how cool you look.¡± I tried hard to ignore the slight goosebumps and smile back at him. While Ray and I were talking, Cordelia seemed to have finally made up her decision. ¡°I¡¯ll purchase these.¡± ¡°But, Lady Cordelia! This jewelry has much better quality¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, I like what I¡¯m wearing now. I¡¯ll trust what Lady Irene chooses.¡± Cordelia¡¯s staff eventually paid for the accessories that I had chosen for her. Even though she bought the accessories, their expression seemed sour. After receiving the bill, Cordelia tilted her head. ¡°I saved a lot more money than usual.¡± When I heard Cordelia as she was talking to herself, I realized. ¡®That¡¯s why.¡¯ The reason why Aden and Lorena forced Cordelia to choose accessories that did not match her well. Because those were the most expensive accessories they offered today. ¡®Wow. Are you trying to force sell something to a Saintess?¡¯ I stuck my tongue out at their audacity. Cordelia looked even more lively in her new pastel-toned jewels. The employees left the salon and now we enjoyed tea time. Cordelia looked happy, as she kept smiling and looking in the mirror; she must have been pleased with her new appearance. ¡®Cute.¡¯ I laughed inwardly. My cheeks tingle from Aden and Lorena¡¯s stares, but I could ignore it when I saw how cute Cordelia was. In the middle of tea time, a blond man was seen walking towards the terrace alone. ¡®Is it Ray?¡¯ My real goal for today, Ray Monaghan. I got up from my seat and I thought of an opportunity to talk alone with him. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some air for a while.¡± I entered the terrace with those excuses, and the blond man was alone, enjoying the ambiance. Suddenly, he looked back at me. ¡®Oh my.¡¯ I clicked my tongue. The man was not Ray, but Aden Othello. He tried to defraud Cordelia with her parent¡¯s direct staff. I mistook him because his hair color and slender body were almost similar to Ray. When Aden also saw me, his expression hardened. ¡°It¡¯s Lady Irene.¡± I was just thinking about leaving this place. But Aden approached me with a stiff expression. He spoke quietly when he reached up to me. ¡°It was pretentious of you, Lady Irene. I have been helping Lady Cordelia for a long time. I know what she likes better than anyone.¡± ¡°I see. I thought she liked the jewelry I chose more.¡± A mark would have appeared on Aden¡¯s forehead if this scene were a cartoon. The beautiful young man quickly hid his face behind his hand and continued speaking. ¡°I am her close friend, and know what Cordelia needs the most, I am confident about this.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± I swallowed my annoyance and swept my hair back. It was specified that someone needed to check before choosing the accessories. However, Aden¡¯s attitude of treating Cordelia like a child in the palm of his hand proved to be hilarious. Then I talked casually as if I was merely passing by. ¡°This is a different story, but in the past, I was obsessed with a certain chef for a while and went to the same restaurant.¡± It was a pure lie. In fact, the school cafeteria style corner was where I spent the most time. The sausage was delicious. But since it was just an analogy, it didn¡¯t matter if I mixed in a little of my bluff. I smiled with an innocent expression on my face. Suddenly I saw someone whose side profile of the face was sharp like a fox, with golden hair. This time I was sure. This person was Ray Monaghan. He was clearing his seat at the time, as if he was about to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave for today.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°You always go back quickly.¡± People expressed their regrets, but he smiled and promised that he would come for the next meeting. Ray Monaghan is a busy man, hence having to return so soon. I naturally followed him, as if my movements coincided with his by chance. I saw Ray¡¯s back as I stepped out into the hallway, meanwhile he was already walking far ahead. Fortunately, I was able to catch up to him quickly. Ray had to be apprehended before he could leave the mansion, where Dame Joan awaited me. Fortunately, Ray turned around. It seems he had heard my clacking shoes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the new Saintess? Do you have something to discuss with me?¡± With his eyes folded, a handsome man with fox-like features smiled. However, I knew this look was fake. I smiled and approached Ray. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Haha. Are you saying hello twice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different. I¡¯m not greeting Sir Ray this time; instead, I¡¯m greeting the Master of Magic Tower.¡± Ray¡¯s smile had vanished from his fox-like face. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡­¡­ No. Losing one¡¯s feet makes no sense if you pinpoint it exactly like this.¡± [TL/N: Losing one¡¯s foot means to wash one¡¯s hands off, sever connection with, break (off) with, break away from, withdraw oneself.] Ray, No. Rizello smiled brightly. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡®I read it in a book.¡¯ I mumbled the answer. The Genius Master of the Magic Tower, Rizello had several hobbies. One of his hobbies was to disguise himself as ¡®Ray Monahan¡¯ and hide in society. In particular, he tends to participate in all of Cordelia¡¯s regular social gatherings. ¡°Depending on the answer, I may become very hostile to the Saintess.¡± Rizello said with a grin on his face. Those eyes already showed signs of bitter hostility. Honestly, I¡¯d be lying if I said it wasn¡¯t scary. Rizello was a genius wizard who could make me explode with a single gesture. But wasn¡¯t it because the strongest Sword Master had already threatened his life? I could look up at him more calmly than I thought. ¡°It¡¯s because of my divine power.¡± ¡°¡­.Divine power?¡± ¡°God Elune has given me the ability to glimpse into the future.¡± ¡°¡­Ho.¡± Rizello¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s still early and the range is very limited. But finding out that Sir Rizello was here was pure luck.¡± Rizello, who had been silent for a moment, slowly opened his mouth. ¡°The Saintess, indeed, is amazing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As was to be expected. It¡¯s worth observing.¡± The strange goose bumps penetrated my spine. I tried to ignore that feeling and brought out the main point. ¡°Sir Rizello. Please accept me as your official client.¡± Rizello gave me a curious look. Anyone can freely put a request in the Magic Tower. But the Master of the Magic Tower was different. He is a person who is capable of making the impossible possible. ¡°I¡¯ll hire you.¡± Rizello laughed as if he heard something funny. ¡°You are a Saintess with a big heart. Let¡¯s hear what you want so much.¡± CH 22 ¡°If you accept me as a regular client first, I will tell you the details of the request.¡± It was not an unreasonable approach. Everyone that had big names would also take this measure when they were requesting Rizello. Once one formally puts a request in, the contents of the request are referred to. If the request was decided to be difficult to carry out, Rizello could annul the request. However, the contents of the request that he has already heard could not be disclosed anywhere and to anyone. That was a contract called ¡®official request¡¯. ¡°What reason do I have to discuss with the Saintess like this?¡± ¡°I will close my eyes to the fact that you are Ray Monaghan if you accept me as a regular client.¡± Rizello eyes¡¯ widened. ¡°Are you threatening me right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m offering you a deal.¡± The character of Ray Monaghan may be a mask that Rizello has worked quite hard on to create. It would be a waste to throw it away that easily. Rizello stared at me. My mouth became more dry as the silence grew longer, and a few seconds later, he finally spoke. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s hear it.¡± I did it. I smiled complacently to myself. Rizello would not refuse if he hears this request. ¡°Before that. Wait for a moment.¡± Rizello beckoned softly into the air. Then, I felt that the surroundings had become strangely quiet. ¡°Now, our presence will be only vaguely perceived by passers-by, almost as if no one were here, feel free to say it.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± I answered, hiding my surprise. It was magic that made your presence seem shallow to the outside. It was unique, like a wizard who spent a lot of money on all sorts of strange magic items. ¡°Please tell me how to block my divine power.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Rizello¡¯s eyes widened, as if he had heard something unexpected. I recited the script that I had prepared slowly in my mind and without wavering. ¡°As I said, my divine power is foresight. Do you know? The pain of peeking into someone else¡¯s future even if I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°When I went downtown, I got a lot of visions of the future. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m still inexperienced and so I¡¯m not capable of sorting out the information. I just suffer from a flood of information.¡± Heaps of information that cannot be sorted are worthless. As a researcher, Rizello would know better than anyone else. I think it was a pretty plausible excuse. ¡°Of course, I am not saying that I want to completely remove my divine power. If you can just block my divine power for a few seconds when I¡¯m too tired. If you could, I would be able to breathe freely.¡± Rizello became silent for a while. He then asked an unexpected question a few seconds later. ¡°Does your fianc¨¦ know? That the Saintess is going through such troubles.¡± ¡®You¡¯re bringing up my fianc¨¦? Suddenly? Here?¡¯ The sudden mention of my fake husband surprised me. ¡®No. That person can never know.¡¯ If he finds out that I had secretly met Rizello even though he had already warned me, he would not leave me alone this time. I replied to Rizello¡¯s annoying question with a faint smile. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to make him worry.¡± ¡°Hmm. Don¡¯t you think a husband and wife are supposed to share sadness or joy?¡± Rizello said that and smiled widely. ¡°Oh, well. We weren¡¯t even a real married couple yet.¡± It sounded strangely annoying, as if he were suggesting the possibility that we may not be a real couple. ¡°You are engaged, so it¡¯s like you both are already a married couple.¡± He said with a soft smile. I was very sensitive to this matter. Of course. It¡¯s a 10 million Mars contract! ¡°Shall we go back to my request? I hope the deadline is within ten days.¡± I vainly cleared my throat. It was a sign to stop talking nonsense and get back on track. Fortunately, Rizello didn¡¯t stray from the topic anymore. ¡°There is a way to block divine power. The deadline of 10 days is a bit tight, but¡­ well, it¡¯s an interesting request.¡± I snorted inside. It was not just an interesting request, but also very tempting. Studying and learning about divine power was one of his interests for a long time. In fact, he successfully invented a way to block divine power in the original story. ¡®Because there were so many restrictions, there wasn¡¯t much of a use for it in the story.¡¯ Anyway, Rizello had definitely succeeded in creating it. That was why I came to this person. ¡°Great.¡± Finally, Rizello nodded. ¡°The request, I accept it.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind acceptance. How much do you want for the request?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money.¡± When I heard what he said, my eyes widened. Did the Master of the Magic Tower just refuse to be paid for an official request? ¡°I wish Saintess would help me when I need it.¡± Rizello whispered to me with a deep voice. ¡®¡­What a jerk.¡¯ I squinted my eyes. Did he say I should help him whenever he wants? Do I know when or how to help him when he is in trouble? Needless to say, it was an unfair contract. ¡°No. I¡¯ll give you money. How about 500,000 Mars?¡± Rizello seemed to rethink it as soon as I listed out the amount. ¡°Hmm. Good.¡± Finally, Rizello nodded once again. Rizello had the personality trait of being addicted to money, like a crow on the lookout for something shiny. He couldn¡¯t afford to miss out on 500,000 Mars. ¡®It was a huge expense for me as well¡­¡¯ I was willing to accept it. No. It was something I had to put up with. If only I could make it through the Saintess Appointment Ceremony safe and sound. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Then I reached out my right hand to Rizello. He took my hand and whispered secretly, ¡°Do you agree to sign a formal contract with me?¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Suddenly, blue flames rose above the two shaking hands at the same time as I answered. A magic contract. It had the same effect as the immutable contract stone I shared with Ian. I will pay the request without lies and Rizello will carry out the request. And above all else, neither of us should disclose the contents of the contract to the outside. Failure to do so will result in serious penalties. Like the immutable contract stone, it was probably a kind of penalty that damages the soul. ¡°Great.¡± Rizello smiled contentedly. ¡°You have become my regular customer with this. I¡¯ll do my best to carry out the request.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± In an empty hallway, a secret deal was made. * * * From tea time with Cordelia, and even a chance to talk with Rizello. I became exhausted after finishing two schedules. ¡®I have to take a long nap today.¡¯ The pride of having a deal with Rizello eased me a little. He would not fail. He will surely meet the promised deadline. That was the faith of a reader who knew the character of Rizello. As a reader of the original story, it was a bit regrettable that I didn¡¯t see Rizello¡¯s real face. Rizello always wears a mask when he wasn¡¯t disguised as Ray Monahan, and there¡¯s a description that his face from beneath is so handsome that even the original heroine admits it. What? I wasn¡¯t actually disappointed as I was already tired of seeing a handsome face everyday. My eyes are comfortable, even though it is bad if I start to get used to it. ¡®Should I take a bath first?¡¯ Thinking so, I opened the door to my living quarters and I felt relieved to be at home in the familiar space. It was the moment that I opened the bedroom door when suddenly my body went numb. ¡°Are you back now?¡± ¡°Argh!¡± I heard a voice that should not be heard here. Snap. I turned to the side where I heard the sound with shock. I saw Ian was sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching me. ¡°Why are you so surprised? You¡¯re acting like someone who has sinned.¡± ¡°Sin¡­ What are you talking about?¡± Then I laughed haha as if I heard a bland joke. ¡®God damn. You don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡¯ Dame Joan and Annette were definitely waiting outside the mansion. No one witnessed the meeting with Rizello. ¡®Okay, let¡¯s be calm. Lee Seoyeon, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of!¡¯ I looked at Ian and wore a confident expression on my face. ¡°You broke into a lady¡¯s room without permission, excuse me.¡± ¡°You mean between us?¡± ¡®What is the relationship between us!¡¯ ¡­What kind of relationship¡­ We were engaged after someone spread a deep scandal about us. In the Rehart Empire, there was probably no other couple that had become a topic as hot as we have. I averted my gaze because I had nothing to say. Then Ian got up from the sofa and strode towards me. ¡®Keep the distance, keep the distance¡­¡¯ I suppressed my apprehension and took a step back. As soon as I met his blue eyes, my effort to keep the distance didn¡¯t bear fruit. I was not at all comfortable to face Ian at the moment since I did something wrong and felt guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I came in suddenly, but I received some unpleasant information.¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± My face became pale as if the had blood drained from my face. I looked up at Ian with an expression saying ¡®what are you talking about again this time?¡¯. A twisted smile hung over Ian¡¯s face. ¡°There are rumors that you had a private meeting with a stranger.¡± ¡®N-no way.¡¯ My heart was racing. There was clearly no one in the hallway where Rizello and I were conversing. If there was, Rizello would have noticed it first and blocked the view. Besides, he used magic! As I rolled my head desperately, Ian continued speaking. ¡°Aden Othello, I believe.¡± I was struck by an unexpected name. ¡°I heard that you had met with him on the terrace for quite some time.¡± ¡®¡­ Oh, that¡¯s what he meant.¡¯ I sighed in relief. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t find the rumors about the meeting between Rizello and I. ¡°I didn¡¯t talk much with Aden. It¡¯s not that nothing happened, but it¡¯s a trivial story.¡± It was cumbersome to explain to Ian about the necklace and their coercive selling. Ian wouldn¡¯t want to hear that either. So I was going to skip it, but Ian said something and smiled strangely. ¡°Aden Othello, Lucian told me that he was the winner of ¡®Flower of Rehart¡¯ in the male category.¡± Flower of Rehart? What was that? After a while, I exclaimed -ah-. ¡®Flower of Rehart¡¯ was a beauty contest that selects the most handsome men and beautiful women of the empire every year. There was an episode in which the original male lead unexpectedly participated and then won. ¡°¡­Really?¡± I contemplated Aden¡¯s face again. He certainly had a beautiful and handsome face. Although, it wasn¡¯t enough to win the best handsome man award. I glanced at Ian unconsciously. ¡®This person should participate¡­ Um. He wouldn¡¯t do it.¡¯ Right. Of course he wouldn¡¯t do it. I nodded my head, convincing myself. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I think you like pretty ones, Madam.¡± I looked at Ian to see what he meant by this again. He was still looking at me with a subtle smile. ¡°I¡¯m telling you in case you¡¯re misunderstanding, I just talked to Aden for a few minutes.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. I¡¯m not going to explain it, it¡¯s just that I had nothing to say because it really didn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ian raised the corners of his mouth smoothly. ¡°No cheating, Madam¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ This nonsense made me look absurd. ¡°Me? Cheating? With Aden?¡± Pfft. I burst into laughter without realizing it. There is damn nothing between me and that fucking bastard. A Saintess? Cheating? I shook my head furiously. The relationship between me and Ian is a marriage contract that is worth 10 million Mars. I was confident enough to say that I wouldn¡¯t be shaken even if the most handsome man tried to seduce me with their soft smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that man is not my type. My preference is a man that has broad shoulders and a bit taller¡­¡± And there was an appropriate example right in front of me. I raised my head and looked at Ian¡¯s height and said, ¡°He should be like Sir Ian.¡± Ian slowly raised one eyebrow. ¡°Is that so? Am I really tall?¡± CH 23 Exactly, my neck is a little sore from always looking up. I was confident that my type is not like Arden; even if a thousand men rushed at me, I would never falter nor waver. ¡°You seem to be quite definite about your type, Madam.¡± I nodded in approval. It wasn¡¯t a joke. After the contract ends a year later, I don¡¯t know, but my eyes will soar high to the very end of the sky. [TN/L: eyes high up to the sky means she will have a high standard for a boyfriend.] ¡®Even if we are a fake couple, if I see this face everyday¡­ my aesthetic sense will become strange.¡¯ As expected, it feels like I¡¯ll be losing out on this contract. ??Ian¡¯s low, hoarse laugh could be heard as I softly sighed. ¡°You seem to have gotten used to me a lot by now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t even make eye contact at first, could we? Because you were nervous.¡± As he says this, Ian flashes his annoying smile. ¡®Yes.¡¯ I was furious, but it was true. Honestly, I¡¯m not the least bit nervous even now. Anyway, why are you saying this all of a sudden? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re hinting at something. ¡®Hmm. Did I mess around too much?¡¯ I carefully examined Ian¡¯s complexion. True, I was a little more relaxed these few days compared to how I had been during our first meeting. I would have gone insane if I had lived with the fear of death every minute, every second. ¡®Do you think it would be cheap if I nitpick anyway¡­?¡¯ I could not do it even if it¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. I¡¯m weak now. Swallowing my sorrow, I said, ¡°If you¡¯re bothered, should we go back to how it was in the beginning? Less eye contact and so on.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say that I didn¡¯t like it.¡± Ian just cut me off and said, ¡°If you want us to be like a real couple, you have to look closer at me.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s.¡± To become a real married couple. I thought about what he said for a moment. What is married life? Now, he and I are still only engaged. However, a married couple is different from an engaged couple. Afterwards, I have to act more confidently than I do now. ¡®Such as¡­¡¯ Talking in a more intimate manner, or lovingly calling each other by name. We will fall asleep in the same bedroom every night and wake up on the same bed every morning. This bastard. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I moisten the dry palate of my mouth with my tongue. Can I do it well? No, I perfectly understood that we have to do it. Nevertheless, my confidence slowly faded. The more I stared into his blue eyes, which were gazing down at me, the more my self-assurance decreased. ¡°¡­¡­Actually, the real purpose is different.¡± Ian broke the long silence between us. Then I suddenly came back to my senses. ¡°To the point.¡± I tried to sound as clerical as possible to hide what I had been thinking up to this point. There was a real purpose behind it. In fact, it didn¡¯t seem like Ian would have come running simply to interrogate about a man for a while. ¡°The return date of Bishop Kennen has been confirmed.¡± I opened my eyes wide after hearing this. Bishop Kennen, the person in charge of the Verification of the Saintess, is returning. That means¡­ ¡°Your Saintess¡¯ appointment will take place exactly 11 days from now.¡± ¡°The Appointment Ceremony?¡± I uttered, round-eyed. ¡°Did you say it was an Appointment Ceremony, not a verification?¡± ¡°You are already accepted as a Saintess by everyone. With tacit acquiescence.¡± ¡°I¡­ see.¡± ¡°Since the Verification Process is essentially a formal ceremony, the Appointment Ceremony will take place on the same day with the expectation of passing the Verification Process.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I said, trying to make my face look calm. ¡®Rizello¡­ I believe in you.¡¯ A confirmed ghost of money, the legendary problem solver that never fails. Rizello Romulus! [TN/L: I don¡¯t know why the author uses this. But ghosts in this means ¡®someone really good at something or likes something¡¯. Ex: ¡®he likes apples¡¯ or ¡®he is really good at science¡¯. In raws, ? (don) means money. So ghost of money he really likes money to the extent that he would do anything to get money. He (Rizello) is confirmed as a ghost of money. Do you understand? :cry:] I silently and earnestly prayed to Rizello, my only hope. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°Oh, I do.¡± I raised my hand like a good student. ¡°I¡¯m asking about our wedding. Is the date set?¡± The Priest who officiated over our engagement performed a ceremony on the day of our engagement. It was a ceremony to decide the date of the wedding. ¡®It was quite interesting.¡¯ The Priest dropped holy water over the ancient stone calendar, marking all 365 days. Afterwards, the drops of holy water trickled down. He said the date where the bell stays, is the holiday set by God Elune. The date of our wedding is April 1st. [TL/N: :oop: was it an April mop? :wheeze:] ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a day that God Elune decided for us.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s a tradition, but¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be hectic?¡± Even in the world I lived in, weddings required onerous preparations. A wedding for a man of Ian¡¯s stature should be very glamorous. There will be a great deal to prepare. Ian smiled as if he didn¡¯t have any worries about it. ¡°You have nothing to worry about. I will finish everything for the preparations.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± ¡°But please prepare your heart.¡± ¡°Prepare?¡± ¡°You will be the most gorgeous bride in the Empire on that day.¡± Ian once again put on that annoying smile. ¡°You will be a little tired.¡± ¡®¡­What the hell, what kind of glamorous wedding are you going to be holding?¡¯ There must be a reason why that man gave me a warning. I struggled to shake the anxiety that is creeping in my body. ¡°And, again.¡± What else is it this time? Looking at my fake husband, who has been talking a lot today, I smiled kindly at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Has your power never manifested since then?¡± My heart sank slightly at the sudden question. I had the power of foresight. That was one of the lies I told Ian. ¡°Since the day I met Sir Ian, there has been nothing.¡± I smiled vaguely and looked at him. Fortunately, just because they were Saintesses, it didn¡¯t mean they could freely use their power as soon as they were called upon. Even the original heroine had episodes where she struggled to use her power for a while after she had magnificently awakened her power. ¡°If anything comes to mind, I surely will tell Ian first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Ian gave a cold smile. ¡°The first prophecy made you capable of holding the reins. As for the second prophecy, what the hell will happen to me?¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± I secretly shed a cold sweat. What do you mean by holding the reins? If I really held the reins, I wouldn¡¯t be so frightened and trembling like this now! Shouting inwardly, I kept a sweet smile on my face. Ian returned my stare as he was about to walk out of the room. ¡°Oh. I forgot to say it.¡± His stern eyes looked at me slowly. ¡®What-what else?¡¯ I slowly averted my eyes to the side. Whenever this man looked at me like this, it made my neck hurt and break out in cold sweat. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me, who had gone my entire life without committing a crime or sinning. Did he find out? My heart was beating faster. ¡°That hair.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­Perhaps.¡± Ian was silent for a few seconds after saying only ¡®perhaps.¡¯ What. Why did he become silent? I became more and more terrified as Ian¡¯s silence grew longer. Finally, Ian opened his mouth again. ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Yes. Please say it.¡± ¡°Can I touch it?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What did I just hear? I couldn¡¯t believe my ears and just blinked. Then Ian furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ian¡¯s expression turned cold and hardened. I trembled in fear and asked him again. ¡°Do you want to touch my hair? That¡¯s what you said, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to work¡± I was taken aback and looked up at my prospective husband. ¡®Why do you want to touch my hair all of a sudden?¡¯ You were making me nervous! Besides, when I asked if he really wanted to touch it, it was more suspicious that he took what he said back so quickly. What¡¯s going on? ¡®Ah. This is the first time that Ian saw my original appearance without transformation power.¡¯ In other words, Ian never saw my real face nor my pink hair. ¡®Are you suspecting that this is also fake?¡¯ Then it was unfair. The current figure is unquestionably the true face of number 76, as evidenced by multiple checks. However, Ian was suspicious of me because he had a record. Then I looked up at Ian resolutely. ¡°Sword. Please pull it out.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ian furrowed his eyebrows as if he was wondering what I meant. Then I said once again. ¡°I asked for a sword. Ah, never mind. It¡¯s here.¡± Then I saw a paper knife lying on the table. I strode over the table and grabbed the knife, bringing it right in front of my hair. ¡°What on earth.¡± I heard Ian¡¯s voice and he looked puzzled, but I didn¡¯t stop and pulled the knife. My hair was soon cut off with a snip. As I turned around, Ian came closer to me and looked at me with a puzzled face. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°I cut my hair to show it to you. Look. The color of my hair didn¡¯t change, right?¡± I showed Ian the hair that I had just cut. I cut a handful of hair in order to clear up all his doubts. ¡°¡­You¡¯re showing it in a pretty extreme way.¡± ¡°I did that, hoping that Ian will not be confused and suspicious of me.¡± Then Ian clicked his tongue and looked up at my hair. I told him to show his palm and put my hair on it. Then Ian stroked the hair on the palm of his hand. ¡°It¡¯s like a snack.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ian¡¯s gaze on my hair was fierce. He was like a detective examining evidence in a murder case, perhaps because of that impression. ¡°Are you cleared of your doubts now?¡± ¡°I think this hair is more fake in terms of color.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Even if you cut it, the color will change if it¡¯s fake.¡± He was a terrible human being, his doubts still hadn¡¯t dissipated. When I argued, Ian turned his gaze at me. ¡°Why did you hide your true self? Why are you still refusing to tell me?¡± ¡°Sir Ian, I told you the other day. Neither Sir Ian nor I are open to each other. Please think about it.¡± I lowered my voice and whispered to him. ¡°And if we get to know each other too much, won¡¯t we become uncomfortable when we break up a year later?¡± Then Ian raised one eyebrow. His eyes still looked at me, wondering. But he didn¡¯t refute it. ¡°Fine.¡± Ian smirked and raised the corners of his lips. ¡°There is no need to share unnecessary information.¡± ¡°I thought you would agree.¡± ¡°I really want to trust you.¡± Ian replied with a crooked smile. ¡°I hope that our trust will not be broken.¡± ¡°So do I.¡± After Ian left my room, I slipped and dropped onto the sofa. It was truly a day with no nerves left behind. CH 24 ¡°Miss Annette, do you have any letters for me today?¡± When prompted, Annette moved like a rabbit, scurrying to work. ¡°Ugh, there is a lot, Lady Irene! I¡¯ll get them right away.¡± These days, I was getting in the habit of checking the mail every three hours. Another stack of letters was piled on the silver tray that Annette had brought. Most of them were invitations from various families and social gatherings. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t in a position to socialize or have fun right now. There¡¯s three days left before the verification ceremony. Only three days remain until my life may come to an end. ¡®There is nothing that stands out this time too¡­ huh?¡¯ Something had caught my eye as I rummaged through the invitation letters. I found a pure white card embellished with gold, this style of invitation indicates that the sender had to have been from Cordelia. ¡®I received a thank you card for coming a few days ago; is this a new invitation?¡¯ I thought it was strange, so I opened the contents of the letter. After all of that, it appeared to be an ordinary greeting card. Why did she send a similar letter again when she had already sent one a few days previously? Nothing indicated that she would send another invitation. I read the contents all the way through to the end and soon noticed the P.S. ¡¸p.s. Because I am very shy, you must read my card when no one is there.¡¹ Huh? I sensed that something was strange¡­ Cordelia doesn¡¯t speak in such a cute way. ¡°Lady Irene, please continue reading. I¡¯ll bring you some tea right away.¡± After announcing so, Annette quickly exited the room. I was now the only one left in the living room since Dame Joan had already left for the living room earlier. The card I was holding began to transform at that very moment. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± The ink on the card danced in real time. The card swiftly displayed a completely different set of information. I took in a breath of surprise. ¡¸Today, 9pm, At the rose garden. The youngest angel¡¯s harp has a dull sound. Fifty stocks will be traded soon. ¨C R¡¹ ¡®Rizello¡¯ My face went slack when I remembered the name. ¡®Fifty stocks¡¯ was obviously referring to the 500,000 Mars that I promised in payment. ¡®What did the youngest angel mean?¡¯ Please tell me in advance if you intend to use a secret code¡­¡­! Anyways, 9 pm. It¡¯ll happen at 9 pm. I nervously looked at the clock. There was still plenty of time until 9 pm. ¡ª I had been drowning in impatience all day. Dame Joan hinted at wondering what was going on when her fingers tapped the table. When I said that I had a lot on my mind today, she provided me with some sound advice. ¡°If you want to throw away unnecessary thoughts, moving your body will help.¡± ¡°Is¡­ Is that so? Haha, I don¡¯t know anything about exercise.¡± ¡°Would you like to learn?¡± I couldn¡¯t refuse Dame Joan¡¯s kind offer, so I nodded. As a result, I, Annette, and Dame Joan had ended up standing side by side in the living room, wielding wooden swords. When I tried to do exercises that I had never done before after arriving in this world, my entire body creaked. ¡°Oh my. I ache all over¡­ Oh my.¡± ¡°Yes? Lady Irene, what did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I shook my head at Annette and collapsed on the sofa. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Your muscles must have been torn, so you can rest tomorrow and start training again the day after tomorrow.¡± Dame Joan said something scary. T-torn? What¡­? Muscles? Don¡¯t you think those shouldn¡¯t tear? I staggered to the bathroom in panic. I didn¡¯t previously understand why Dame Joan was known as ¡®Crazy Dog Joan¡¯, after all, this was the first time I experienced fear of her. The sun soon set after such a commotion. At 8:30 pm, I began to lay the ground bait to catch a fish. [TL/N: It¡¯s an idiom about manipulations, when Irene needs to manipulate someone to take an advantage from them, but they need to do some steps or procedures or stages. This idiom describes person A doing preparatory steps before person B does something for person A.] ¡°Phew¡­ It¡¯s frustrating.¡± ¡°Uh. Are you frustrated, Lady Irene?¡± ¡°May I help you to stretch out, Lady Irene?¡± ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s not about that.¡± When I heard Dame Joan¡¯s offer to stretch after Annette indicated that she clearly was worried about me, I sighed and shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s best to go outside and get some fresh air when you¡¯re feeling stuffy like this.¡± ¡°Going outside and getting some fresh air? Hm, it¡¯s very late right now¡­¡± ¡°¡­But I want to see nature¡­ I think I¡¯ll feel better when I see pretty flowers and grass.¡± When Annette and Dame Joan heard my brazen self-talk, they exchanged glances. Then Annette clapped her hands. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you¡¯re free to do as you please inside the church! Within the church, there are a lot of well-scaped gardens.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Nice, Miss Annette! Miss Annette knew me well, as expected. ¡°Especially the rose garden right now, the spring roses are in full bloom.¡± The rose garden. Perfect. I twinkled my eyes. ¡°I definitely want to see it. I really like roses.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, I should have shown you before if that¡¯s the case. Would you like to go now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The late-night outing to the rose garden was finalized. The rose garden lit up with subtle light in the middle of the night was surprisingly beautiful. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± Annette was pleased when she overheard me exclaim unconsciously at the scenery. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? The flowers are pretty, but the statue in the middle is also really beautiful.¡± In the direction Annette was pointing, a large statue stood. It appeared to be figures of baby angels flying around a larger figure that I assumed to be God Elune. I looked at the angels with a hawk-like glare. ¡®Is the youngest angel over there?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s really elegant.¡± I started to place ground bait again. [TL/N: refers to previous TL/N about stages or steps.] ¡°It¡¯s a perfect place to organize your thoughts. Can I walk quietly by myself?¡± Dame Joan fell silent for a moment, as if she was considering something. I gave her a nervous look. Dame Joan was a faithful escort knight. That incident when Rashid appeared in the library, I later found that it was none other than Dame Joan who brought Ian. Fortunately, Dame Joan nodded, and perhaps she allowed it because I was still within the safety of the church. ¡°Please feel free to look around.¡± I took a leisurely stroll alone through the garden. When I approached the front of the statues, I pretended to appreciate them by looking up at them. The baby angels aren¡¯t all the same. When I looked closer, the angels flying around God Elune¡¯s statue were of various ages. ¡®That¡¯s a teen angel. That¡¯s an infant angel. And that¡¯s¡­¡¯ My eyes gleamed when I discovered the angel at the bottom of the statue. Anyone could tell that it was a newborn angel. The youngest angel indeed had a harp in his hand. I was bringing it only half-way down to the floor, but it was still quite heavy to lift. ¡®The youngest angel¡¯s harp has a dull sound.¡¯ It was written that way on the letter. Why would a harp have a dull sound? That would most likely be due to a foreign object being in contact with the string. I gently reached out to the statue. Glancing at Dame Joan and Annette¡¯s positions, I noticed they wouldn¡¯t be able to see my hands when I fumbled with the harp of the youngest angel. ¡®There it is.¡¯ My fingers brushed against a crumpled paper bag. I smiled contentedly. I couldn¡¯t open the paper bag right away because I needed to keep an eye on the position of those around me, but I was sure ¨C Rizello had sent the right items I needed. In the original work, Rizello had created a magic circle that cut off divine power. I knew it well because Rizello had to help the heroine with it in one of the chapters. There must be medicinal herbs infused with mana inside this crumpled paper bag. It should be able to temporarily block the divine power that touches the area of a magic circle created with the essence obtained by grinding the herbs. ¡®Great. I have to bring it back and make sure it¡¯s really the right item.¡¯ My heart was racing as I crammed the paper bag into my arms. It was at the time, ¡°Are you taking a walk at night?¡± ¡®Gasp.¡¯ I almost jumped. I turned around, hoping it wasn¡¯t who I thought it was. But my ears couldn¡¯t have been wrong. Ian Esteban. The man stood, with a beauty that shone brighter than usual, in the moonlight. ¡®What¡¯s with this crazy timing, damn it!¡¯ ¡°I- cough- Sir Ian. What brings you here?¡± ¡°I was just passing by and saw Dame Joan. What are you doing here?¡± Ian¡¯s gaze was drawn to the statue that stood behind me. My body temperature seemed to drop. ¡°Is there anything interesting? In here.¡± ¡°Haha. I was just taking a look around because it¡¯s beautiful, not because it¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Was the angel¡¯s foot that beautiful?¡± Damn it. Ian seemed to have witnessed me peer down at the bottom of the baby angel¡¯s harp. What should I do? My heart was pounding so hard that I thought it was going to explode. It was then when a clamor was heard outside the garden. ¡°No, Baron Freeman was finally caught having an affair.¡± ¡°Ugh, I knew it. I told you right? I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, and that what I saw was just a coincidence.¡± A group of ladies flocked to the entrance to the garden. They were talking in a friendly way. The voices of the ladies chatting were cut off, as soon as they spotted us. ¡°Oh my, oh my.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Sir Ian and his fianc¨¦e, the Saintess¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my. I guess they were on a date.¡± ¡°A late-night date in the rose garden under the moonlit night, oh my, oh my.¡± ¡°That¡­ It¡¯s not like that.¡± I broke out in a cold sweat as I listened to the ladies¡¯ whispers. I thought about it last time but the nobles in this neighborhood sure do whisper loudly. Ian furrowed his eyebrows. There was no way Ian couldn¡¯t hear the comments I was hearing. ¡°You¡¯re such a romantic lover.¡± ¡°What a beautiful-looking couple.¡± This is driving me crazy. With trembling eyes, I looked up at Ian aimlessly. We¡¯ve been unintentionally framed as a couple on a late-night date. I could acknowledge the ladies¡¯ presence but I found one problem. ¡®Hey there, Ian. You¡¯re looking at me like a criminal.¡¯ Ian¡¯s eyes that were looking down at me were terribly cold. It was probably because he had just witnessed suspicious behavior. What kind of man would look at his fianc¨¦e like that! The ladies will notice Ian¡¯s eyes if this continues. ¡°Sir Ian, my cheek.¡± I whispered quickly to him. Then Ian grimaced slightly. ¡°Cheek?¡± ¡°Put your hand on my left cheek.¡± ¡°Hurry up. Quickly.¡± Ian gently placed his hand on my cheek after a brief consideration. His warm body temperature wrapped around my cheek. ¡°Oh my. Oh my¡±. The shouts of the ladies were heard. CH 25 This is not enough. Ian¡¯s eyes were still as cold as winter frost. I whispered to him afterwards. ¡°And think of me as, um¡­ cakes, macarons, or something.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± Haa. I blinked my eyes in frustration. When Rashid came, he naturally acted with a desire to monopolize me. I didn¡¯t know why he suddenly became stiff like this. Now I can see that Ian is a type of person who has a lot of ups and downs. ¡°Ha, really. I want you to look at me as if you were looking at a delicate rose!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ian looked at me as if I was being absurd. Yeesh, that was a dirty look. I quickly decided to give up on the idea, as it didn¡¯t match with how Ian is being. I had no choice but to make sure Ian¡¯s expression was not visible to the ladies. Therefore, I slightly pulled Ian¡¯s arms and tried to turn towards another angle. ¡°Uh?¡± My body, which had been creaking all day after a vigorous workout, became stiff all of a sudden. I got a cramp. ¡°Ugh!¡± My body leaned forward as I said ¡®Oh my¡¯ at the same time. My body was falling down! I reached out my arms instinctively. My forehead smashed into the dirt floor the next moment¡­ No, it¡¯s not the dirt floor, but I bumped into something firm. ¡°¡­¡­What are you doing?¡± His dreadful voice was heard above my head. It smelled good. As I came to my senses, I realized I was burying my nose in Ian¡¯s chest. ¡°Ugh. I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± I hurriedly attempted to stand up, but my body had already lost its balance and slipped. No, I almost slipped. His firm arms embraced me tightly as though they were holding me in place. I became stiff as my whole body almost hung on Ian. ¡°Did you drink?¡± My cheeks heated up when I heard the sound of laughter. ¡°I, because. My leg hurts¡­ I¡¯m getting cramps¡­ Wait a minute. Ouch.¡± Perhaps it was because of embarrassment. The more I tried to balance, the more my body twisted. To make matters worse, my calf was sore, as the cramps refused to go away. Please listen to me, you fat body! ¡°Oh my God.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hot. That¡¯s hot!¡± I heard someone whisper excitedly behind me. My face became redder. The ladies were watching this spectacle. ¡°Oh my, her waist is encircled by his arm.¡± ¡°Haa, it is like a painting.¡± ¡°That is such a hot hug¡­ Oh my gosh. It¡¯s hot, it¡¯s hot.¡± If I leave it alone, it would be like eggs baked on Elvan stone. [TL/N: Haha I didn¡¯t know why the author used this. But Eggs baked on Elvan stone are Korean hard-boiled eggs that usually Koreans eat when they are at a Sauna and they eat it when it is still very hot. So it means if Irene leaves it alone it will be hotter like Eggs baked on Elvan stone or uncontrollable for her.] I was embarrassed as I heard the ladies chattering enthusiastically, but the goal was achieved. The purpose was to show that Ian and I are intimate lovers. ¡°Did you twist your feet?¡± I looked up at the person questioning out of the blue. Ian¡¯s face looked up from the front as I turned my head. The cold blue eyes were as clear as a frozen lake in the winter. As if my appearance would be reflected in the same way. I had a momentary loss of words at that unrealistic sight. ¡°Lady Irene.¡± Ian gently narrowed his brow. ¡°Did you get hurt? How did you fall and get hurt on your own?¡± Ian looked at me as if he were looking at someone precious to him. He sighed softly as though he couldn¡¯t help it. The next moment, my body flashed. ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°Oh my God, my God. He lifted her lightly like a feather.¡± The cheers of the ladies filled the garden. Ian was holding me with both hands. I mean, I¡¯m talking about being carried like a princess. ¡°Pl-please put me down.¡± When I grasped the situation later on, I struggled. ¡°I can walk by myself!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll go and get it treated. I wonder if there are still healing priests left in the church.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get hurt!¡± Ian began to walk without even responding to me, as if he was bothered. I could hear the ladies moving away from us, but I could still feel their hot gaze on us in the dim light. Inevitably, I tried to relax my body and held myself in Ian¡¯s arms. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t even ask questions.¡± I could hear Ian muttering to himself. ¡®¡­Are you going easy on me because I¡¯m a patient?¡¯ If I did not fall, he might have questioned me on why I was staring at the baby angel¡¯s feet. I quickly reversed my decision and slumped down in Ian¡¯s arms like a patient with a severe ankle injury. The healing priest who examined me at the healing center had a puzzled expression on his face when he arrived, but without saying anything, he healed me of muscle pain. While the healing priest¡¯s divine power is healing my body, I simply feel at ease. * * * A few days after that. I was astonished when I saw the clothes lined up on one wall of the dressing room. ¡°This is the traditional attire of Eluneism, Lady Irene.¡± Lucian kindly explained to me. I was surprised once again. Do I have to wear all of this? Why are there so many strings and so many things to wrap around? The combination of pure white and gold colors in the attire created a beautiful harmony. But this is too much to wear! I wouldn¡¯t be able to walk if I wore all of these layers because it would be too heavy. ¡°You don¡¯t always have to dress like this all the time. Today is a special day.¡± Ian spoke gently while he was leaning against the wall and watching the situation. Even though it was early in the morning, his face was perfect today: neat and well-groomed, with no swelling. I secretly admired Ian¡¯s tight formal attire. He was dressed in a pure white robe and he boasted his unrealistic beauty today. ¡®Your look is so sacred¡­¡¯ Although his expression was languid and weary like a Hanryang. Ian shrugged. [TN/L: Hanryang is actually one of the ranks of the Joseon Dynasty. Hanyrang describes wealthy young nobles who have no particular profession and spend their lives drinking and having fun. ¡®Like Hyangrang¡¯ uses the same expression as a leisurely and relaxed expression.] ¡°Would it be better to make a first impression of being as virtuous and graceful as a Saintess? Well. In terms of virginity, neither you nor I can rightfully say anything.¡± ¡®That guy.¡¯ I wondered why he had been following Lucian since morning, I guess he was trying to drive me up the wall. I clenched my fist tightly and returned my attention to the clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Lady Irene. I¡¯ll help you with your clothes.¡± Dame Joan said. I looked back at her as if I had met a savior. ¡°Really?! Do you know how to wear these?¡± ¡°Yes. When joining the Holy Knights, one of the most important virtues to learn is how to dress in traditional attire.¡± ¡°I see! Then, yes please!¡± Dame Joan gave a soft nod and turned to look at the men. Lucian and Ian left the dressing room without saying a word. I fell in love with Dame Joan¡¯s power. I took off my nightdress with the assistance of Dame Joan and Annette, and began putting the clothes layers on one by one. It took a lot of time. More than I thought. When I looked at the clock, about 40 minutes had already passed. I saw Dame Joan was struggling to put the string near my waist. ¡®Somehow¡­ I think you¡¯re having a hard time.¡¯ Even though she had learned how to wear this, Dame Joan was a Holy Knight who would rarely wear such loose-fitting attire. Annette also joined in to help, but the situation did not improve significantly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Lady Irene. I don¡¯t have the finesse¡­¡± Annette apologized as she cried. I shook my head. Even after looking through the instructions for the clothes that Lucian left behind, I still could not understand. Especially the knots! This was the first time in my life that knots were so complicated that I felt uneducated. Nevertheless, we finally finished with dressing-up. ¡°Wow.¡± I exclaimed, looking at the mirror. The pure white attire had a subtle golden color flowing through it. The lean and beautiful dress was wrapped by several layers of thin fabric, like the flamboyant wing of a butterfly. My head had only a few strings of jewelry on it, in contrast to the luxurious fabric I wore on my body. Depending on the direction of the light, the sparkling jewelry string is as beautiful as it is captivating. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s pretty¡­¡­¡± ¡°It looks good on you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, Lady Irene!¡± I admired myself in the mirror as I turned around. I cursed the fact that there were so many layers, but it was worth it once I had worn them all. ¡®I look like a real Saintess.¡¯ Right now, I was flowing with grace like Ian. As expected, fine feathers make fine birds. [TL/N: Fine feathers make fine birds means a person may be more impressive if he wears fine clothes. It is always prudent to dress ourselves smartly on important occasions. Smart appearance always makes the best impression ¨C and it will also make a lasting impression. But clothes can deceive people.] I smiled contentedly, having gained a lot of confidence. Ian, who had been waiting, widened his eyes slightly as soon as I opened the dressing room door. I huffed out my chest proudly. When I saw Ian¡¯s reaction, it seemed that I looked splendid in my current attire. [TL/N: I huffed my chest proudly. It means that no matter what situation you are in, you want to look confident to someone, and your attitude makes you look confident.] Ian slowly approached me. He came close to my nose and looked at me for a moment without saying a word. ¡­A little, no. I felt quite embarrassed. What. What¡¯s wrong? Are you suddenly becoming pious after seeing my Saintess-like appearance? Do you regret the past when you threatened me? I think that you should treat me reverently from now on¡­ ¡°Here.¡± Ian reached out to me. The sudden movement made me swallow my breath and I gulped down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tie the shoulder straps properly.¡± I bowed my head down to look at the shoulder straps, and my body suddenly stiffened. Ian grabbed my shoulder strap gently. ¡°The knot is a mess.¡± A low muffled voice tickled my ears. As Ian got closer, I smelled a strange scent. It smelled like herbs, but also smelled like the wind. I blinked for no apparent reason as I got a whiff of his scent. ¡®Come to think of it, I thought the rose garden also smelled good.¡¯ I felt subtly nuanced when I recalled what happened then. I couldn¡¯t overcome my embarrassment and my mouth opened on its own. ¡°Do you use perfume?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± CH 26 ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± What did I just say? Agh, this mouth. I pressed my lips together and shook my head, Ian laughed as if he heard some nonsense and eventually backed away after a while. ¡°So, this is how the Sez knot should look.¡± I looked down at my shoulders and gasped, his knot was formed perfectly geometric. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you were able to perfectly recreate the image in the manual book.¡® ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°I will strive to improve, Commander.¡± ¡°I-I will practice too!¡± Dame Joan and Annette, were watching intently with admiration. I would feel similarly but it seemed impossible for me to be able to replicate the knot even if I practiced for a hundred days. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get going. Everyone will be waiting.¡± Ian said, glancing at the clock. I took a deep breath and nodded. I¡¯m ready. The only thing left was the actual event. The moment has finally come where I have to make a perfect debut as a ¡®fake¡¯ Saintess. * * * ¡°There are so many people!¡± I turned pale, surprised to see the magnitude of the crowd already flocked within the auditorium where the ceremony will commence. ¡°Oh, is that Lady Irene?!¡± ¡°Pink hair and sacred clothes! Definitely, Lady Irene has arrived!¡± ¡°She came with Sir Ian!¡± People who recognized me started turning their heads one by one. The crowd¡¯s movement created a wave-like sight. I gulped and swallowed my saliva, then slowly straightened my shoulders. ¡®Now, let¡¯s be confident. Although this is when I have to trick so many people, stand with confidence!¡¯ I am a Saintess! A Saintess with the power of foresight! I fully indoctrinated myself and walked among the crowd, Ian slowly bent down and whispered. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°How can I not be?¡± We spoke quietly enough so that no one could overhear us. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be nervous about. As I said, we both have a perfect reputation anyway.¡± ¡°Thank you for your support.¡± This guy¡¯s words were meant to help calm my nerves but came to bother me instead. I clenched my fists in anger and tension. Ian might think I was being stiff because so many watching eyes were focused on me, but that wasn¡¯t the biggest problem. ¡®Success, I need this to be a success.¡¯ The back of my right hand has been twitching for no apparent reason. The magic circle made with ingredients obtained by Rizzello had been drawn on top of it. It ended up drying transparently, effectively becoming invisible to the naked eye. A meek-faced bishop greeted me as I approached the end of the auditorium. ¡°Welcome, Lady Irene Grace, it¡¯s a great pleasure to meet you. My name is Bishop Kennen Brion.¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Bishop Kennen.¡± I concealed my tension and greeted him. This person, Bishop Kennen, will be in charge of verifying my status as a Saintess. ¡°The Verification Process is simple ¨C just dip your hand into that Holy Grail.¡± I looked in the direction that Bishop Kennen was pointing. It was a beautiful Holy Grail filled with water. There was an angel sculpture that seems to have been meticulously crafted by the best craftsmen, and a large purple jewel nestled in the middle. Please don¡¯t tell me an angry god will strike me, a swindler, with lightning as soon as I dip my hand in! ¡®God of this world, please forgive me for what I am about to do. I just want to live.¡¯ Besides, I didn¡¯t even want to come here in the first place. I am just trying to fix the accident that you created! ¡®Then, please forgive me!¡¯ I held my breath and submerged my hand into the Holy Water. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t hear any thunder. ¡°Good job, now close your eyes for a while and breathe comfortably.¡± Bishop Kennen said with a gentle expression. I closed my eyes and could hear Bishop Kennen reciting sacred words in a hushed tone. I¡¯ve got to do it now. I started reciting a cirrhic poem in my mouth. As I faintly mumbled the incantation that Rizello had written down on a paper envelope, an exhilarating sensation ran over the back of my right hand, where the magic circle was drawn. At the same time, exclamations rose from all over the place. ¡°Oohh¡­¡­!¡± ¡°As expected.¡± I opened my eyes and looked at the stoup. For a moment, I stopped breathing without realizing it. There was an enchanting golden bubble rising over the stoup. ¡°It¡¯s the sign of a Saintess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sight I haven¡¯t seen in fifteen years.¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s been 15 years since the last one appeared. She is a new Saintess!¡± I lost all my strength. ¡®It¡¯s do¡­ ne.¡¯ I was able to grab hold of my faltering body. ¡°What a beautiful golden color.¡± Bishop Kennen looked at me with a pleased smile. ¡°You have been verified. The Lion sent by God Elune after fifteen years.¡± There was no doubt in Bishop Kennen¡¯s clear eyes as he looked at me. I felt a prick of conscience again. Bishop Kennen has no idea that the person in front of him is a con artist who made a deal with the Master of the Magic Tower. Bishop Kennen¡¯s test was simple yet clear. When a person with Divine Power dips into Holy Water, bubbles of various colors appear depending on the power of the person who came in contact with it. Orange if you possess the ability to heal, blue if you have prowess towards swordsmanship, etc¡­and when the Saintess dipped her hand, a golden bubble is produced. It was like a certain hat from a novel set in a magic boarding school or a litmus paper used in science classes. The reason I knew about the Verification Process in such detail was simple- ¡®Because it was described in the original.¡¯ The Verification Process is not a once-and-done, the believers had a tradition of being verified on a regular basis to ensure that one¡¯s divine power was not abnormal. In the original, the heroine falls into a villain¡¯s trap once and in an accident, loses all her divine power. ¡®Of course, it was a temporary phenomenon as she is both the heroine and a real Saintess.¡¯ The problem was that I also have to undergo a regular verification in just a few days. In the original, when Rizello notices the female protagonist¡¯s concerns, he suggests that she should try all means to pass, even offering to help her pass the test through cheating. The idea was simple in itself, find a way to temporarily block the power of Bishop Kennen, who acts as a litmus paper. The problem is the former. ¡®It was such a difficult task that even Rizello had struggled discovering magic to bar divine power.¡¯ Eventually, Rizello, who has always been interested in divine power research, succeeded to find a way. The method was now drawn on the back of my right hand, in the form of a magic circle. ¡°Lady Irene, are you okay?¡± Bishop Kennen was looking at me with concern when I regained awareness. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. I guess I was just a little nervous.¡± I said with a shy smile. It was a blatant fib even when I heard it. Then Bishop Kennen responded with a smile. ¡°I want to reassure you that you have nothing to be concerned about, but now, the most important procedure remains.¡± I was already aware. The Saintess Appointment Ceremony, only after that will ¡®Irene Grace¡¯ be recognized as a true Saintess by the denomination. ¡°The Holy Cardinal is waiting for you.¡± Ian escorted me like a knight who accompanies a Lady. Inside the auditorium, the normally locked wall began to open on both sides. A beautifully carved wall opened up, revealing a spacious space within. ¡®Wow.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but feel admiration. It was as if the room had been designed solely for sacred purposes. The interior is white with sculptures of gods and angels adorning the walls. There was an old woman in the middle of the room. I could tell who she is without listening to an explanation. That person was Anna Grace, the current Holy Cardinal of the Elune Church. ¡°Welcome, Saintess.¡± With the support of two priests, the Holy Cardinal addressed me. I was nervous, and my heart was pounding as I walked up to the Cardinal. I would have stumbled back and forth if Ian had not been there to escort me. ¡­A close encounter with the Holy Cardinal, who left an indelible impression on me. It¡¯s like seeing a Buddha statue that has been around for hundreds of years. ¡°I heard of your appearance earlier but please forgive me for only just greeting you now, I have not been feeling well.¡± ¡°No, Her holiness Cardinal, it is an honor to see you now.¡± I said politely, taking a courtesy. A faint smile appeared on the Holy Cardinal¡¯s face which was like a Buddha statue. ¡°From now on, you, Irene Grace, who has been called by Elune, will serve as a benefactor of the denomination.¡± The auditorium fell silent as if my surroundings had died when Her Holiness Cardinal spoke solemnly. ¡°Irene Grace, would you like to share with us the gift you received from Elune?¡± ¡°Yes. I will gladly do so.¡± When I answered, a congregation held out the crown of the Saintess to the Holy Cardinal. The Holy Cardinal took it and put it on my head. ¡°May the grace of God Elune be with you always.¡± A heavy crown pressed down on my head. A number of strange feelings intersected with the weight. The biggest emotion among them was this, the realization of what I really just did. ¡®A petty bourgeois, Lee Seoyeon, you¡¯ve grown a lot.¡¯ [TL/N: ??? or a petty bourgeois means small citizen.] In the end, I ended up deceiving so many people. Then Ian approached me. Receiving the crown from the Cardinal and the oath of protection from the Commander of the Holy Knights was the procedure for the Saintess Appointment Ceremony. Ian knelt down on one knee in front of me. I looked down at him, his face was graced with an unfamiliar expression. He looked up at me for a moment, then kissed the back of my hand. A warm tingle ran down the back of my hand and spread across my entire body. ¡°I, Ian Esteban, swear to protect you with all my heart.¡± His eyes, blue like the sky, were intently focused on me. * * * Right after the ceremony, a banquet was held to commemorate the Saintess¡¯ Appointment into the church. I was exhausted from my nerves, but I couldn¡¯t find a place to rest by myself. As I entered the banquet hall, many people greeted me. ¡°Huck, the Saintess came in.¡± ¡°There¡¯s Lady Irene.¡± My face heated up a little after hearing everyone whispering about me. This kind of attention was unfamiliar to me. I noticed someone familiar walking through the crowd at that precise moment. ¡®Cordelia!¡¯ I¡¯ve only met her twice, but it felt like I¡¯ve known her for a long time. The people in her path quickly moved away as if it was natural to give way to her. CH 27 Cordelia stood in front of me and greeted me with ease. ¡°The Appointment Ceremony went well. You are now officially a member of the Elune Church.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lady Cordelia.¡± The moment I faced Cordelia up close, I could barely hold back my smile. Cordelia was wearing a pair of light purple earrings and a light green necklace. The same combination that I had chosen for her last time. ¡°Have you realized what your power is now?¡± Cordelia asked. It was a similar question to when we first met, but it felt different from then. At the time, it felt like ¡®Let¡¯s hear it ¡®, did you think she really inquired out of genuine curiosity? The surroundings became quiet when Cordelia asked the question. Every single person in the room was staring at me with curiosity. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to talk about it now.¡¯ I lowered my eyes to hide my awkwardness. ¡°Yes, Lady Cordelia. I think I have the ability of foresight.¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± ¡°You are the Saintess of foresight!¡± Exclamations came from everyone. Cordelia exclaimed as she stared at me. ¡°Foresight. It is a unique power.¡± ¡°I still have a long way to go, but it is.¡± ¡°Is there anything that comes to your mind when you see me?¡± Cordelia asked with a coy expression. It would be easy to misunderstand her facial expression as trying to bait someone, however as I got closer, I could see that Cordelia¡¯s eyes were filled with pure curiosity. It seemed that it was just because she was anxious to hear the answer. Her coyness seemed to be from apprehension about the response she would receive from me. ¡®She is like a child waiting for cotton candy.¡¯ I think that Cordelia would be upset if she could hear my thoughts. Instead, her light brown eyes were shining with excitement, Cordelia looked beautiful. Hmm. What should I do? I could say I have no foresight for Ian yet, but I can¡¯t keep saying that. While I was deep in thought, something caught my attention. ¡®That one.¡¯ It was a bracelet hanging from Cordelia¡¯s wrist. The bright blue color of the bracelet did not match Cordelia¡¯s apricot skin tone. ¡®Is it from the Aden family again?¡¯ Annette told me that the Aden family is famous for their jewelry. Especially, vivid primary gems are the symbols. The Count of Aden seemed to be selling their representative products to Cordelia on purpose. Aside from making a lot of money, Saint Cordelia would be their top mascot, killing two birds with one stone. As I turned my gaze, I saw Lord Aden staring at me with wary eyes beside Cordelia. It was a fierce expression. ¡®What kind of flower is that.¡¯ Are all the handsome men frozen to death, huh. I turned my head away from Aden and looked at Cordelia again. ¡°Lady Cordelia. I feel it now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cordelia opened her eyes wide like a rabbit. I nodded seriously. ¡°The closer you are to lighter colors, Lady Cordelia, better things will happen. For instance, pastel tones, such as those in your necklace or earrings.¡± ¡°Pastel tones?¡± ¡°Yeah. Would that be the color of luck for Lady Cordelia?¡± ¡°Lucky color¡­!¡± With a surprised expression, Cordelia repeated what I had said. ¡°Yes. It is especially better to stay away from bright primary colors.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Cordelia blinked as if she remembered something. ¡°Since wearing Lady Irene¡¯s recommended accessories, I¡¯ve received numerous compliments stating that they look great on me. ¡°Is this the ¡®Lucky Color¡¯ effect¡­?¡± It¡¯s true that they really suit you well. I did not deny it. ¡°Oh my, really, Lady Cordelia. You look so much better these days.¡± ¡°You seem to be looking healthier!¡± People around Cordelia added a word or two at the same time. I glanced slightly at Aden, and I saw his expression rotting. I can¡¯t believe you can¡¯t control your facial expressions. You are disqualified as a flower. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Lady Irene. My ¡®Lucky Color¡¯.¡± Cordelia thanked me with a serious face. My conscience was slightly pricked. The ¡®color of luck¡¯ foresight was just a word that came out of my head after seeing it on a fortune-telling website, but it sounded very plausible when Cordelia spoke with such seriousness. ¡°Lady Irene. By any chance, what is my lucky color?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you take a look at me?¡± Shy requests came from all over the place. The warm reaction made me sweat a little. ¡®Please tell me your birth month and bring me just one Korean magazine. Then I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡¯ It was at this point that I realized how much I missed the magazines I used to rummage through at the hairdresser to pass the time. Then I heard a familiar voice behind me. ¡°The lucky color. How fun.¡± This voice. I turned my head to the ominous feeling. All of a sudden, people were bowing their heads. ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Rashid was walking at the end of the line where everyone bowed their heads. It was a completely different outfit from our first meeting when he wore a believer¡¯s attire. A tremendous amount of escorting knights follow him in luxurious clothing as if to announce that he is the Emperor. My face was unwelcomed in his presence but I couldn¡¯t show it. I bowed my head calmly. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°This is the second time we¡¯ve met. Where is the Saintess¡¯s lover?¡± ¡°I understand that you are talking about the Commander of Holy Knights.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Rashid raised one corner of his mouth. He looked similar to Ian because he was his brother, but he felt very different. Unlike Ian, who makes people have goosebumps just by laughing, Rashid just looked arrogant. ¡°He is disqualified as a lover. To leave his fianc¨¦e alone in a place like this.¡± ¡°He has some matters to share with the Cardinal, but I understand thathe has been considerate of me so that I can have a comfortable conversation with others.¡± I was a little taken aback when I answered without realizing it. Why did I make an excuse based on my emotions? Rashid laughed. ¡°What. Let¡¯s say that it is so. So, the new Saintess has the power of foresight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I bowed my head deeply and said. ¡®He won¡¯t ask about his lucky color right.¡¯ Then it should be called rainbow color. Fortunately or unfortunately, Rashid did not ask such a cute thing. ¡°Can you predict the national fortunes of our Empire?¡± I lifted my head and looked at Rashid. A smirk hung from the corners of his lips. I could feel everyone looking at me with curiosity. I bowed my head again and said. ¡°Please pardon me, Your Majesty. I am still lacking, and I have yet to notice anything significant.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m a little disappointed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed.¡± Even though I answered reflexively, I felt a little unfair. Why should I be ashamed by this person? As far as I know, the Church of Elune was once under the Imperial Family, but that did not mean it was a complete military relationship. It doesn¡¯t matter if he is the Emperor, how can he break into the church like the courtyard of his own house and tell the saintess about his disappointment. I am an ordinary person by birth, therefore I was bowing at a loss, but the Emperor was definitely too indifferent. ¡°Alright. A grand object like an empire can be difficult. The Emperor asked the Saintess for something unreasonable.¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Then what about this?¡± Rashid put on another twisted smile. ¡°Will this Emperor leave his name in history in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was speechless at the moment. Everyone held their breath, waiting for my answer. ¡®Ha.¡¯ I laughed in vain inside. I don¡¯t have foresight, but I was well aware that Rashid wasn¡¯t going to make a good name for himself. Rashid, who ascended to the throne from a young age due to the early death of the previous Emperor, was never a good monarch. The crazy tax rate and he ruthlessly keeps increasing the tax rate. The description of many nobles who were concerned about the Imperial Family¡¯s excessive luxury was not uncommon in the original novel. The people here wouldn¡¯t know that. But, I couldn¡¯t tell the truth. ¡®Rather than a good and wise Emperor, your brother, a tyrant will blow your neck and you will die.¡¯ I can never say that. But even so, ¡®It¡¯s kind of sad right now, but if you work hard in the future, it will get better! Fighting!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t even say something like that. Rashid was a bastard. I will get caught if I said something he didn¡¯t like. In the end, it¡¯s not the best thing to do here. Aside from not wanting to do so, the people gathered here will doubt my ability to predict the future. Let¡¯s just roughly say it. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, Your Majesty. My power does not always manifest. I was simply lucky enough to be able to see something regarding Lady Cordelia.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so? That¡¯s too bad.¡± Phew, hopefully the topic will come to a close with this. ¡°Then forget about foresight, and I¡¯ll instead ask for the Saintess¡¯ opinion. What does the Saintess think? Can this Emperor be remembered as a respected Emperor?¡± ¡®Hey, you dirty bastard.¡¯ I cursed the Emperor a lot inside, while speaking kindly. ¡°If you continue your good governance, I think you will be praised and approved by the people.¡± Rashid stroked his chin and hmm. Are you happy to hear that a Saintess is flattering you, you bastard! ¡°Does that mean this Emperor is not making good choices right now?¡± I laughed inside. Now I know. Today the Emperor was here not just to show his face. He came to test how obedient I, Ian¡¯s fianc¨¦e and a new Saintess, would be to his words. Therefore, Rashid would not return until he received a satisfactory answer from me. Afterwards, I sighed quietly and looked up at Rashid. Rashid raised one eyebrow when our eyes met because I had been keeping my head down the entire time. ¡°Foresight just came.¡± ¡°Ho. What kind of foresight is it?¡± I opened my mouth with a smile. ¡°Your Majesty will leave his name in the history books as a pioneer in the future.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rashid looked at me as if interested. People who had been sticking to Rashid began to flatter him. ¡°It is a very good foresight, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your first achievement, it¡¯s amazing. Your Majesty is also a wise ruler!¡± ¡°All future children will study by reading Your Majesty¡¯s achievements in the history books.¡± I laughed inside. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure that is so.¡± I didn¡¯t lie. Rashid will undoubtedly be remembered as the Empire¡¯s first person to have killed his biological father and relatives for the sake of the throne and, in the end, trying to annihilate all of his brothers and people in the capital. As the first evil deed. CH 28 The banquet ended late at night. I was exhausted, eventually going back to my room followed by Dame Joan and Annette. Rashid was at the banquet for the entire duration, perhaps he didn¡¯t want to leave after my foresight stimulated the guest¡¯s admiration for him. I was already tired, and the longer I remained in the same space with that bastard, the more he got on my nerves. ¡®But the day is finally over.¡¯ I let out a sigh of relief, nearing the door of my room. ¡°Lady Irene.¡± I turned my head in surprise. Then I saw Ian was standing in front of the door, leaning against the dimly lit wall. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡­ Since when have you been here?¡± Even I could tell that my voice sounded off. ¡®Where have you been?¡¯ How annoying and burdensome, I have been dealing with your brother alone! Of course, even if Ian was there, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to rely on him. Rather, it may have been even more of a pain because there would then be two people who were focused on me. ¡®But.¡¯ That is still part of his role as the Holy Knight Commander. Lucian stood by me instead, Ian never showed. Is it because you were tired? I glared slightly at Ian, my undesirable emotions were unwavering. It was only a sidelong glance, but Ian sighed softly, as if he had noticed. ¡°I apologize.¡± He said as he walked out of the darkness. I was a little surprised, I didn¡¯t expect him to apologize so politely. ¡°Her Holiness Cardinal went into a critical condition. I couldn¡¯t leave her side¡­ I thought she might be dying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± My words escaped me and I pursed my lips. I wasn¡¯t aware that was happening. I remembered Her Holiness Cardinal who crowned me during the day was being supported by priests, but I didn¡¯t know that her body was in such a serious condition. ¡°Right¡­ Are you okay?¡± ¡°For now.¡± Ian said so. He slowly closed his eyes and opened them. I noticed slight fatigue under Ian¡¯s eyes. Her Holiness Cardinal had taken care of Ian since he was a child when he joined the Holy Knight Division, and she was like a second mother to him. ¡°On a different subject, I heard that you gave his Majesty a foresight.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As expected, the story already reached him. I rubbed my forehead. I didn¡¯t mean for it to be taken as a word of blessing, but it was vague enough to be believed as one. ¡°Are you upset?¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly encouraging that you¡¯ve finally begun dipping into your foresight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I broke away from his gaze. After giving Rashid¡¯s foresight, other people kept stealing expecting looks at me. Is Ian also going to ask about his foresight? What should I say if he does? Ian¡¯s voice fell on me, who was agonizing for a moment. ¡°When you foresaw where my father¡¯s remains are¡­¡± I almost choked on my spit. Nervously, I focused my gaze back onto Ian, who was talking about our first meeting. ¡°¡­Did you see anything else?¡± ¡°Something else, huh?¡± ¡°For example¡­ another grave next to it.¡± I realized it the moment I heard it. What Ian was asking about was the grave of his mother, the former Empress. It was said that the previous Empress died mysteriously when Ian was young. There were many opinions that an autopsy should be done, but Rashid just buried her in the Imperial Grave, saying they could not touch Her Majesty. Does Ian also want to retrieve her mother¡¯s remains? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t see such a detailed scene, it was fragmentary information that came into my head.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± When I lowered my eyes, Ian no longer pried further. The atmosphere surrounding him today felt heavy. Heavy, and¡­ somehow bleak. Then Ian looked at me again after a while. I could not find any unnecessary feelings in his blue eyes. ¡°More than that, you¡¯ve never asked. Why would I want to know where the remains of Her Majesty The Empress lie?¡± My heart pounded at the abrupt question. In front of this person, I couldn¡¯t put my guard down for even a second. I spoke with a smile on my face, as if nothing was wrong. ¡°Well, Sir Ian must have his own good reason. There should be some secrets between husband and wife.¡± ¡°Secrets?¡± Ian raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re keeping a secret from me as well?¡± ¡°Ha ha. It¡¯s just¡­ There¡¯s no way that I don¡¯t have any secrets. How can you be honest about everything?¡± ¡°Sometimes I think about it.¡± Ian, who had suddenly came closer to me, looked down at me and said, ¡°It was a gamble to have you by my side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strange thing. I don¡¯t normally like taking chances.¡± I guess so. Ian had a personality that would only bet on things that were certain. He was the most cautious person in his work. ¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯m quite curious about how this contract will end.¡± He whispered in a low voice like a snake crawling on the floor. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t regret anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t worry.¡± I looked up at Ian, slightly trembling and spat out the answer. ¡°Our contracts will surely remain beneficial to each other.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Ian laughed and left the room. Dame Joan and Annette, who had been waiting outside the door, came in and worried at the sight of my hardened face. ¡®My goodness, this bastard.¡¯ I slid against the wall, lamenting my situation. There are no days where I feel comfortable outside or inside this house. * * * ¡°This¡­ What¡¯s all this?¡± I looked at the things lined up in front of me the next morning, half out of my mind. ¡°We brought wedding dresses, jewelry catalogs and samples. Of course, these are just examples to reference, I will make a one of a kind dress for Lady Irene.¡± Lady Mercy, from Mercy Dress Shop, said with a professional face. ¡°Thank you once again for leaving the wedding to me, it is a great honor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful¡­ but do I really have to look at all of this today?¡± Even if the catalog is excessively long. Mercy, who noticed my bewildered expression, said quickly. ¡°Just choose a few that you like, and we¡¯ll find others that are similar.¡± ¡°Will there be a lower price limit again this time?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this as we have only chosen dresses above the lower limit this time.¡± I swallowed my saliva. This means that every dress in this catalog costs at least 20,000 Mars. ¡®No. It was an engagement dress back then, but now it¡¯s a wedding dress, so of course it would be more expensive.¡¯ Let¡¯s not ask what the lower price limit is for this dress. It¡¯s bad for the heart. After spending a long time looking through the catalog and pointing out the designs that I liked, Mercy was satisfied and left. ¡®Spending all day looking at pretty things is a bit exhausting.¡¯ All I did today was look at beautiful dresses and jewelry, but my jeans were gone. The sun was still shining outside. It was around the time when a small desire raised its head, perhaps I should take a little nap. ¡°Lady Irene! The Commander is here!¡± Good bye, my nap. I waved goodbye to the idea of taking a nap and greeted Ian. ¡°Hello, Sir Ian. What brings you here in broad daylight¡­?¡± I stopped talking for a moment. Ian looked a little different today than usual. ¡®What¡¯s the difference?¡¯ I soon discovered the answer while pondering. He wasn¡¯t wearing a formal or tight suit today, just a loose shirt. ¡°In-in- that outfit, what brings you here?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong being dressed like this?¡± Ian¡¯s gaze fell to his own body. He was unaware of the problem with his clothes. Feeling frustrated, I let out a sigh. He is the Commander of the Holy Knights, how can he walk around in such a promiscuous outfit? ¡®It¡¯s just a shirt. Oh, the world is going to fall, it¡¯s going to be ruined!¡¯ Because areas like his neck and collarbone were more clearly revealed than usual, there was nowhere to hold my gaze. It was so manly that anyone could see, I beckoned him to come inside. ¡°Anyway, come in here quickly. By the way, what is the matter¡­ No, what are you holding in your hand?¡± I was taken aback when I saw what Ian was holding. He wielded a wooden sword in his hand. ¡°Catch.¡± Ian tossed the wooden sword at me. I looked at it with fearful eyes, receiving it in a state of bewilderment. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a very nice and heavy wooden sword. It has a good grip on it. Then I¡¯ll return it to you-¡± ¡°I heard from Dame Joan that you trained with a wood sword.¡± ¡°I did¡­¡± Dame Joan lowered her eyes as if she was apologetic when I looked at her with resentful eyes. ¡°Did you get so cramped that night just because you trained that much?¡± ¡°At that time, I just, uh, hmm, hmm. It was a sprain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that you were hugging me because you couldn¡¯t even walk?¡± That was because I was a little bit pissed off! I was upset, but I had nothing to say. Ian clicked his tongue and put the sword in my hand again. ¡°Swing it around.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°You must have learned the method from Dame Joan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I cried as if I was eating mustard and swung the sword. It was embarrassing to wield a sword in a sloppy form in front of the only Sword Master in the Empire. Ian had a solemn expression on his face, which was unsurprising. ¡°Even your breathing is a mess.¡± ¡°I know how to breathe¡­¡± I then made a hoarse voice, not realizing that it would be pointed out. ¡°Do you know how to breathe properly?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t know how, I would have suffocated to death. How would I be alive?¡± Ian looked at me as if only my mouth was alive. ¡°Haa. Please stay still.¡± Ian sighed and walked up to me, his palms resting on my stomach. I was surprised and my body stiffened. ¡°Please breathe. Breathe from where my hand is.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even come to my chest now.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°Again.¡± He said ¡®again¡¯ several times, but breathing from the stomach, which seemed easy, was not as easy as I thought. Ian looked at me with cold eyes. CH 29 ¡°By the way, Sir Ian, aren¡¯t you busy?¡± ¡°What can I do if I¡¯m busy? The wedding is just around the corner.¡± ¡°How does this pertain to the wedding?¡± Don¡¯t tell me that Elune church asked you to wield a wooden sword at a wedding! It was still crossing the line, no matter how the power of God is enshrined in religion. ¡°There will be a ball.¡± Ian answered, as if to ask for something. Oh. I blinked blankly. There was also a ball time at the welcome banquet on the day of the Saintess¡¯ Appointment, but I missed it out because Ian was not present. It wouldn¡¯t be possible if we missed it at the wedding ball, where we were the main characters. ¡°I was planning on hiring a dance instructor, but it seems that you don¡¯t have the basic physical strength to dance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­!¡± ¡°If you want to prove it¡¯s not, then try this again.¡± As I grabbed my sword and put myself back in position, I looked at him with eyes as if to prove that everything he said was wrong. Then his hand suddenly covered the back of my hand while still holding the sword. ¡°This position.¡± Then he touched my foot with the tip of his shoe. ¡°Please stand a little closer. Yes. Like that.¡± ¡°¡­Are you ready?¡± I wasn¡¯t as strong as he was. It wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far if Ian hadn¡¯t been looking at it. I fixed my gaze on him, anxiously holding the sword in the same position as Ian. My body trembled under the strain of maintaining the perfect posture I was holding. ¡°¡­Hos.¡± At that time, I heard that clearly. It was Ian¡¯s laughter. I looked at Ian absurdly. Was I funny? Don¡¯t you feel sorry for me because I¡¯m standing precariously as if I was about to fall? Do you find it funny? ¡°Don¡¯t laugh.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t laugh.¡± Ian, the one who said that, was still smiling shamelessly. ¡®You know how to laugh.¡¯ Instead of him laughing at me, I felt like it was the first time I saw his real smile. That refreshing smile purified my eyes¡­ No. He annoyed me even more because he laughed aloud. ¡°Then Sir Ian, please give me a demonstration.¡± Ian unexpectedly accepted the wooden sword I handed him while holding back tears of laughter. As soon as he raised the sword, the air around him seemed to change in an instant. ¡®¡­Each angle is an art.¡¯ Ian was overflowing with sharply forged restraints, whereas I was only holding a wooden sword for practice. If you draw his figure as is and release the title at random, such as ¡®Handsome Swordsman Practicing,¡¯ it seemed that it would sell like hot cakes. Ian raised his arms and struck all the way down with his sword. At that precise moment, a whitish half-moon shot out of the sword. And¡­ Brittle! When the half-moon light struck the doorknob lock, it shattered recklessly. ¡°Waaa.¡± I took a step back in awe of the incredible sight. Sword Energy? Did he just use sword energy or something like that? Crazy. My mouth was wide open. This is, after all, the world of a novel. This was a different kind of shock than the first time I saw magic. ¡°The lock is weak, put a new one on.¡± Ian said that while putting down his sword. ¡°Ye-Yes, Commander!¡± Annette exclaimed cheerfully. Ian looked at the time and then at me. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time today. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, so please train with Dame Joan.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ huh? Ah, yes.¡± I unknowingly nodded. I still couldn¡¯t believe what I just saw. Seeing the word ¡°Sword Master¡± in a novel and actually seeing the sword fly were two entirely different things. ¡®I should never mess with Ian in the future.¡¯ And I made another resolution. * * * As he examined the stack of papers Lucian had handed him, Ian rubbed his temples. After the Cardinal became sick, all of the Cardinal¡¯s administrative responsibilities were transferred to Ian. There¡¯s a lot going on, from the Cardinal¡¯s work to the Holy Knights Commander¡¯s work, as well as preparations for the upcoming wedding. The situation was so critical that even ten bodies were not enough to finish all of the tasks. ¡°Heh.¡± When he heard his superior laughing, Lucian looked at Ian blankly. Did he just laugh? A really bright smile hung from Ian¡¯s lips. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Ian burst out laughing once more as he remembered the image of her taking a step back while making a flurry of noise. At first, he thought he¡¯d only show his posture and he had no plans to break the lock. But, why did he do such a childish thing? ¡®Her reaction is funny.¡¯ Irene Grace, his fake fianc¨¦e, had an unimaginable new reaction on several occasions. Maybe that was why, sometimes he feels like provoking her. ¡°It seems easy to understand, but it can be extremely confusing at times.¡± It would have been better if she had been a woman he could read everything as clearly as the palm of his hand. But Irene wasn¡¯t like that. Although she looked as transparent as a glass bottle, Irene didn¡¯t completely reveal herself. ¡®There should be a secret between couples,¡¯ Ian tapped the table tuk tuk tuk, recalling Irene¡¯s words. All right. That¡¯s right. He didn¡¯t care about it. The reason why she couldn¡¯t reveal everything was because Ian himself was the same. As long as the contract was not affected, it was none of his business what Irene was thinking with that palm-sized head. Even though he knows it well, he is still intrigued by it. Maybe he doesn¡¯t trust her as a contract partner just yet. ¡°Commander, it is reported that eleven people were killed and twenty others were seriously injured in Rycallion yesterday.¡± ¡°Is this the western fortress that is currently said to be infested with monsters?¡± Ian asked, returning with a solemn expression, as if he¡¯d had enough of laughing. ¡°Yes. The situation seems to be getting worse. The Holy Knights we dispatched are expected to arrive there within a week, but they may not be enough.¡± Ian frowned. Spring is usually the calm season for the monsters. He couldn¡¯t have predicted that there would be so many monsters at this time that there would be daily casualties. ¡°Send a backup unit. It¡¯s better to get rid of them right away.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Then Lucian bowed his head. * * * I sat down at my desk and tapped my notebook with a feather pen. Annette and Dame Joan had agreed to give me some personal space. With only one week until the wedding, I¡¯ve been extremely busy these days. Choosing a dress and choosing accessories. Also, there are numerous hairstyles to choose from. Fortunately, I was able to get some rest this morning. ¡®Let¡¯s make a timeline.¡¯ First of all, I successfully completed the Saintess¡¯s Appointment Ceremony. However, there was no time to congratulate myself on my accomplishment. If I was going to survive for a year, I needed to prepare for the following right away. ¡®First of all, it¡¯s half a year before the original story began.¡¯ In the original story, Ian ascended to the throne about a year later, and my contract with him is set to expire around the same time. Meanwhile, I decided to write about what happened in the timeline gaps. Because this is a time before the original story began, I don¡¯t have any prior information. However, major events in the original story were frequently repeated from the perspective of the heroine. ¡®For example, the geyser explosion on the western border.¡¯ It was a huge occasion. There were no casualties because the area was uninhabited, but it was described as a massive natural disaster that altered the terrain. ¡®And, again¡­ Ah! Right. The largest salt mine was also discovered.¡¯ The original heroine¡¯s family, who ran a small business, went bankrupt as a result of that incident, so I remembered it well. ¡®Hmm. By the way, was my memory this good?¡¯ I tilted my head slightly. I¡¯d been thinking about it for a while, but the contents of the original novel came to mind unexpectedly quickly. It wasn¡¯t that I had trouble remembering things, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to recall the contents as if I were rereading a book. It felt like I was reverting to my high school brain, when I was at my brightest. ¡®Is it something like a correction from another world?¡¯ If I already have the power, I¡¯d better have a genius mana skill or swordsmanship skill. But then I sighed deeply, as if I was thinking in vain. It¡¯s great to have nice memories, but I couldn¡¯t focus on anything else. There was something I was concerned about. ¡®Nine, why aren¡¯t you showing up?¡¯ It was not time to feel comfortable and say that no news was good news. They will never give up on me, number 76. They will believe that I am faithfully carrying out their mission. And Ian would never give up on the day I was confirmed as a Saintess. ¡®It¡¯s time for them to show up.¡¯ Just because they show up doesn¡¯t mean I can do whatever I want right now. At the very least, there was enough time for me to figure out what kind of plot they were working on. Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door as I was thinking about it. ¡°Lady Irene, the appointment time has come.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be right out!¡± When I heard it was Annette¡¯s voice, I ripped the notebook I was scribbling in and tossed it into the fireplace. I only opened the door after double-checking that the burning paper had instantly turned to ashes. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Today is Wednesday. In other words, today was a typical day for social gatherings at Cordelia¡¯s salon. When I arrived at the Bernadette mansion on time, I saw that many carriages had already arrived. ¡°You also came today, Lady Irene. I¡¯ll guide you.¡± Bernadette¡¯s butler politely guided me. As I entered the salon, Cordelia and her guests greeted me warmly. ¡°Welcome, Lady Irene.¡± When I met Cordelia, who greeted me gracefully, I almost giggled. Cordelia seemed to believe in the ¡®lucky color.¡¯ She was dressed wholly in pastel colors and looked like a spring fairy. ¡°Welcome! Lady Irene.¡± ¡°Saintess, it is an honor to meet you.¡± Others greeted me with open arms. I greeted everyone and glanced around at the people. Then, I made eye contact with a man. ¡®As expected, he is coming.¡¯ He is Ray Monaghan, No. I greeted Rizello. CH 30 The salon seemed to be in full swing with the story of the ¡®lucky color¡¯. With eager eyes, everyone asked as to what color was their lucky charm. In modern Korea, it was a bit cute to see people who rise up with a topic that had been out of fashion a long time ago. But I¡¯m not a personal colorist, and I couldn¡¯t possibly find a color that works for everyone. ¡°Everyone, calm down.¡± Cordelia with a coy face said, then clink, putting the cup down. ¡°Lady Irene will feel burdened. Divine power is not a convenient power that always manifests itself. I don¡¯t always make you tea with my power, do I?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Lady Irene.¡± ¡°We were frivolous.¡± Cordelia¡¯s decorous attack calmed everyone down. Cordelia said -hmm-, raised her neck and spoke to me. ¡°Since we are talking about tea. How does the tea taste? Lady Irene.¡± ¡°Tea taste?¡± I looked down at the tea I¡¯d been sipping without giving it much thought until now. I don¡¯t know much about tea because I don¡¯t have much knowledge of it, but it seemed fragrant and softer on the throat than the teas I usually drink. Then I honestly expressed my feelings about it. ¡°I love the smell of flowers. What kind of flowers do you use to make our tea?¡± ¡°Really? Are you curious?¡± Cordelia¡¯s eyes twinkled with joy. The woman¡¯s smugness quickly returned as she covered her mouth with a folding fan and said, ¡°Well, nothing special, but I did add a bloomed flower petal. It¡¯s not a lot.¡± What? I opened my eyes wide and looked down at the teacup. Then I looked at the tea again. I can¡¯t believe this was a tea with the power of a Saintess in it! ¡°No way. This is such an honor, Lady Cordelia.¡± ¡°What do you mean honor? Hmm. It¡¯s really nothing.¡± Cordelia said, her eyes softly lowering. ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard on blooming that flower for quite a while. It¡¯s not something important.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you treat me with flowers that have bloomed with so much care. I¡¯m so touched, Lady Cordelia.¡± ¡°Hmm, well¡­ It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± Cordelia said while fluttering her fan. I quickly sipped tea again. Is it the placebo effect? Certainly, I felt like I was gaining energy from deep inside my body. [TL/N: Placebo effect is The idea that your brain can convince your body a fake treatment is the real thing ¡ª the so-called placebo effect ¡ª and thus stimulate healing has been around. (Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect)] ¡°I feel like I am already energized.¡± ¡°What? It can¡¯t be that quick yet.¡± With an absurd response, Cordelia flapped her fan faster. ¡°Lady Cordelia, I seem to be feeling refreshed too.¡± Then Aden sneakily intervened. Cordelia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t put the petals in Aden¡¯s tea with my power¡­¡± Aden¡¯s face was visibly cracked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have enough flower petals, so I used it on Lady Irene. But it¡¯s made of good leaves, so it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­okay. It still smells really good.¡± Aden said that sounded like he was holding back. Then, as expected, he stared at me, and his eyes were not pretty. ¡®Uh-huh, you better control your facial expressions if you want to keep the title of most handsome man.¡® It would be until the ¡®Flower of Reheart¡¯ vote next year. Tsk tsk. ¡°Ah. Have you ever heard of that?¡± A young lady said with her eyes twinkling as if she had come up with a topic. ¡°I heard the Magic Tower has invented a new toy this time.¡± I was almost choked up about the subject of the Magic Tower, which I had never thought of. ¡°Oh, the portable fireworks kit? It was fascinating. If you draw a picture on the drawing paper, you can shoot fireworks just as it is!¡± ¡°Ugh, my younger brother was begging me to buy it. Eventually, I sent a maid to the Magic Tower, but I heard there was a long line.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who the Master of Magic Tower is, but I¡¯m sure he sat on the money cushion comfortably.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a pity right? Even with that amount of money, he can¡¯t fix the smallpox scars that had pittied his face.¡± Huh? I blinked at the unexpected story. ¡°Oh my, smallpox scars? I heard that there are scales on his face.¡± ¡°I heard that his liver spots are huge.¡± ¡°Everyone was wrong. I¡¯m sure about the information I¡¯ve got. He said he never takes off the mask because of his inferiority complex about having a huge bulbous nose.¡± Hmm. I quietly looked back at Ray, listening intently to the stories that bounced back and forth like a ping-pong ball. Ray Monaghan, a.k.a. Rizello, was listening to the story with a naive smile on his face. ¡°I see. Bulbous nose. That¡¯s interesting.¡± He said it with small gestures. I laughed inwardly as I examined Rizello¡¯s nose, which was well-shaped rather than bulbous. ¡®He has a thick face.¡¯ He¡¯s probably the only man in the world who enjoys hearing them deride him in front of him. This Master of Magic Tower, Rizzello Romulus, was famous for never taking off his mask wherever he went. As a result, it seemed that the rumors about it were spreading. As if they were wrapping up the story, the lady who had started it spoke. ¡°Anyway, if he¡¯s so talented and wealthy, why hasn¡¯t he married yet? There¡¯s some great secret hidden under the mask that he never takes off. I¡¯m sure of it! Lady Irene, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were on me. Even Rizzello. A young lady asked again. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that he has a fatal flaw in his face? That¡¯s most likely the reason he hasn¡¯t married yet.¡± ¡°I, um.¡± Why are you doing this to me? I felt Rizelo¡¯s loving gaze and I broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®That¡¯s right. His face must have been very ugly!¡¯ If I responded like that, I think I¡¯ll have to be careful on the road at night. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know if that¡¯s why the talented and outstanding Master of Magic Tower hasn¡¯t married yet. I¡¯m not a huge fan of looks.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was just saying it roughly, but why? The room fell silent. A few seconds later, the lady who was speaking to me opened her mouth with a slight wretched expression. ¡°Ha ha, I see, Lady Irene. You are not a fan of looks, so you are engaged with Sir Ian.¡± ¡°I really trust you¡­! Hahaha.¡± Hmm. I think I made a big mistake. Looking at the people who smiled strangely, I hurriedly tried to fix it. ¡°Actually, my ideal type was someone who was kind and good-looking. If I had to choose, I¡¯d go with a man who resembles a puppy.¡± ¡°I see. It must be very difficult because you are engaged to a handsome man who does not fit your ideal type¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, too, the response I received was cold. Hmm. I dug my own grave again. Feeling my intuition was wrong, I decided to throw another bait. ¡°However, when you are in front of the fateful first meeting, everything about my ideal type is useless.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°If it is about your first meeting, is it about the one who said Ian rescued Lady Irene from being unfairly kidnapped and sold?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± When I replied in a shy tone, the eyes of those who had grown cold began to perk up as if they were interested in hearing more. I began telling the story of our first meeting as I had planned with Ian. When Ian dramatically rescued me from the carriage as it was about to fall and asked, ¡®Are you okay, Lady?¡¯ everyone was about to clap their hands. ¡°Sir Ian, he is the perfect knight!¡± ¡°He is the role model for all knights!¡± Role model of the knights? When I remembered how he smiled while looking at my posture yesterday, my nose snorted. What kind of knight laughs at Lady like that? ¡°It¡¯s a very romantic story, Lady Irene.¡± ¡°After all, you are the hottest lovers in the Empire right now.¡± ¡°Are you sure half of the people in the capital will attend your wedding?¡± ¡®¡­That many?¡¯ I blinked my eyes. I expected that it would be as glamorous because this was the wedding of Ian Esteban and the Saintess, but half of the people of the capital will attend!? ¡®Wouldn¡¯t the wedding hall burst out?¡¯ ¡°Come to think of it, the wedding is only about a week away. Lady Irene, you must be thrilled.¡± ¡°We are all excited. Ho ho ho. Are you very nervous?¡± At first, I was nervous, but just listening to these people made me even more nervous. People nodded as if they already knew it. ¡°That¡¯s understandable. The wedding culture of the Rehart Empire¡­ You know, it¡¯s a bit provoking.¡± ¡°Ugh, It¡¯s a bad custom, really bad custom. I hope we can break it down now.¡± Those who said it had their eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. ¡°Yes?¡± I returned Cordelia¡¯s stare first, obliquely responding. With the expression of needing help. ¡°Nervousness¡­ Of course. I¡¯m worried.¡± I nodded with a stiff face. Cordelia, however, slipped away from my gaze. ¡°Really, What kind of tradition exists without dignity? uh, hmm. I¡¯m sorry, Lady Irene.¡± Cordelia¡¯s cheeks were slightly red as she said that. ¡®Wedding culture¡­ What is it?¡¯ What is a culture without dignity they were talking about? Isn¡¯t a wedding all about exchanging rings and kissing an oath at best? ¡®What is it? What are people doing at weddings in this country?¡¯ I was caught up in a sudden fear. * * * It was time to end the gathering. I cast a glance at Rizzello as they began to leave one by one. He was arranging his seat in a very casual manner. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave now. Thank you for the invitation, Lady Cordelia.¡± Rizello greeted Cordelia with perfect etiquette. Several ladies blushed in secret at his gentle figure. Cordelia, who was greeted with a sly smile, saw Rizello off. ¡®Are you really leaving like this?¡¯ I stood next to Cordelia as we watched Rizello leave. ¡°Lady Irene, it was an honor to talk with you today.¡± Saying that, Rizello politely greeted me as well. I couldn¡¯t feel anything like a secret password in a simple greeting. ¡®Well, it must be difficult to meet people in a place like this.¡¯ We couldn¡¯t keep bumping into each other in the hallway like we did the last time. When should I send the money? Rizello walked past me as I was thinking about it. And at the same time, a secret touch grazed my hand. ¡®Uh.¡¯ I reflexively clenched my fists. As he walked past me, the note Rizello had secretly given me crumpled in my fist. CH 31 What is it? What could it be? I couldn¡¯t open the note in front of others, so I suppressed my curiosity. After parting off with Cordelia and returning to my room in the church, I quickly opened the note. ¡¸Melody Hyacinth is our friend!¡¹ What does this mean? That was the only content written on the note. I flipped the paper multiple times, but there was nothing more written than that. ¡®No, who is the owner of the Magic Tower? You¡¯ve been liking riddles these days.¡¯ I let out a groan. -Ugh-. Melody Hyacinth was the name of a lady I met today. She was a quiet and shy young lady, so we didn¡¯t talk much. But suddenly, that lady is our friend. What on earth are you talking about? Just like last time, I left it alone, but the note didn¡¯t change. It appeared to be an ordinary note with no hint of magic. ¡®Err I don¡¯t know.¡¯ He would have given me more clues if it was something that required immediate reasoning. Let¡¯s just keep the content in mind. I carefully tore it and tossed it into the fireplace. The paper quickly turned into black ash. * * * The day after. Facing Mercy, I looked through the catalog. The product to choose from this time is a tiara to wear on the wedding day. Since there was not enough time to make a new tiara, I had to choose from ready-made products. Mercy, on the other hand, emphasized that it was prepared with only the highest quality materials that could not be found anywhere else. ¡°What do you think about this tiara? It is a high-quality tiara with the purest emeralds from the Bernil Mine.¡± Those items were all dazzling. As someone with a religious image, I expected to have a simple and innocent look, but the wedding preparations were a series of culture shocks. This nation didn¡¯t seem to expect such virtues from religious people. ¡®Anyway, how luxurious is this?¡¯ Then, with their eyes gleaming, one of the Mercy store¡¯s employees said, ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve had such a glamorous bride in our shop. Sir Ian really loves Lady Irene so much!¡± Love. I laughed, pretending to be embarrassed. Right. Money is always the best way to show love, both in my world and in this one. In other words, by spending a lot of money on the wedding, Ian was declaring to the world that he was really in love with me. ¡®That¡¯s good, but. How can he have so much money?¡¯ Mercy showed me a tiara. I tilted my head to look at it. Even just by looking at the tiara, which was made of the finest emerald from the Bernil Mine, it was enchanting. To match the dress, no. It would be more costly than a dress. I suddenly questioned Ian¡¯s wealth, as he spends so much money. ¡®Does the Commander of the Holy Knights have a large salary?¡¯ Or, as a member of the royal family, is he transferring his personal wealth? Umm. Either way, It¡¯s none of my business. Mercy suggested a beautiful tiara, which I happily accepted. Anyway, even if it¡¯s only for a year, wearing pretty and colorful clothes is not bad. After Mercy had left, Annette announced the arrival of another visitor. ¡°There is someone who wants to see Lady Irene.¡± ¡°Huh? Who is it?¡± I had a puzzled look on my face. If I had to choose someone who would come to me, I¡¯d go with Ian or Cordelia. ¡°A lady named Melody from Viscount Hyacinth! Shall we let her in?¡± Melody Hyacinth. My eyes widened. ¡¸Melody Hyacinth is our friend!¡¹ I vividly remembered the phrase on the note that Rizello handed me yesterday. ¡®No way.¡¯ I swallowed my saliva in agitation before nodding. ¡°She is someone I know. Let her in.¡± After a while, a lady with scarlet hair tied up entered the room. ¡°Lady Irene.¡± She called out my name in a cute tone. ¡°La-Lady Melody.¡± I managed to calm my trembling gaze and let Melody come into the room. ¡°I apologize for coming all of a sudden. I missed Lady Irene really, really so much that I couldn¡¯t stand it!¡± ¡®What.¡¯ I blinked foolishly in response to the lively, cute voice. Melody whom I met the other day wasn¡¯t exactly a cute and winsome person. Suddenly, I remembered that Rizello had sent me a letter pretending to be Cordelia. The phrase he used to imitate Cordelia at the time was also very cute. ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ I looked at Melody in fear. Melody blinked her eyes with a twinkle of cuteness, as if asking why. ¡°Lady Irene, Melody has come to see you because she has something she needs to discuss.¡± Melody suddenly bowed her head with a somber look on her face. ¡®She called herself in third person¡­¡¯ In a dazed voice, I responded to her unexpected attack. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s your concern?¡± Melody hid her face in shame and uttered a scream. ¡°Do you know the Viscount that we talked about the other day? There is something I want to talk about again!¡± ¡°What do you mean by Viscount¡­¡± I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. When Melody kept saying nonsense, I continued to stare at her in fear and bewilderment. As expected, this young lady. What I see right now is Melody¡¯s outer side, not her inner. ¡°Melody, she can¡¯t speak in front of other people because she¡¯s shy¡­¡± Melody said, shifting her gaze to Annette and Dame Joan. Annette, who was staring at Melody with a puzzled expression on her face, spoke quickly. ¡°Ah, if you are concerned about it, should I go out for a while?¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯d appreciate it if you could. Perhaps the knight¡­¡± Melody blinked her eyes to Dame Joan while saying that. What she¡¯s doing right now is really cute. With a cold sweat on my face, I turned to Dame Joan. ¡°Dame Joan, Could you let the both of us talk in private for a second?¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t be able to leave the room, but I will take a step back.¡± Dame Joan took a step back from a respectful distance. She could still hear our sound because she had good hearing and stood not so far away from us. ¡°You idiot, Dame Joan.¡± When Melody whispered something like that, I was startled. But Dame Joan didn¡¯t even move. Because the distance between Dame Joan and us was only a few feet, there was no way she couldn¡¯t hear it. Melody said when my eyes widened in bewilderment. ¡°The sound particles emitted from us are distorted, forming a barrier which creates different sounds outside.¡± Her cutesy voice had disappeared like a ghost and had now become deep. With my face still in astonishment, I asked the question I¡¯d been wanting to ask. ¡°Are you really Rizello?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk too loud, the barrier cannot cover it.¡± Melody, no. Rizello, who was disguised as Melody in a shell, then winked at me. ¡°Mel-Melody, where did the lady go?¡± ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t worry, do you think I would have eaten her?¡± As if making fun of me, who was terrified, was funny to him, Rizello grinned. ¡°I just used transformation powder to change my appearance, and the real Miss Melody is sleeping soundly in my Magic Tower room. I was quite close to Miss Melody, as I wrote on the note, so she understood why I would pretend to be her.¡± ¡°No. Even so. How.¡± I stuttered, still in shock. ¡°This is in the cathedral! How did you try to fool us here?¡± His courage was really big. Regardless of whether he was the Master of Magic Tower or not, he would definitely go to the underground torture chamber if he was caught. ¡®It was necessary for the Master of Magic Tower to make up his mind to achieve the good thing!¡¯ ¡°If Sir Ian finds out¡­!¡± Just imagining those blue eyes glaring at me made me pale. No, it has nothing to do with staring. As the contract partner or whatever, I might be dragged into the underground. Rizello said something absurd to me, and I was completely taken aback. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the fianc¨¦ you can¡¯t help but love? He¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Of course, Sir Ian and I, passionately¡­ We¡¯re in love. Yes, though! Don¡¯t you know that couples live in trust? If you are doing this, I¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± ¡°Then will the Saintess come to the Magic Tower next time? I¡¯ll make sure you can come up to my room without any restrictions if you just say the name Irene Grace.¡± Are you willing to give me a free pass like this? I squinted my eyes as if there was something suspicious about him. But surprisingly, he didn¡¯t seem to be joking. ¡°It¡¯s also difficult for me. I don¡¯t want Sir Rizello¡¯s close relationship with me to be known.¡± ¡°If I were him, I¡¯d freak out. His fianc¨¦e seemed to get along with people like me.¡± Rizello grinned, it was a very irritating smile. I let out a sigh. I had no choice but to quickly solve the problem and let go because I had brought him into the room. I stared at Rizello as if he were a ticking time bomb and said, ¡°Is it for the money that you¡¯ve come here? 500,000. You still haven¡¯t taken them.¡± ¡°Right. That too.¡± That ¡®too¡¯? His expression was annoying, but I brought out the story now. ¡°First of all, I used the item that you sent me very well. It¡¯s very effective.¡± I thanked Rizello calmly. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to sit safely face to face with Rizello if it hadn¡¯t been for that magic. ¡°Would you mind telling me where you used the magic?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s necessary if I don¡¯t tell you how I used it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Rizello agreed with a smile and a nod. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t delve deeply into why I requested a divine power-blocking magic. It was fortunate for me. ¡°I¡¯ll deposit the promised amount if you give me your own remittance address.¡± I forgot something important at the last meeting. I forgot to ask about Rizello¡¯s remittance address, which is this world¡¯s version of the account number. ¡®By the way, I forgot because I was so preoccupied, but why didn¡¯t Rizello tell me?¡¯ Rizello had to come to me twice because he didn¡¯t tell me at the time. Well, no matter how genius the Master of the Magic Tower is, he can forget. Rizello said something out of the blue again at that point. ¡°Do you still have any thoughts on changing your payment? I would be grateful for a one-time ticket to get help from the Saintess.¡± Oh, I won¡¯t buy it. I shook my hand. ¡°Please give me your own remittance address.¡± CH 32 The promised 500,000 Mars was a substantial amount, but there¡¯s no knowing when or where I would suffer a greater loss if I agreed to help him. Rizello wore a glum expression when I spoke firmly to him. The issue is that Rizello¡¯s face with Melody¡¯s expression appeared plausible to that stupid expression. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t got anything else to offer?¡± I said and gave Dame Joan a sidelong glance. If we took a long time talking, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for Dame Joan to find it unusual and suspicious. ¡°There is one thing I want to ask you.¡± However, I almost frowned openly in response to Rizello¡¯s following words. I need to get him out of here quickly before Ian arrives. I smiled kindly, hiding my impatient heart. ¡°What is it? Please hurry up and tell me.¡± ¡°The Saintess¡¯s foresight ability.¡± My body tensed up slightly. ¡°Have you ever used your power to see into my future? For instance, to see through my plans.¡± Melody¡¯s gentle smile and smiling eyes became eerie the moment he asked that question. I quickly shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like that. As you may know, God Elune bestows a Saintess with the ability to help others. So, my power is to help, not invade someone¡¯s privacy.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Rizello had a big grin on his face. ¡°It¡¯s all right! I thought it would be a big deal if the Saintess knew my business plan beforehand. You could have patented it ahead of time.¡± I didn¡¯t like it and refused to accept it. If I were sane, I wouldn¡¯t mess with the Master of Magic Tower, even if I really possessed foresight. ¡°It will never happen, so rest assured.¡± ¡°Haha, then I¡¯ll trust the Saintess¡¯ words and put my mind at ease. Oh, and.¡± Do you have anything else to say? He said with a bright smile when I looked at him with slightly wary eyes. ¡°Please visit the Magic Tower frequently. We¡¯ll treat you like the best customer in the future because you¡¯ve spent this amount of money at once.¡± I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t tempted. ¡°Can I get a discount?¡± ¡°Do you want a discount if you make 500,000 Mars at once?¡± Rizello let out a boisterous laugh as if he was having a good time making fun of me. Of course, I want it! Even if I had ten million Mars, that was certainly a huge sum, and it wasn¡¯t something like spring water that didn¡¯t dry out. [TL/N: it means something in such a large amount, cannot be obtained easily and flows continuously.] I have no idea how much money it would take to return to my original world. ¡°Huh, hm. Well, rich people always try every possible means.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard you say something like that.¡± I smiled awkwardly because I had nothing to say. Rizello finally stood up, as if he was about to leave. ¡°Then let¡¯s stop taking away the Saintess¡¯ time here today.¡± ¡°Oh, are you leaving?¡± ¡°If I stay five more minutes, the Saintess would kick my *ss and kick me out.¡± Ugh, did I make it obvious that I wanted you to leave as soon as possible? ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I feel like I am committing a very serious crime.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. No one will notice.¡± Rizello said with a big grin on his face. I still had faith in him because it was the word of a genius, the Master of Magic Tower. ¡°Then please go back safely.¡± Make sure you don¡¯t get caught! With such a wish, I sent Rizello off. ¡°Thank you for listening to Melody today, Lady Irene!¡± As Rizello¡¯s tone changed, he smiled brightly as soon as he got up from his seat. I had goosebumps all over my body. He is a gifted individual who would have excelled even if he had chosen to be an actor rather than the Magic Tower¡¯s master. ¡®Is Lady Melody aware that Rizello refers to herself in third person in his own peculiar way?¡¯ She¡¯ll be embarrassed and angry if she finds out. I slid onto the sofa after sending Rizello away. I felt exhausted. ¡°Lady Irene! Are you all right? Do you want me to refill your teacup?¡± ¡°Ah, It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m feeling a little tired, but I think it¡¯s just my feelings.¡± In fact, my body was completely refreshed. A little too much. This has been going on since the afternoon of yesterday. I feel the urge to jump at once because my entire body is brimming with energy. ¡®I¡¯m wondering if the tea Cordelia gave me is still effective¡­?¡¯ I wasn¡¯t tired at all, despite the fact that I had been arguing with Mercy about the catalog since the morning. A Saintess¡¯ power is really great. I marveled as I gazed out the window. I couldn¡¯t help it, but I should put this excess energy to good use. ¡°Miss Annette, may I go for a walk?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll prepare it right away!¡± Annette showed up with a cute picnic basket thirty minutes later. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the rose garden for a picnic, Lady Irene!¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to do so! Is Dame Joan also going?¡± ¡°It is my responsibility to look after Lady Irene wherever you go.¡± Even if she said something stiff, we¡¯d go together anyway. I was thrilled at the thought of going on a picnic. Okay, let¡¯s organize our thoughts while looking at nature. Then the door slammed open with a thud. ¡°Gasp!¡± The sound of a startled voice was heard. I hardened as I turned my head and saw a familiar face. ¡°Mr. Lucian?¡± ¡°Lady Irene! How did you know I was here? You opened the door right away and I was surprised! Haha. Oh, this is not the time.¡± Lucian rushed to deliver the message to me. ¡°The Commander is looking for Lady Irene. Do you have time?¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± Boom. I could hear my heart sinking into the abyss. No way. Could it be? I don¡¯t think Rizello was apprehended for coming here and leaving. ¡°¡­Is he angry?¡± ¡°Yes? No! Why would the Commander get mad at Lady Irene?¡± Lucian smiled strangely, as if I was saying weird things. But it was something I wouldn¡¯t know. Because he¡¯s good at maintaining a poker face. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Nodding heavily, I felt like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse. ¡°Miss Annette, Dame Joan, let¡¯s have a picnic next time.¡± Of course, if I was still alive. I said it vaguely, looking at the two. ¡°See you later, Lady Irene!¡± Annette squealed with glee, while my face became tense. I followed Lucian along with Dame Joan. As we walked down the corridor, the gazes of those passing by were drawn to us. There is also the whisper that ¡®the Saintess is passing by.¡¯ I was no longer bothered by the stares that had previously been a cause of discomfort for me. I sneakily moved closer to Lucian and whispered, ¡°Does Sir Ian look upset?¡± ¡°Yes? No! You¡¯ve been worrying about strange things since a while ago, haha. Our Commander has a bad temper at times¡­ No, hmm¡± Lucian kept his mouth shut, his expression indicating that he had made a big mistake. I gave him the look of someone who knew exactly what he was talking about. ¡°Stop hesitating and just tell me.¡± ¡°That, hmm. He can be cold sometimes, but only when there are plausible reasons for it. Don¡¯t worry; it doesn¡¯t happen every time. Furthermore, he is much kinder to the Saintess.¡± There was a reason. Is it because I had a secret meeting with the Master of the Magic Tower, who had infiltrated the church? As my body trembled when I assumed the possibilities, Lucian and I finally arrived in front of a door. It was Ian¡¯s office, which I had visited several times and had gotten accustomed to. Lucian knocked on the door politely. ¡°Commander, Lady Irene has arrived.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± The low voice coming from within sounded like a Grim Reaper. I ¨C huff ¨C took a deep breath. Let¡¯s calm down. I¡¯m still perplexed as to why Ian called me. Perhaps it¡¯s not because of Rizello. I walked through the door that Lucian had opened for me. ¡°Are you here?¡± Ian, who was seated at the desk, shifted his gaze to me. Papers were scattered around his desk, whether he was working on documents or not, and he held a quill in his hand. Ian then stood up, pushing them away. Raising my head, I stared at him in astonishment. He had silver glasses draped over his nose bridge. ¡°¡­Sir Ian. Do you wear glasses?¡± Instead of the thoughtful words I was about to say, a question popped out of nowhere as soon as I met Ian. Ian is wearing glasses. It was a strangely suited literary appearance for him. His silver-rimmed glasses added to his cool visual, but his nose seemed sharp, as if something could be cut out if they touched it. ¡°I use it only once in a while. Like right now, as I have to read many letters as a grain of sand.¡± [TL/N: It means the letters are really small to read.] I noticed his voice lowering as he said that. A faint hint of fatigue and an irritated look is also visible on his face. ¡®Did he stay all night?¡¯ His eyes looked tired. I looked at the documents piled up on the desk like a mountain. Considering the amount, it seemed like Ian was the only one in charge of the Rehart Empire. ¡°By the way.¡± Ian took off his glasses and approached me. Gasp. I swallowed my breath. As he was suddenly wearing glasses, I became distracted for a moment and forgot something important. Ian looked like the Grim Reaper without his glasses on. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Your face is pale.¡± Ian frowned slightly at me after opening his mouth as if trying to get to the point. I quickly thought of an excuse. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my face? My face is originally fair.¡± Ian raised one eyebrow as if he had heard bullshit. ¡°Well. That¡¯s true. Do you know why I called you?¡± Gulp. I swallowed my saliva. ¡®Do you know that?¡¯ Are you telling me to say it with my own mouth? It was such a cruel treatment. Calm down, Lee Seoyeon. I quickly comforted myself. I don¡¯t know how much Ian knew, so I pretended to be dumb for the time being. ¡°Eum. What did you call me for?¡± Ian furrowed his eyebrows. He looked like he had heard something ridiculous. ¡°Did you forget?¡± What do you mean by I forgot? My heart pounded like crazy. CH 33 ¡°Posture practice. Didn¡¯t I ask you to finish it by today?¡± Ah. ¡­Ah. My mouth was slightly open as I looked up at Ian. I did. There was definitely a story behind that. Just before I left, that handsome guy smashed the locked room with his sword and gave me homework yesterday. I¡¯m learning how to maintain basic posture with the help of Dame Joan until the day after tomorrow. ¡°You forgot.¡± Ian scoffed as he observed my expression. I replied back quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true. Because I can tell by looking at your posture.¡± Ian¡¯s interrogation sounded surprisingly sweet at this moment. Ian seemed to have called me for only one reason. In other words, he didn¡¯t call me up to interrogate me about Rizello. ¡®I survived! I survived!¡¯ Only then would I be willing to speak with you and answer your questions. I smiled softly as I looked up at Ian. Ian¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°What is it? Your smile.¡± ¡°I usually have a smiley face. Continue speaking.¡± ¡°¡­Get into position.¡± Ian winked slyly at Lucian, who quickly brought me a wooden sword. Is this man always willing to train this poor sheep anytime, anywhere? What was the purpose of bringing a wooden sword to your office? I snatched up the wooden sword Lucian had given me as I swallowed those questions. I really did practice posture, despite Ian¡¯s suspicions. I couldn¡¯t ignore the homework from the person who smashed the lock with one sword like a toy. Dame Joan complimented me on my posture, which was good enough after half an hour of practice. Ian gave me a long, thoughtful look as I recalled the stance that Dame Joan had taught. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silence followed for a moment. There was a stinging sensation in his gaze toward me. Sweat slowly dripped from the hand wielding the wooden sword. It was the moment I opened my mouth first because I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. ¡°I know you practiced.¡± In an instant, my face became bright red. ¡°Yes, I practiced really hard.¡± ¡°But I feel like it falters whatever things are stacked on it since there aren¡¯t any basics at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian¡¯s subsequent self-talk made me shudder. In the eyes of someone who has mastered the sword, I¡¯m just a beginner, no, I¡¯m a chicken, a worm! I was about to say something, but Ian got up first. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Lay down over there.¡± I blinked my eyes blankly and looked in the direction Ian was pointing. There was a couch there. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Relax and lie down. Today, you¡¯re going to perfect the basics.¡± Why do I have to lie there when I¡¯m going to finish the basics¡­? Even though I was terrified, I couldn¡¯t help myself and walked over to the sofa. I took off my shoes and lay on the couch, the tension was palpable, as if I were laying in a CT scanner. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Just let your hair down and relax.¡± Ian said this as he stood next to the sofa, his gaze falling on me. Hey. Would you be able to de-stress in this situation? It felt very awkward to lay idly on the couch in someone else¡¯s office. I was just making fun of my own mouth. ¡°That, hmm. The sofa is very soft and comfortable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to put my hands on your stomach for a moment.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Ian spoke calmly, even as I jerked my head around in embarrassment. A large palm wrapped around my stomach a few moments later. I¡¯ve thought about it before, but this feels a little weird. ¡°Take a deep breath in. Let your breath come in here.¡± A low voice descended above my head as I took a deep breath as he instructed. ¡°You are doing well. Well done.¡± Ian complimented me. I blinked as this was such an unusual occurrence. Perhaps this was the first time I was praised by Ian. ¡°Take a deep breath and exhale once more. Slowly.¡± I repeated the deep breathing techniques as Ian had instructed. I felt a little more subtle lying on the comfy couch, listening to the low-pitched voice tickle my ears. I¡¯m starting to feel drowsy. Unconsciously, I opened my mouth. ¡°The wedding is just around the corner.¡± ¡°Inhale once more. I see what you mean. Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Huu¡­Well. Actually, I still don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s real.¡± I confessed as I exhaled. Every day I would choose glamorous wedding dresses and jewelry, but it still didn¡¯t feel real. It¡¯s hard for me to believe that I¡¯m about to get married. It didn¡¯t come easily to me, even if it was a phony one-year marriage. ¡°By the way, Sir Ian.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The question was asked in a forthright and cold tone. This kind of person will become my husband in a few days. As I was lamenting, I took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°I heard this while attending Lady Cordelia¡¯s regular social gathering.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is the wedding culture of the Rehart Empire?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ian¡¯s brow furrowed, as if perplexed. ¡°That¡¯s what Lady Cordelia said. It is a culture devoid of dignity, as well as a bad custom that must be erased. What kind of culture would it be if everyone spoke of it in this way?¡± It didn¡¯t appear to be an ordinary culture based on everyone¡¯s reactions to that point. It was necessary to know in advance in order to avoid panic at the scene. ¡°What culture are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. As you know, I am not from the Rehart Empire.¡± ¡°What exactly do you mean by culture devoid of dignity? What exactly are you referring to¡­¡­¡± Ian, who had been speaking up until that point, stopped abruptly. ¡°Sir Ian?¡± I tilted my head and looked up at Ian, confused. Like a stone statue, he had a frozen expression on his face. ¡°Sir Ian. What¡¯s wrong with you? You remembered it. Right?¡± Ian remained silent. His only change is that his face becomes paler. I was scared. ¡®What kind of culture in the hell is that!¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Please tell me, too. Okay? That¡¯s how I can get ready.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s. That, culture.¡± ¡°It is a bad custom that needs to be abolished.¡± I thought of something right! Apart from being scared, Ian¡¯s reaction raised my curiosity even more. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡®What is it that you¡¯re supposed to take care of?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a famous tradition that everyone knows about, but can we leave it out at will?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make it like that.¡± Ian said with a determined expression on his face. Then he looked down at his hand, which was resting on my stomach, and yanked it out quickly, as if he had been burned. As if he¡¯s now conscious of the touch. ¡°Sir Ian?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s best if you finish practicing breathing with Dame Joan. It¡¯s gotten a lot better.¡± I stared at Ian, who was strangely acting as if he wanted to keep his distance from me. His fair face, which seemed colder, was unusually red, making him appear more charming than usual. What is it? ¡°What kind of culture is that, anyway?¡± ¡°Are you agitated right now?¡± ¡°I am not. Because it has nothing to do with us anyway. More than that, now that we have the basics, let¡¯s move on to practice.¡± Suddenly? Ian said, as if making excuses, when I turned around with a surprised expression. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡± *** The ¡®actual battle¡¯ that Ian spoke of was not swordsmanship. I was holding hands with Ian in a waltz position in the middle of his spacious office. Ian¡¯s body was strangely stiff, unlike the last time when he placed his hands on my stomach without hesitation. His appearance shows that he had never been this close to a woman. ¡°Do you know how to waltz?¡± ¡°Um, a little bit?¡± I nodded, recalling what I had learned in gym class a couple of times. ¡°There won¡¯t be any difficult moves.¡± Surprisingly, Ian led me smoothly. I wondered how a man who seemed to have never held hands with a woman was so good at this. Was it the basic knowledge of the imperial family? But there was a problem. Ian¡¯s movements leading me were flawlessly perfect. However, there was one thing that did not work. ¡®Even if my expression looks like a stone, I will look at you more lovingly than you are, my soon-to-be husband.¡¯ Ian¡¯s eyes were too stiff when he looked down at me. Ian was still a person who didn¡¯t look at me with loving eyes before we talked about wedding culture. But he became more rigid after we talked about it. I couldn¡¯t tell if I was his wife, whom he couldn¡¯t help but love, or a business partner he had met today, whom he was dancing with. ¡°That. Sir Ian.¡± I couldn¡¯t take it any longer and opened my mouth. ¡°Your eyes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking at me in a businesslike manner.¡± It¡¯s been a month since I fell into this world and pretended to be Ian¡¯s fake lover. From my observation, the people of this world are obsessed with love gossip. They all have big ears and are hawk-eyed when it comes to gossip. Ian¡¯s stiff gaze would undoubtedly be caught in a split second. ¡°You can¡¯t do that. You have to look at me properly.¡± ¡°¡­Do I have to look at you properly?¡± Why are you doing this to me? Why are you like someone who doesn¡¯t know anything? His act of monopolizing me was great when he met Rashid at the library. Even when interrogating Count Paras, he acted as if he had a lot of smoke coming out of his eyes, as if he was worried about me. ¡®You have potential.¡¯ ¡°First, wrap your hand around my waist more properly.¡± As I wrapped Ian¡¯s hand around my waist even tighter, as if he was touching something dangerous, Ian¡¯s body suddenly stiffened. ¡°And look down at me, and lower your eyes a little.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian didn¡¯t answer, but he seemed to be trying to do what I said. The fact that his face was flawless just by lowering his eyes was perfect thanks to his long lashes. ¡°You have to keep looking at me. Blink your eyes from time to time.¡± Ian appeared to be doing his best to carry out my instructions. Blue eyes like the sea looked down at me quietly. I stopped breathing for a moment. It was strange. We were just looking at each other, but we couldn¡¯t move as if we were trapped. ¡®What.¡¯ An alarm sounded in my mind. There was a gap in our eye-to-eye session that was filled with blank space. I tried to open my mouth forcefully, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as I had hoped. What is this all of a sudden? I tried closing my eyes, but that didn¡¯t work either. I couldn¡¯t turn away from Ian¡¯s gaze, as if closing my eyes would be disastrous. CH 34 ¡®¡­.Get a hold of yourself, Lee Seoyeon!¡¯ I quickly muttered to myself. ¡°And?¡± The silence was broken by the sound of a low voice. I looked up at Ian, and didn¡¯t respond to anything. Then, in a slightly baffled tone, he asked, ¡°What should I do next?¡± He sounds like a well-behaved student. It was only after that that I was able to regain my sense of reality, as the voice didn¡¯t sit well with Ian. ¡°That, hmm, so.¡± I said as I coughed in vain. ¡°The most important thing is to keep your eyes fixed on me. Most people will be tricked if you just do that.¡± ¡°Keep my eyes fixed on you.¡± After he repeated my words, Ian asked. ¡°Is it that important?¡± ¡°Of course. People who are in love can¡¯t take their eyes off the other person¡¯s every move. You have to look at me with the intention of looking to see whether I¡¯m not hot, tired, or thirsty.¡± I¡¯m not a dating expert, but I¡¯ve gained experience by learning from people in my life and through external media. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ian nodded for a moment, but there was still an expression on his face that he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I understand. Then?¡± ¡°You listen to me very well today.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no one to ask to teach me in this way.¡± That was definitely true. I would have been better than Ian, who would have strived to be a cardinal his entire life, no matter how inexperienced I was. ¡°And, um. This is obvious, but I have my doubts that Ian will be able to follow it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ian said, raising one of his brows. I coughed and said, ¡°Smile. While looking at me.¡± A slightly puzzled expression appeared on Ian¡¯s face. His appearance shows that he was struggling to follow. Then, gently, he raised the corners of his lips. Just one side. ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Right now, only one corner of your mouth was raised. What kind of a husband who gives his wife ¡®that look¡¯?¡± Ian bit the inside of his lower lip. He still looked as if he had no idea what it meant. ¡°Did you laugh the last time I swung my wooden sword? Think about that time.¡± ¡°Ah. I was laughing at you then.¡± ¡°You are proud of it!¡± This really¡­! Ian burst out laughing when I became emotional. This time it was a big smile, but it was still far from the subtle smile that should be seen when we dance. This isn¡¯t the case. I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and reached out my hand. Then my fingertips touched Ian¡¯s lips. The Commander of the Holy Knights¡¯ lips, which were occasionally threatening and criticizing, were surprisingly softer than I expected. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ian was startled and backed away. Then I gave him a cold stare. ¡°Please stay still. The person who said the wedding is just around the corner is Sir Ian, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian remained still as I approached him again. I slightly raised Ian¡¯s mouth up. Both sides of his mouth. ¡°All you have to do is smile a little like this. It¡¯s strange that you raised it so high.¡± There was no response from him. As I touched Ian¡¯s lips, he looked down at me with a small smile. His eyes were filled with confusion that were looking at me. As if he is asking if he is doing well right now. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian didn¡¯t say anything and just smiled, which resulted in silence. Without saying anything, I raised my eyes to the work I¡¯d done. Because of the unfamiliarity, I unconsciously admired the beauty in front of me for a brief moment. ¡®¡­..It is a face that can instantly steal the heroine¡¯s heart.¡¯ My mouth felt dry due to the feeling of seeing something I shouldn¡¯t see. I finally took my gaze away from Ian and said, ¡°First of all, you did it well. Did I tell you that the most important thing is to smile? you must study it on your own until the wedding.¡± ¡°I had no idea there would be homework.¡± Ian finally opened his mouth, then quickly reverted to his usual demeanor. Then I looked straight at Ian again. ¡°Then did you think that I was the only one who had to work hard? We have to work together. To pull off such a huge con.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course it is.¡± Ian quickly grasped the condition. For a brief moment, the two con artists exchanged glances. The wedding is only three days away. It was time to be determined. *** This day has finally arrived. I awoke in my bedroom, sternly staring at the ceiling. ¡®Is it today?¡¯ I think I woke up with this similar determination feeling on the day of the Saintess¡¯s Appointment ceremony. I have to reaffirm my resolution every few days. However, I was not as scared as the Saintess¡¯ Appointment ceremony had been. My neck will not fly away if I fail. But it was true that I was nervous. ¡®Of course. This wedding will be attended by half of the people in the capital.¡¯ Huu, I took a deep breath. Weddings in the Rehart Empire last three days. The first day is the eve of a joyful meal and drink. The second day is the long-awaited wedding day. On the third day, The bride and groom left for their honeymoon, while the rest of the guests ate and drank their hearts out. Today is the first of them. In other words, it was less nerve-wracking than the main ceremony on the second day. The marriage eve began in the evening. Mercy came to see me during my relatively leisurely morning. ¡°The tiara is ready.¡± Mercy returned her gaze to the staff. The staff then proudly opened a large jewelry box. ¡°¡­ Wow.¡± For a brief second, I was mesmerized by the light emanating from it. The large emerald embedded in the center of the tiara definitely drew a lot of attention. I¡¯ve never considered myself to be particularly fond of jewelry. Of course, sparkling jewels are lovely, but I couldn¡¯t understand why such a large sum of money was being spent. But at this moment, I completely understood the hearts of people who were possessed by jewels like crows. ¡°Beautiful.¡± I muttered without realizing it. The emerald, which seemed enchanted just by looking at it, emitted a splendid light in all directions, as if it were alive. Mercy smiled and gave a satisfied nod. ¡°It¡¯s a masterpiece. It was a godsend to be able to use the finest emeralds from the Bernil Mine.¡± ¡°The finest emerald¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal for the price to rise because the mine kept this kind of stuff for a few years and didn¡¯t sell it, but for some reason, they agreed to sell it to Lady Irene willingly. That¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± I nodded my head quickly. Whatever it was, it was exciting to be able to wear this jewel, which must be the most beautiful thing in the world, on my head for only one day. ¡®What if my eyes soar to the sky and suffer a year later?¡¯ [TL/N: my eyes soar to the sky means the standard become high.] When the question arose in an instant, I immediately shook my head. Most likely not. My petit bourgeois sensitivity could not have yielded in just one year. Annette and the maids began dressing me up around lunchtime after Mercy and the staff returned. Because today is the eve, I didn¡¯t dress as opulently as a wedding dress. Instead, a dress that fluttered like a butterfly and slightly stuck to the body was prepared. I was surprised when I looked in the mirror. It wasn¡¯t like ¡®Irene Grace¡¯, who I¡¯d been seeing every day for nearly a month. ¡®It¡¯s not the kind of clothes I usually wear.¡¯ Although Eluneism did not control how saintesses should dress, the majority of the clothes I wore were pure white and had a holy aura to them. My body lines were almost completely hidden. But, the dress I wore today was an alluring purple color and was quite tight around my body. ¡®What is Ian trying to do now?¡¯ Are you dressing up from head to toe like me? No, I couldn¡¯t imagine him quietly entrusting me to the maid because of his personality. Perhaps today, I thought that he would appear in a different appearance than usual. My expectations were completely shattered after a few hours. ¡°Lady Irene, the Commander has arrived.¡± Annette approached and whispered with a delighted expression on her face. Annette had been more excited than I had been all day. I smiled and nodded because she was cute. ¡°Please come in.¡± The sun was setting as I looked out the window. To put it another way, the eve had finally began. In the glass greenhouse where the banquet was held, a large number of people would have already arrived. Clack, I turned around when I heard the door open. ¡®Are you here?¡¯ I was planning on greeting you. But I completely forgot what I was going to say the moment I turned my head back. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Oh my gosh. Oh My God. I was startled and jumped to my feet. ¡°What is this?¡± I mumbled unconsciously, rushing up to Ian. Ian was quite surprised when he saw me striding toward him without saying hello. I didn¡¯t care why Ian was acting that way; I approached him and looked up and down. ¡°Ha, Sir Ian.¡± ¡°¡­.What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Who the hell picked your outfit for today?¡± Ian was wearing a thin blue coat. It wasn¡¯t the same as the hard knight¡¯s conquest he usually wore. This side had a much more casual feel. It was good up there. The problem wasn¡¯t that. ¡°This dress shirt¡­¡± I looked in the middle of Ian¡¯s shirt in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s too short!¡± I quickly whispered with my head close to Ian¡¯s. The white dress shirt had a much deeper cut around the neck in comparison to the uniform. The collarbone and the bottom of it are exposed to an extent. Ian had a puzzled expression on his face as he looked down at my dress. ¡°What did you mean by this? Every man passing by was wearing something like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s other people! You can¡¯t. Why don¡¯t you know that?¡± The other men were other men, and Ian was Ian. Even though they had their necks exposed a little, the other men did not give off an atmosphere where they had nowhere to lay their eyes. ¡°What the hell are you talking about¡­Do I dress up so wrong that you become angry before you even say hello?¡± Ian frowned lightly. He had no idea what was wrong. I tapped my forehead. What should I do with this sinful man? CH 35 I glanced back at Annette to get support from her. ¡°Miss Annette, Miss Annette, please say something. Isn¡¯t this outfit completely inappropriate? Especially that shirt!¡± ¡°Uh, uhuh¡­I think he¡¯s just perfect in my eyes¡­I, I don¡¯t know!¡± Annette replied stutteringly. Annette¡¯s eyes were wandering, indicating she was completely oblivious to the problem. It was a rare occurrence when Annette and I disagreed on something. ¡°Dame Joan! Dame Joan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, Lady Irene. In my opinion, the Commander¡¯s outfit is no different than that of any noble man.¡± Dame Joan replied in agony. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m an outsider in this kind of situation.¡± Dame Joan also did not give a satisfactory answer. I looked back at Ian and took a deep breath. ¡°Haa. It¡¯s the time, I can¡¯t ask you to change your attire now.¡± ¡°Are you so troubled that I have to change my clothes?¡± Ian muttered to me and looked down at his outfit again. He still didn¡¯t seem to get it. He looked at me with a slight frown and furrowed brows, as if he had noticed something. ¡°Wait a minute. Did you start it in case I pointed you first?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me who has the problem with my outfit, but it¡¯s you.¡± Ian pointed out to me on the contrary this time. I looked down at my clothes in embarrassment. True, the line was a little tighter around my body than I usually wear, but only slightly. ¡°Are you kidding me? What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know? Perhaps your standards for judging others and for judging yourself are different?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°After you point out the clothes I¡¯m wearing that give me nowhere to look, who is pointing out to whom¡­¡± Ian looked at my clothes with astonishment, then averted his gaze as if he¡¯d seen something he shouldn¡¯t have. Then he started pointing it out to the maid this time. ¡°If my wife didn¡¯t know the problem, you should have said it.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, I apologize¡­.¡± The maid apologized, but it was clear from their expressions that they were forced to apologize. No, what Joseon Dynasty does that person belong to? With a puzzled expression on my face, I looked at Ian. ¡°Please don¡¯t blame them. What do you think of this dress? When I wear only white clothes every day, I fear that I will spill anything, but I think I will live a little longer now.¡± I wondered what the bride and groom were doing on the eve of the wedding while I was grumbling. I sighed and returned Annette¡¯s gaze. Dame Joan and Annette, who had been exchanging meaningless glances, were taken aback and turned to stare at me. ¡°Can we leave soon?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. of course!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± I raised my arms up to chest height toward Ian in a fairly natural posture now. Ian began to escort me by supporting my arm, as if he was already used to this attitude. The cathedral has a huge glass greenhouse. It was a greenhouse with colorful flowers that could only be found in the southern regions, and it was where most of the banquets were held. As soon as we walked in, everyone¡¯s gaze was drawn to us. ¡°That¡¯s Sir Ian and Lady Irene.¡± ¡°, you two look more beautiful today.¡± ¡°Haa, how can a couple look so good together¡­¡± Even today, the people of Rehart were whispering loudly, and I pretended not to hear them and gave a gentle smile to those people. The sound of soft music, the aroma of fragrant food, and the laughter of people filled the greenhouse. I took a quick look around inside. Fortunately, Rashid did not seem to be present today. Everyone gathered here had a warm expression on their face as if they were simply blessing my and Ian¡¯s marriage. That¡¯s right, at least on the outside. With a happy bride¡¯s face, I happily entered the greenhouse and enjoyed the eve. *** The highlight of the eve was the ball. Perhaps because it was a rare event in the cathedral, the bishops and priest in attendance appeared to be having more fun than usual. It seemed that time had passed slowly. Ian and I faced each other in the middle of the glass greenhouse. ¡°Do you remember?¡± Ian whispered while we were facing each other closely. ¡°Things you practiced.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I answered confidently. When I returned from practicing the waltz with Ian, I attempted to review it on my own. The body of number 76, which I entered, seemed to have good motor nerves. When I went a month or so without exercising, my body began to creak, but once I started moving again, it quickly became agile. In other words, avoiding stepping on Ian¡¯s foot while dancing the waltz was a piece of cake. The harp and violin began to play sweet melodies. ??We took each other¡¯s hands in ours. Ian¡¯s eyes while looking up close were also unrealistic today. I was worried that I would stumble again because I was stiff, just like I was a few days ago when I practiced. But fortunately my body was quite comfortable today. ¡®No wonder today, I¡¯m not that nervous.¡¯ It was probably because everything in this moment was too unrealistic. The beautiful sound of music and the eyes of people who only look at us like fireflies. Above all, the sapphire-colored eyes that only look at me, as well as the reflection of myself in them. Everything was so unrealistic that I wondered if this was a dream. A dream that Seoyeon, who lives in Korea, had by chance one night. ¡®Of course I know that¡¯s not possible.¡¯ I was in a state of complete surrender a month after being possessed. Now my world was here. The home for me to return back now doesn¡¯t exist anymore. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± My ear was pierced by a low voice asking a question. I gave Ian a blank stare. Curiosity gleamed in his blue eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re thinking about me.¡± I was a little embarrassed by the sudden talk. It seemed that I had been caught on to something that I had been so enchanted for. ¡°¡­.Of course, I¡¯m thinking about Ian. It¡¯s the day before the wedding, so of course I¡¯m thinking about the man who will be my husband tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really? Are you really paying attention?¡± Ian said as he hugged my waist even tighter. I asked back, moving at his lead. ¡°Yes, it is true. Why do you keep asking?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. For some reason, you look a little sad.¡± I blinked my eyes slowly. Was it obvious that I was thinking of something else? With a smile, I said nothing. ¡°I think it¡¯s Marriage Blue.¡± ¡°Marri¡­..What did you say?¡± ¡°Ugh, I guess it¡¯s wrong. Why, they say that brides get depressed before marriage.¡± Is there such a thing here? Well, I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter because the minds of people getting married in any world would be the same. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Dark blue eyes stared at me. ¡°To make a contract with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a brief moment, I did not respond to the unexpected question. Do I regret it? No, that couldn¡¯t have happened. The contract with Ian was the best choice I had made at the time. So the word regret was absurd. I smiled and shook my head. ¡°Not at all. You¡¯ll definitely fulfill the contract until the end.¡± ¡°To help you disappear to a place where no one could find you¡­Do you mean it?¡± Ian, who muttered to himself, was deafeningly quiet, as if absorbed in thought. He asked again after a while. ¡°Are you still adamant about not changing your mind? The thought of wanting to disappear.¡± ¡°Yes. Sure.¡± I nodded as if I was sure about it. ¡°Even if it¡¯s changed, we can¡¯t do anything now because we signed an immutable contract, right?¡± ¡°¡­You are right.¡± Ian smiled dimly. It was a real smile, not a fake one, that I had never taught him that smile before. His real smile was so beautiful that it couldn¡¯t be compared to the fake one he got from acting. Suddenly, I felt sad. If this were a dream, I would be able to concentrate completely right now. But this was all unmistakably real. Because of that, I had to take one step away and focus on the present moment. So that I don¡¯t become too immersed in this place right now. *** The moon had fully risen, and the clock was pointing towards late night. However, the excitement inside the greenhouse didn¡¯t die down. When I heard people talking and laughing, it made me dizzy. ¡°Is that really true?¡± I put down the glass of fruit wine that I had been sipping, and glinted my eyes. Because what I just heard was quite interesting. ¡°Did Baron Freeman really get a divorce?¡± ¡°Yes, it is true!¡± I overheard the ladies gossiping about Baron Freeman¡¯s cheating while I was acting in the rose garden with Ian the other day. I was curious to hear the story behind it. A lady standing next to Cordelia nodded enthusiastically in response to that question. ¡°However, don¡¯t be surprised. Did you know the baroness is walking around with a young man on her side as soon as the baron signs her divorce contract?¡± ¡°Oh my, oh my. Was it a revenge affair?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Baron Freeman seems so convinced! He appears to be pleading with the bishops to stop the divorce proceedings, it¡¯s not like bargaining at the market; he can¡¯t just get divorced and then take one back, being fickle.¡± ¡°I agree. I agree. Hohoho!¡± The interesting rumor elicited a light guffaw from the ladies. Of course I was one of them. It¡¯s always interesting to talk about it, whether it¡¯s this world or the other world. I looked around, sipping the wine again. I could see Ian talking to Lucian from a few steps away. He seemed to be talking about work because his expression was solemn. ¡®Poor new groom. He can¡¯t even rest in a place like this.¡¯ I was thinking it was someone else¡¯s business so I ignored it and got up from my seat. ¡°I¡¯ll bring some more dessert.¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s right there.¡± I smiled as I walked over to the buffet table. For some reason, the table, which was always filled with people, was quiet. I suddenly felt a presence approaching me as I was choosing which food to take. ¡®Is it Ian?¡¯ When I looked back, ¡°Hi? Number 76.¡± A low hissing voice like a snake. I held my breath. Goosebumps spread all over my body. ¡°Don¡¯t turn your head, just listen.¡± CH 36 ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll give you a compliment.¡± My body froze and I couldn¡¯t answer anything. ¡°You¡¯re really becoming Ian Esteban¡¯s wife. That¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We thought you were being overly reckless. 100,000 Mars were hanging on the belief that it would turn out to be a corpse within ten days. You know what?¡± The man who was leaning in close to me kept whispering in an obnoxious tone. ¡°How did you seduce him? Did you twist your tongue and say that this is the only way to calm down the scandal? I didn¡¯t know you were so quick-witted. People say that just before you die, your brain works fast.¡± His low, insidious voice giggled. ¡°Well, in the end, you became more useful. It¡¯s as if a pawn transformed into a knight. Congratulations.¡± I clenched my teeth. I shouldn¡¯t have been discovered as Lee Seo-yeon; I am not their puppet. My trembling body had barely calmed down. Now my life, number 76, is in their hands. ¡°I don¡¯t think Ian Esteban really fell in love with you, but you both are a famous married couple, so you will be in the same bed with him every night. Now, I¡¯ll hand this over to you. This is a precious item, so take it well.¡± A cold, hard object slipped into the palm of my hand. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to lower my head and check it, so I bit my lips instead. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°A pendant studded with obsidian. It¡¯s pretty, but if the bishops here find out what you¡¯re holding, well, that¡¯s the end of it. Perhaps you will be burned at the stake?¡± Hearing those words, the pendant in my hand felt like the tip of an awl. The Nine guild members grinned. ¡°Keep this near Ian Esteban for at least ten minutes every night. If you stay in the same bed with him, it will be fine within range. Anything beyond that becomes difficult.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well. Isn¡¯t it not that difficult, right? Simply hold it in your arms and fall asleep while holding it.¡± The Nine guild members spoke to me as if I were a kindergartener. I gripped the pendant tightly. If I am caught with this object by Cathedral members, I will be burned at the stake. That meant this was such an evil object. ¡®It has begun. A magic trick on Ian.¡¯ In the original story, I did not know exactly how Nine succeeded in putting a magic trick on Ian. Because it was not described. But this was the only certainty I had. Fate has changed. In this new fate, I am the medium who casts a magic spell on him. To put it another way, I became number 76. I used my tongue to moisten the dry roof of my mouth then opened my mouth. ¡°If I do that, what will happen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, right?¡± The guild member¡¯s voice immediately became irritated. That was then. My thigh throbbed with a burning pain. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I barely suppressed the spontaneous groan that was about to escape out of my mouth. My thigh, where Nine¡¯s tattoo was visible, hurt like an iron was pressed against it. The guild member came closer to me, with my face contorted as I endured the pain. ¡°Why are you being so conceited? Are you happy that I complimented you? Yes, you are only a chess piece.¡±[1] ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Do not forget. Your life is in our hands. But I promise. If you complete this mission successfully, I will reward you in ways that a like you could never imagine. Yes, we are slaves who are not even commoners¡­ But if you have money, you can eat a lot of delicious food and wear pretty clothes. It¡¯s good, right?¡± What is good about that? You son of b*tch. My face began to break out in cold sweat slowly. He didn¡¯t even recite the spell. Still, he was able to inflict such pain on me in an instant. If I made up my mind, he could end my life right here on the spot. It wasn¡¯t a bluff that my life was in their hands. ¡°You should feel grateful. Thanks to us, you were able to become a woman of the Holy Knight Commander, even only for a moment¡­¡± ¡°Lady Irene?¡± A low voice rang out in my ears. My body stiffened as I realized who it was. It was Ian¡¯s voice. I hurriedly straightened my face. At that moment, his face was reflected in the glass table. I straightened out my trembling eyes and loosened the corners of my stiff lips. I looked back after taking a few deep breaths. ¡°Ah. Sir Ian.¡± Ian approached me with a puzzled expression, having just finished a conversation with Lucian. He staggered on his long legs and came closer to me in an instant, looking me in the eyes. ¡°Your complexion.¡± Ian¡¯s forehead narrowed slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did something happen?¡± This time, his attention was drawn to the Nine Guild One standing beside me. Ian said this while checking the guild member from head to toe. ¡°Who is it? What is your name and position?¡± I clenched my fists tightly. I felt a sense of relief the moment I saw Ian, as if I¡¯d been pulled out of the water. The Nine Guild member smiled at Ian with a gentle smile. I finally saw the guild member¡¯s face for the first time. He seemed to be a young man. Contrary to what he had whispered to me, the guild member said with a friendly face. ¡°Haha, the commander is very cold. My name is Edward of Baron Vichen.¡± ¡°Edward Vichen.¡± As if muttering, Ian uttered the name. Although his identity was revealed, Ian¡¯s eyes were still cold when he looked at Edward. ¡°So, what¡¯s your business with my bride?¡± ¡°We were just having a light conversation, haha.¡± ¡°Judging by your face, it doesn¡¯t look like you were just having a light conversation, my bride.¡± Ian frowned as he looked over my face. Edward¡¯s eyes were piercing and he was staring right at me. I bit the flesh in my mouth. My body was engulfed by the anger rising from my thighs, but it was not the time to act emotionally. ¡®You have to pull yourself together.¡¯ I smiled broadly. Very wide. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how quickly time passed because he told me so many funny stories.¡± When I looked up at Ian and said so, he looked at me as if he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Funny stories?¡± ¡°Yes. He is a great storyteller. I guess I was too preoccupied to realize. Have I been away for a long time? I will go back now.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Ian stopped me just as I was about to move. ¡°Lucian.¡± ¡°Yes! Commander!¡± Lucian, who had been one step away, rushed over to Ian¡¯s call. Ian sighed and looked down at Edward, tilting his head. ¡°Investigate a man named Edward Vichen. Especially about his position.¡± I was taken aback by Ian¡¯s reaction. Was it your decision to do this because of my screwed up face? My face looked fine the last time I checked.. It was a little paler than usual, but there was nothing much different. ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± ¡°Sir Ian, haha. You are suspicious of me. I was just here to celebrate your wedding.¡± ¡°I will find out when I finish investigating you.¡± Ian¡¯s tone was cold. Edward appeared perplexed, but not entirely befuddled. Perhaps Edward Vichen doesn¡¯t have a problem with his identity. I slightly bit my lower lip before quickly changing my expression and returning my gaze to Ian. ¡°Ian, this person must be confused. By the way, would you like to try this jelly? It was very sweet and delicious.¡± I picked up the pink jelly on the buffet table and brought it to Ian¡¯s lips as I said this. Ian looked at me as if he was about to refuse it. I lowered my voice and whispered. ¡°Hurry up, hurry up. My hand hurts.¡± Everyone seemed to be staring at my aegyo in this direction. Ian sensed that everyone¡¯s gaze was drawn to us, and for a moment he looked nervous, he soon opened his mouth. I lowered my voice and whispered once more. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very sweet.¡± Ian was annoyed because he was eating sweet jelly, and while saying that his voice was slightly squashed. Even so, he chewed and swallowed the jelly without spitting it out. I felt compelled to compliment him. I turned to Edward. I asked what he was doing and told him to leave quickly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave now. I hope you have a good night.¡± Lucian smiled softly and took Edward away. I stared at Edward¡¯s back for a moment as he walked away. That punk. Why did you come here on a day like this and take on such folly? ¡°I just want him to disappear¡­.¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ I clenched my right hand and blinked foolishly. It¡¯s gone. The pendant. Until recently, I was holding it in my hand. ¡°Irene? What¡¯s wrong with you again?¡± Ian¡¯s voice startled me, and I raised my head. ¡°Ah, It¡¯s nothing. Would you like some more jelly?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ian stated firmly, as if he disliked the jelly. Even though I smiled as if I was teasing his face, my insides were in a panic. ¡®Where did it go?¡¯ Did I lose it? I slowly glanced at the floor. Also, the pendant was nowhere to be found. I couldn¡¯t lose that thing. ¡°Didn¡¯t that guy say something really strange?¡± ¡°He really didn¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried. How can a bride talk to another man for so long on the eve of our marriage?¡± ¡°Ah, was that the problem? I¡¯m sorry. You are secretly monopolistic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about monopoly¡­¡± I could hear Ian say something, but I couldn¡¯t understand him. I almost had a brain fog. Where did the pendant go? ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m going to get some fresh air.¡± In the aristocratic culture of the Rehart Empire, these words also meant going to the bathroom. Ian gave a slightly suspicious expression, but then nodded his head. ¡°See you later.¡± ¡°Lady Irene, I¡¯ll follow you!¡± Annette quickly followed me after catching Ian¡¯s eye. She didn¡¯t follow me all the way to the bathroom, fortunately. I was left alone, and then I groped every part of my body. I clearly didn¡¯t spill it. So where the hell did it go? ¡°Where did the pendant go?¡± That was then. My hand had the same cold, heavy feeling as before. ¡®Uh?¡¯ I stared blankly down at my right hand. Like a lie, a pendant in my hand. Notes: [1] Chess piece means pawn CH 37 ¡°Wh-what is this?¡± I stared at the jewelry with trembling eyes. The pendant¡¯s central piece of black obsidian shone opulently. Am I dreaming? Or Am I crazy? I quickly thought of a word and felt dumb. ¡®Subspace.¡¯ A virtual space for storing items appeared. Additionally, Ian stored his treasured weapon in a subspace. The method for opening the subspace itself is simple if you have the ability. It is said that just thinking about hiding something while in contact with it is enough. I gulped down my saliva and stared intently at the pendant. ¡°Disappear.¡± The pendant vanished like a lie as soon as I said that. ¡°¡­.The pendant.¡± This time it appeared in my hand again. ¡°Ha.¡± I let out a smirk. This made it clear: This body, number 76, can open subspace. However, obtaining subspace would be quite challenging. ¡°What the heck, this body¡­.¡± I looked down at my body in disbelief. What powers are hidden in this body? ¡°Lady Irene? Are you okay?¡± Annette¡¯s voice came from the doorway, and she sounded worried. I guess I wasted too much time. I calmed myself down and cleared my throat. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± Thankfully, the voice that came out was perfectly normal. I turned around and looked in the mirror. A pink-haired woman was reflected in the mirror. ¡®Get hold of myself.¡¯ This was not the time to be foolishly embarrassed. I had to come to my senses and accept what had to be accepted as possible. ¡®For now, I have to keep this hidden.¡± I stared at the pendant. This stupid things that Nine passed on. This had to be a piece of evil magic. ¡°Disappear.¡± As soon as I said it, the pendant vanished from my hand, as if it had never existed. I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob. Annette, who had been waiting for me, gave me a cheery smile as she turned around. ¡°Miss Annette. Have you been waiting long?¡± I grinned broadly as I turned to face Annette. *** The wedding eve party lasted until late last night, but the bride, who was me, and the groom, Ian, left before midnight. It was natural. Because we are the main characters in this important ceremony today. This morning as I got up, the servants¡¯ soft hands greeted me. ¡°Oh my, your skin is as soft as milk.¡± ¡°Any color would look good on this kind of skin.¡± I only sloppily grinned in response to the unexpected barrage of compliments. My appearance was certainly something to behold, perfectly clothed down to the jewelry. Bright pink hair, pure white wedding dress. The enchanting emerald tiara that held the veil, which fluttered like butterfly wings. The perfect implacable bride in May. April has arrived, but¡­ I suddenly thought of my best friend that I had left here on the other world. ¡®Soyeon. I¡¯m getting married.¡¯ If I said that, are you going to kick me in the a** for talking such nonsense this time? But I¡¯m really getting married, Soyeon. Of course it is only a fake marriage and a year later is the day it will flake out. However, I became the wife of a handsome man for one year. ¡®If I say this, will you be jealous of me this time?¡¯ No. Maybe it¡¯s all over, so you¡¯ll cry for me to come back soon. How are you, Soyeon? What the hell is happening to my body right now in that world? No way, Could it be that my body just ? Perhaps that¡¯s why I can¡¯t go back? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Whether this is a real or fake marriage, it seems that there is such a thing as a marriage blue. I shook my head as my head began to fill with slightly emotional thoughts. The moment wasn¡¯t right to let my emotions take over. I had somehow survived and returned to my original world. A place where I really should be. ¡®Alright. Get hold of myself!¡¯ I clenched my fists as I looked in the mirror. The maids were talking about how they mistook my face in their whispers to one another. ¡°You must be nervous.¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯ll be nervous, today is the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the person you love.¡± ¡­ I decided to ignore their misunderstanding. *** ¡°Oh¡­.my god.¡± I opened my mouth wide as I gazed out the window. The spacious coach house in the Cathedral was full of carriages. ¡°No way, aren¡¯t they all guests?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, Why won¡¯t they be? Do you think they are here to hear Mass?¡± Annette softly laughed, as if my question was amusing. It wasn¡¯t funny at all. I was stunned at the sight of the carriage that seemed to fill even a 10-lane road. ¡®All these people are watching the ceremony today!¡¯ How the heck is this ceremony so big? I was guessing, but seeing it with my own eyes made me even more nervous. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Even though I didn¡¯t have stage fright, I thought I¡¯d get that new sickness today. ¡°Everyone is here to celebrate Lady Irene¡¯s happy day!¡± As if she were proud of everything, Annette looked pleased. With a serious expression, Dame Joan spoke with the knights from afar. She seemed to be checking the security plan within the day. ¡°Where is Sir Ian right now?¡± Annette laughed as if she couldn¡¯t dry it when I inadvertently asked the question. Perhaps she was excited or her anxiety was at an all-time high today. ¡°Did you miss him so much? At least not for the time being, Lady Irene. Before walking down the wedding aisle, you are not allowed to see the groom¡¯s face!¡± Annette said, waving her fingers. I was just curious if that person was as nervous as I am. ¡®No. He can¡¯t be like that.¡¯ He may be buried in a pile of papers until just before the ceremony, and then wake up slowly with a face of boredom to when the time comes. It¡¯s like going to take care of an office schedule. What. Actually today is one of his office schedules. I smiled bitterly as I looked at Annette and the maids, who were drunk on the pink stream of the word wedding. ¡®I don¡¯t know that today¡¯s main character, the bride, is complaining of abdominal pain ahead of a public fraud.¡¯ It¡¯s okay. I can do it. I encouraged myself. I¡¯m acting the role of a bride in love; all I have to do now is do it well. It was also not that difficult. Didn¡¯t the actors do the same thing? Extreme emotions are said to make it easier to act. I¡¯m a very happy bride today! As the spirit had been instilled, it was time to move. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lady Irene!¡± I followed Annette and Dame Joan¡¯s escort. Surprisingly, along the path I needed to take, there was a dazzling pure white carpet on the floor. We went up by climbing the stairs. I recently climbed so many stairs that I would have easily become exhausted if I hadn¡¯t exercised under Sir Joan¡¯s and my dear husband-to-be. After going up several floors, the stairwell finally reached the top. As I was almost there, I stared ahead blankly. All of the Holy Knights along the wall saluted me at the same time. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m riding a wave every time I walk. As we walked with the knights saluting at us, the two knights guarding the door opened a huge door. I closed my eyes for a moment because the sunlight in April was pouring in brightly. And the moment I opened my eyes, in an instant, my mind went blank. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± A soft groan escaped from my lips. First, there was a long terrace that stretched outward. The ground was a riot of colors when I looked down over the railing. At first I thought it was a flower garden. But it wasn¡¯t. The colorful colors, each one of them, were people. ¡®Oh my gosh.¡¯ I remembered the words of a lady who said that half of the people of the capital would attend the wedding. I thought it was an exaggeration at the time, but now that I think about it, it could be true. ¡®What¡­ this big.¡¯ Rather, it seemed easier to believe that the CG was spread out in front of me. ¡°Waa!¡± When I appeared, everyone applauded. Applause and cheers were deafening. I just blinked my eyes like a fool. I didn¡¯t know much about this wedding. It was because of the superstition of the Rehart Empire that the bride should not not be directly involved in wedding preparations. All I had to do was choose a dress, jewelry, and accessories to wear on my body. ¡®I think I¡¯m going to faint.¡¯ If I said that I don¡¯t have stage fright, I¡¯ll take it back now. My legs were trembling because so many people were staring at me. ¡®Should¡­..Should I at least wave my hand?¡¯ Everyone does that in the movies¡­.! When I timidly raised one hand, the guests who filled the ground waved their hands at me. ¡°Waaa!¡± ¡°You are a saintess!¡± I felt guilty rather than thrilled as I looked down at those who were shouting with excitement. I¡¯m probably going to hell. How dare I cheat in front of so many people! Anyway¡­..I looked around. ¡®Where is my comrade who will go to hell together?¡¯ Ian was still nowhere to be seen. CH 38 Annette whispered to me, as if she had read my thoughts. ¡°The commander is behind you.¡± Annette pointed her finger somewhere. Only then did I notice that the end of the elongated terrace was covered with a white veil. ¡°The bride and groom cannot see each other until they pray together.¡± Annette¡¯s whispers gave me an uncanny feeling. There is a similar tradition in Korea, but usually the bride covers her face rather than the groom. It¡¯s like a veil on the head. And Ian is behind that veil. I felt like I was about to peel and eat a candy bag when he hid his face like that. I pushed aside my queer feelings and followed Annette¡¯s directions, who was my bridesmaid for the day, and headed toward the place where Ian was. At this moment, the numerous guests become quiet. As I walked in front of the veil, I stopped and blinked, feeling nervous. I¡¯ve arrived, so what should I do now? I¡¯m sure Annette explained this procedure, but I couldn¡¯t recall it. Even though I was nervous, I had walked up to this point, but my mind went blank at the crucial moment. ¡®Miss Annette, please help me.¡¯ But Annette, who was supposed to be my only savior, was now behind me, holding the hem of the dress. The only thing in front of me was a white veil. ¡®Can I just move forward?¡¯ Should I greet him before that? If I suddenly move forward, I think it¡¯s strange¡­! I was feeling agitated. Then a large hand flicked and tilted the veil from beyond. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± I raised my head, staring blankly at the familiar voice. His silver hair glistened in the sunlight. Ian looked absolutely stunning in his groom¡¯s white robe. It was not because of the backlight of the sun; he was already absolutely stunning himself. It¡¯s ironic to say such things now, but he was a beauty who moved my heart to admiration. I was so embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t say anything. I spoke stiffly enough that he missed my surprised expression. ¡°¡­I have to tilt it back.¡± ¡°Please tilt it back. Sure thing.¡± Ian shrugged, pointing to the veil. I pulled back the veil halfway to see him. It was then that Ian¡¯s face was fully revealed. ¡®¡­Oh my his face, really.¡¯ He was truly a holy man. Although on the subject of the new groom, he had an annoying smile on his lips. ¡°Are you satisfied¡±? ¡°Yes.¡± I answered bluntly. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Ian smiled then he held out his hand. A warm body temperature came through the white glove when I placed my hand on him. Although Ian had a higher body temperature than the others, he looked so cool. When I received the heat, I walked down the wedding aisle with Ian. The bishop who delivered the wedding congratulatory speech on the podium was waiting for us. He was a person who came out on behalf of Her Holiness the Cardinal, who had fallen sick. ¡°This is a very meaningful day.¡± The bishop smiled pleasantly and looked at us alternately. ¡°The sky is clear without a single cloud as if God Elune is also blessing the two of them. I sincerely congratulate the two on your decision to work together after unraveling your complicated and intertwined relationship.¡± As if reminiscent of the unique love story between me and Ian, the bishop gave a fleeting expression of emotion. Well. It was also a memorable story for me. As the Commander of the Holy Knights, he met a kidnapped and rescued her, and after having only forbidden feelings for each other, they were formed at the same time as she was chosen as a saintess. To some extent, the dramatic story must have enticed some of these numerous guests to come see it. ¡°The two met under God Elune¡¯s guidance. Do both of you swear to trust and love each other forever?¡± Eum. There were many problems in the line of protecting and loving, but the question of trust was especially difficult. I looked at Ian, feeling a slight prick of conscience. Ian was also standing facing me. It was now my turn to spit out only the oath¡¯s words. If I nod my head, Ian and I will be married at that moment. Although it¡¯s just on the outside. Then Ian opened his mouth. ¡°Yes. I swear.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t quivering at all. I can¡¯t lose to him. I¡¯ve already come this far and of course I didn¡¯t intend to step down. I smiled broadly and nodded afterwards. ¡°Yes. I swear.¡± ¡°Then, hereby.¡± The bishop spoke in an emotional voice. ¡°I declare that these two are married!¡± ¡°Waaaa!¡± A tremendous shout rang in my ears. *** ¡°Yes. I swear.¡± ??Irene said this with a bright smile on her face. Ian suddenly became curious. What is going through her mind right now? ¡®I thought you were nervous.¡¯ When he found a shadow who seemed hesitant beyond the wedding veil, he knew it was definitely her. Ian, who had been waiting for his bride for a long time, smiled and pulled his veil back instead of the bride¡¯s. There was Irene in a wedding dress. The color of her hair is as sweet as cotton candy sold on the street. Golden eyes, as if coated in honey and fragrant when smelled. She wore a beautiful wedding gown with a tiara made of jewelry that she chose herself. Irene, who was dressed up as a fairy and looked beautiful, seemed morose. ¡®¡­.I have to tilt it back.¡¯ Ian¡¯s face almost smiled as he looked at that face. Is she not good at acting at all? She didn¡¯t look like a new bride who should be excited. She is a woman with a subtle sly side, but she appeared nervous on a day like today. Ian was willing to lead his contract partner. ¡®Then let¡¯s go.¡¯ However, from the moment we held hands, Irene became different. When he was looking at her in front of the bishop, she really looked like a bride. A new bride who is loved, is in love with someone, and is immersed in happiness. Ian looked down at her silently for a moment. A big smile was shining on Irene¡¯s face. Ian gently narrowed the corners of his eyes as the sunlight reflected on it was unusually shining so brightly today. ¡°Then, please give the bride and groom a kiss of oath.¡± At the end of the officiating ceremony, Ian returned to reality. Irene opened her eyes round like a rabbit. Of course, she was aware of the procedure because she had heard of it, but when she heard that she was asked to kiss in front of so many people, she seemed surprised. Ian smiled faintly and gently grabbed Irene¡¯s chin. Her eyes, which were already round like a rabbit, widened even more. Ian paused for a moment instead of coming closer to her. Has he ever been so close to a woman before? He¡¯d never been closer to a woman except his family, even when fighting a woman with a sword. Ian drew his eyes closed slightly, trying not to be aware of the strange sense of distance he was experiencing. He could feel Irene¡¯s body stiffening as he bowed his head and approached her. Soon, the two of them were so close that their heads were overlapping. A thunderous shout rang out. ¡°Waaaa!¡± That was cheers wishing the two of them happiness. Ian whispered in between. Irene¡¯s lips were almost touching his when he spoke to her. ¡°I can¡¯t touch you, so don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Irene narrowed her forehead as if she sensed a teasing whisper. Her pink lips stiffened slightly, as if in embarrassment, before slowly opening up and whispering. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it touches me. Then it¡¯s Ian who¡¯s in trouble.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She wasn¡¯t an easy woman either. For a brief moment, the two who had opened their eyes exchanged combative glances. In the snowball fight, Ian was the first to admit defeat. Ian drew his head back and lowered his eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t help himself. Irene hurriedly bowed her head as soon as her head fell. Ian could no longer see her expression as a result of this. The bishop once again uttered congratulations and the guests¡¯ shouts continued unabated. ¡°Give me your hand again.¡± Ian turned to Irene and said. They walked together to the end of the terrace while holding hands. The large garden in front of the vast cathedral was filled with guests. They were all happy and excited, as if they were facing the king and queen. But, did everyone here really gather to bless them and Irene? ¡®??This cannot be true.¡¯ Ian gazed at Irene for a moment. She will be caught up in numerous whirlpools of interest in the future as a result of this fake marriage with her today. Those interests couldn¡¯t have been solely positive. Ian was well aware that there were already flying bugs on the prowl for an opportunity to approach Irene. She encountered one of them yesterday. ¡®Edward Vichen, did you say?¡¯ There was no problem with his identity, which was investigated by Lucian. Second son of Baron Vichen. His track record was generally clean, but there was one thing that caught him off guard. He was caught entering an illegal gambling house at least once a month. It was not unusual for the children of noble families who lived like Hanryang to come and go to such gambling houses¡­Well. It was necessary to investigate whether he approached Irene for personal interest or not. In the future, many people like that would approach Irene. And setting up a mosquito net near her, it was his role as a contract partner. *** ¡®I almost touched it.¡¯ My heart has been beating at 20m/s per second since earlier. If I do that, my life expectancy will be reduced and I will die young. ¡®I almost kissed him.¡¯ I was now making my way to the spacious cathedral garden for the reception that would follow. In other words, the main course had already been over. Still, after the kiss of the oath I had made with Ian earlier, I was in a panic the entire time. ¡®It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡¯ It didn¡¯t even touch. Ian merely tickled my lips with a whisper and then slipped away. So technically, it couldn¡¯t even be called a kiss. I¡¯m probably the only one who is still conscious of that. I slowly glanced at Ian, who was walking next to me. ¡®That person must have already forgotten it.¡¯ He told me to relax because he couldn¡¯t touch me. When I remembered the voice that teased me so leisurely, I was a little angry. Ian, a virgin loser crown prince, was so relaxed, but I couldn¡¯t have been the only one who panicked. I¡¯ll be as bold as I can. I made the decision to do something and put a bright smile to my lips. CH 39 We arrived at the garden¡¯s entrance. The knights guarding at the entrance did not move at all. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ With a puzzled expression on my face, I looked at the two knights. The two knights exchanged puzzled looks with me. What the¡­? ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Ian muttered something like what are you doing? The knights then withdrew with a puzzled expression. ¡°Yes, yep!¡± ¡°Oh, wait. Commander!¡± Lucian, who had been following from behind, hurriedly approached them. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Erm, Are you sure you don¡¯t follow tradition?¡± Tradition? I tilted my head. All I had to do was dress up in these heavy wedding dresses and hold Ian¡¯s hand, what kind of traditions¡­ I suddenly became hardened after thinking that far. The ¡®wedding tradition¡¯ that Cordelia and the salon people mentioned. The same culture that Cordelia had chastised for its lack of dignity. The culture of that guy who has no idea what it¡¯s all about! That was the only thing that came to mind right now. Is everyone wondering because we didn¡¯t follow tradition? ¡®But wasn¡¯t it Ian who said at our wedding we¡¯d get rid of that tradition?¡¯ I turned my gaze to Ian. He had a very stiff expression on his face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going to keep that tradition?¡± ¡°Ah¡­Akh, I¡¯m sorry. It is a pervasive tradition so I thought you would follow it too but it was my mistake.¡± Lucian nodded and stepped down. Phew, that¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way Ian couldn¡¯t have done his job properly. I returned my attention to the knights. I noticed people with bright eyes looking at us from the garden entrance beyond the knights. As the knights moved away, Ian and I walked towards the garden together. Then the eyes of the people turned queer. They have the same eyes as the knights from a while back. A look of utter doubts, as if there is nothing natural about it.. ¡°¡­Sir Ian.¡± I came to a halt and gently drew Ian along with me, we both came to a halt and turned to face me. I whispered to him. ¡°That tradition, is that tradition supposed to start now?¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Ian said, his face cowering. I returned my gaze to the crowd. The grown-ups had their faces fluttering like children in front of the cotton candy merchants. ¡®That tradition, that was said, is what everyone keeps in this empire.¡¯ I guess everyone is expecting us to keep it. Argh. I groaned. In this world, the tradition may be as matter-of-course as blowing the candles on a cake at a birthday party. ¡®If we don¡¯t keep it, everyone will be disappointed.¡¯ Ey. Nevermind. I clicked my tongue. They are people who don¡¯t mind their own dignity, but it¡¯s a wedding ceremony. They won¡¯t ask you to do spiteful things. However, The marriage between Ian and me is not based on true love. In other words, it meant that there was no substance. Because of that, I wanted to appear as plausible as the outer packaging. ¡°Sir Ian.¡± I whispered to Ian again. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but just do it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ian made a strange expression. I yanked on his sleeve once more and said, ¡°Let¡¯s keep that tradition. Everyone is looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel relieved when we said we wouldn¡¯t keep the tradition?¡± It was like that back then. I sighed. But then it was then! ¡°You will not die by doing it. Let¡¯s just close our eyes and do it.¡± In my opinion, if we didn¡¯t keep it, the rumor would come out like ¡®The wedding was all perfect, but one thing was disappointing!¡¯ Ian hardened his face as if he never wanted to do it. ¡®You old-fashioned man.¡¯ For a few seconds, Ian¡¯s eyes shook aimlessly. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, but do you have courage?¡± He sighed softly as he looked down at me after my last taunt. It meant that it was inevitable. I smiled upon realizing that subject came to me and succeeded. Right, you¡¯d better get it done quickly if you have to do it anyway. I don¡¯t know what kind of tradition it is, but should I cox the priest at the wedding? If I did it, it would be somewhat of a joke. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. Sure. I had completely made up my mind.¡± ¡°¡­.Excuse me, then.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve thought about it¡ª kyaaaaah!¡± I couldn¡¯t even finish talking and screamed. Ian wrapped his arm around my knee and hugged it tightly. My field of vision was suddenly turned 90 degrees, and I looked up at Ian, wide-eyed and perplexed. ¡°Why are you so surprised? You said you were ready.¡± ¡°No, I-I did, but¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d hug me out of the blue! The ¡®princess hug¡¯ position. Ian had just beaten me for the second time. Was it that tradition meant that we had to enter in this position? ¡°If you want to go back, go back now.¡± Ian said it with a crooked smile on his lips. I closed my lips tightly and bit down on my lower lip. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at him like this. His level was weaker than I expected. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go back at all. We are coming. Go.¡± I said so and patted his shoulder, and he snorted. Then he began to walk. I felt a lot of attention on us as I stepped out into the garden while Ian was still holding me in his arms. Everyone was staring at me, which was still tangled in Ian¡¯s arm, and they were all excited. ¡°, they have such a good relationship.¡± ¡°They are really a perfect couple. It¡¯s wonderful to see them upholding the tradition.¡± ¡°Look at the groom¡¯s unfaltering hold on the bride, while the other grooms fuss!¡± Do not forget their reactions. In a moment of embarrassment, I shifted my gaze to Ian¡¯s chest. The humiliation, however, did not end there. In the garden, there were numerous white tables, one of which was ours in front of the wedding arch. Ian strode there while holding me, then sat down in front of the table. Still the same as holding me. I hurriedly whispered as I sat still while on Ian¡¯s lap. ¡°Ar-Aren¡¯t you going to put me down?¡± ¡°Why should I put you down?¡± Ian returned my stare with a puzzled expression, as if he didn¡¯t understand what I was saying. Your face was too close. ??I slowly lowered my gaze, but all I could see was Ian holding my waist. I could take the princess¡¯s hug, but sitting on his lap was causing me some discomfort. ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to keep acting like this all the way through reception?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Ian smiled as he looked down at me. It was the smile I¡¯d taught him a couple of days before. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± I didn¡¯t teach you to smile like that in situations like this! With a gloomy expression on my face, I looked at Ian. But why does everything appear to be going so well with this person? Why do you think I¡¯m the only one who is uncomfortable? Then someone came and spoke to us. ¡°Congratulations on your wedding.¡± They were a couple who appeared to be of high social standing. As a citizen born and raised in Confucian culture, I naturally wanted to get up and say hello, but I couldn¡¯t because I was still in Ian¡¯s arms. I couldn¡¯t help but glance up at the couple as I sat on Ian¡¯s lap. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really nice to see you. I wish you happiness.¡± The couple blessed us and smiled warmly at us. Other guests soon followed, congratulating and blessing us one after the other. One of them asked, looking at me with warm eyes. ¡°You did a great job today. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± It was only then that I realized I was hungry. Then I noticed the aroma of delicious food wafting around the room. While looking around, I found a lot of appetizing food spread out on the buffet table. I could see the juicy meat with fresh green vegetables even from afar. I drooled at the sight of it. ¡°It¡¯s past dinnertime.¡± ¡°Oh, do you want me to bring you something to eat, Lady Irene?¡± Lucian asked quickly. Then I willingly nodded. ¡°I would appreciate it if you would!¡± I was unable to pick up the food on my own because I was performing the tasks that Ian had assigned to me. Lucian smiled and nodded, and soon enough, he was bringing trays full of food bowls. ¡°Waa.¡± The food seemed to be delicious. Throughout the morning, my hungry stomach began to protest loudly. Because of the dress, I can¡¯t eat too much, but a small portion would suffice. ¡°Thank you, Sir Lucian.¡± After expressing my sincere thanks to Lucian, I picked up the fork. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The fork was taken in front of my eyes. I looked up at Ian, puzzled. Ian, who had taken my fork, asked, pointing to the plate with the fork. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°Yes? Meat¡­.¡± When I unexpectedly answered, Ian¡¯s fork was headed for a crystal bowl filled with steak. A slice of steak, still hot from the grill and brownish in color, was stuck in a fork and brought to my lips. ¡®¡­Are you going to feed me?¡¯ Is this part of the tradition? I squeezed my fists behind my back. I-I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be playing ¡®Aang~¡¯ in front of other people at this age. A piece of steak, cut into bite-sized pieces, entered my mouth as soon as I opened my mouth. As I mumbled something, I stretched my fingers. This was fine. It seems that hugging the groom throughout the reception and leaving everything in his hands is a tradition, but this is not such a humiliating thing. Right. Let us be grateful that this tradition isn¡¯t harsh. But why do I have a feeling that this is not all? I have to shake off these ominous thoughts. ¡®Huh?¡¯ I frowned when I realized there was someone I saw at the end of my gaze. Why is that person here? Ray Monaghan. No, Rizello, who was under disguise, was talking to the beauties affectionately. It was the scene where the Master of Magic Tower was hiding his identity while attending the wedding of the Commander of the Holy Knight at the Cathedral. What should I do? I really want to pretend I didn¡¯t see him. I shrank my body and slowly turned my head. As a result, Ian¡¯s body grew closer to me. ¡°¡­Irene. Where do you feel uncomfortable?¡± Ian brought up a difficult question from above my head. ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s okay- Huh?¡± My eyes widened as I became aware of something. Ian¡¯s abs were firm and stiff, which I was leaning against. I even thought I was leaning on a stone rather than a person. ¡®¡­.Aha.¡¯ I smirked. That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way it won¡¯t be fine. In this situation, Ian was actually more nervous than I was. CH 40 ¡°Please eat more. What do you want to eat this time?¡± Ian said, his gaze falling on the plate. It was clear that he was attempting to avoid making eye contact with me. ¡®Heh heh.¡¯ My lips curved into a smile without realizing it. Seeing him in trouble made me feel like I wanted to add to the chaos. After staying close to each other for about a month, it appears that I have lost some of my cowardice. I whispered as I gently tilted my head to Ian. ¡°Please excuse me, Sir Ian. You¡¯re terrible at controlling your expressions.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my expression?¡± ¡°I think I can make a prettier face than this even if I¡¯m holding a bag of flour.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You ridiculed me, laughed at me, and asked if I was sorry, right? Try recreating that.¡±¡± Ian raised the corners of his mouth hesitantly. When I saw his smile right in front of me, it appeared forced, but to those who were a little further away, it appeared to be sincere. ¡°I just smiled. Did you see it? Did you see it?¡± ¡°Ah, I think it¡¯s going to melt.¡± ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s someone else¡¯s man.¡± Excited murmurs could be heard all over the place. It was then. ¡°Hello, Sir Ian and Lady Irene. I haven¡¯t seen Lady Irene for a while.¡± Huk. When I heard a familiar voice, I turned my head. Rizzello greeted us with a bright smile as soon as he approached us. ¡®.¡¯ I thought you wouldn¡¯t say hello and walk away, but that couldn¡¯t have been the case. Then I said with a smirk. ¡°Hello. Baron Monahan.¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Ian glanced at Monahan with a grin that had faded from his face. ¡°I met him at Cordelia¡¯s salon. Thank you for coming all this way here to congratulate us, Baron.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m honored to be able to express my congratulations to both of you. You two look really good.¡± Rizello smiled broadly as he said that. ??Did you just come here to congratulate us? I had my doubts, despite that I kept a smile on my face for the time being. ¡°Thank you for your kind words. Please enjoy it to the fullest.¡± ¡°Thank you. Oh, and¡­¡± Rizello, who seemed to turn around, smiled and said to me, ¡°Come visit me often. I¡¯m getting bored.¡± Ian twitched one of his brows. ¡°Of course, at Lady Cordelia¡¯s.¡± Rizelo added with a smile. He politely greeted and then disappeared, as if the business was finished. Then Ian whispered in my ear. ¡°Do you know him well?¡± ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ve seen him a few times at Cordelia¡¯s salon.¡± Ian¡¯s voice had an obviously suspicious tone to it. I muttered under my breath, a cold sweat on my brow. Why did you say such a nuanced word, that master of Magic Tower! First of all, I smiled and said something in an attempt to get Ian¡¯s attention away from Rizelo. ¡°I don¡¯t know him well, but he seems to have a good reputation in the society.¡± ¡°Be careful. I have a bad impression of him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It means he doesn¡¯t seem kind.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Yes.¡± That¡¯s interesting. As the commander of the Holy Knights, are you hesitant to deal with the Master of Magic Tower and have an instinct to keep an eye on it? Even when we were in the midst of whispering to each other, pleasant whispers poured out toward us. ¡°??What do they share in their sweet whispers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot, hot. Hohoho.¡± Guests continued to flock to us after Rizello. I was a little nervous when the emperor came, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t do anything that scratched my nerves this time. Fortunately, his visit went off without a hitch. Cordelia also came, but we couldn¡¯t enjoy chatting because there were so many guests. When I¡¯d had enough of the same congratulatory greetings and answers. A purple twilight began to spread over the glass greenhouse as the sun began to set. The band began to play music with a little more zeal. One by one, the guests became intoxicated with fruit wine, and their cheeks turned red. The main event of the evening had begun and the new groom and bride had their own separate nights. ¡°Commander, Lady Irene.¡± Lucian, who came closer, said cautiously. ¡°They say the newlywed couple¡¯s room is all ready.¡± I flinched and felt Ian¡¯s abs tighten once more. His legs, which supported my body, had hardened to the point where I had to be nervous about it. ¡®First Night.¡¯ The highlight of the wedding, which all newlyweds are looking forward to. ¡°¡­.Get up. Madam.¡± Ian inquired, his voice low and stern. I firmly nodded my head. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ian leapt to his feet while still holding me. Everyone¡¯s gaze was drawn to us. No one asked where we were going. Only people with a happy and sly expression looked at us, as if they knew everything. Ian and I walked out of the glass greenhouse. The newlywed couple¡¯s room was set up deep within the cathedral. The two knights guarding the front door saluted politely and opened the door as we approached. I inadvertently exclaimed as I looked inside. ¡°Waa.¡± The rooms, which were decorated in white and lapis lazuli, looked like scenes from famous paintings, with rose petals scattered from place to place. I paused as I looked around the room. ¡°Si-Sir Ian. Why are there people here?¡± I hurriedly whispered something to Ian. ¡°These are the people who will wait in the sharing room.¡± Ian replied. Still speaking in a stern tone. He sounded awkward when he spit out the word ¡®sharing room.¡¯ The content of that voice, on the other hand, was truly shocking. ¡°Wh-What are they paying attention to?¡± I squealed. No, How can y-How can you possibly pay attention to something intimate? ¡°Wait, there¡¯s something else to wait for. Are you out of your mind?¡± They¡¯re adults, but they¡¯re capable of handling things on their own. No, you must complete the task on your own. I looked up at Ian, surprised to the core, intending to do something. He spoke with a mixed expression. ¡°Do you know that? Madam.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°It is said that the ancient king of the Rehart Empire, where civil wars were as common as eating rice, were the most assassinated on their first night with the queen.¡± ¡°What? Assassination? Suddenly?¡± ¡°It was targeted because it was the most defenseless moment. As a result, the Rehart Empire has had its servants watch the first annexation since ancient times. That¡¯s a tradition.¡± Crazy tradition. I wanted to slap my mouth when I said let¡¯s keep the tradition a few hours ago. ¡°Do something.¡± I whispered hastily. ¡°Even so, they won¡¯t be there for a long time, will they? Are we going to keep an eye on us until then?¡± ¡°It used to be like that.¡± I was on the verge of passing out when I received my reply. So what are we going to do? I was not shameless enough to put off such a thing no matter how hard I tried. ¡°As time went by, the tradition started to wane and it is now only a little annoying tradition. Not everyone is watching these days.¡± ¡°Re-Really?¡± I survived. I stroked my chest. Then yes, as long as it is, traditions such as sexual desire cannot be preserved. ¡°If you start taking off your clothes, I¡¯ll go out.¡± ¡°Go¡­.Good.¡± That was good enough. I wore numerous clothes and accessories today as a bride. On the tiara, the veil, and the outer skirt. There was a pile of clothes to take off from my body. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry up and go in.¡± It was said you should pull out the horn of an ox at a breath. [TL/N: pull out the horn of an ox at a breath means If you¡¯re thinking about doing something, don¡¯t wait and do it right away.] Until when I¡­.. I couldn¡¯t be in the same room with the guard waiting for us. I tapped Ian on the shoulder and signaled him to begin. He began to walk soon after. It was obvious where he was going. It was a bed in the middle of the room. ¡®It¡¯s only one bed, it¡¯s too big.¡¯ The bed in the room was so large that it was even fun to roll back and forth without fear of falling off. It was a relief. It would be easy to fall asleep away from Ian if the bed was so large. The bed has a translucent veil that looks like butterfly wings and creates a soft atmosphere. Ian entered it through the veil and laid me down on the bed. My back was gently wrapped in the soft bed linen. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I¡¯m going crazy because it¡¯s so awkward. There was no relief that I was freed from Ian¡¯s arms, who had been carrying me all day. I was lying in the odd-looking bed, nervously looking up at the man in front of me. Ian put one knee on the bed. The bed wobbled and I felt like I was doing something worse. I quickly clenched my lips and beckoned Ian. It was a gesture to quickly take off the jacket. ¡®Let¡¯s get those people out of here quickly.¡¯ You said they would leave when we started undressing. Ian, who understood my gesture, touched his jacket. I averted my gaze, nervous of seeing something I shouldn¡¯t. Ian, who took off his jacket, threw it under the bed. Even though the jackets were obviously dropped, there was no sign that the servants were going out. ¡°Why, why are they not going out?¡± With a deep voice, I whispered. Ian¡¯s face had hardened into a cold expression. It was a cold that would have frozen to the core anyone who didn¡¯t realize he was just making this situation awkward. ¡°Wedding garter.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ian abruptly muttered, and I opened my eyes wide. ¡°I guess they are not going out until I remove it.¡± If it was a wedding garter, it was definitely something Annette had personally put in the morning. It was still an uncomfortable presence on my right thigh. And, as far as I know. It was customary for the groom to remove it himself. So what that means is by mouth. The wedding culture itself, in which the groom unravels the wedding garter with his mouth, was not unfamiliar. I know that there is such a custom in the Western world, where I lived. Therefore, the act itself was not unfamiliar. I just thought you wouldn¡¯t want to spend the rest of your life with me. ¡®Um. This crazy day. I can¡¯t believe there are still surprises left.¡¯ Do I have to let Ian Esteban come into the hem of my dress and take off the garter? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just slap yourself in the head and faint? ¡°I¡¯m tired of everyone. I had no idea the imperial family¡¯s tradition was to be kept in the cathedral.¡± ¡°A tradition of the imperial family?¡± I opened my eyes wide. ¡°Is this a tradition only the royal family keeps?¡± ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no way the general public would spend their first night in such a strange way.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s definitely true. Oh, wait a minute. So, what about those servants?¡± I peered through the translucent veil at the servants who stood in front of the distant wall. I couldn¡¯t see well because it was dark, but their attire didn¡¯t appear to be that of a believer. ¡°Are they those sent from the Imperial Palace?¡± CH 41 ¡°Might be.¡± Ian¡¯s eyes widened, irritated. ¡°Dear brother, you did something useless.¡± ¡°Wait. Wait a minute.¡± I whispered hastily. If these people are the servants planted by the emperor, the story changes a lot. I had done everything I could to make it look as if Ian and I were truly in love up until this point. ¡®I didn¡¯t hug Ian all day because I didn¡¯t have feet.¡¯ Right. Today, I can confidently say that Ian and I looked like a perfect couple. Is it necessary to impose them at the last minute to create a sense of discomfort? I got myself into a lot of trouble. Then the conclusion came quickly. I closed my eyes firmly and mumbled a few seconds later. ¡°Do it. Just do it.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± ¡°We are almost there. I came all the way here and I don¡¯t want to be twisted. Could Ian take the garter off? I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t leave. It¡¯ll take less than ten seconds to take that off. Right?¡± I tried to speak in a calm voice. I hugged Ian all day today, even pretending to kiss him in front of the bishop, but there was something I couldn¡¯t do. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s really nothing, so hurry up and take it off.¡± ¡°¡­.Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m serious about this. I¡¯m completely fine. Will it take less than a minute? That¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Ian let out a low sigh. ¡°Okay, so relax.¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡± Ian pointed to my toes instead of answering. Only then did I notice my toes curling up with a lot of pressure because I couldn¡¯t bear the tension any longer. ¡°It-it¡¯s just¡­.just.¡± ¡°Do you realize you don¡¯t have any blood on your face right now?¡± ¡°You are lying. It¡¯s so dark. How can you see my face?¡± ¡°I can see it roughly. Haa¡­ Irene.¡± Ian spoke in hushed tones. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m slowly etching it into his mind. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do this if you were embarrassed. People will become insatiable if you speak even one word, so don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± I bit my lower lip. I couldn¡¯t figure out when Ian began to act as if he were teasing me. Obviously, it was my role to tease Ian and make fun of him in this matter. When I remained silent, Ian spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll be greedy of you.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± I grabbed Ian¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Please¡±. ¡°You don¡¯t even have to be stubborn-.¡± ¡°Because we are fake.¡± I cut off Ian¡¯s words and whispered close to his ear. ¡°That¡¯s how we look perfect on the outside.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian closed his eyes as if he had given up. ¡°I¡¯m not going to touch any of your skin.¡± ¡°Please.¡± We¡¯re probably the only newlyweds in the world who had a terrible conversation in the newlywed couple¡¯s room. ¡°Wait. Wait a minute.¡± I wriggled slowly enough that the wedding garter on my thigh reached my calves. Fortunately, the silhouette seen from the outside didn¡¯t seem to have to wiggle too much to raise suspicion. ¡°It-It¡¯s done now.¡± I shut my eyes tightly. Trying not to be aware of the gazes of those who could be seen through the translucent veil. Most importantly, attempting to ignore the presence of the man in front of me. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian kept his words. He didn¡¯t even come close to touching me. Only the garter was tugged down with his lips, and it was done with unusual dexterity. But I couldn¡¯t keep my breath under control. I clenched my fist and peered out of the darkness. I could feel Ian¡¯s gaze looking down at me, coming out of the hem of the dress. ¡°Irene?¡± I squinted slightly. Ian was seen sliding down my thigh and yanking the wedding garter from beneath the veil. Following that, the servants in front of the wall began to move with bated breath. With a small thud, the door slammed shut. ¡°Now it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± Ian said. The sound was much louder than the one he had been whispering earlier. Ian, the sword master, could not have been oblivious that others were present. To put it another way, he said it had to be just the two of us in this room. Nonetheless, I couldn¡¯t open my eyes. The sensation of someone¡¯s breath tickling the skin on my ankles seemed to be locked there. ¡°Irene?¡± The sound of a curious voice could be heard. Then I coughed. ¡°Heu, Heum. They are finally gone.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be the only ones in the room until the servants arrive in the morning.¡± Ian got up immediately after saying that. The bed wobbled as one man¡¯s weight was lifted from it. Ian climbed out of bed, removing his sleeve cuffs, through the veil. As I sat alone on the big bed, I stared blankly at Ian. Do you want to change your clothes? I was still wearing the dress. It was time to start looking for an indoor dress. ¡°¡­.What exactly are you doing there?¡± I watched Ian as he sat on the sofa. Please don¡¯t tell me that. I asked, my eyes squinting. ¡°Isn¡¯t it bad if you¡¯re going to sleep in that position on the sofa?¡± ¡°What more can I do?¡± Ian asked back as if asking for something obvious. With a worn out look, I beckoned. ¡°Come here quickly. I¡¯m exhausted today, so I don¡¯t have the energy to scuffle over this. What would happen if a servants finds out that you are sleeping there in the morning?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t get caught.¡± I stared at Ian, who spoke calmly. Although the sofa was long, it was too small to hold Ian¡¯s full body horizontally. ¡°Just come. If you stayed there all night, your shirt would be so wrinkled that you couldn¡¯t even straighten it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Why don¡¯t you go to sleep, Madam? You said you were tired.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯m even more exhausted because your older brother visited me during the day and kept my nerves on edge. Then please cooperate so that I can sleep comfortably.¡± We didn¡¯t back down on anyone because we were tight. But in the end, I was the winner. If he didn¡¯t come up right away, my threat of going down to the floor and sleeping there worked. ¡°What the heck?¡± Ian returned to the bed with a low grunt. ¡°Why are you being stubborn in a strange place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a line that I¡¯d want to return to Ian.¡± To be honest, I expected him to tell me to sleep on the floor if I wanted to, so it was a little surprising when he came up obediently. I swiftly turned around and sat on the opposite side of the bed from him. I didn¡¯t want to sleep in the same bed with Ian. However, because the bed is so large, using it alone is a waste. I was struggling to untie my dress in the duvet by myself and then toss it out. I felt much more comfortable once I removed my cumbersome outer skirt. I roughly took off my dress and tried to fall asleep right away because I was so tired that I couldn¡¯t move anymore. When the servants come in the morning¡­. I¡¯m hiding under the blanket. My mind was gradually engulfed in drowsiness, but only the heart continued to thump. It wasn¡¯t just because of the shameful wedding garter incident with Ian a while ago. ¡®Don¡¯t forget that your life is in our hands.¡¯ The voice of the nine guild members who came to me on the night before the wedding rang in my head. ¡°¡­.Pendant.¡± As soon as it was called simply with my mouth, a cold and heavy touch was felt on my right hand. Ian, on the other side of the bed, didn¡¯t seem to notice anything. I squeezed the pendant in my right palm of my hand. ¡®Put this near Ian Esteban every night for at least 10 minutes.¡¯ If I do as they say, verything will go as planned and according to the original. Ian will be cursed, and although he will not be the puppet they really want, he will go insane. I stared at the ceiling. On the black ceiling, the visage of one of the nine guild members, Edward Vichen, who easily caused me pain, appeared. ¡®Don¡¯t forget. Your life¡­¡¯ His voice echoed in my head once more. While fiddling with the pendant, I immediately closed my eyes. ¡°Disappear.¡± The weight of the pendant disappeared all of a sudden. I am not sure. Let¡¯s think about the troublesome thing tomorrow. Because I¡¯m exhausted today. ¡®Yeah. Because I¡¯m so tired¡­¡¯ There was no more energy to curse anyone. My thoughts had wandered. Ian seemed to say something in a low voice, but I fell asleep as if I had passed out. Due to the tiredness that had built up over several days, the sleep that night was as deep as death. *** I was awakened by Ian¡¯s voice the next morning. I heard Ian giving orders to the servants. But nothing jolted me awake. I fell asleep once more. The second thing that woke me up was Annette¡¯s voice. ¡°Miss Irene, Miss Irene¡­.! Can you get up?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What time is it now?¡± I opened my sore eyes and looked for the clock. I was surprised when Annette informed me of the current time. ¡°It¡¯s 11 AM?¡± ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t wake you because you seemed to be sleeping soundly, but I was concerned that you might be hungry.¡± ¡°How did I sleep for so long¡­.. Where is Sir Ian?¡± ¡°The Commander is at the headquarters of the Knights right now.¡± Annette¡¯s expression was a little different than usual when she said that. ¡°Are you still exhausted? Please lie down. I¡¯ll make everything you need to eat and deliver it to you.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Annette¡¯s face flushed bright red when she asked if I was exhausted. What the hell are you thinking? My little friend¡¯s mind had already become tainted. I grumbled and turned my head, and something caught my attention. Next to the pillow, a note was left. ¡°This is.¡± This was Ian¡¯s handwriting. CH 42 ¡¸I have called a back massager. When you wake up, pull the string and deliver the message to the servant.¡¹ Back massager? I tilted my head. ¡®Did Ian call a back massager for me?¡¯ Why the hell? He was suddenly mindful of me, which made me nervous. Then when I tried to sneak the note aside, ¡°Ugh.¡± My waist was throbbing with a stinging pain. What. What¡¯s the problem with my back? My back hurts like it was slammed by someone. As I grabbed my waist, I said to Annette. ¡°Miss Annette. Ma-Massager.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Ian stated that he had called a back masseuse. Could you please call her and ask her to come in?¡± ¡°Ba-Back massage¡­Ye-Yes!¡± Annette¡¯s face flushed once more, and she left the room quickly. She was a friend who had impure thoughts but was quick in action. Soon after, a masseuse entered the room and began massaging my waist. Despite that skilled masseuse¡¯s touch making my waist feel much better, the soreness still lingered. ¡°Ugh¡­I¡¯m still not feeling better.¡± After the masseuse went, I squeezed my waist and spoke, and Annette¡¯s hand, which was helping me in changing my clothes, became noticeably flustered. It was almost lunchtime when I had to meet Ian. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my body?¡± I walked up to Ian and whispered, not looking up from the table full of lunch dishes. Ian gave me a short glance. ¡°What are you talking about? How¡¯s your body?¡± ¡°When I wake up in the morning, my back hurts and I feel like I¡¯m going to die!¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t the masseuse left yet?¡± ¡°He left the room after touching my waist. But I didn¡¯t fully recover.¡± Ian locked his gaze on me for a few moments. ¡°Why, why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Do you have no recollection of what happened the night before, Madam?¡± ¡°The night before¡­?¡± I returned the question with a blank stare. The only thing I remember from last night is going to sleep. I went to bed without tossing and turning after falling asleep without even saying good night to Ian the night before. ¡°You don¡¯t remember.¡± Ian clicked her tongue. ¡°That¡¯s an amazing skill.¡± ¡°What, what are you talking about? What happened last night?¡± In a state of panic, I questioned again. I swear nothing happened last night. We were lying on opposite sides of the large bed, not a single hair touching each other. It may not have been necessary, but the wide bed provided a significant benefit. Ian gave me another look. His eyes were now as if he were staring at a strange creature. ¡°Did you dream about a magical beast last night?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The blanket was kicked and tossed around as if it were your enemy.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blinked in amusement. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve fallen three times on the floor. I¡¯m relieved that you didn¡¯t break your back.¡± Ian¡¯s eyes were cold and he looked at me as if I were a pain in the ass. It couldn¡¯t be true. Following that, I opened my mouth to defend myself. My sleeping habits have never been an issue for me. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. My sleeping habits are quiet and peaceful.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Ya.¡± Ian gave a rough nod as if to say so. Wait a minute. The fact that I fell three times on the floor¡­ ¡®Does this imply that Ian held me three times and put me back to bed?¡¯ As I thought about it, a heat rose on my cheek. To get rid of the awkward feeling, I purposefully cast an exaggeratedly suspicious look. ¡°Perhaps¡­ Did you put me on the edge of the bed because you didn¡¯t want to touch me? That¡¯s why I kept falling, right?¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Ian didn¡¯t even reply as if he had heard an absurd misunderstanding. ¡°Please excuse me, Madam Irene.¡± Annette took a step forward and spoke slowly. ¡°Are you alright? Would you like me to change the meal and prepare a new one later?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I was arguing with Ian about what was causing my back pain.¡± ¡°I, I, I see.¡± Annette¡¯s cheeks turned red once more. What the hell has that kid been thinking all day? I was getting ready to go out again after lunch. The Rehart Empire¡¯s wedding lasted two nights and three days. To put it another way, the guests had not yet left. ¡®Thank goodness I don¡¯t have to deal with guests today.¡¯ Today, a different schedule was prepared for me and Ian. It¡¯s our honeymoon. The duration was only three days, which was extremely short. He stated that he could not extend the time anymore due to Ian¡¯s schedule, which took over the duties of the Knights Templar and the work of Her Holiness Cardinal. Well, it was good for me. After all, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could go on a honeymoon with my fake husband any longer. ¡°Waa.¡± I opened my mouth wide as I looked at the carriage in which Ian and I were riding. It was the same carriage that Ian had lent me previously. It resembled a small castle rather than a carriage. Nonetheless, the magnificent carriage was lavishly decorated with a plethora of live flowers. As far as my eye could tell, it was a carriage for newlywed couples on their way to their honeymoon. I marveled once more as I entered the carriage. Even for such a little space, the interior looked cozy and comfortable on the inside. ¡®If it¡¯s a carriage like this, it¡¯s good to travel to be locked up in this cage for a few days.¡¯ Of course, it would have been much better if the companion had not been with my husband, whom I had just married. I sat in the carriage, my eyes wandering around the surroundings. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we are going somewhere?¡± ¡°Toolen.¡± Unlike me, Ian entered the carriage and sat as if it were his bedroom. It felt natural enough because it was his carriage. ¡®Toolen¡­It was a long way from here.¡¯ I remembered something in the ¡®Imperial Evangelism¡¯ book that Lucian had brought. We had to spend two nights and three days on the road to get there by carriage because it was so far away. ¡®I wonder if that was a waste of time, but this is not a real honeymoon anyway. Umm.¡¯ With this in mind, I leaned back against the backrest. I was going to spend at least one day there, so I should have gotten used to it quickly. Was the weariness from yesterday still there after such a wonderful night¡¯s sleep? As I leaned forward, the presence of Ian across from me pressed on me, but my eyelids gradually became heavier. It was while I was drowsy and stared blankly out the window. Criik, the carriage stopped. ¡®Huh?¡¯ When the escort opened the carriage door, Ian jumped out. He turned to look at me and arched one eyebrow as I gave him a blank stare. ¡°Please come here. Why are you so preoccupied?¡± Come here? Why? The ride was too short to allow us to get off. I wouldn¡¯t even stop at a rest stop after this much riding. But, as a responsible contracting partner, I stepped off the carriage for the time being. Of course, I was still in the center of the capital when I got off. However, the presence of a magnificent structure in front of me was unique. ¡°Where are we?¡± It wasn¡¯t just the building that was out of the ordinary. People walking in and out of the building were also visible. ¡®Waa, that person is dressed completely in midwinter attire.¡¯ I noticed someone wearing a thick-looking fur coat leaving the building, taking their coats off in the warm spring sunlight of the capital city. On the other hand, some people dressed in midsummer attire entered the building. ¡®What the hell is this place?¡¯ Then Ian and I went into the building together. ¡®Waa.¡¯ The interior stood out more than the fa?ade. The lavishly gold-colored interior gleamed brightly instead of the magical stone where the lights was supposed to be. The magical stone must be an expensive item. In wonder, I opened my mouth and murmured to Ian. I couldn¡¯t raise my voice openly because there were so many people staring at us. ¡°Are magical stones being used to decorate the building instead of lamps? Do you think the owner of the building is a wealthy man?¡± Ian gave me a blunt answer while I was looking around and admiring like a villager the entire time. ¡®Ride?¡¯ My doubt lasted only a few minutes. As I approached the end of the building, I again dropped my jaw. Two interlocking discs the size and height of three persons were slowly rotating. What¡¯s even more surprising is. ¡®Ugh, gasp.¡¯ When the two discs were stacked on top of each other, a human would appear from within. Even after over a month in the fantasy world, this scene was quite shocking to me. ¡°Welcome, Sir Ian. And Lady Irene.¡± A person who appeared to be the manager of this establishment greeted me with courtesy. ¡°The coordinates are perfectly set. You¡¯ll be at Toolen in a matter of seconds, safely and quickly.¡± Eum. How did you get to Tullen in such a short amount of time? Good. ¡­..No. Wait. Is it up to scratch? My head, which had been caught off guard, only expressed doubt at that point. ¡®How is that possible?¡¯ I took another look around. There are magical stones all throughout the place. People coming out of the disc wearing seasonal clothing. No way. I recalled the words from my memory that I had read in the original book. ¡®Teleportation gate.¡¯ This is the realm of fantasy. Although the buildings and clothing looked to be similar to those of the Western Renaissance, there were advancements comparable to current Earth in the twenty-first century thanks to advanced magical engineering. The teleportation gate is one of them. I know it¡¯s a system that can transfer people from the centre of the continent to the far end in an instant by utilizing the power of magical stones and complicated magical formulas. But I¡¯d only read the premise once and knew very little about this device. Because only that much was mentioned in the original. That¡¯s the reason why. ¡°Madam Irene?¡± Because in the original, the capital¡¯s teleportation gate did not exist. It exploded before the original could even begin. CH 43 ¡°Si-Sir Ian.¡± As the creaking sound was heard, I returned my gaze to Ian. ¡°Are we going to ride this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Instead of replying, Ian just stared at me. He leaned back and said quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t seem to be in a good condition since earlier¡­ Did you tumble out of bed and hit your head three times?¡± There was no time to be offended by Ian¡¯s words, which called my mental state into doubt. My eyes shook as I stared aimlessly at the gate. In the original novel, the teleportation gate of the capital was destroyed due to a mana explosion. As a result, there was an episode in which the main character couple went on an elegant carriage ride. I didn¡¯t know when the accident occurred because it wasn¡¯t mentioned in the original, but it doesn¡¯t appear to have happened at this time. ¡°Erm, Sir Ian?¡± I gave an awkward smile and raised my eyes to Ian. ¡°Can¡¯t we just take a carriage?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ian furrowed one eyebrow. ¡°Do you mean to spend two days on the street? You and I confined to a space the size of your palm?¡± The voice that followed spit out the words was low enough that only I could hear it. My body shuddered with dread. Just thinking about it was terrifying and overwhelming. ¡®No wonder. This harried person devised a plan to travel far.¡¯ Because it is customary for the bride to be uninvolved in wedding planning, it was a disaster that she left everything to Ian. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. I think a carriage ride would be elegant and enjoyable, right?¡± I smiled and looked back at Ian. Ian looked down at me as if he was wondering if I was serious. The manager next to him smiled and nodded. ¡°The saintess seems to want to spend more time alone with the commander.¡± I nodded as I extended my stiff hand outstretched. ¡°Th-That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t it romantic to travel, even if it¡¯s just to get to our destination?¡± ¡°Since when, Madam, you had a dream like that?¡± Ian retaliated angrily. The manager only looked at us with smiling eyes, perhaps oblivious to the defiant tone. ¡°A-Ai. Why don¡¯t you know how much I want to spend more time with Ian?¡± [TL/N: Actually she wanted to say ¡®Aish¡¯ to express how annoyed she is in korea.] I nearly twisted my mouth in the middle, but I kept my charming tone until the end. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ian¡¯s blue eyes scanned my complexion. ¡°What exactly is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked what you were up to.¡± Ian inquired, almost in whispers. When it¡¯s just me and him who can hear. ¡®Why don¡¯t you just let it slide? You didn¡¯t know I did it all for us!¡¯ I blamed Ian very much inside. ¡®You¡¯ll never let it slide.¡¯ Right. If I were you, I would never agree to change my already scheduled trip plans to a three-day schedule that is only carried by carriages. ¡®Ugh¡­ What do I do?¡¯ If this is the case, I have to put my body inside that disc. Before the original story begins, the teleportation gate explodes. To put it another way, it took at least six months. So it wouldn¡¯t be surprising at all if that tragic day occurred today. Is it possible for my steel nerves to put my life in the hands of chance in this situation? I couldn¡¯t, at the very least. ¡°Irene. If there is no specific reason, let¡¯s move slowly.¡± Ian has been in a hurry. I bit my lower lip and tightly shut my eyes. There was only one way that came to my mind. ¡°Uh, mhh.¡± I touched my forehead and my body staggered. ¡°Saintess!?¡± The manager¡¯s baffled voice was heard. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Ugh, something¡­.¡± I groaned and muttered as if everyone had to listen. Damn it. I felt like an actress in a bad CG occult water scene. However, there was no other way. I¡¯ll just have to do my best. ¡°Something¡­ I see it.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. The saintess began her foreknowledge.¡± I heard the manager¡¯s self-talk in dismay. The people surrounding us, who had been watching us the whole time, felt as if they were holding their breath. ¡°All of a sudden?¡± Ian just looked at me with his brows furrowed. I ignored him and made a more serious expression. ¡°I can hear¡­..The sound of people crying and screaming. This¡­It¡¯s like the hell in this world unfolded¡­.!¡± I gave a desperate performance passionately, recalling the shamans I saw in the drama. It would have been nice f I could have rung the bell for Gut, but doing it raw was so exhausting that it felt like death. People could be heard gasping all over the place. [TL/N: Gut is a dance in which one wishes to please God and fulfill human wishes. This is part of Korean culture that usually shamans do it. Usually, the shamans doing it literally jump in everywhere, so the performance is absolutely torturous. It all means ¡®Irene is fighting without any weapons in the war.¡¯] ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± ¡°What the hell is going on!¡± ¡°What do you mean crying and screaming! What will happen in this peaceful capital city?¡­ I am scared!¡± My forehead was bunched in a frown and making sure to draw the situation. ¡°That¡­.two discs? Massive¡­ Do you see the discs?¡± ¡°Discs? If it¡¯s a disk¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a massive disc, it¡¯s the teleportation gate!¡± People were screaming and crying. That¡¯s right. I kept continuing to describe the scene. ¡°From the disc¡­..Ugh. Smoke is rising. Ah, what happened¡­.There are ambulances everywhere, huh, no. The stretchers come out!¡± ¡°Oh My God!¡± ¡°It¡¯s terrible!¡± ¡°What will happen at the Teleportation Gate?¡± People who were becoming frightened began to back away from the gate. ¡°Posse! Call the posse!¡± ¡°Nothing has happened yet, but that¡¯s a little¡­¡­ Are you a little bit overreacting to what the Lady just said?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t even know Lady Irene? She is the Saintess of foresight who appeared after fifteen years!¡± ¡°Huck, She is the reincarnation of Jasper¡­.!¡± If they were talking about Jasper, it¡¯s the name of the Saint who had foresight ability that I read in the Book of Saints. Why is that coming out of here? ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The reason Count Bernadette succeeded in opening a new vein of gold this time was thanks to that saintess!¡± What? Is it all thanks to me? ¡°Right. I heard it too. Since Lady Cordelia wore the lucky color that the saintess had given her, Count Bernadette has been in full bloom!¡± No, Isn¡¯t that family in full bloom from the beginning? ¡°Is that all? Count Paras, who had been rudely suspicious of the Saintess and then had fallen out of his carriage¡¯s wheels and rolled through the mud!¡± That man¡­ serves him right! I touched my forehead, trying to ignore all the information coming from everyone. ¡°Ugh, my head again¡­¡± As I groaned, people around me let out a sad sigh. ¡°Saintess, please don¡¯t overdo it!¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯ve already seen everything important.¡± ¡°God Elune warned us through the saintess!¡± People were giddy and chatting away. With a tired expression on my face, I wiped my forehead with a handkerchief. ¡®Do I look okay?¡¯ I think most of them fell for it. Apparently, the influence of the title Saintess of foresight seemed to be enormous. That was because the number of Saintesses born with the power of foresight after the legendary saintess Jasper was so small hat everyone could remember it. Everyone¡¯s reaction was ecstatic, but Ian, for some reason, was the only one who remained silent. My eyes met directly inside Ian¡¯s blue eyes as I turned my head slightly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian was neither astonished nor made a great fuss like the others. He ?was simply staring at me. ¡®You don¡¯t believe me?¡¯ I felt a cold sweat running down my spine. I¡¯ve lied to Ian many times before, but this time I felt a little more pressure because I was so close to him. ¡°Ugh, my head¡­.¡± I staggered as if I had a headache to get away from Ian for a bit, gradually increasing the distance between us. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Ian asked. His voice was direct, but it sounded as if he was very concerned about me. For the time being. I purposefully blinked my eyes slowly and dimly. ¡°No. I¡¯m a little dizzy, but this much¡­.I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Do you feel dizzy?¡± ¡°My vision is blurry and I have a headache.¡± I kept making a weak sound and a faint laugh. Ian bowed his head in my direction. He drew his lips closer to my ear. Flinched, My body hardened for a brief moment. ¡°But why? Your complexion doesn¡¯t look any different than usual.¡± I stopped breathing for a moment. ¡®¡­..This ghost-like man.¡¯ [TL/N: ghost-like refers to someone who knows everything without anyone telling them about it.] Goosebumps rose up to my spine, but I couldn¡¯t take a step back as long as I had a knife in my hand. I blinked slowly and looked up at Ian with a sad smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you see it that way. Dear Ian, I don¡¯t want to make you worry¡­.¡± People surrounding us were feeling sorry for us, and sad exclamations could be heard. Ian locked his gaze on me for a few moments. Do you really not believe it? I was experiencing a lot of anxiety at this time. ¡°Manager.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes! Commander.¡± The manager, whose face had become pale at hearing my prediction, responded quickly. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Shu-Shuren.¡± ¡°All right. Shuren. Close the building at this time.¡± ¡°Ye¡­.Yes! I understand!¡± ¡°And you there.¡± A man standing by the gate, wearing a flashy robe and one-sided glasses, approached us with a bewildered look. ¡°Are you a mana instrument engineer from the imperial family?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes I am. Prince¡­¡­ No, Sir Ian. I am afraid to tell you, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with the mana flowing through the gate right now¡­.¡± ¡°Call all Imperial mana instrument engineers to investigate the gate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I understand.¡± The wizard gave a subtle hint that this situation was ludicrous and wrong, but he just nodded quietly. Thousands of people rushed to carry out Ian¡¯s two instructions. ¡®The situation is becoming more serious, but if nothing is wrong, it will be extremely embarrassing.¡¯ Fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. The trip by the carriage of the original main lead couple is a great episode where the love between the two develops, even if the trivial thing is twisted, the disappearance of the teleportation gate in the capital will not change. That way, the male lead, and heroine will be able to take a carriage ride. That¡¯s when I started thinking about it. ¡°Co-Commander!¡± Lucian rushed in, his face befuddled which was a rare sight. He rushed to front of Ian and began reporting urgently without pausing to catch his breath. ¡°Two battalions of knights sent to Rycalion¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s voice was so low and small that only Ian could hear it. But I, who was standing next to Ian, could clearly hear it. ¡°Annihilated.¡± I opened my eyes wide. What does this mean? CH 44 ¡°What the¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t realize I was muttering something. Monster. Of course, I knew that such a creature existed in this universe. However, The so-called existence of that creature was nothing more than a ghost story, as it only appeared somewhere far beyond the border. ¡®The main enemy of the original was the emperor who wanted to drive out Ian, not the beast.¡¯ ¡°Report in detail.¡± Ian¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°Did you say that all the follow-up backup forces were annihilated?¡± ¡°Yes. According to eyewitnesses, a huge monster with goat-like horns and massive fur covering its entire body, as well as bat wings, was flying through the sky.¡± ¡°Why Balrog?¡± [TL/N: Balrog (??) is a powerful fictional monster in J. R. R. Tolkien¡¯s Middle-earth.] Ian muttered, his face cold. ¡®Balrog?¡¯ Just hearing the name made me realize they are filthy strong creatures. Did this happen in the original? I rummaged through my recollections frantically. However, nothing in the book accurately represented the period preceding the start of the original work. ¡°What about Rycallion¡¯s civilians?¡± ¡°Those who survived escaped. All of the neighboring wizards gathered and formed a barrier around Rycalion¡¯s radius, but it¡¯s unclear how long it will hold.¡± Rycallion. I felt familiar with the name of the place. Where did I hear it? I tried to search my mind, but as if I were turning to a saved page, a recollection sprang into my head. ¡®Right. It¡¯s the name of the hometown of the original male lead.¡¯ To be more specific, the original male lead was from a city close to Rycallion. A grubby and scruffy orphan who only has one talent for sword and hasn¡¯t bloomed yet. He was the male lead in ¡ºA Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡». He was an Elune Cathedral Holy Knight who found him and led him to the world of light. The passage in the original was reconstructed in my imagination as if it were a transcription. ¡¸That day, Elliot never expected it. The day he thought he would end up in an alleyway, burrowing among trash cans like a rat, would change like a lie. Einz, the Holy Knight assigned to Rycallion, came across Elliot, who was dying on his way back to the capital, by pure coincidence.¡¹ Einz recognizes Elliot¡¯s talent and succeeds in opening the heart of a man who had been like a mad dog. Finally, he persuaded the male lead to join him in the capital city, transform him into a human being, and join the Holy Knights¡­ This is what I read in the past episodes of the male protagonist. By the way, ¡®Did the Knights of Rycallion annihilate?¡¯ Does that mean that Einz is also dead? ¡°Mr. Lucian.¡± I called Lucian with a hardened face. ¡°Saintess. I am sorry to upset you with this news on a happy day.¡± ¡°That is not the issue. What good is a good day when such a disaster has happened? Could I see the fatalities?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the list of deaths?¡± Lucian looked confused for a moment, then soon shook his head. ¡°I apologize, Saintess. Because the body has yet to be recovered, the list will take some time to compile.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. I asked you for something obvious.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t. Is there anyone else you want to see if someone is still alive?¡± ¡°Perhaps a member of the Holy Knights¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s face darkened even though I only said that. ¡°Every single member of the Holy Knights was annihilated. There is no way of knowing if any survivors have yet to be discovered. All of the members¡¯ mana kept at the Knights Headquarters has been confirmed to be dead.¡± Lucian bowed his head, a sorrowful expression on his face. I was also speechless. ¡®Really¡­That means he died. All of them.¡¯ Although I do not know a single face of them, the news that so many people have died fills me with mixed emotions. And, most importantly. ¡®Einz is dead. Who will thereafter save the original male lead?¡¯ In my mind, a basic question arose. Einz has died. In other words, the original has been altered. ¡®Why?¡¯ There is only one difference between the original and the world I am currently living in. My existence. ¡®No way, because of me¡­¡¯ I shook my head slowly. Even the farthest border monsters couldn¡¯t have been affected by my presence in the capital, no matter how strong the butterfly effect was. Right. It¡¯s not my fault. It¡¯s not my fault¡­. My fingertips trembled even as I thought about it. The fact that the original began to crumble even before the sentence was written shocked me. ¡°Irene.¡± The sound of Ian¡¯s voice brought me back to reality. ¡°I apologize, but it seemed that the trip will have to be rescheduled.¡± ¡°Of course, you have to do that. Please go back to the Cathedral.¡± I responded with a quick nod. So we returned to the cathedral that we had left earlier. The entire journey back, my head was a muddled mess. ¡®What the hell happened to Elliot?¡¯ Even now, Elliot, the male protagonist of the original story, is still scraping by in back alley trash cans. He could not be saved by another good Holy Knight. ¡®Without the male lead, the heroine would be unable to succeed. Then who will join forces with Ian to overthrow the emperor, and who will stop Ian, who has gone insane¡­..They are missing.¡¯ Then what happens after that? I do not know. Will Ian, who turned blackened like the demon and destroy the world? ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ My head started to spin. If the male lead does not join the Holy Knight, he will be unable to see the heroine unless he moved to the capital. The original work also does not begin. In other words, the original story¡¯s happy ending for this world was way too simplistic. It was something I had to avoid as someone who had been compelled to become a world traveler. ¡®Somehow, I have to bring the male lead to the capital.¡¯ It shouldn¡¯t have gone wrong, no matter how messed up the process was. ¡°Sir Ian.¡± Ian, who was sitting in the carriage opposite me and was wearing a solemn expression, returned my stare. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Are you going to leave? to Rycallion.¡± Ian gave me a long look before speaking. ¡°If I left and let my wife stay alone after the wedding day, it doesn¡¯t matter if I am your fake husband, am I being a jerk if I did that?¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± I shook my head. Ian was without a doubt the most powerful force in the Elune Holy Knights. As a reader of the original novel, I knew best he was the type of person who wouldn¡¯t mind it. ¡°But I don¡¯t like being alone.¡± I clenched my fists and said. ¡°Please take me as well.¡± ¡°¡­.What do you mean?¡± ¡°I asked you to take me with you to the war.¡± No matter how much I thought about it, this was the only way. As an avid reader of the original story, I was the only one who recognized the male lead, who lives in a filthy shanty. I have to bring Elliot. Einz¡¯s role will be taken over by me. That was the best thing I could do. However, my heroic resolution was shattered and flatly declined. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± Ian looked at me with a frown. ¡°That¡¯s where the Balrog flies. How are you going to walk around there when you can¡¯t even keep your neck straight?¡± ¡°I am not asking you to take me to Rycalion. You can drop me off at a nearby town!¡± ¡®Why did I say drop off? Am I taking a taxi¡­.!¡¯ I was frustrated as soon as I said the words. Ian¡¯s blue eyes shone cold, looking as if I talked nonsense. ¡®As expected, it doesn¡¯t work.¡¯ ¡°Why do you want to leave the capital in the first place? Let¡¯s not talk about living in solitude again. I don¡¯t have time to joke around.¡± I bit my lower lip and stared at Ian. How am I going to persuade Ian? ¡®Do I have to take my foresight card again?¡¯ I was nervous about doing it again. Even at the gate, people¡¯s reactions and Ian¡¯s reactions were completely contradictory. I had a gut feeling. Ian still has reservations about me. If I continue to try to deceive him with my foresight in this position, the chances of being caught will increase. ¡®Should I put up with it?¡¯ The carriage came to a stop when I was experiencing short-term anxiety. We had just now arrived at the cathedral. ¡°Let¡¯s pretend this never happened.¡± After then, Ian jumped out of the carriage. He extended his hand to me and escorted me down, but his gaze was locked on me, as though the last conversation wasn¡¯t going to work at all. As soon as I got off, he went to the Knights¡¯ Headquarters to listen to reports from the knights. There was nowhere for me to talk to him. ¡°Madam Irene.¡± Dame Joan came to greet me. ¡°I have heard of the situation. I will take you to your room.¡± I was in excruciating pain as I was led back to the room by Dame Joan. ¡®Haa. What should I do?¡¯ Instead of me picking up the male lead, how about hiring an errand boy? That was a problem as well. Right now, the male lead didn¡¯t even have a name yet. Elliott was only given that name as a baptismal name when he joined the Holy Knight Division. ¡®If I asked someone to find a young vagrant with brown hair and green eyes, they would think I was insane.¡¯ ¡­¡­ But Isn¡¯t money supposed to solve all problems? There could also be a third option. In any case, I needed to make a decision before Ian went. I was wandering through the cathedral¡¯s front yard at the moment, pondering intently. ¡°Lady Irene?¡± My attention was drawn to a familiar voice. I whirled around, my eyes wide open. CH 45 ¡°Haaa.¡± ¡°Hey, junior. Your sigh may cause the ground to fall. What makes you sigh like that?¡± The mage engineers surveying the massive disc were conversing while wearing robes engraved with the Imperial design. ¡°I apologize, senior. I¡¯m worried¡­ I haven¡¯t heard anything from my friends. The number of monsters has increased recently, and I¡¯m worried that this is the last letter I received from them.¡± ¡°Umm. That¡¯s worrisome. Where did you say your hometown is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from Rycallion. It is a city on the western border.¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s far away. It¡¯s a dilemma that it would be difficult to even visit once.¡± The junior mage engineer¡¯s expression turned gloomy as the senior wizard engineer kicked his tongue. ¡°Yes. It would be nice if they couldn¡¯t reply because they were too preoccupied with their work¡­. Uh. Is it possible for me to take a vacation this month?¡± ¡°Place the stamp of approval on top. You have my permission.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you very much, senior. Isn¡¯t it also time for senior to take a vacation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but I need to catch up because things keep piling up like this.¡± The senior wizard engineer let out a sigh. ¡°Today also? Why do you need to investigate a gate that is in good condition? It passed all safety checks at the beginning of the month.¡± ¡°You are right. However, because it is a direct order from the Imperial Family, there is nothing we can do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We should follow their orders. Also, His Highness the Prince¡­No.¡± As if he had made a mistake, the senior mage engineer closed his mouth. The title ¡®His Majesty the Prince¡¯ became nearly a forbidden word once Ian joined the Holy Knights Division and thereby surrendered the claim to succession to the throne. Even so, those who have served in the imperial family for a long time may be confused by Ian¡¯s title. ¡®There isn¡¯t anyone else who looks so good in imperial robes¡­.Oh. What¡¯s the point of thinking this way?¡¯ The senior mage engineer shook his head. ¡°Hmm. This is an order from Sir Ian himself, what should we do?¡± ¡°However, that seems a little unreasonable!¡± Another mage engineer, who had been inspecting quietly the entire time, suddenly complained. ¡°Uh-huh. It¡¯s too loud.¡± ¡°Everyone has their field. Haven¡¯t we been taught not to make someone do something they¡¯ve never done before? No, what¡¯s the big deal about calling me when I¡¯m working somewhere else? ¡­..Huh?¡± The mage engineer, who had been grumbling, then stopped talking. ¡°Uh? Why this¡­This, this can¡¯t be happening.¡± ¡°What is it? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Se-Senior. Please come over here.¡± With a trembling voice, the mage engineer called the senior. The measuring device that was measuring the mana pouring through the gate reported abnormal amounts at some times. Even after it had easily beyond its maximum, the needle in the instrument panel measuring the amount of mana was shaking in an attempt to reach even higher. ¡°This¡­¡­This can¡¯t be happening. What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± The senior mage engineer who was checking the figures gasped in shock. ¡°Everyone get out of here. Get out of the gate!¡± The mage engineers bolted like rabbits with fire in their tails in an instant. ¡°Magic Tower! Contact the Magic Tower! Someone, please get me some magic neutralizer!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an emergency! emergency!¡± The gate management office was engulfed in chaos like hell on earth. *** When I turned around, a handsome young man was waving at me, his face shaped like a fox. ¡°Ri, uhm uhm. Baron Monahan?¡± Rizelo in the form of Ray Monaghan approached me. I wielded my tongue inside. [TL/N: Wielding one¡¯s tongue means being unable to speak as one is dumbfounded.] ¡®This Master of Magic Tower has a large liver.¡¯ [TL/: having a large liver means being fearless, daring, and audacious.] He¡¯s very good at disguising himself and sneaking around the Cathedral. I admired his bravery before approaching Rizelo. Unlike at the wedding, his appearance this time felt perfectly timed. ¡°What perfect timing! Baron Ray.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so happy when you see me!¡± ¡°Haha, what are you talking about? It¡¯s good to see Ray again.¡± I muttered, a smirk on my face. ¡°Dame Joan, can I speak with Ray for a moment?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Dame Joan nodded, wearing a solemn face. *** I approached Rizzello and spoke in hushed tones. ¡°Can you activate the barrier where the sound is distorted right now?¡± ¡°Sure. Wait.¡± After that, Rizelo raised his index finger and acted to be cute. ¡°Ta-da. It¡¯s done now.¡± ¡°¡­..Good. Thank you.¡± After I finished thanking him, I brought up the main topic. ¡°By any chance, Could you find someone for me?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Rizelo said with a friendly smile. ¡°Magic Tower is not an information guild, Lady. ¡°Really? Wasn¡¯t the Magic Tower the place where you were supposed to be able to sell anything to customers?¡± For a brief moment, Rizzello stared at me silently. Soon, he made a mischievous grin. ¡°That¡¯s my favorite phrase. Can I use it as a slogan?¡± ¡°Sure. Use it.¡± Then I strike up a discussion with him, trying to hide my frustration. ¡°Then, can we expect a look that matches the slogan now? Could you find someone?¡± ¡°Who do you so desperately want to find? Let¡¯s start with that.¡± Rizelo said, stroking his chin. I wielded my tongue and became jittery. This isn¡¯t the time to negotiate with this wizard leisurely! Neither the location nor the timing was perfect. Rizelo smiled as if he sensed my worry. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard. Ray Monahan has been a devout believer since then. Walking around the cathedral isn¡¯t strange at all.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Haha. Should we meet more safely if you¡¯re nervous? Miss Melody is a friend of ours.¡± Are you going to dress up as a woman again? With an unpleasant expression on my face, I looked at Rizelo. ¡®However, meeting Melody, a woman, as opposed to Ray, a man, would attract less attention. After all, I am a married woman.¡¯ I remembered Ian, who met Ray yesterday, had warned me not to approach him. Yow. I groaned and nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask permission to pay you a visit today in Lady Melody¡¯s name.¡± Rizelo smiled as he said it. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are looking for, but please offer us as much information and a description of that person¡¯s face in detail. Oh, and.¡± Rizello murmured, his voice dropping even lower. ¡°Kakulta essence, it¡¯s slowly getting in stock.¡± I was surprised and looked up at him. If it¡¯s Cakulta Essence, it¡¯ll be the key to breaking the time-limited curse. However, it was the ingredient that caused me to return to the Magic Tower in vain because I couldn¡¯t buy it at the time due to drug ingredients. ¡°How did you know? That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking for.¡± ¡°Haha. Do you think that I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in my tower?¡± Rizelo shrugged and continued to speak. ¡°If you still need it, I¡¯ll bring it in the next visit.¡± ¡°Master.¡± I smiled politely and adjusted my posture. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could do it for me. That¡¯s kind of you.¡± ¡°Hmm. Sure.¡± Rizelo smiled and waved his hand. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you again today.¡± ¡°Yep. Please get back safe.¡± I bowed politely and watched Rizelo¡¯s back as he left. Rizelo never asked why I needed Kakulta Extract. With his business philosophy of not inquiring about customers¡¯ intentions, he would not investigate inquisitively in the future. I liked that point. Rizelo was without a doubt the ideal partner with whom to collaborate. If only you had some money. ¡®Well, then, first of all, I have to after think about how to ask him to find Elliot-¡® ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ackkkk.¡± A strange noise caused me to fall. When I turned around and regained my balance, there stood a face I didn¡¯t want to believe. ¡°Si-Sir Ian.¡± Why is this ghost-like person here? [TL/N: This phrase has been explained before.] ¡°When did you return? Haha. I thought you were going to the Knights Headquarters.¡± ¡°The departure schedule for going to the war has been confirmed, and I was on my way to you because I had something to deliver.¡± Ian¡¯s attention was drawn to the area behind my back. Rizelo had been crossing the garden in the same direction for quite some time. With a gentle expression on my face, I spoke softly. ¡°I see. Did you decide to leave right away?¡± ¡°You must be quite close to each other.¡± Ian covered my question with a question of his own. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh haha. ¡°I just ran into someone I knew and said hello for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at his back for a long time for that sort of thing.¡± I felt a sense of panic and tightened my lips. His voice, which was interrogating me, was cold. ¡®Did you notice Ray¡¯s real identity?¡¯ No, if Ian had discovered Ray¡¯s true identity, he would have acted immediately. Not just by talking about it in this manner. Right. He probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed. I decided to believe it and brazen it out. ¡°Not at all. I think you¡¯re mistaken. By the way, do you have anything you¡¯d want to share with me? What exactly is it?¡± I thought it naturally led to the last questions. But the next thing I knew, I was almost choked. ¡°Is he your type?¡± ¡°¡­..What?¡± ¡°I asked you if he was your type.¡± Ian said, nodding in the direction Rizelo had disappeared. He was so misunderstood that I became dumbfounded. Ian tilted his head as to how he interpreted my reaction. No. It was just because Rizelo is a bombshell called Master of Magic Tower. His facade evolved into a true show over time. I didn¡¯t know where to start when it came to rectifying this ridiculous misunderstanding. ¡°Do you like him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand it, so I raised my voice. ¡°Do you want to know what my type is? I hate that kind of flirting. I prefer a man who is as straightforward and honest as big dogs who only look at me!¡± It was so frustrating that I realized I was expressing my preference without even realizing it. I -ahem- cleared my throat. ¡°An acquaintance?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­Well, someone, I used to be friends with.¡± I have a history of not telling Ian about my past. This time, too, I roughly stuttered, giving the impression that I wasn¡¯t expecting it in detail. ¡°¡­..Really.¡± Ian furrowed his brows. ¡°Is he your ex-boyfriend you broke up with?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± CH 46 I was at a loss for words in this absurd situation. ¡®¡­ No, wait.¡¯ Perhaps I can take advantage of this. I had an idea and quickly raised my head. Ian had no idea about my plan and was still pushing me. ¡°??Why don¡¯t you say anything? Did I hit you in the bullseye?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. No, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± I nodded my head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m drawn to him because he reminds me of my ex-boyfriend. To be honest, yes. I¡¯ve been swayed a little.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian looked at me quietly. His lips clenched together. He couldn¡¯t say anything. I kept my momentum going. ¡°Actually, I almost lost my control just a little bit. When I saw a face that reminded me of my ex-lover, with whom I had abruptly split up, I was filled with longing.¡± Ian¡¯s mouth was slightly open this time. It was the strangest expression I¡¯d ever seen on his face. ¡°¡­..Do you really mean it?¡± ¡°Sir Ian. Please help me.¡± With a serious expression on my face, I looked up at Ian. ¡°Please don¡¯t let me lose control. Can¡¯t you bring me along on the expedition? I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do with my broken heart if you leave me alone in a strange place.¡± I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, as though terrified of myself. While studying Ian¡¯s expression, I cast a glance at him. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± He sighed and bowed his head. I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking because he didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. ¡®Was it a little too much?¡¯ Now I have to think about it, but the water has already been spilled. After a few seconds of suffocating stillness, Ian finally looked up. ¡°Great. If you want to go that far, let¡¯s do it.¡± His deep blue eyes looked as if they were about to devour me. ¡®Oh? Really?¡¯ I opened my eyes wide as the approval came through more smoothly than I had expected. ¡°I had no idea you were the kind who needed to be restrained.¡± Ian said as he moved closer to me. I took a step back instinctively. Even so, I was overtaken by someone who had a much longer stride than I did. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand? Even though this is a contractual relationship, Did you think I wouldn¡¯t understand my wife¡¯s broken heart because we are a couple?¡± Why? The words themselves aren¡¯t frightening, but they¡¯ve made my spine shiver. I tried to maintain my composure and said something. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Cough. I do.¡± As I coughed intentionally, Ian looked down at me with cold eyes. ¡°Please let me know if you wish to change your mind. Any man who resembles your ex-lover will be blocked from view.¡± What are your plans for cleaning them up¡­¡­? I parted my lips instinctively, resisting the urge to ask. ¡°Thank¡­..Huh, thank you. It¡¯s a good thing I told Sir Ian.¡± My waist was numb from Ian staring at me as if he had just met me for the first time. After I barely answered, Ian, let out a cold laugh. ¡°Take this.¡± Ian suddenly pulled something out of his arms. It was a bracelet with a large transparent gem that looked like a diamond. ¡°This¡­¡­What is this?¡± ¡°Do you remember what I said to you the other day? I¡¯ll give you an artifact that can defend itself without the assistance of Dame Joan.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I gave a nod. One of the conditions I included in my contract with Ian was that my safety be guaranteed. ¡°Did you come here to give it to me?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be witnessing my contract wife¡¯s affair.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Raise your right hand. Wrap this diamond around your hand.¡± It¡¯s wonderful to be able to join him to Rycallion, but has he lost faith in me as a contract partner? I moved my right hand as instructed, pressing down on the bracelet¡¯s jewel with a purposeful smile. I didn¡¯t feel anything at all. ¡°After that?¡± Ian silently reached for my forehead. I closed my eyes in response to the unexpected contact. However, I was unable to detect the body temperatures of others who I was about to touch. I asked slowly as I opened my eyes. ¡°¡­¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°Try to touch my hand.¡± I wrinkled my forehead to hit Ian¡¯s palm. ¡­¡­ However, it did not make it. My forehead and his hand couldn¡¯t touch, as if there was a layer of air between us. ¡°Nothing can get to you as long as you keep the jewel covered.¡± Ian calmly spoke. I just stared at him. ¡°Any¡­.thing?¡± ¡°Yes. Nothing can harm a single hair of yours with that alone, even amid a swarm of monsters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked down at the bracelet, dumbfounded. Ian is not bluffing. I could be safe from anything with this. ¡®¡­¡­ Even in black magic?¡¯ My mind flashed back to Nine¡¯s black magic clinging to my body. No. I immediately shook my head. Perhaps even the magic that had already been applied would not be effective. But where has it gone? If I want to, I can keep anything out of my reach. It was a simple but effective power. I¡¯m not sure, but I think this bracelet is worth the price of a mountain. ¡°Thank you.¡± I expressed my heartfelt thanks. ¡°We just fulfilled the terms of the contract. Anyway, let¡¯s get ready.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join the army before the sun sets¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± I nodded my head hastily. Although there were some twists and turns, I was able to go to Rycallion in the end ¡®There is a problem that I will be bailed out by the Master of the Magic Tower if this happens.¡¯ There¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Please accept my apologies the next time we meet. Dear Rizzello, I am a VIP customer who has already paid a large amount, so please just let me go this time. I drew an image of the original male lead, Elliot, in my head instead of thinking about nothing. Please wait, Male Lead. This sister will go to save you! *** A few hours after that. ¡°Wow.¡± I made an involuntary exclamation while looking out the window. My carriage was now speeding somewhere in the western part of the Empire. Nothing stood in the way of the view of the open field stretching out to the horizon. It was a very different landscape than the capital. ¡°Dame Joan, are we here right now?¡± I asked, pointing to the map. Dame Joan nodded. ¡°Yes. It will only take you half a day to get to Rycallion.¡± The place I was pointing to was a long way from the capital. A place that cannot be reached by horse-drawn carriage at normal speed in a single night. But in the presence of magic and wealth, nothing was impossible. After roughly an hour of leaving the capital, we arrived at a big teleportation gate held by the Elune Church. The gate was said to be dedicated to the Holy Knights and could only be used to dispatch the Holy Knights in an emergency. It seemed to be a special means of transportation that even the Emperor could not use at his leisure. ¡°You must be exhausted after spending the night in the carriage. Sleep more, Madam Irene.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. Dame Joan was the one who couldn¡¯t sleep. You¡¯ve been awake the entire night.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to sleep tonight. It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°No way, Is it because you are my escort?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡± Sir Joan laughed bitterly. I opened my eyes wide. I¡¯ve known Dame Joan for over a month already, but I can count on my hand the number of times I¡¯ve seen her expressions. An expressionless expression, a strict expression, and a nervous expression in front of Ian. ¡°Dame Joan. You don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°Ah. Was it obvious?¡± As a surprise, Dame Joan straightened her posture. ¡°I apologize. I made you worry.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean to hear that.¡± I hurriedly shook my head. ¡°Would you mind telling me if something is wrong with you? It may be something I can¡¯t solve for you, but¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words. Madam Irene.¡± Dame Joan only thanked me politely, but she didn¡¯t seem to want to confide in me. There must be something going on. I continued, looking at her expression. ¡°I¡¯m not asking too much, but maybe I can help you. You might feel much better just by telling it.¡± Dame Joan, who smiled embarrassedly, spoke up after a few seconds. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to worry you. Rycallion is my hometown.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± My pupils dilated. ¡°Are you from Rycallion?¡± ¡°Yes. The life or death of my family has not been confirmed, so I was spacing out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Oh my. Dame Joan.¡± Biting my lip, I approached Dame Joan and sat down next to her, I didn¡¯t know what to say to comfort her. ¡°I¡¯m sure your family is safe.¡± I carefully handed over the clich¨¦d consolation. ¡°The Holy Knights of the Riccallion, so¡­¡­ Before they did, There were eyewitness accounts of how they did their best to rescue civilians.¡± I didn¡¯t feel convinced in my own words as I spoke. The whereabouts of Rycalion¡¯s civilians are currently unknown. If they survived safely under the protection of the Holy Knights, they should have evacuated to the neighboring village, but it is said that no such person was found in that village. As if by evaporation, a large number of people disappeared. Dame Joan smiled bitterly. ¡°Thank you for your condolences.¡± ¡°I pray to God Elune.¡± I said this while clasping my hands together. ¡°Please make sure that Joan¡¯s family is safe.¡± First of all, I am a saintess. So Dame Joan would be comforted by my prayers. I closed my eyes and silently chanted the name of the world¡¯s god. ¡®God Elune. Are you listening?¡± I was a little stumped at the first prayer I had ever tried. ¡®How can I¡­Can I just make a wish out of the blue?¡¯ Oh, should I start reciting the prayer? What should I do? I haven¡¯t memorized it yet. I stifled the thought of gibberish. ¡®Anyway. Please keep Joan and her family safe. Please.¡¯ If I do this¡­.Is it working? It was a prayer that was similar to when I prayed to be chosen for a scholarship. Nonetheless, I hope that Dame Joan will find some solace in my prayers. That¡¯s when I thought about it and opened my eyes. ¡®¡­¡­Here, for the first time.¡¯ ¡°Huh?¡± Just what was it? I opened my eyes. ¡°Dame Joan, what did you just say to me?¡± ¡°Pardon? I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I smiled awkwardly. For a brief moment, I believe I heard what sounded like a voice. I guess it was just the sound of the wind passing by. CH 47 The procession of Holy Knights stopped at Rycallion¡¯s entrance. The city beyond that didn¡¯t appear to be anything special. Even the magical beasts that flew through the sky were missing. Yet, there was no smoke coming from any of the chimneys. The sense of incongruity scared my spine. ¡°We¡¯ll form up from here.¡± As he jumped down off the saddle, Ian, who was riding just in front of my carriage, exclaimed. The Holy Knights immediately dismounted and formed a rank. Ian gave them the order with a blank expression on his face. ¡°Remember, the bastards have wings. Keep your eyes on the sky and don¡¯t give grounds.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± ¡°And, Joan.¡± Dame Joan took a step forward in response to Ian¡¯s command. ¡°Yes, Commander, Please give me the order.¡± ¡°You were assigned to the search and rescue team.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dame Joan occasionally did not answer immediately. As he gazed up at her, her eyes widened. ¡°¡­¡­Thank you. Commander.¡± After some time had passed, Dame Joan bowed her head and responded. Her smile was slightly relieved. She was able to get away from the escort knights who had to stick with me and go out to find her own family. ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ I wished Dame Joan the best of luck. I hope you can save your family. ¡°¡­¡­ Irene. Irene.¡± Ugh. I¡¯m surprised. Because I was staring at Dame Joan, I didn¡¯t hear Ian¡¯s voice. I returned Ian¡¯s look of surprise. ¡°Yes, did you call me?¡± ¡°What are you so preoccupied with¡­¡­No, that¡¯s not the case. Come to me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ian nodded to the seat next to me as if it was natural. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± With dismay, the end of my voice shrank. ¡°What has surprised you? You mustn¡¯t have expected me to leave you among the beasts without an escort knight.¡± ¡°Anyway, I was going to tell you about that.¡± I walked closer to Ian and whispered. ¡°As I said before, I have some business to do in this nearby town. This week is important. May I go ahead and take care of the business while Ian takes care of the beasts?¡± ¡°Something to do?¡± Ian lowered his gaze to mine, his eyes cold. ¡°Do you have a lover you left here too?¡± ¡°What? No! You¡¯ve got everything wrong! No, it¡¯s because I have something really important to do personally¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t because it¡¯s dangerous. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to get away from me now that you¡¯ve come this far.¡± ¡°Ha, Haha¡­¡­But, Sir Ian, aren¡¯t you quite busy? Can someone like me hang on to your hump?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of practice running with a sandbag, so it¡¯s no problem.¡± Ian simply cut it out and said, There were no holes in which I could make an excuse. Only then I was able to enter the den of beasts as a group. I hurriedly whispered. ¡°Even if I¡¯m here, it won¡¯t help!¡± ¡°Why not? The holy saintess is with me on the battlefield. Is there any other scam like this?¡± What a holy saintess! Looking around with that thought, I realized that everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on us. ¡®¡­Ugh.¡¯ I pressed my lips together, feeling a lot of pressure. I had no choice but to accept it. For the time being, my only option is to enter the den of those beasts as a group and make plans. ¡°Please take good care of me so that I don¡¯t die.¡± I bowed and yielded to Ian. I heard a chuckle from above. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you die.¡± I had no choice but to put my life in the hands of that delinquent. It¡¯ll be okay. I tried desperately to console myself. Still, he should be able to protect at least one of us as the most powerful Knight Commander. *** ¡°Argghhh!¡± I screamed as I hung on the neck of the strongest Holy Knight Commander. A human-sized bat charged at us, and a flying one-handed sword sliced their chests open from behind. Ian kept running without even looking at the bat beast¡¯s carcass. ¡°I¡¯m going to lose my hearing.¡± Ian frowned. I whispered frantically, clutching him even harder by the nape of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m so-sorry. It¡¯s my first time seeing this. Uhh. I think I¡¯m going to pass out now. Ugh.¡± It wasn¡¯t a joke. While Ian was holding me, I was breaking through Rycalion head-on. On the outside, it appeared to be a peaceful city, but on the inside, it was chaotic. The Balrog with huge horns and wings. Those creatures that were said to be made of hatred and disorder came rushing at us from all directions as if they were going to tear us apart at any moment. ¡®This is a 4D game. This is a 4D game.¡¯ I tried my best to brainwash myself but to no avail. My whole body froze at the horrifying squeal of the beast that resonated in my ears. ¡°Ughhhh.¡± Ian adjusted my hugging position as if it bothered him. ¡°It¡¯ll be shortly.¡± ¡°Re-really. I¡¯ll trust you. I trust you.¡± Please put an end to this horror¡­¡­! A pure white building in the city¡¯s center stood out shortly after. ¡®It¡¯s a cathedral.¡¯ We had arrived at our destination. I was about to be relieved when my eyes popped open wide. When I looked closely, I could see black magicians escorting the beast around the church. ¡°Wha-what do we do now?¡± Even if there were a large number of beasts, there were too many. Unlike me, who was in a panic, Ian placed his order with a puzzled but inconspicuous expression. ¡°Pave the way.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± They opened the road because it was blocked. It was a very simple and clear command. The elite forces of Elunism carried out the simple command with incredible steadfastness. The situation was very smooth, even though Ian, the best and strongest, was out to protect me. ¡®At this rate, the restoration of Rycallion should be no problem¡­..?¡¯ Something didn¡¯t feel quite right. Is this the end of the catastrophe that wiped out the Holy Knight army and destroyed the Rycallion? Ian started to move as the lingering unease grew stronger. ¡°I¡¯ll go inside.¡± I squeezed Ian¡¯s shoulder in response to that notice. ¡°Let-let¡¯s go.¡± It was like unlocking the dungeon door that held the final boss. There was something in that cathedral. ¡®Therefore they utilize evil equipment like these to protect the beasts.¡¯ I tried to calm down my trembling body. When I found out I was in a romance fantasy novel, I never anticipated I¡¯d wind up in a situation like this. I thought it was a ¡®romance¡¯ fantasy. This is not a romance ¡®fantasy¡¯! ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, so stop shaking. You¡¯re going to pass out.¡± ¡°Who is passing out¡­Oh, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ian murmured as he forced a nonchalant voice. ¡°No, I¡¯d rather be more comfortable that way.¡± ¡°What did you just say¡ªKyaaaah!¡± Ian stomped the ground and ran before I could complete my sentence. My cheeks were stroked by a gust of wind. He dashed out of the church, breaking through the door in an instant. ¡°Huuuhhh.¡± As soon as the church door opened, I forgot about my embarrassment and buried my face in Ian¡¯s chest. There must be something more terrifying than the beasts guarding the outside. Squeak, boom! A heavy door slammed shut behind us. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± And, there was no sound inside. I turned my head slightly and looked around with my eyes narrowed. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The interior was stunning. Although it was not as large as the capital¡¯s cathedral, the sacred sculptures, icons, and stained glass carved on the walls had a sacred beauty. Although the traces of the battle remained and were broken all over the place. However, the beast was nowhere to be seen. ¡°What¡­ is it?¡± I muttered. There was no way there could be nothing, but I was more anxious because I didn¡¯t see anything. When I sensed movement, I remembered a ghost story that said, ¡°Don¡¯t look at the ceiling even if you look in the front and back.¡± I crouched and looked up at the ceiling, but there were no beasts there either. ¡°How come there isn¡¯t anything?¡± ¡°There is.¡± ¡°Th-there is? Where?¡± I was clinging to Ian even closer without realizing it. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. May-Maybe it¡¯s transparent¡­¡­? Is it some sort of invisible monster?¡± No, you are the character in that fantasy novel. After taking a look around, Ian said, ¡°I¡¯m going to put you down right now.¡± ¡°Huh, me? Uh, um¡­¡­ yes. Please be careful¡­¡­¡± With a puzzled expression on my face, I nodded. Even being held by Ian at the wedding was awkward, but they say humans are adaptable species. Going down to the ground now felt more dangerous. Whatever happens, the arm I was clutching at has the strongest power in the original setting. It felt strange to step on the ground after such a long time. While standing on two legs, I looked around the cathedral. ¡°There seems to be nothing.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Does it-does it move?¡± Ian proceeded toward the center of the cathedral without hesitation. We climbed to the podium, the innermost part of the magnificent cathedral. Normally, the bishop would have preached in front of a large congregation of believers. A holy grail stood behind the podium, looking very sacred. ¡®Oh. I saw this in the cathedral too.¡¯ It was a Holy Grail that looked similar to the one I saw during the verification process. Although the cathedral side of the capital had more details, the Holy Grail was also beautiful. Ian looked down at the Holy Grail and exhaled briefly. ¡°Neither did I.¡± ¡°Yes? Pardon?¡± ¡°Holy stone of Laqueia.¡± Ian said this as he pointed to the Holy Grail. ¡®Oh my. That reminds me.¡¯ The ordinary Holy Grail was encrusted with exquisite jewels, similar to what I saw in the cathedral. However, there was nothing like that in this Holy Grail. ¡°Is it¡­¡­gone?¡± I whispered, frightened. Did someone take advantage of the chaos to steal it? Or there was a possibility that the demon had destroyed it. Ian responded succinctly. ¡°It was absorbed.¡± ¡°What? Who?¡± I asked back in a daze. If you said someone had sold it, you made a hundred concessions and it makes sense, but absorb it? Ian pointed to the air. ¡°The existence within.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Holy Stone is lethal to normal beasts, but it serves as a means of evolution for high-ranking Demons.¡± A shocking story flowed out in a plain tone. ¡°The reason they haven¡¯t left yet is probably because it¡¯s still being digested. And they expect their men to look after us.¡± With an unusually unpleasant smile, Ian drew his sword. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen, so quit wasting your time and come out.¡± I stared blankly at Ian who was provoking towards the air. ¡®With whom are you fighting? Are you¡­..!¡± Ian¡¯s sword trembled strangely as he aimed at the air. I heard that the Holy Stone detects the black magic of a member of the Holy Knights. To put it another way, if the sword responds, it means a magical beast is nearby. A monster so massive that his sword trembled. ¡®It¡¯s also a transparent beast.¡¯ I had to fight the urge to pass out. CH 48 ¡°Si-Sir Ian. Could it be next to me now?¡± I said it, my voice trembling with fear. When I learned the enemy was invisible, my fear intensified. I mean, when it comes to ghost stories, I¡¯m a complete wuss. ¡°May-maybe it¡¯s going over my head right now¡­¡­¡± I peered above, frightenedly whispering. Ian just stared at me. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°The fact that you are a Saintess and don¡¯t feel the magic at all.¡± Cough. Without realizing it, I coughed. Ian casually murmured, hitting the nail on the head. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s better because you¡¯re more at ease.¡± Before I could reply, Ian raised his arm. The tip of the blade was aimed at me. Right behind me. ¡°Irene.¡± Ian extended his other hand, which was not holding the blade. I dashed behind Ian and hid behind him. Ian drew the air with his sword as I moved behind his back. ¡®What is it?¡¯ The tense situation was only for a short time. Ian¡¯s sword began to tremble when it passed as if the air had been split apart. ¡°Uh, huh¡­¡­¡± The incredible sight left me speechless. The open air gap filtered dark light. ¡°Hee-hee. Krunggg.¡± A strange sound came out through it. It¡¯s like a giggle.¡­.. My spine shuddered as though I were being drenched in ice water. At the same time, something crawled through the fissures in the ripped air. I rushed to place my hand on the bracelet¡¯s jewel, straining my entire body. ¡®He said there was a Balrog.¡¯ Even I am aware of this famous demon. In expectation of seeing that terrifying creature, I tightened my quivering hands. The shape of the crawling creatures became distinct. The figure of the creature who was wholly exposed to the outside soon¡­¡­ ¡®Eung?¡¯ Squinting my eyes, I braced myself for the great demon. The identity of what crept out of the opening in the air was a certain young man. He was also handsome. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a young man. It¡¯s annoying.¡± The demon, who appeared like a young man, blinked his eyes and chuckled. His voice sounded just like a human¡¯s. ¡°Oh? But never mind. Withdraw it. There¡¯s a girl, too¡± Once he discovered me cowering behind Ian, his eyes twinkled. ¡°Hi! You look cute. I¡¯d like to speak with the lady. Handsome guys are annoying just by looking at them.¡± The young demon flapped his wings and tried to fly to me. Hiiik. I quickly backed away. Desperately clutching the bracelet with one hand. Ian¡¯s sword tip was pointing at the demon. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me. I want you to vomit Lakeia and then I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Whoa. How scary. How dare you, a human, say that to this Incubus king?¡± Wait a minute. Incubus? I knew that name. It was famous in the world where I lived. Indeed, the demon burrows into the dream of a sleeping person and sucks their energy. He was a demon with a penchant for seducing people of the opposite sex. ¡°Haha. Why is the lady in front of you suddenly avoiding my gaze? Are you scared? Are you afraid you¡¯ll be taken in by me? Right?¡± Even though I was flattered, I kept my guard up. After all, he is a demon of seduction. I don¡¯t know how much beauty you have compared to your reputation, but it would have been better to be careful. ¡°Do not make eye contact.¡± Ian whispered to me. ¡°Because you are susceptible to temptation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian has lost a lot of my trust. ¡°Hold on a second. I recognize you.¡± The demon then turned to face Ian, his eyes wide with fear. ¡°Silver hair¡­¡­Human. Sword Master. That face still makes me sad.¡± Ugh. You¡¯re revealing Ian¡¯s important secret! In shock, I opened my eyes wide. Fortunately, it was only me and Ian in the church, so it was not revealed that Ian still had chaste man characteristics. After all, it was almost revealed that nothing had happened between Ian and me that day. ¡°You are Ian Esteban. Right?¡± The demon giggled and licked his lips. ¡°The most beloved son of the Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t budge at any of his words, but Ian¡¯s expression hardened for a moment at the story of the emperor. He didn¡¯t say anything as he swung his sword. The materialized sword slashed violently through the air, but the demon quickly jumped back and avoided it. ¡°The commander of the Holy Knights has already arrived. Have I gone too far? Haha¡­¡­.¡± The battle broke out in an instant. When Ian swung his sword, the demon escaped. With a slim body shape, the demon managed to run away. Even though I didn¡¯t know much about fighting, his ability to run away astounded me. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Even more strange is that the demon didn¡¯t get hit even though the sword tried to slash at him. Purple smoke billowed from the area where the sword had struck. The demon laughed and escaped, and the first thing the part noticed was itself growing up as if it were an illusion. ¡°Tell me. How did it feel to be loved?¡± The devil talked incessantly as he ran away. ¡°What does it feel like to be born good? Were you distraught to see your brother, who can¡¯t even do half of what you can? Didn¡¯t you think you¡¯d be a better emperor if you¡¯d been born a few years earlier?¡± The guy was constantly babbling nonsense. Ian remained silent. The demon pouted her mouth as if in mockery before his eyes lit up, and he smiled. ¡°Oh, right. How did you feel when you pulled the rotten, decomposed bodies of your father?¡± He whispered in a peculiar voice. ¡°You barely found your father¡¯s ruptured corpse after several years. Did you cry as you gathered the corpse fragments? Or did you promise vengeance on whoever killed your father?¡± I clenched my fist. That bastard was also a devil. Digging into the opponent¡¯s most personal memories was nauseatingly cowardly. ¡°I will help you. Your revenge, I can help you very hard.¡± The devil¡¯s voice rang strangely, whispering in my ear. ¡°Let¡¯s kill them all. Huh? Your filthy older brother and the saintess who helped him¡­¡­ I will wipe it all away and give you the throne! Do you want your name to be praised by everyone?¡± Regardless of how much the devil flirted and tempted him, Ian didn¡¯t utter any words. Finally, he spits it out. ¡°I¡¯m so annoyed, Hop Hop.¡± Clunk. Ian tossed his sword to the ground. I watched with wide eyes as an expensive sword rolled around like trash. ¡°Huh? What happened? Do you finally have the courage to approach me without using a weapon¡­¡­¡± The demon mumbled the end of his words Ian put his hand on the empty waist and stretched it out. Then he took action as if drawing a sword. After a while, I opened my eyes wide. Ian¡¯s hands were empty until a gleaming longsword appeared out of nowhere. The demon¡¯s face had hardened into a cold expression. ¡°F*ck, What the hell is that?¡± The voice that had been whispering as a fox fell over in an instant. Ian¡¯s sword left me with mixed feelings. It was the same one-handed sword as before, but everything was different. The pure white sword gleamed like a pure white flash, and the cross guard on the hilt, which appeared to be made of pouring gold, was more beautiful than any sculpture I¡¯d ever seen. ¡®That¡¯s a real holy sword.¡¯ Ian¡¯s only inheritance from the Emperor, which he keeps hidden in subspace. ¡®I had never seen it in the original novel.¡¯ There was a description of Ian, who had already turned evil and became the final boss, pulling out a holy sword against the main protagonist couple. At that time, Ian had failed to draw the holy sword because he had already been corrupted. However, Ian was naturally wielding the holy sword as if it were his own. The image of Ian slashing the demon with his holy sword was like a torch. I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt this way. ¡°Where the hell did that disgusting thing come from?¡± The demon clenched his teeth. It was a completely different tone than his previous relaxed demeanour. Ian kept raising his sword without having to respond. At the same time, the demon spread his wings. ¡°Tch¡­¡­It¡¯s annoying, and it hasn¡¯t yet been digested, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡®Huh? That, right now¡­¡­¡¯ I felt something and instinctively pointed my finger at the demon. ¡°He¡¯s running away!¡± Before I could finish shouting, the demon flew away. The dark purple wings flapped loudly as the demon¡¯s body flew away. ¡°He is flying!¡± How dare you run away! I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say and kept pointing my finger around. Hey! Someone there! The same thing comes out. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ian said out of nowhere. There was laughter at the end of that voice. ¡°Thanks to your pointing finger, I can easily see the target.¡± ¡°This is not the time for playing around¡­¡­Ahhh!¡± Because I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence, I screamed. This is because Ian threw his holy sword. The holy sword, which flew in a neat parabola, accurately hit the flying demon¡¯s wings. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± The devil let out a terrifying scream. I looked at the holy sword that Ian threw down like a boomerang with my eyes, that seemed unbelievable to me. ¡®Da¡­.Damn. A famous sword that even millions of Mars cannot buy.¡¯ The demon staggered and fell, clutching the holy sword in its wings. ¡°It hurts¡­¡­ It hurts like hell.¡± The demon was panting heavily. His eyes were filled with fear and confusion, as if this was the first time he had ever felt such pain. ¡°Why am I being treated like this? ¡­ Huh, it hurts. It hurts so much.¡± Like a madman, the devil murmured frantically. The demon¡¯s body was covered in a web of white energy emitted by his holy sword. ¡°He-Help me.¡± The devil stuttered and looked around. His gaze eventually fell on me. ¡°He-Help me. Please help me.¡± I flinched and stepped back. The devil crawled up to me, clutching the holy sword as if I were his last line of defence. ¡°It hurts¡­¡­Noona, it hurts so much. Could you help me, please? I¡¯ll be sure to express my sincere thanks. Raspel doesn¡¯t want to be sick¡­.¡± Crawling on his knees, the devil begged. ¡°Don¡¯t look down like that because it¡¯s scary. If you can help me, Raspel, I¡¯ll do anything. I will serve you as master. You can own me now that you know my real name. Please sign a master-slave agreement with me. I¡¯ll do anything¡­ Right? Please help me.¡± The watery devil¡¯s eyes gleamed peculiarly. The wet, purple eyes looked like something out of a dream. The sight was so beautiful that most people fell in love with it right away. But I just stared down at the devil in horror. The more the devil suffered, the more disgusted I became. This demon instantly destroyed Rycallion. They injured civilians and killed the Holy Knights who had come to protect them. Even though Ian has been ridiculed, it must be because Ian is a monster that only comes out once every few centuries. This demon must have been a great high-ranking demon, too. It had to have taken countless lives. I remember Dame Joan struggling to keep a straight face when he said he didn¡¯t know whether her family was alive or dead. ¡®On a subject that has killed so many people and has tormented so many others.¡¯ How can a single pain make you feel so desperate? I mumbled, my hatred heating up. ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡± For a moment, the devil¡¯s eyes opened wide. The devil¡¯s purple eyes, which had opened so wide that they couldn¡¯t open any wider, turned red with the agony of death. ¡°Ha¡­.Haghhh. Ka-Kaaaagghh!¡± My ears were filled with a flurry of sound that seemed to rip through the air. The demon¡¯s body crumbled like sand at the same time. In an instant, the demon vanished without a trace, as if it didn¡¯t exist in the first place. Only Ian¡¯s holy sword and the devil¡¯s swallowed holy stone of Lakeia remained in the devil¡¯s lair. At the same time, that is confirmed. ¡®Huh¡­¡­?¡¯ My vision had become blurry. My body began to fall over. CH 49 ¡°Commander! Are you all right!¡± The knights rushed at Ian as he came out of the church door. The knights were all messed up with the blood and body fluids of the beast, but no one was seriously injured. All the beasts struggled to enter the cathedral rather than fight the knights. At some point, they floundered like puppets with broken threads. The knights realized everything at once. ¡®The Commander did it.¡¯ According to the most recent reports, these beasts are owned by the Incubus King. Incubus is a mighty demon. They could not be said to be powerful if it was their king. The beasts, led by King Incubus, raided Rycallion and settled in the cathedral. No matter how powerful they were, the king would not have been able to defeat the Holy Knights. The Incubus King, on the other hand, became more powerful than ever after swallowing the holy stone. And the beasts which followed him grew stronger as well. When the beasts stumbled, it meant that their master was in trouble. ¡°You did it, Commander!¡± ¡°Are there any injuries?¡± They were expecting Ian to come out with the Incubus King¡¯s supplies. Instead, he came out holding a woman in both arms. The knights were captivated by the scene. ¡°Oh, the saintess¡­!¡± ¡°Saintess! Are you all right!¡± The knights were taken aback when they discovered who the drooping woman in Ian¡¯s arms was. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Ian commanded. The knights hurriedly backed away from the voice, which was deeper than usual. ¡°Did you find a safe place nearby?¡± ¡°Yes, Commander. It¡¯s good news. The search party has found a cave with survivors! It¡¯s not far from here.¡± ¡°I will go there.¡± Ian¡¯s face was frighteningly stiff as he stated this. He was shown around by the knights. ¡°Yes, Commander. I¡¯ll take you this way¡­!¡± Ian took a step and looked down at Irene. His blue eyes stared at Irene and were filled with mixed emotions. ¡®Fuck it.¡¯ Then the Incubus King collapsed at that word. ¡®Be careful of what you wish for.¡¯ A divine power to make what is said come true. ¡®Sometimes people who are born with divine power used to do it¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Long ago, it was known that Jasper, the saintess of wisdom in the legend, also used that ability. The holy sword weakened them, but still, the king was the king. With a single word, the woman brought down the mighty beast and was calmly held in his arms. ¡®Saintess, Ra¡­¡­.¡¯ Ian looked down at Irene for a moment. Her tightly shut eyes seemed at ease as if she were dreaming. In fact, Ian wasn¡¯t completely convinced that she was a saintess. The evidence was clear, but something about it made her suspicious. His suspicions whispered in his instincts that she was hiding something fatal about her from him. But now that this has happened, he has no choice but to believe it. That Irene Grace is loved by God. But is it really a blessing? ¡°¡­¡­Irene.¡± He bowed slightly and whispered that he only reached her when her eyes were still tight. That much reaction comes with her strong power. Ian remembered Irene passing out when the Incubus stopped breathing after hearing that single word. She fell to the floor like a doll with a broken thread. ¡°Your power, please never use it again.¡± He didn¡¯t know why his heart was beating as it would stop. But obviously, it was something he didn¡¯t want to see again. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t have to use it anymore.¡± Ian looked down at Irene quietly after finishing his whisper. Irene¡¯s eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings as if she understood what he said. *** ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± As soon as I woke up, I had a headache. ¡°What happened? Did I get drunk and fell asleep yesterday?¡¯ I felt dizzy and nauseous, as if I had a bad hangover. ¡®Wait. What happened to make me fall asleep last night?¡¯ I immediately opened my eyes after searching my hazy mind. ¡°That demon!¡± I remembered the last time I saw a devil¡¯s face. Yeah, I was dealing with him alongside Ian. It seems that I passed out when I noticed the memory was suddenly cut off, but I do not recall what happened after that. What happened to him? ¡°Lady Irene. Are you all right!¡± A familiar voice was heard in my ears. As I turned my head, I saw Dame Joan running towards me with a worried look on her face. ¡°Stay in your bed. You must have complete rest.¡± ¡°Dame Joan¡­¡­Where the hell am I?¡± I looked around blankly. This was a strange place. The whole area was covered with black rocks. It reminded me of a cave. The strangest thing was the black rocks emitting fluorescent green light. ¡°This is a safe zone. The survivors were hiding here to avoid the beasts.¡± ¡°Pardon? Really?¡± My eyes were wide open. Then there was a rumbling sound. ¡°Is the saintess awake?¡± ¡°Shhh, she is talking to Dame Joan.¡± ¡°Whoa, you are the real saintess¡­¡­¡± I was startled when I turned my head. People¡¯s eyes shone brightly like fireflies from afar. ¡°Oh, she looked this way.¡± ¡°You look so cute.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s disrespectful to the saint.¡± ¡°Hey, did you hear what I said?¡± Yes, I can clearly hear them. With blank eyes, I continued to look around. ¡°Dame Joan. Those people¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes. They are the survivors of Rycallion.¡± That¡¯s great news. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. The survivors appeared out of nowhere, hiding amongst themselves, looking for a safe haven. ¡°Dame Joan, how about your family?¡± I asked carefully, and Dame Joan put a faint smile on his lips. ¡°I found them.¡± ¡°Really!¡± I jumped up without realizing it. ¡°Thank God, really, really!¡± ¡°Thank you. Lady Irene.¡± Dame Joan bowed her head in respect. ¡°It seems that God Elune has heard the saintess¡¯s prayer.¡± ¡°No, what did I do?¡± I didn¡¯t really do anything, now that I think about it. It was a prayer that muttered only a few words to Elune, and it was the same in the cathedral. [TL/N: This means she is a fake priestess ¨C pretended to be a believer; it¡¯s the same thing that she is a fake Saintess and only prays to god for a particular reason.] It was Ian who went up against the demon. What I only did was hide behind his back and boost his morale¡­ Saying that would have been nice. It would have just made me crazy. ¡°Is Commander Ian all right?¡± ¡°The Commander has been by Lady Irene¡¯s side just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± My pupils dilated. That busy man was by my side? Why? Did he want to rest? ¡°Do you recall Lady Irene passing out?¡± Dame Joan asked in a worried voice. ¡°The Commander was concerned that a lot of energy would have leaked out of Lady Irene¡¯s body.¡± ¡°Yes? Are you referring to my divine power? Why?¡± I asked for something that hit me up. Is there any divine power in my body? ¡°I don¡¯t know the details because the Commander did not tell me. Could it be because you had close contact with the King of Incubus?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s true. But because he is a powerful demon, I¡¯m not sure what the effect it had on my body. I rummaged through my memories again before I passed out, but nothing came to mind. ¡°I think that¡¯s why Lady Irene fainted.¡± I thought of that demon in my head. Although he appeared to be attractive, he was actually a powerful demon. ¡®It hurts, it really hurts¡­¡­ Please help me.¡¯ I suddenly remembered the figure the devil had been begging for. I can¡¯t believe he could bring the demon down at that level. I was once again terrified of Ian. I can¡¯t remember what happened after that, but seeing that I¡¯m still alive like this, Ian must have ended the demon. ¡®Let¡¯s not be arrogant either.¡¯ I looked back at Dame Joan naturally. ¡°Is Commander Ian also fine?¡± ¡°Yes. The Commander is completely safe. He will now be dealing with the remnants with the battle corps.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I nodded my head. ¡°Dame Joan, is your family here now?¡± ¡°Oh. They¡¯re close by.¡± ¡°Go to your family. You don¡¯t have to be tied up here because of me.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Noona!¡± After that, I heard the child¡¯s clear voice. ¡°Darren. I said don¡¯t come here.¡± The expression of Dame Joan had hardened. With a scared expression on his face, a young boy named Darren burst into tears. ¡°Noona, but, Alicia¡­ Alicia.¡± ¡°Why Alicia?¡± For a brief moment, Dame Joan¡¯s eyes flashed with panic. ¡°Alisha is having trouble breathing. She huffs strangely¡­ The fever is rising. Ugh, What am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Dame Joan, go ahead.¡± I hastily stated. Dame Joan bit her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Irene. Excuse me for a moment.¡± It happened right before I was about to dispatch Dame Joan. I could hear the murmur of people. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Dame Joan, her youngest sister, seems to be getting worse. It is extremely difficult for a child to go through this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy though. The saintess is here.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s really fortunate. It¡¯s like a miracle.¡± ¡®¡­¡­.Huh?¡¯ I detected an anomaly and secretly returned my gaze to the crowd. People stared at me in wonder and anticipation. ¡°It was because of the saintess¡¯ prayer that Joan found this location.¡± ¡°He truly is a saintess.¡± I swung my gaze around. Hearing this, it seems there will be a lot of weight on my shoulders. Everyone seemed to believe that I could heal a little girl named Alicia. ¡°Hmm, Dame Joan.¡± I instinctively opened my mouth. I just couldn¡¯t help myself. Given this, I have no choice but to go pretend to pray. ¡°Alicia, is her condition getting worse?¡± ¡°She will be fine. Do not worry.¡± ¡°I will go too.¡± Dame Joan shook her head at my request. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do much anyway. What I could do was just praying. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Dame Joan¡¯s eyes seemed to tell that she was hesitant. I didn¡¯t waste any time and jumped up to take the lead. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get moving. Did Dame Joan say your name is Darren?¡± A boy named Darren looked up at me blankly. ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Saintess noona.¡± ¡°Please guide me to where Alicia is.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Darren nodded vigorously. After a while, we reached where Alicia was lying. Many people were already there, and they were guarding Alicia, who had already fainted. ¡®Huh? What exactly are they up to? My eyes were puzzled. If I looked closely, I could see that people were putting some kind of green ore on Alicia¡¯s body. CH 50 ¡®What is that?¡¯ I examined my surroundings. That was the fluorescent green debris embedded in cave walls. It was as if one of these had been removed and placed on Alicia¡¯s body. ¡°Joan! Alicia¡­¡­.Oh my goodness!¡± An old woman turned her head to us with tears in her eyes and stiffened when she found me. ¡°That can¡¯t be. Saintess!¡± ¡°Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Irene Grace. Alicia is¡­¡­ Is it that child?¡± The old woman turned to look at the lying girl shortly after, wiping her tears away. ¡°Yes, yes. you¡¯re right. It is a great honor to meet you, Saintess. My name is Delfina.¡± Delfina wiped her eyes with a handkerchief as she introduced herself. ¡°Our Alicia¡­¡­She hasn¡¯t opened her eyes in more than a week.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a week.¡± I approached Alicia carefully and knelt beside her. The people who were holding the fluorescent stones on Alicia quickly retreated to the side. ¡°I thought I had miraculously found a cave full of holy stones¡­¡­ However, the holy stone has no effect on Alicia for some reason.¡± Is a cave full of holy stones? With a puzzled expression on my face, I looked around the cave. Are you talking about those fluorescent stones? ¡°Mother.¡± Dame Joan said with her face stiffened. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? There is no evidence that the stone is a sacred stone. Serving an unconfirmed stone as a holy stone in a cathedral is idolatry.¡± ¡°Joan, what do you mean? Idolatry! This is without a doubt the holy stone that God Elune has bestowed upon us.¡± With her wide-eyed eyes, Dame Joan¡¯s mother persuaded. The other man standing next to her nodded. ¡°Yes, Joan. Beasts that appeared out of nowhere broke into the church and took the holy stone. Didn¡¯t you come across a cave full of stones that glowed like other holy stones in this situation?¡± ¡°What would it be if this isn¡¯t a line of salvation from God Elune?¡± People nodded and said a few short prayers of gratitude to Elune. The only one with a serious expression on her face was Dame Joan. ¡®Holy Stone.¡¯ I took the fluorescent green stone in my hands. I remembered the demon¡¯s spitting on the holy stone of Lakeia. That jewel that shone with a dazzling golden light. ¡°How do you feel, saint?¡± Someone asked in a tense voice. ¡°Can you feel the energy?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­¡­¡± I smiled vaguely. That was impossible for me to feel. However, I have already seen two real holy stones. The Cathedral and Rycallion. ¡®They were definitely dazzling the moment I saw them.¡¯ The stone in front of me was emitting light on its own, but it didn¡¯t glow like the holy stones, which embraced the moonlight. ¡°Now, Let¡¯s cover Alicia in even more holy stone.¡± ¡°Mother, please stop.¡± Dame Joan stepped forward as if she could not bear it. ¡°That¡¯s just an unidentified stone. Is Alicia¡¯s condition better now that she¡¯s been buried in the stone for a week?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Aunt Delfina was at a loss for words. She asked as aunt Delfina set the fluorescent stone on the ground. ¡°Has she improved? Mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­ There are a few things that concern me.¡± Aunt Delphina gently rolled up the blanket over Alicia with a hesitant touch. She took a small breath after that. ¡°This is¡­¡­¡± A dark red colour bloomed around Alicia¡¯s collarbone like a bruise. ¡°It¡¯s getting worse.¡± Aunt Delfina said through her tears. ¡°That¡¯s weird. Many people¡¯s health has improved after visiting this cave¡­¡­ What happened to Alicia? Huwaa!¡± ¡°Mother.¡± I said as I put the blanket over Alicia again. ¡°Did Alicia have a weak immune system as a child?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Right. My family and I were concerned because her body was always weak.¡± ¡°Can I tell you my opinion?¡± I looked around the cave slowly. With its softly shining fluorescent green light, the cave appeared beautiful at first glance. However, chills spread across my back like ice passing through my body. ¡°Of course, of course. What should we do for Alicia, saintess?¡± Miss Delfina looked up at me with her wide-eyed eyes. As if seeing I am the only saviour. ¡°In my opinion, Mother.¡± A stone was shining in fluorescent colour and Alicia¡¯s bruise. Some hypotheses come to mind, but it can¡¯t be certain. If the hypothesis is correct, the people in this cave will face disaster. I took the aunt¡¯s hand in mine and said, ¡°I think you should get out of this cave.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Right now.¡± Aunt Delphina was perplexed. I shifted my gaze to Dame Joan. ¡°Dame Joan. Are the demons still out there?¡± ¡°The Holy knights have dealt with the remnants of the party considerably. At the very least, the area around here has been cleaned up.¡± ¡°Great. Then.¡± I made my decision and looked at Alicia. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here as soon as possible.¡± Having said that, I found two suitable branches around me and moved like chopsticks to pick up a fluorescent stone. People stared at my movements as if they were witnessing something extraordinary. ¡°Wow, you have a lot of dexterity.¡± ¡°How can a branch be like that? Wow.¡± I thought that being praised for playing with chopsticks was after graduating from kindergarten. I hid my embarrassment by picking up people. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Hurry!¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll hug Alicia.¡± Dame Joan was the first one to move. People who were perplexed by my sudden announcement of my move began to move unsteadily. After walking through the cave for quite some time, we could see the light outside. It happened just as we were about to leave for the entrance. ¡°Irene?¡± Ian was just getting off the horse as if he had just arrived. Because I was blinded by the backlight behind him, I frowned thinly. ¡®It¡¯s not fair to get backlight.¡¯ He even received the power of lighting and looked really holy, like a human in the torch. ¡°Why are you moving already? Do you want to pass out all over again the moment you wake up? Joan. Didn¡¯t I tell you to look after Madam Irene?¡± His voice had a delinquent tone. ¡°I apologize, Commander.¡± ¡°Dame Joan is not to blame. I told them to get out of that cave as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Why is that¡­ By the way, what is it?¡± Ian looked down at my right hand, which was still using chopsticks from the branch. ¡°And how are you keeping your hand in that shape?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t come any closer!¡± I moved away from Ian, who was approaching me. ¡°This might be dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Irene?¡± Ian looked at me with puzzled eyes. Aunt Delphine asked me anxiously. ¡°Is there a problem with the holy stone?¡± I sighed and confided. ¡°I honestly have no idea if this stone is holy or not. However.¡± Everyone looked nervously at my lips. I continued to speak while reluctantly looking down at the fluorescent stones. ¡°If this stone isn¡¯t a holy stone at all, it will bring disaster.¡± ¡°Disaster!¡± ¡°You mean this stone belongs to the demon realm, Saintess?¡± People were screaming in fear. ¡°You were worshiping the holy stone that the demon had given you!¡± ¡°Oh, forgive me, God Elune!¡± ¡°Ca-calm down.¡± I tried to calm the panicked people down. Maybe it was because they had been locked up in a cave for a week, and everyone seemed in a very bad state of mind. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s from the Demon Realm.¡± This stone could be useful if this is what I believe it to be. ¡°So, if I¡¯m correct. This stone can move a tower by itself, and in the future, it will be able to float an island.¡± ¡°Oh My God!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic stone!¡± People were startled by my words and whispered. Someone asked with a raised hand. ¡°Then, is it a mana stone?¡± ¡°Mana stone¡­¡­Can we call it that as well? However, the answer could be no.¡± People wear glum expressions. ¡®I can¡¯t help it. I mean, I couldn¡¯t even explain this in detail.¡¯ To put it bluntly, this stone was a mana stone. Is it a new era in the world of mana stones? This stone was later named Holy Mana Stone, implying that it is a miraculous object bestowed by God. ¡®In the original story, it was discovered only at the time of the abduction.¡¯ The time of discovery has advanced by one year. Anyway, the most important thing. This Holy Manastone was not like a blessing from God. It had to undergo the most extreme refinement to reap the benefits of its incredible performance. ¡®If not, the Holy Manastone is nothing more than a chemical terrorism weapon.¡¯ Your body could be damaged if you carelessly approached the unrefined pure holy mana stone. The human body will be harmed by excessive mana power contained in the stone. ¡®The story of the book was also about a couple of the main characters who were sent out to heal a village where they accidentally discovered and worshiped the Holy Mana Stone.¡¯ The side story was produced with super luxurious specifications because the main part of ¡ºThe Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡» was such a success. Almost every ten pages appear to have an illustration. Thanks to the illustration, I was familiar with the Holy Mana Stone¡¯s appearance. ¡®Also, Alicia¡¯s skin looks like it¡¯s bruised.¡¯ That meant that the increase in mana power had reached its limit. Alicia might have died if she had stayed in that cave for another hour, bleeding from her body. Ian said, his brows furrowed. ¡°Madam. Just now¡­..Do you know what you are talking about like a medicine peddler?¡± I, Ugh, bit my lip. ¡°I am not entirely sure right now. But if my concerns are true, you shouldn¡¯t be close to these stones.¡± ¡°My wife.¡± Ian stared at me with a piercing stare. A persistent blue gaze has been connected, filled with questions and curiosity. ¡°How do you know that?¡± I like the novels you appear in, so I read until even the side story I adored ended and was no longer there. I couldn¡¯t say that, so I smiled softly. ¡°Eum. My gut feeling?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ian furrowed his brow slightly. He seemed to think it was a ridiculous response. I asked, pretending not to see his expression. ¡°Is there a magic tower nearby?¡± ¡°Yes, there is.¡± Dame Joan said and nodded. ¡°Oh, is it? Is it very close?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the neighboring city.. It will take less than half a day by horse-drawn carriage.¡± ¡°Oh, Joan. Do you mean Transcell City?¡± Aunt Delphina pretended to know. I froze for a moment. ¡®Transcell.¡¯ It was the name of the hometown of Elliot Grancia, the male protagonist of the original story. CH 51 Several hours after that. I was currently sitting in a carriage heading to Transcell. It differed from when I got on the carriage to Rycalion in that a different person was sitting on the other side instead of Dame Joan. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In the suffocating silence, I rolled my eyes for nothing. When I tried to relax comfortably, I couldn¡¯t because of the bursting presence of the person sitting on the other side. ¡®Besides¡­¡­Isn¡¯t he staring at me?¡¯ I cast a sidelong glance and was surprised to see Ian¡¯s blue eyes. And he was staring at me! Ian¡¯s eyes were deep when he looked at me with crossed arms. ¡°Eh-hem.¡± I cleared my throat. I can¡¯t live like this because it¡¯s suffocating. Let me say something. ¡°Have you dealt with all the remains of Rycallion¡¯s Beast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost finished. The latter group will take care of the remaining small fry.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± There was silence once more between us. ¡®This is driving me crazy. I¡¯d prefer to sleep. But why are you staring at me so intently?¡¯ Why are you staring at me like you¡¯re testing me? Then I tried to say something again. ¡°Ehem. Anyway, you were amazing. How did you manage to handle King Incubus so well? He was a monster who slaughtered everyone, including the Holy Knights.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re doing all of this by yourself¡­¡­ Sir Ian, you are truly a gifted person endowed by God.¡± Ian continued to stare at me. He raised one corner of his mouth after a while. ¡°Do you think so?¡± I was lost for a moment at his cold smirk. Did I say something wrong? ¡®No. I¡¯m just flattering him.¡¯ It was really unfair to say that you had to be so self-conscious while flattering him. ¡°Irene.¡± ¡°Yep?¡± ¡°From now on, it¡¯s better not to use your foreknowledge as much as possible.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The unexpected remark made me blink confusedly. ¡°Please do not put anything into words, even if it comes to mind.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Have you ever felt like you were losing your strength every time you foresaw?¡± ¡°Yes? That¡¯s something I¡¯ve never felt before¡­¡­.¡± I mumbled my words vaguely. I remember seeing somewhere that saintesses should recharge their power before using it. ¡°Ah, ehem ehem. Actually, I¡¯m feeling a little overwhelmed. But, if I don¡¯t foresee it, who will believe that I am a Saintess?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether they believe you or not.¡± Ian gently furrowed his brows. ¡°You are my wife. Doubting you is the same as doubting me, so even if some people do not believe you, they will keep their mouths shut.¡± ¡°I-It certainly is.¡± I still didn¡¯t understand. Why are you suddenly telling me not to foresaw? Instead, I was concerned that Ian would question my sincerity and inquire as to why I didn¡¯t do much foresight, so these words struck me as unusual. ¡®By any chance, this. Is it because of the emperor?¡¯ Suddenly, such a hypothesis came to mind. The current emperor¡¯s wife was also a saintess. Lorelai Harnen. The saintess of a tremendous healing power that nullifies the wounds inflicted. Having her as an empress certainly helped Rashid¡¯s position. In other words, if I had used my power wisely as Ian¡¯s wife, Ian¡¯s position could strengthen. ¡®If that happens, Rashid, who is united in his inferiority complex towards her younger brother, will keep him in check.¡¯ I nodded my head slowly. ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Do not worry. I will certainly be Ian¡¯s incompetent wife!¡± Ian raised one eyebrow. Didn¡¯t my resolution get delivered properly? I said one more time as if I were determined. ¡°I will try so that all I can do is eat, sleep, and play. I can do it well. Since I was little, I have dreamed of being a faithful Hanryang!¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Ian rubbed his forehead as if he had heard some strange words. ¡°I understand you like to play a lot. Do I just have to cheer you up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can do it well without your support!¡± Ian looked at me intently. As if seeing a strange creature. ¡®What else did I say wrong?¡¯ What did I do wrong this time again? I rummaged through my bag, unable to hold his gaze. Inside, the bag was full of various kinds of bread and fruits wrapped by Aunt Delphine and the villagers of Rycalion. I tried to ignore Ian¡¯s presence as I chewed them. The journey to Transcell appeared to be more difficult than expected. *** We successfully passed the Mana Stone to the Magic Tower when Ian and I arrived at Transcell. They all had very serious expressions on their faces when I told them about the blood bruises that appeared on Alicia¡¯s body after she had been in contact with the Holy Manastone for a long time. He had to have considered the symptom of excessive mana absorption in the bloodstream. I expressed my heartfelt condolences to the wizards within. Once the identity of the Holy Mana Stone was revealed, the wizards of this tower would have to focus on research without even being able to sleep for a while. Not knowing their future, the magicians in the tower send us off happily. As it got dark, I went onto Transcell Street and looked up at the sky. Now that the Holy Mana Stone has been handed over, there is only one thing left to do in Transcell. ¡®Find the male lead.¡¯ Those with a lot of money and the ability to move quickly would have fled to a location far away from Rycalion, but Elliot, the male lead, could not do so. Elliot must be alive somewhere in this city. Ian was my favourite character in ¡ºThe Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡», but of course, I like the main lead couple too. The male protagonist Elliot¡¯s growth and development story was particularly moving. My heart raced at the thought the person would be not far away. ¡®The question is, how do I find him?¡¯ I slowly glanced at Ian. I wanted to ask the guild for assistance and information about him, but it was impossible because this person was beside me. This time, he will be asking me what my plan is. In the midst of chatting and contemplating, we entered a luxurious street. ¡°It feels different from the distance.¡± Looking around, this seemed to be a street where only luxury accommodations were gathered. As I watched the neat buildings as if to appreciate them, I tilted my head at some point. The inn, where my eyes stopped, had a sign that read ¡®Whiskers¡¯. ¡®Wait a minute. Whiskers?¡¯ Why does that strange shop¡¯s name feel so familiar? ¡®I remembered.¡¯ ¡®Whiskers¡¯, the best luxury accommodation in Transcell. The owner of this place is a very kind, and he used to give away leftover food to orphans on the street for free. And Elliott, the male lead, was also one of the beneficiaries. Anyway, our group decided to leave for the capital again after staying overnight in Transcell. It was better for me to stay at a place with a connection to the male lead. ¡°Hmm, Sir Ian.¡± I quickly returned Ian¡¯s stare. ¡°How about we spend the night there? It looks very sophisticated. The smell of the food is also very good. Wow, that smells really good.¡± Acting like I was reading a Korean book came out of the hasty excuse. I struggled to keep acting despite my shame, sniffing the aroma of food. Ian looked at me curiously. ¡°Are you still hungry after eating that much food in the carriage?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What. In some cultures, having a good appetite is considered a virtue.¡± I kept eating in the carriage because it was awkward to look at you! I couldn¡¯t shout like that, so I¡¯ll have to wait for that man¡¯s patience. ¡°Haha. I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m still growing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. You can go and eat.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ian pointed to the front door of ¡®Whiskers¡¯. ¡°This is where we are staying today.¡± ¡­¡­ Have you been here before? ¡®Tell me in advance¡­¡­!¡¯ With a huge sense of listlessness, I entered the ¡®Whiskers.¡¯ It¡¯s embarrassing to say nonsense to Ian, but staying at the place mentioned in the original story is nice. Right. Let us hope so. ¡°Oh, hello there. Welcome!¡± As soon as I walked into the inn, a man who appeared to be the owner appeared. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s him.¡¯ The benefactor of the male lead. As described in the original, the owner was a very kind-hearted uncle. The Holy Knights who had arrived were unwinding in the first-floor restaurant. ¡°The Commander is here!¡± The chivalrous knights who discovered us rose quickly and formed courtesy. The knights sat back as soon as Ian beckoned as if he was bothered. The owner was taken aback by the figure. ¡°We have prepared the best room for you. Please come here.¡± We were guided by the owner, who became even more friendly. When I reached the top floor, I was speechless for a brief moment. This is it. This is our inn¡¯s best room.¡± Of course, the room the owner showed us had only one bed. ¡°You can bring in the orchestra at night if you want. It¡¯s going to be a very romantic night.¡± The owner whispered with a happy face. ¡°Then please have a good time.¡± Leaving those words behind, the owner quickly left the room. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a brief moment, we were both silent. With a puzzled expression on my face, I looked around the room. Rose petals were scattered across the bed, and to my surprise, there were heart-shaped candles on the floor. ¡°Owner¡­¡­You¡¯re very excited. Haha.¡± ¡°Go wash first.¡± ¡°Eh, cough, pardon?¡± Unbeknownst to me, I had overheard the words that embarrassed me. Ian¡¯s face was stiff as he looked at me. ¡°Are you not going to wash up and go to sleep?¡± ¡°Oh, um, hmm. I have to wash. Then I¡¯ll go wash first.¡± Damn it, I¡¯ve been overwhelmed with my consciousness. CH 52 I went into the bathroom. My tension was relieved a little as I soaked in the warm water. ¡®How can I meet Elliot?¡¯ I pondered with a clearer mind. It was great to arrive at Transcell without incident. But the most significant event is about to occur. ¡®First, I need to get away from Ian and take the opportunity to find him alone.¡¯ The problem is that Ian does not trust me. Even if he had seen any signs of me leaving the inn, that I was leaving the inn, he would have told me to remain still in the room with his eyes blazing. ¡®How do I get away from Ian?¡¯ How can I¡­¡­.¡¯ While thinking in despair, I heard a faint noise from the first floor. It was the sound of knights loudly eating and drinking. They are all solemn and courteous, but they seemed relaxed today. That¡¯s understandable. A twinkling light bulb lit up in my head when I heard the chatter. ¡®Hold on a second. Alcohol?¡¯ The pages of the original book went through my mind. Ian had one unexpected point. He¡¯s not a good drinker. ¡®Accidentally, he drank strong alcohol and destroyed the training ground only with a sword.¡¯ It was a scene in the original novel that was used to describe how strong Ian was. It was also the scene where the heroine first fell in love with Ian¡­.. ¡®It¡¯s unusual for the heroine to fall in love while witnessing the training ground being destroyed.¡¯ But anyway. The only thing that could put Ian out was alcohol. I would try not to get drunk as much as possible, but¡­¡­ ¡®This is the night of our victory.¡¯ He defeated the King of Incubus yesterday and reclaimed the Holy Stone, and today he swept away the remaining of beasts. There is no doubt that a special day should be commemorated. ¡®Given that it¡¯s the day, maybe there¡¯s a chance?¡¯ Perhaps that guy who lives his life like a sword has softened a little. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to try. I made up my decision and went out the bathroom door. Ian was sitting on the desk chair, checking the unfamiliar documents. He didn¡¯t even look back at me when I came out of the bathroom; he seemed very focused on the documents. ¡®How should I suggest that we go down for a drink?¡¯ I walked to the right side of the bed and then back to the left. Walking was my habit whenever I was in trouble. ¡®I¡¯m hungry. Do you want to go down to eat? No, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll order the kitchen to put the meal on. If you want to talk to the knights¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing that makes you restless?¡± Hukkk. Ian abruptly turned to face me, his eyes blazing. I thought you didn¡¯t even care. ¡°I-I am sorry. Did it bother you to read the documents?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re flapping around like a flying beast.¡± A flying beast. Flapping. I kept my mouth shut at the unexpected insult. ¡°I think you¡¯re planning something else this time.¡± Ian slammed the stack of papers down loudly, which startled me. He turned completely towards me. ¡°Well, let¡¯s be honest.¡± This ghost man. I pretended not to know for now. ¡°What do you mean by planning on something? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason you¡¯ve been around 10 times on both sides and 20 times in the same spot.¡± No. Do you know me that much? My tongue was pushed into the inside, and he knew exactly what I was doing, which I wasn¡¯t even aware of. Do you have eyes behind you when you become a sword master? ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Hmm, so¡­¡­ That¡¯s because I¡¯m a little hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restaurant.¡± ¡°I, maybe. Can I come down and eat?¡± Ian frowned and drew his brows together. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, hearing the people downstairs having a good time made me want to look around. I¡¯ve been going with those knights for a few days now, but I¡¯ve never actually spoken to them.¡± ¡°Should I disband them?¡± ¡°Are they my husband¡¯s subordinates?¡± When Ian heard the word ¡®husband,¡¯ his face stiffened slightly. Is it awkward to refer to him as a husband when you refer to me as your wife? I moved closer to Ian because I thought I¡¯d discovered a few gaps. ¡°It¡¯s a good day, and it wouldn¡¯t look good if the boss and his wife stayed in their rooms. They might be curious as to what the two of us are up to¡­?¡± Ian¡¯s face hardened as he was taken aback. Ian¡¯s eyes seemed to become a little more hardened. ¡°Your subordinates downstairs are probably imagining the situation in this room by now¡­¡­?¡± I lowered my voice and bowed my upper body slightly to Ian instinctively. Because I was whispering to Ian, there were no more than two spans between us. ¡°Of course, it would be nice to look like a couple, but it¡¯s embarrassing if it¡¯s too explicit. Right?¡± Ian stared at me, standing with his mouth closed in a straight line. Well, was the line a little too provocative? Looking back, I realized that the distance between Ian and me was again too close. Ian¡¯s blue eyes were dyed warm colours due to the owner¡¯s unnecessarily subtle lighting in the interior of the room. ¡®Pretty.¡¯ Suddenly, such a feeling flooded my mind. At the same time, the alarm sounded. It¡¯s dangerous. My heart was thumping against the inside of my chest. Hearing a heartbeat in your ear is crazy enough. It was only later that I was able to get my act together. ¡°¡­This scent.¡± Ian, who had wrinkled his brow, shifted his gaze to the side. Smell? I couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying as I tried to calm my racing heart. ¡°Did you put the bath salt in the tub?¡± Ian, who spoke in a spit, abruptly stood up and drew the curtain back. I silently sniffed the smell of my hair as I breathed in the cool night air. ¡®Isn¡¯t it just a light rose fragrance?¡¯ Does your sense of smell become sensitive when you become a sword master? Anyway, I was happy. I had no idea that if I had stayed any longer, he might have heard my heart beating for no reason. Ian drew back the curtain and looked at me. He was so dissatisfied that his face tensed up like the northerly wind. ¡­¡­Did you not hear that? ¡°Okay, if that¡¯s what you want, we can go down.¡± ¡°Uh, yes? Really?¡± I thought he would be angry because he had a cold expression on his face, but he unexpectedly gave me permission. Ian quickly turned around and crossed the doorway first without answering my question. It was probably just a misunderstanding on his part that it felt like I was running away. ¡®Running with Ian is a mishmash of words that don¡¯t quite fit together.¡¯ With a grin, I followed Ian. *** The restaurant was packed with knights, making the place quite noisy. The Holy Knights, who always seemed conscientious and earnest, ran wild like untethered foals. I understood this. This was a triumphant night, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be disappointed that they had to leave so many of their colleagues first. The most effective way to shake off the deep ambivalence had to be alcohol. ¡°Master! No, here¡¯s a bottle. There are ten more bottles¡­. Oh no. Saintess?¡± ¡°C-Commander!¡± ¡°Hiccup.¡± When Ian and I walked in, the noisy restaurant fell silent. But only for a short time. The knights who slowly approached me started talking to me. ¡°The victory was all thanks to the captain and the saintess.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. At that time, the leader carrying the Saintess was like a warrior rescuing the princess.¡± ¡°Augh, if someone had taken the picture, all of the children¡¯s book illustrators would have lost their jobs.¡± At first, he was wary of Ian, but when there were no punishments against him, the knights seemed to become more excited, and their voices shot up. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to speak with the saintess, and it is an honor to have such an opportunity.¡± ¡°Haha, my apologies. I should have talked to you earlier, but Sir Ian didn¡¯t let me go.¡± ¡°Oh, gosh.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. Ehem.¡± The knights began to cough and blush. ¡°The Commander is so¡­¡­Uh hmm.¡± ¡°What kind of dirty thoughts are you having?¡± Ian had a cold expression on his face as he looked at the coughing knights. ¡°Right now, stop thinking dirty thoughts.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m sorry. I was just surprised at the unexpected thought¡­.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right. It¡¯s something we do because we enjoy it. Who¡¯d have guessed the Commander and the Saintess would become such a wonderful couple? hahaha.¡± The knight with dark brown curly hair smiled flatly. ¡°But to be married to such a wise and beautiful person, we were actually really thrilled.¡± ¡°Is it only wise and beautiful? ¡°We were deeply moved by your decision to go down to such a dangerous battlefield as Rycallion.¡± ¡°The idea that the saintess is with us has boosted our spirits even more.¡± ¡°Haha¡­..It is an honor to hear that.¡± I laughed hollowly at the baptism of praise that was too difficult to bear, then drank a glass of wine. No, wait. It¡¯s not my time to drink, but Ian should. ¡°Have a drink too, Ian.¡± I tipped the bottle into Ian¡¯s already full glass. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good day. Right?¡± I proposed a toast by raising my glass. ¡°My hand hurts, honey.¡± Ian gave me a sweet look. I gave Ian a quick glance. Can you see your subordinates watching us? Are you going to keep staring at me like that? Isn¡¯t it obvious that everyone is looking forward to seeing us? ¡°Ha.¡± Ian sighed briefly, then lifted his glass. I didn¡¯t expect you to follow me. Screaming with joy inside, I quickly cheered my glass against Ian¡¯s glass. It was an excellent wine for savouring. I emptied the cup unintentionally, and the knights filled it with new ones. Then I filled Ian¡¯s cup again. What¡¯s even more surprising is that Ian somehow didn¡¯t reject it. With a wistful look, he emptied his drink continuously. Now that I think about it, his face has been strangely stiff since the moment I mentioned the bath salt. ¡®Well, they say that after a battle, your senses become more sensitive.¡¯ It would also be good to dull your sensitive senses with alcohol. While Ian is feeling tipsy, I take advantage of the opportunity to find Elliot. It was a perfect win-win operation. But something was strange. ¡®¡­¡­ Why not get drunk?¡¯ Although it was already over the fifth cup, Ian was no different from usual. His skin, as white as moonlight, had not turned red, and his eyes were clear as usual. ¡°Hahaha. So, you know. I told you. I will not forgive you in the name of God!¡± ¡°Hahaha. That¡¯s cool!¡± The knights began to joke around individually as they stared nervously into Ian¡¯s eyes, but Ian was not distracted. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not good at drinking.¡¯ It was strange. I looked at the watch anxiously. It was getting close to midnight. I¡¯ll feel pressured to go out if it gets any later. ¡®Should I go to the owner and ask him to bring him something stronger?¡¯ This was the time to plan it. Knock knock! There was a ruckus outside. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s those guys again.¡± The owner hurriedly ran out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, knights. The bad guys are making a scene again.¡± The owner rushed to the kitchen. It looked like he was going to go out through the side door. Soon the owner¡¯s loud voice was heard in the back alley. ¡°Shut up, you bastards! Why are you doing this to me again?¡± ¡°Oh, get out of here. I¡¯m doing something important right now.¡± The voice of a teen going through a difficult adolescent period reached my ears. What exactly is going on? I turned my head and looked over the door. I saw a scene where some bullies were causing a ruckus. ¡°Haha! You¡¯re so stubborn.¡± ¡°Take this! Take this!¡± What is he doing? I frowned at the sight of someone bothering him. ¡°¡­Give it to me.¡± Then I heard a low, scratching boy¡¯s voice in my ear. ¡°Say something nice, give it to him. If you don¡¯t want to lose one by one tomorrow.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, you¡¯re scared.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so precious about a bracelet that¡¯s all worn out? Isn¡¯t it because it¡¯s a keepsake from your mother?¡± Bracelet? Mother¡¯s keepsake? My eyes were wide open. An old string bracelet. It was a keepsake from his mother, whom the main character Elliot valued more than his life. CH 53 I jumped up from my seat. ¡°Irene?¡± ¡°Saintess?¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll bring it. Just tell me what you need.¡± Ian and the knights called me, but I didn¡¯t hear them. I walked over to the kitchen¡¯s side door, where the owner had left, as if something possessed me. ¡°You damn bastard. I¡¯m glad I caught you. Wasn¡¯t it you who smashed Ricky¡¯s nose last time?¡± ¡°His brother¡¯s nose is completely crooked. You know what? I¡¯ll give you a great shot at your nose, you cheeky bastard.¡± Through the open door, a group of boys could be seen kicking someone who had fallen. ¡°Hey, you guys. These guys! these naughty bastards! Go away!¡± ¡°Grandpa, get out of here!¡± The owner bravely rushed in but was kicked in the stomach and thrown to the floor by one of them. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh, damn¡­ we can¡¯t do it here. Hey, bring him here. I¡¯ll break my habit somewhere quieter.¡± ¡°Hey, you sly dog. If you want this bracelet or a piece of rag, follow me!¡± I found a boy being beaten by men. Even though it was a mess with footprints and dust from head to toe, only the boy¡¯s piercing eyes were clear. Black hair and dark red eyes. It was similar to the description of the male protagonist, Elliot, in ¡ºThe Saintess Doesn¡¯t Know About Love¡». The boy¡¯s eyes flashed bright red with rage when someone provoked him by waving his bracelet. ¡®Those scumbags.¡¯ The thrill of finally meeting the original male protagonist lasted only a few moments. I snatched a poker[1] on the kitchen stove and dashed out the side door. ¡°What are you doing, you scumbags!¡± That bracelet was Elliot¡¯s only memory of her mother. Knowing how much comfort Elliot had found while looking at that bracelet, I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. ¡®Oh, my poor Elliot. After only reading it in print [2], it¡¯s even pitiful to see it with my own eyes.¡¯ ¡°Wh-What¡¯s wrong with this girl?¡± ¡°She¡­..She is crazy.¡± The bullies stopped momentarily as I rushed in, swinging poker violently. ¡°You¡¯re a bunch of lunatics. Many people attack one person, how weak and dirty are you all? No, how many of you are there altogether? one, two, three, four¡­¡­¡± Pointing my finger at them, I counted the bullies one by one. Each time, the faces of the bullies turned red. ¡°Six, seven. Oh my gosh. Seven people band together because you can¡¯t play against only one person? You guys are truly nothing.¡± ¡°Who are you to say we¡¯re nothing?¡± ¡°This woman is really crazy!¡± The bullies began to approach me in a fit of anger. One of them dragged down the back of the fallen Elliot. ¡°Sh*t! Why are there so many disturbances today? Come here, you bastard. Let¡¯s get to the end of the day! I¡¯ll make certain that there is no sanctuary from head to toe.¡± I was furious at the sight of Elliot, who had no family, being dragged away. ¡°Hey! Over there! The hair mop over there! Put that kid down. You refuse to let him go? I will break your bones one by one until none remain intact¡ª¡± That was the moment I spoke up. My vocal cords were enshrouded in a strange sense of discomfort. What exactly is this? I vaguely recall feeling the same when dealing with the King of Incubus. Simultaneously, a large hand appeared from behind me and covered my mouth. ¡°Eum. Eum?¡± ¡°Irene.¡± A low voice echoed from behind. ¡°If you want to curse someone, call me. I was wondering what had happened to you all of a sudden¡­¡­¡± ¡°Eum?¡± ¡°Who messed with your temper?¡± ¡°Eum! Eum! Eum!¡± In order for me to speak, I must first open my mouth. I looked up at Ian in protest. It is not once or twice that Ian does things I don¡¯t understand, but it was nonsense and unfair to block my freedom of speech suddenly. Ian would have read my eyes, but he pretended not to know and didn¡¯t take his hand off while staring at the bullies. ¡°Who did my wife want to break the bone with?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Who-Who are you?¡± ¡°Do-do don¡¯t meddle in!¡± The bullies shouted, but their voices were already trembling like goats.[3] I wanted to commend them for their bravery in standing on two legs, even after seeing his ferocious eyes. Then Ian smirked. ¡°If you come here right now, I¡¯ll only break one of your arms.¡± ¡°Euuummmm.¡± ¡°Not enough? Then another leg.¡± Ian looked down at me and offered a strange agreement. It was never intended as a joke. With languid eyes, I looked up at Ian. Are you truly the Holy Knights¡¯ commander? ¡°Saintess! Commander!¡± ¡°What happened!¡± Even the Holy Knights rushed out after him. The crowded back alley filled up in an instant. ¡°I heard a brawl! Are these the same people who insulted the saintess?¡± ¡°I will not forgive you in the name of justice!¡± How did they understand the situation? The Holy Knight exclaimed eagerly. If I left him alone, he would draw his sword. I tapped Ian on the back of his hand. It was supposed to end right now. Fortunately, Ian released his hand from my mouth. My mouth finally dropped open, and I cast a quick glance at Ian. ¡°What is it really? You don¡¯t have to shut my mouth.¡± ¡°Saintess, what happened!¡± ¡°Have these men been disrespectful to the saintess?¡± The drunken Holy Knights shouted in a more intense tone than usual. The bullies gradually became aware of the situation. ¡°Sa-Saintess? Did you say she was a saintess?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Why would a saintess come here?¡± ¡°Hold on a second. Isn¡¯t that¡­.. the Holy Knights¡¯ armour? ¡°N-No way.¡± Have they finally figured out the situation? The bullies¡¯ eyes began to show signs of fear. Some of their foes sneaked back and tried to escape. You can¡¯t go. I took one step forward. The Holy Knights¡¯ gaze returned to the bullies. I shook my head and said as if I were really heartbroken. ¡°What a sight to see grown-ups ganging up on the weak. God Elune did not preach anything like this. I was shocked and my head¡­..¡± ¡°Saintess!¡± ¡°You must be punished for disturbing the Saintess¡¯ heart with your heinous act!¡± Not only did they lose strength, but the number of heads pushed them back, and it was only then that the bullies began to curl their tails. ¡°Oh, no. What are you talking about? you are misunderstood, right.¡± ¡°We were just playing. Right?¡± The man who was dragging Elliot said and stepped on Elliot¡¯s foot. ¡°No, guests! They beat and threatened him. I¡¯ve seen it all!¡± The owner, who had been lying around, said, barely holding onto his body. The Holy Knight looked back at me, wheezing, as more witnesses joined in. ¡°Shall we arrest them, Saintess?¡± ¡°We need to teach those bastards a lesson.¡± I nodded and pointed to the bullies. ¡°Show me what justice is!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to run away from us, you bastards!¡± The Holy Knights and bullies began a bloody chase. The bullies ran away with all their energy, but less than a minute later, their hands were tied and they were forced to kneel in front of me. ¡°Sob, Sob¡­¡­.We are wrong.¡± ¡°Forgive me. We made a mistake.¡± ¡°Mistake?¡± ¡°Dragging a child into a group and beating and threatening him is not a mistake. It¡¯s intentional, and it¡¯s a crime.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Saintess.¡± ¡°And how dare you molest the Saintess! Saintess, shall we refer these men to the Inquisition?¡± The bullies trembled and fell by the wayside when they heard inquisition. ¡°Please save me. Master!¡± ¡°You were completely wrong!¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± I raised my finger, completely ignoring their apology. With blank eyes, the bullies looked up at me. ¡°Give me the bracelet you stole from him.¡± ¡°Ah, um, here it is.¡± One of them hurriedly took a bracelet from his pocket. How often has this bracelet line been thrown that it¡¯s gotten dirty. I sighed and handed the bracelet to Elliot, who had been staring at me blankly the entire time. ¡°You. Take this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elliott had a puzzled expression on his face as he looked at me. Eyes like a wild animal with a lot of wounds. An eye revealed how much pain this child had endured thus far. ¡°¡­¡­Thank you.¡± Elliot thanked her in a hoarse voice. ¡°Send those guys to the police.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand, Saintess!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t forget to request that they will never look after him again and that you pay the price for your sins.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind!¡± The Holy Knights, who saluted me, dragged the bullies. ¡°Please let us go this time. Saintess! Just this time!¡± The bullies¡¯ screams faded into the back alley as they were dragged. There were only a few left now. I quietly coughed and started to do something. ¡°Hmm, by the way.¡± Elliot looked at me, puzzled when he heard what I said. He appeared quite innocent when he lost his rage at the ferocious enemies. Oh, and he¡¯s also cute. ¡°Looking at it earlier, hmm. I thought you had a different set of bones.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ve been beaten up for a long time by seven men. Isn¡¯t that really great?¡± ¡°What do yo¡­¡­.I put up with it.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s how you got through it. That¡¯s great. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± I turned away from the befuddled Elliot to look at Ian, eyes twinkling with excitement. Elliott possessed tremendous talent in the novel, enough for a passing Holy Knights to recognize him at a glance. Ian, the sword master, seemed to have a better understanding of that personality. Because the Holy Knight who was supposed to raise Elliot had died, I intended to hand over the role to Ian. However, Ian only raised one eyebrow and showed no reaction. I began to admire him more exaggeratedly as I became more impatient. ¡°Look at this arm. Do you work out?¡± ¡°What? No, not really¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh. What about this body, though? It¡¯s something you¡¯re born with. What about the waistline, though? I don¡¯t even know anything about sports.¡± ¡°Madam.¡± Huh? Somehow, Ian¡¯s unusual voice made me look back at him blankly. Ian cocked his head to the side. ¡°Are you groping the stranger in front of me?¡± ¡°What? When did I grope¡­¡­..¡± I couldn¡¯t keep up with the words that were slowly being spoken in front of me. Ian was emitting a sign of genuine displeasure all over his body. I couldn¡¯t help but realize something new when I saw his angry face, which I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Ian had been looking after me a lot all this time. Notes: [1] A rod is used to poke or drag a fire when making a fire in a furnace. [2] It means she only reads books. [3] Haha idk why the author uses this analogy, to put in another word, they are stuttering. CH 54 ¡°S-sir Ian. I think you misunderstood.¡± I decided to calm Ian down for now, but he didn¡¯t respond. Ian examined Elliott from head to toe. His eyes looked at him as if he were perusing a department store catalogue. Then he said something unexpected. ¡°Does this kid make you think of your ex?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡± Elliot was irritated before I was, and Ian furrowed his brow in response to his words. Ian sneered and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°What age are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I am 18 this year.¡± ¡°You little boy.¡± Ian gave an oblique smile. Even after washing my eyes, I couldn¡¯t see the face of the faithful apostle of God and commander of the Holy Knights. [1] Elliot seemed to lose his cool momentarily when he saw Ian being so mean. But the boy refused to give in as if to prove he was not the perpetrator because he is the protagonist. ¡°I am legally an adult. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m old enough to be called a kid by you, who doesn¡¯t look much older than me.¡± ¡°A guy who¡¯s not half my age has a mouth.¡± What exactly do you mean when you say ¡®half¡¯? I watched Ian shamelessly puff at his age with a look as if it was ridiculous. No, this isn¡¯t important. I raised my right hand to correct the critical part. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Ian. Do you seem to have a serious misunderstanding? May I correct it?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m interested in. Why don¡¯t you ask my opinion, and how could you misunderstand me like that by looking at it?¡± I felt a little emotional when I saw Elliot as my younger brother, whom I had only known through books for a long time, but he mistook me for someone groping him. It¡¯s ridiculous to think about it again! ¡°Then why did you use your mouth to compliment a stranger¡¯s body?¡± ¡°I never said that! I¡¯m just admiring it from the bottom of my heart. Don¡¯t do it, but Ian, you should also see it. You are only a complete skeleton.¡± ¡°Skeleton?¡± Ian gave a crooked grin. ¡°Are you referring to the body of a tree branch that appears to snap at the touch of a finger?¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re mean!¡± I looked at Elliot with astonishment at the way he spoke openly. Elliot¡¯s eyes were burning with rage as he stared at Ian. ¡°I am strong.¡± ¡°Is that so? He seems to be the king of the kids who have conquered all the back alley kids.¡± ¡°Would you like to compete?¡± ¡°The fact that you don¡¯t know how to evaluate your opponent demonstrates that you¡¯re a kid.¡± Why¡­¡­ I stared at the two in disbelief. Why are they squabbling? According to my plan, the two had to be teachers and disciples. Elliot, the rough gemstone, had to be pulled by Ian. Not fighting like a gang of renegade boys! ¡®Elliot said yes. Why don¡¯t you fight when you¡¯re on the same level?¡¯ I looked at Ian, who was still smelling of wine, puzzled, with astonishment. No way, are you inebriated? ¡®How am I going to convince Ian?¡¯ I was lost in my thoughts. Take out the foresight card once more? Although there was a risk, it seemed the safest way to get Elliot to the capital. How long did I think about it while dealing with the backstory of the two people fighting? ¡°Huh!¡± Elliot¡¯s shout brought me to my senses. A surreal scene was playing out in front of my eyes. Elliot swung his wooden sword at Ian. Where the hell did he get that sword? No, it¡¯s not important. ¡°No!¡± Don¡¯t challenge your superiors! I was about to intervene quickly, but I stumbled over my words. Elliott didn¡¯t hit Ian; he flew through the air. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a total mess, not worth being evaluated.¡± Ian chastised him, his arms drooping. Then Elliot asked furiously. ¡°Are you picking on me for no reason?¡± ¡°Silly, I could tell you¡¯re a chickling just by looking at the angle of your feet. Even a ten-year-old troupe will recognize that you are just a kid.¡± Elliot grumbled, saying he didn¡¯t have a problem kicking people who were picking fights even though he didn¡¯t know the angle of his feet. Ian let out a snort. ¡°The arrogant chickling is a quite useful.¡± What exactly do you mean by that? A compliment¡­¡­ Is it meant as a compliment? I was perplexed as I stared at Ian blankly. While looking down at Elliot, Ian said, ¡°However, if you show me some kind of swordsmanship next time, then be prepared.¡± Huh? Next time? I quickly leaned in close to Ian and spoke in hushed tones. ¡°Ian. If it¡¯s next time¡­¡­¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re so excited about it?¡± Ian gave me a disapproving look. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I was curious as to what was going on.¡± ¡°I decided to hire him as an apprentice Knights of the Cathedral.¡± Ian said, made a chin flick toward Elliott. I opened my eyes wide. ¡°Really?¡± When did the conversation get so far when I was lost for a moment! ¡®I knew it. I knew it would work out.¡¯ Elliott was a talented male lead like in the original novel, and there was no way a person like Ian could not recognize it. ¡°As one would expect, Sir Ian has a keen eye.¡± ¡°Why do you seem very happy?¡± ¡°Do I? No. What do I have to be happy about? It¡¯s just nice to see him get the opportunity.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ian gave me a suspicious look, but I pretended not to notice and returned a sly smile. Ian, who had told Elliott to meet him at the inn the next morning, suddenly remembered something. ¡°Ah. However, as of this time, meeting with the saintess is prohibited.¡± What is this again? I looked up at Ian with puzzled eyes. Elliot also seemed perplexed. Ian boldly pointed out Elliot¡¯s position. ¡°It¡¯s prohibited within a two-meter radius. You¡¯ve crossed the line now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I apologize.¡± Elliot grinned as he took a few steps away from me. Why is this person behaving like this today? For some reason, I felt obligated to apologize for my husband¡¯s domineering personality. *** I was still wide awake. I kept my gaze fixed on the dark ceiling. I was lying on a bed in the best room of the Inn in Transcell. Of course, it was incredibly comfortable. It wasn¡¯t as good as the bed in my room in the cathedral, but compared to Lee Seo-yeon¡¯s rented room, this bed was Simmons and Ace.[2] Even so, I was having trouble falling asleep. ¡®¡­¡­ Am I breathing too loudly?¡¯ Because of the existence of a human lying next to me ¡®But why do I not hear Ian breathe at all?¡­¡­ You¡¯re alive, right?¡¯ It was worse for my heart than I had anticipated lying in the same bed as Ian. Actually, it was the first time I¡¯d slept in the same bed as Ian. ¡±The first night, I was so exhausted that I felt like I passed out.¡¯ We then proceeded to Rycallion, eliminating the need to share a bed with Ian. I heard a soft sigh next to me. ¡°Are you that uncomfortable?¡± I flinched. ¡°Oh, no. Not at all. I was just about to fall asleep, but Ian woke me up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°Do not do that!¡± When Ian stood up, I stood up halfway as well. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get used to sleeping with someone. Sir Ian, you do realize we have to use the same bed every time we return to the cathedral, right?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to die of shortness of breath now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s wrong with my breathing? I¡¯m fine. Please don¡¯t say anything and lie down again. Don¡¯t you think you might do something awkward to me?¡± Even in the dark, I could feel Ian staring at me strangely. ¡°Well, Sir Ian has never before shared a bed with a woman. I understand your concerns.¡± ¡°Not at all. In extreme battlefields, both men and women fall asleep in the same area.¡± Ian spoke as if he had heard something ridiculous. ¡°So you have no experience outside of a war situation?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ian remained silent, staring at the ceiling. The answer was yes. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Okay, I will take care of you. I¡¯ll sleep in the corner. So don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡± It happened when I dragged the blanket along the edge of the bed. A large hand unexpectedly grabbed my arm. ¡°You will fall again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± My heart stopped in a split second. When Ian touched my arm, it felt like the heat from his body was spreading throughout the rest of my body. It¡¯s just that; it¡¯s just his arm. To be this astonished is undoubtedly weird. I was aware that my already-hardened physique would not change. There was no way Ian could not have noticed my reaction like this. For a moment, silence passed between us. ¡°¡­¡­Oh.¡± I noticed Ian¡¯s finger stiffening. ¡°Sorry. I just remember you fell three times last night.¡± ¡°No. I am sorry.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s just. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Another silence followed the exchange of heartfelt apologies in the room. We both shared the silence while lying on the edges of our beds. And I still couldn¡¯t sleep. The reason was more than just Ian¡¯s presence. ¡®Pendant.¡¯ Today is the second night with Ian. It was also another chance to carry out Nine¡¯s orders. ¡®If I take out the pendant, the world will naturally flow in accordance with the original flow.¡¯ Ian will be corrupted with magic, and the main couple who defeated Ian, who served as the final boss, will restore world peace. I remembered the last phrase of the original. That¡¯s right. Everything in the world would come to a happy end. Other than Ian¡¯s tragedy. ¡®However¡­¡¯ I admitted with a sigh. A happy ending based on Ian¡¯s tragedy is not what I¡¯m looking for. This was my honest opinion. ¡®This damn Korean Affection.''[3] Though it has only been a little over two months, I guess I have already fallen in love with Ian. I silently watched the ceiling. My heartbeat was normal. If I disobey Nine¡¯s orders, they will almost certainly try to kill me. As in tossing out useless toys. I¡¯m not quite ready to be free of Nine just yet. If I had been concerned about my body¡¯s safety, I would have had to remove the pendant immediately. That was true in many ways. The natural flow of the world was disrupted by someone like me, a foreign being here. Notes: [1] To be fully alert and intently watch something. [2] Simmons and Ace are bedding companies that produce mattresses and other bedding products. They produce premium beds. [3] Jeong(?) can even be felt toward someone you fight with constantly as a connection builds up. CH 55 ¡°¡­What?¡± I briefly felt as though my heart was about to burst with shock, but I barely showed it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°What? What¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Blanket.¡± Ian¡¯s movement was seen roughly thanks to my vision that I was used to the dark. I looked in the direction Ian was pointing. My right hand was holding the blanket so tightly that it wrinkled. ¡°¡­¡­Oh. This one.¡± It¡¯s nothing. It happened when he made such an evasive mouth-opening. ¡°Is there anything that bothers you?¡± I could hear his low voice in my ears. The quilt I was holding started to wrinkle even more. ¡°No, nothing is going on. Are you all right?¡± ¡°You are not very good at lying.¡± What do you mean I¡¯m not good at lying? ¡®Stupid.¡¯ I just muttered to myself. Without even imagining how much I was keeping a secret from him. ¡°What makes you so anxious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Is it because you can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°You are strange.¡± I could feel Ian turning to me. I abruptly closed my eyes in response to the gaze I could feel even in the dark. ¡°¡­¡­What is strange?¡± ¡°You used every trick in the book to avoid me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What on earth am I struggling with that I can¡¯t even get sleep? I shut my mouth. Ian was no longer questioning me. It was different from usual when he screamed and stared at what I was hiding. My heart, therefore, became heavier the more I had to restrain myself from speaking. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not requesting that you be honest. I¡¯m not good at counseling anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But, if you ever need my help.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Would you like to help me?¡± ¡°Listen.¡± What did I expect? I made a pouty face. For whatever reason, he said something nice. Ian laughed softly, sounding as though the wind were blowing. ¡°So, please put away the poor quilt.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything after that. Those words with a soft smile seemed to be trying to comfort me, even if it was blunt. ¡®I know that cold-blooded man can¡¯t do that.¡¯ I shut my eyes tight. I was afraid Ian would discover my secret if we continued to talk. ¡°Good night, Sir Ian.¡± There was no response given. Yes, it was about time to squish down deep into the duvet. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± The small night greetings could be heard. That night, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from removing the pendant. *** ¡°I can see it now!¡± I yelled, pressing my nose against the carriage window. Over there, the outer walls of the capital city could be seen. ¡®Looking at it this way, the capital must have been very busy.¡¯ Rycallion was a fortress city that guarded the border. As a result, it felt preserved in some ways, but distinct from the capital¡¯s magnificent splendour. There was a short check at the checkpoint, but the guards who confirmed Ian¡¯s face swiftly saluted and let us in. The carriage convoy arrived safely in the capital. I blinked open my eyes, still staring out the window. ¡°Is this the weekend? Why are there so many people?¡± Of course, people were everywhere in the capital, but the streets had never been this crowded. Besides, why is everyone cheering for our carriage convoy? ¡®Wait a minute. No way, these people.¡¯ Did they all come just to meet us? I thought that I was being overly self-conscious. However, the shouts of those who could be heard quickly dispelled my doubts. ¡°Guardians of the Empire!¡± ¡°Welcome back!¡± As they rode ahead, some holy knights on horseback waved to the crowds. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the saintess!¡± Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to me as I raised my head. ¡°Saintess! Please look here as well!¡± ¡°Yay! Also here!¡± ¡°You are reincarnation of Saintess Jasper!¡± The word ¡°reincarnation¡± has finally been uttered. The intense pressure rendered me speechless. Some people shouted while running at the speed of the carriage parade at the time. ¡°Saintess! Please say something!¡± ¡°I¡¯m from The Imperial Daily! How did you predict that there was a failure in the gate!¡± ¡°Is it true that God Elun whispers about future in your dreams every day!¡± I was scared as I watched the reporters run at the same speed as the carriage. No matter how far we enter the capital, we¡¯re slowing down. But is that possible? Does this empire hire a reporter for their running skills? ¡°Saintes! Please say something!¡± ¡°Thousands of people have been saved because of your foresight! Please let us know how you feel!¡± Oh, I see. It turns out that there is an issue with the teleportation gate. It was fortunate that I didn¡¯t become a braggart. Still, I was not used to being interviewed. I was nervous about speaking then, staring blankly at the reporters moving as quickly as the carriage. ¡°Please accept my apologies.¡± ¡°My wife is shy.¡± Having said that, Ian pulled back the curtain. ¡°Kyaaaah¨D!¡± Moments later, a deafening roar erupted from outside the carriage. *** ¡°It¡¯s noisy outside.¡± The emperor, Rashid, said and tossed the paper. The Prime Minister, who had just handed him the report, shook his head, a cold sweat forming on his brow. ¡°Is that so? I can¡¯t hear it well with my small ears¡­¡­.¡± It couldn¡¯t have happened. They clearly heard it. ¡°Long live the saintess!¡± ¡°Kyaah, Sir Ian! Please take a look at this!¡± Even the most famous minstrel could not ignore the scream. The downtown area was quite far away, with the main street leading from the imperial palace, but a huge roar could still be heard. ¡°Was Ian¡¯s return date today?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Prime Minister shook his head, sweating even more. Rashid spoke calmly as if nothing had happened, but the Prime Minister had no idea what was going through his mind. Rashid has whimpered since Ian¡¯s birth because he feels inferior to his younger brother. Obviously, the enthusiastic citizens¡¯ reaction to Ian¡¯s return would not be satisfactory for him. ¡®His Majesty has yet to garner widespread public support, so even more¡­¡­ Hmm.¡¯ The Prime Minister was lost in thought as he read Rashid¡¯s face. Rashid was young and handsome, so he had a lot going for him, but the suspicion that arose during his succession to the throne was a problem. The sudden death of the emperor and his wife. After a long battle with lung disease, the former empress died first, followed by the mysterious death of the former emperor. Rashid concluded that the mysterious death of the former emperor was the work of an immigrant named Rakum, and in retaliation, he burned Rakum¡¯s homeland to the ashes. However, some people were still suspicious of the emperor¡¯s sudden death. ¡®I wonder if the late Emperor was assassinated in order to prevent Prince Ian from becoming Crown Prince¡­¡­¡¯ ¡°Prime Minister.¡± Rashid¡¯s ferocious voice brought the Prime Minister to his senses. ¡°D-Did you call me? Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Does what I¡¯m reading right now true?¡± Rashid¡¯s venomous gaze caused the Secretary of State to flinch. ¡°Oh lord.¡± He was angry. The Prime Minister trembled and lowered his head. He also knew he would be angry. That report was sent to the imperial family from the Magic Tower a while ago. It was content to inform the existence of a new substance discovered early this morning, ¡®Stormstone¡¯. That was a welcome surprise. This new mana stone, which is far more powerful than the existing one, will bring prosperity to the empire. ¡®The problem is the person who found the stone¡­¡­¡¯ The Prime Minister remembered the report¡¯s contents he had read just before meeting with the Emperor. ¡°As storm stone has a strong intrinsic force, direct contact with the human body can cause various side effects such as excessive magic absorption. The people of Rycallion mistook these storm stones for Holy Stones and misused them by coming into contact with the patient¡¯s body.¡¯ ¡®If it hadn¡¯t been for the powers that detected and warned us of the danger, everyone would have died.¡¯ Those who had forewarned them about the Mana Stone¡­ He mentioned that it was none other than Irene Grace, currently at the centre of the topic. ¡®Everyone is praising her because she foresaw that the gate would malfunction!¡¯ The new saintess foresaw an error that even magic experts failed to notice. That fact aroused great enthusiasm among the people of the Empire. Rumours circulated that Jasper, the legendary saint of wisdom, had been reincarnated. The Prime Minister said with a flattering smile. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t it a good thing? Saintess Irene is Ian¡¯s wife. In other words, she is a member of the Imperial Family. As Saintess Irene¡¯s popularity grows, she will inevitably gain favor with the imperial family-¡° ¡°Do you think so, Minister of State?¡± Rashid widened his eyes. The Prime Minister took a big gulp. Lorelai, the empress who had been listening quietly the entire time, spoke coldly. ¡°God must loves her so much. My head is such a flower garden, so I don¡¯t have to worry as long as I live.¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty the Empress. God just¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My dear brother.¡± Crunch, Rashid crumpled the report as he spat it out. ¡°He hugged a woman for the first time. I didn¡¯t mind if the opponent was inconsequential. No, I would have applauded.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But, is the opponent a saintess with the ability to appear only once every century? Two significant forecasts in two months. Were there any other saintess who excelled in the Empire?¡± ¡°T-That¡­¡­¡± Rashid¡¯s words caused the empress¡¯s face to harden into a cold expression. The Prime Minister was sweating as he looked at the Empress. Rashid ignored their reaction and tossed the crumpled report aside like dirt. ¡°A bastard who has spent his entire life looking at women falls in love with a genius saintess. Do you think this is a probability that makes sense?¡± ¡°Oh god, that is¡­¡­therefore.¡± It seemed that the Prime Minister could now bathe in sweat. He predicted the emperor would be wary of Irene and Ian¡¯s growing popularity. Rashid¡¯s outrage had grown into something more. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Rashid¡¯s eyes grimaced. ¡°My dear brother may have begun to take over this older brother¡¯s position.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Pardon?¡± The Prime Minister became agitated and spoke in a panicked tone. ¡®You¡¯re at it again. Your suspicion of Ian is endless¡­¡­!¡¯ ¡°My younger brother is a person who can¡¯t love anyone. Isn¡¯t love for someone he care about?¡± Rashid laughed bitterly. The Prime Minister shuddered as he knew Ian stole the love from the adults in the imperial family that Rashid deserved. ¡°That brother fell in love with a saintess? No. I bet on the opposite side.¡± CH 56 The crowd welcoming the return of the Holy Knights was truly staggering. We arrived at the palace before his scheduled return date. Three days were spent remembering the fallen backup team. Contrary to the return day, the whole city was immersed in solemnity. After a few days, I lost all sense of reality. I wanted to return to my everyday daily life finally, but¡­¡­ ¡°That¡¯s Madam Irene¡± ¡°Hey, the Saintess is passing through.¡± I heard everything. I groaned inwardly as I felt all the eyes on me. Is there ever a time in my life when I was so focused on just walking down the street? ¡®Burden. I feel pressured!¡¯ I¡¯ve only been to the cathedral¡¯s library, so I don¡¯t know how many admiring and envious looks I¡¯ve garnered. ¡°My entire family would have died if it hadn¡¯t been for her. You know what I mean? I used to take a vacation this month to travel.¡± ¡°I know, I know. If you really went, the warp gate could have exploded, leaving no trace, right?¡± ¡°I know right. The saintess is the savior of my life.¡± That¡¯s too much! I pretended not to hear and chuckled at how quick steps. Upon returning to the room, Annette was seen carrying a pile of presents with the servants. ¡°Madam Irene! Are you here? Madam has received this many gifts yet again!¡± Annette said with a cheerful smile. ¡°Wow, I got a lot yesterday, but this many again? Thank you so much. Ha ha ha.¡± I went through the stack of presents with timid looks and a voice that sounded awkward to anyone who heard it. The gift event continued from the moment I returned to the capital. The senders also varied. Countesses I¡¯d never seen, caravan leaders, and high-ranking ministers. ¡°Everyone is anxious to make a good impression on Madam Irene.¡± Annette looked at the pile of presents with a smile on her face. I broke out in a cold sweat without Annette knowing. ¡®Isn¡¯t my presence in the empire growing too big?¡¯ It was difficult. I was in a position where I had to disappear like a ghost in the coming months. ¡°Well, it¡¯s impossible to have no presence now that I am Ian¡¯s wife.¡± Do you think it¡¯s a good thing? I reached into one of the most opulent-looking gift boxes. It seemed like a good idea to sell a few and add the proceeds to the cost of escaping 10 months later. Then, someone politely knocked on the door. Annette asked cheerfully. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Joan, Saintess.¡± ¡°Dame Joan!¡± I smiled as I greeted Dame Joan. It was because of Ian¡¯s consideration that she could stay until Alicia recovered. ¡®He has a gentle and subtle side.¡¯ ¡°How is Alicia?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a lot better now. Thank you, Madam Irene¡­¡­.Um, Saintess Irene.¡± Dame Joan gave me a stiff look. I fixed my gaze on her because she never hesitated to speak. ¡°What happen? Why are you like that?¡± ¡°There is something I really want to tell you.¡± Having said that, Dame Joan knelt down on the floor and bowed to me. Only Ian or the Emperor could have shown such courtesy. ¡°D-Dame Joan. Why are you acting this way? Please stand up.¡± ¡°Thank you. Madam Irene.¡± Dame Joan raised her head and looked at me. Her brown eyes were looking straight at me. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Saintess Irene that Alicia was able to recover. If it weren¡¯t for Saintess Irene¡¯s caution, she would have been addicted to Mana and she would have lost her life by now.¡± After saying that, Dame Joan bowed his head once more. ¡°I learned that it is reasonable to pay back with my life. I, Joan Ortes, swear that I will protect Saintess Irene until the day I die.¡± ¡®P-Pardon?¡¯ I stared blankly at the sword that Dame Joan was holding out. ¡°Please grant the oath of blood to me.¡± Oath of blood? What is that? I¡¯m not sure what it is, but I know it¡¯s not something I should accept lightly. ¡®No. Wait. In the original story, the male lead swore an oath of blood to the female lead.¡¯ A ¡°blood oath¡± occurred when the person taking the oath cut the swearer¡¯s finger and smeared blood on their lips. It had no particular magical effect but was rich in symbolic meaning. Knights would rather die than break their oath. It was an unbreakable oath for devoted knights like Dame Joan. ¡®Why do you do that to me?¡¯ Whoa, whoa. I felt compelled to calm Dame Joan. I¡¯m glad Alicia is feeling better, but I didn¡¯t want another person¡¯s blood on my lips. I turned around, hoping to stop her, but Annette covered her mouth as if she had witnessed a romantic scene. ¡°Dame Joan? Please stand up. I am grateful, but wouldn¡¯t it be nice to make such an oath to someone who means so much to you?¡± For example, your future lover. ¡°There is no one more precious than the lifesaver.¡± But Dame Joan was stubborn. Even though she was adamant, her knightly pride would be shattered if I dared to refuse. I could only watch Dame Joan slit his fingers with the dagger. ¡®I apologize. The future husband of Dame Joan.¡¯ I will take the oath you¡¯re supposed to take ahead of time. Expressing my apology to myself, I put Dame Joan¡¯s blood on my lips. Of course, the taste was fishy. *** The effect of the ¡®blood oath¡¯ was enormous. Dame Joan had, of course, always been there to protect me. However, the protection became stronger when her heartfelt sincerity came from the soul. ¡°Madam Irene. Please wait a moment.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Dame Joan¡¯s words made me come to a halt as we walked together. Clang! Dame Joan¡¯s knife slashed through the stone floor where I was about to step. I was horrified at the sight of the solid stone being broken helplessly. ¡°Huh, huh.¡± ¡°Please accept my apologies, Madam Irene. The saintess¡¯ feet almost step on someone¡¯s saliva.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve stepped on that part a lot¡­¡­¡± I gulped, my anxious gaze fixed on the destroyed ground. How it feels to be under the tender care of Sir Joan¡­ ¡­ It was embarrassing. And, to tell the truth, it wasn¡¯t all that bad. ¡®It seems like I have the strongest sister in the world.¡¯ Because I had no sisters, let alone my mother, I was vulnerable to older women¡¯s affection. But there were also problems. ¡®I need to see Rizello.¡¯ I was in a situation where I disappeared to Rycallion after only encouraging Rizello to come check out someone. From Rizello¡¯s point of view, it would be very peculiar. I had to go explain that there was an emergency, and most importantly, I needed Cakulta extract. ¡®It¡¯s about time to break the curse of the frigging time limit.¡¯ To do so, I need to contact him in some way. ¡®Well, It¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t a way.¡¯ After a short thought, I picked up the pen and scratched it on the letter paper. The question of whether I could go to the mansion was phrased elegantly. Lady Melody Hyacinth was the recipient. Fortunately, the response came quickly. That afternoon, I was able to pay a visit to Lady Melody¡¯s mansion. ¡°Welcome, Madam Irene.¡± Miss Melody welcomed me to Countess Hyacinth¡¯s residence. I was convinced the moment I saw Melody¡¯s calm smile. ¡®This isn¡¯t Rizello, this lady.¡¯ Today¡¯s melody was the real melody, not Rizello¡¯s disguise. ¡°I brewed some tea in the garden. Please make your way over here.¡± The original melody, in contrast to the Rizello version, has a very calm and static aura. Melody mouthed a word as I walked to the garden, admiring how the same face can appear so different. ¡°In my own form, he brought me a secret meeting with the Master of Magic Tower.¡± Cough. I cleared my throat quickly and looked around. It¡¯s a secret meeting. That sounds very impure! My spine tingled just thinking about the words entering Ian¡¯s ears. I answered hastily. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was a brief, formal meeting in which we only discussed business.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Because of my status, it was difficult to arrange a public meeting with him, but I was able to overcome this hurdle thanks to Lady Melody lending me your appearance. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. My reputation would have suffered even if the Master of Magic Tower pretended to be me.¡± I rolled my eyes as I remembered Rizello, who had addressed me in the third person. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s an honor just to be of help to Madam Irene¡­¡­ Did you go to Rycalion with the Holy Knights?¡± I nodded in response to the unexpected topic. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°You must have met a lot of wizards. I heard there was a balrog sighting.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­It was.¡± It wasn¡¯t the Balrog that was important. My brow furrowed as I remembered the creepy whispers of the Incubus King. ¡°You had an unforgettable experience. If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± With sparkling eyes, the melody returned my gaze. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear about your experience someday.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡± I quickly nodded, pushed down by her spirit. Melody smiled calmly again and turned to face the way she had come earlier. What was that? Just now. I think I caught a glimpse of some kind of lunacy. Soon we reached the garden. A serene and secluded setting greeted us. ¡°Please take a seat. I made a decent cup of tea my own way.¡± The table was empty except for us. To put it bluntly, a doll was sitting on an empty chair. ¡®It¡¯s a tea party for just the two of us.¡¯ Because we were the only ones there, it seemed like a good time to ask questions about Rizello. It was the moment I thought so. ¡°Hello, customer?¡± ¡°Huh!¡± The doll spoke. I narrowly avoided being thrown backwards. CH 57 ¡°See that, Master. You surprised the saintess.¡± ¡°Haha, my apologies. Lady Melody is pretending to be herself again and threatens to not meet the customer without leaving her alone. It got this way when I tried to break into the old lady¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Hey, hey.¡± I pointed at the doll with trembling hands and whispered. ¡°Master of the Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s me.¡± A bright blonde gothic doll said as it twirled around in place. ¡®He is eccentric¡­¡­!¡¯ I was afraid he might not be the Master of the Magic Tower, and his taste for dolls was creepy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you stand me up a few days ago? Customer.¡± The gleaming glass eyes of the doll locked on mine. I began to break out in cold sweat. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Something crucial occurred unexpectedly. The Master of Magic Tower knows that I went with him on the Rycallion march.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not really upset.¡± The haughty doll soon laughed and waved the teaspoon. That was twice as annoying. ¡°No, I should thank you. You made an unprecedented contribution to the world of magic.¡± The doll spoke to me through its gleaming glass eyes. Goosebumps arose all over my body. ¡°As for the holy mana stone, I was just worried that it might be dangerous. Who wouldn¡¯t be suspicious of a stone that glows green?¡± ¡°I¡¯d heard that Rycalion¡¯s survivors revered and treasured it as a holy stone. If they had all died as a result of the aftereffects of excessive magical power, the Mana Stone would have been reburied.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much! Haha, ha.¡± After laughing awkwardly, Rizello stared at me again with those shiny doll eyes. ¡°It¡¯s strange, customer. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just a simple humble disposition. Has the desire for fame been castrated? Is that a characteristic of a saintess?¡± Rizello abruptly began to view me as a research subject. ¡°Pardon. Looking at Her Majesty, Empress Lorelai, she can¡¯t be said to be a characteristic of a saintess. Hmm, by the way. I already prepared the Cakulta extract.¡± My eyes widened as I realized what had become the main topic. ¡°I¡¯m ready to make a deal right now. What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. Please let me have it!¡± I quickly became a passionate customer and my eyes shone brightly. Really? Can we trade this easily? ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Right.¡± Then the doll tilted its head. When there was no response, anxiety set in me. ¡°Have the restrictions on the distribution of Kakulta essence been lifted yet?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to trade, but if I sell to you right now, I¡¯ll be committing a crime. That¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The doll shook arrogantly. ¡°What? Hmm. Oh, I think I¡¯ll be courageous if the customer grants me one simple request.¡± I bit my tight lip. Yes, I was prepared for it. Doing business with Master of Magic Tower is never as simple as handing over money. ¡°What exactly is it? A simple request.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s listen first, then negotiate.¡¯ With bated breath, I awaited Rizello¡¯s next words. It wasn¡¯t an easy request. ¡®Saintess Irene¡¯ had an unjustly high reputation in the current system. Furthermore, Rizzelo has been trying for a long time to repay the debt, called ¡°please¡± to me. ¡®First, let¡¯s reject it strongly. Then, lower the hurdle.¡¯ It was when I was mentally going over the negotiation rules. ¡°Please come to the ball with me.¡± ¡°That would be difficult¡­¡­What? What did you say?¡± I forgot about the negotiations and was caught off guard by the completely unexpected request. The doll smiled and said, ¡°I asked you to partner with me and go to the ball.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Excuse me, Master of the Magic Tower.¡± As I gently drew away from the doll, I said, ¡°I am a married.¡± Don¡¯t tell me you forgot about my wedding in the capital, which you attended. The doll chuckled. ¡°Of course I know. Did it sound like a date request?¡± ¡°I never wanted to hear it that way, but it sounded that way.¡± ¡°Haha. Have you heard of ¡®The Underground Ball¡¯?¡± I blinked slowly. The Underground Ball. There was no way I hadn¡¯t heard about it. There is a very debauched tradition in the capital of the Rehart Empire that many people are aware of but keep quiet about. The Underground Ball was a covert gathering. A place where nobles who hide their identities with masks secretly gather. In a place where all kinds of desires collide, all sorts of illegal things, such as unwholesome love affairs, fraudulent gambling, and dark auctions, are rampant. Why am I so knowledgeable? ¡®Because that is where the first skinship occurred between the female lead and the male lead.¡¯ There was an episode in which the two main characters infiltrated to catch a cultist hiding in an Underground Ball. They were the main characters, armed with a sense of righteous duty and infiltrated, but because the place was such a place¡­¡­ The main characters had to risk skinship in order to blend in with the people who were frantically playing around them. ¡®It was a very heartwarming scene¡­¡­.No. That is not the case.¡± ¡°Why do I have to go there with the Master?¡± ¡°Well, if I say it back and forth, you seems will only get frustrated, so I¡¯ll be straightforward. Did you know that the main event of the Underground Ball is the Dark Auction?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve received word that a special item will be available at this dark auction.¡± ¡°Something special?¡± ¡°A piece of paper with the true name of the incubus written on it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I almost choked. ¡®Why is that name being mentioned?¡¯ The story of the incubus appearing in Rycalion was a secret to outsiders. It was because the story of such a powerful demon appearing could cause a great deal of consternation. ¡®Could it be a coincidence?¡¯ Items related to incubus were auctioned off at this time? ¡°Wait a minute, what can you do with paper?¡± ¡°If you know the true name of the demon, you can use it in a variety of ways. The most powerful one is summoning.¡± ¡°Summons¡­¡­ What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Other things are time-consuming and necessitate elaborate preparations, but the most important thing is, of course, the true name. In other words, if you have that piece of paper, you can summon the great demon.¡± That means¡­¡­don¡¯t tell me. One possibility crossed my mind. ¡®The incubus that appeared in Rycalion was deliberately summoned by someone¡­¡­ ?¡¯ But who in their right mind would do something so insane? Nonetheless, the existence of the incubus perplexes me even more. Because it wasn¡¯t in the original. ¡°In any case, I hope the saintess finds out if the paper is real.¡± ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll recognize it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a piece of paper with the true name of the Incubus written on it. It will be inundated with powerful magic. A saintess would recognize the order at first glance.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hmm.¡± In response to Rizello¡¯s upbeat words, this trickster saintess had no choice but to lower her eyes. But in fact, even I, who can¡¯t see magic, had a way of telling if the paper was real. ¡®That demon told me my name before he died.¡¯ I don¡¯t remember the details of the incubus before he died. However, a vague memory of him pleading and clinging to me came to mind. ¡®Please help me, will you? I¡¯ll be sure to pay you back. Raspell doesn¡¯t like to be in pain¡­¡­.¡¯ The voice that had been pleading with an alluring beauty to the point of being bizarre returned vaguely and lingered in my mind. ¡®He definitely said Raspell.¡¯ I know what the devil¡¯s real name is. Simultaneously, the devil¡¯s voice begged me to sign a master-servant contract came to mind. It was a life or death situation for that devil, so the contract would have been fulfilled if I had only responded. So I didn¡¯t think the devil used a fictitious name. Therefore, as Rizello said, I can confirm the authenticity of the paper. ¡®If the paper with the true name is really going to be auctioned off¡­¡­¡¯ This was usually not a serious matter. It would be a different story if the previous owner of the paper was the one who brought the incubus to the present world. ¡®I¡¯m too afraid to ignore it.¡¯ After all, I needed a Cakulta extract anyway. To be honest, it wasn¡¯t a bad deal for me. The Cakulta essence will be in my hands as long as I know the paper is legit. And, if what was written on the paper was his true name, I¡¯d have to inform Ian in a letter written anonymously. That was all I needed to do. Ian will handle the rest. ¡®All right.¡¯ I nodded softly. The risk was high, but it was a good deal. ¡°I¡¯ll accept it. That¡¯s the deal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool. Let¡¯s see, customer.¡± The doll raised both thumbs. ¡°Only. When we meet at the ball, you must hand over the Cakulta extract.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Let¡¯s prepare it with the highest quality that you will not find anywhere else.¡± The doll winked. It was a tempting offer. If the ingredients are of the highest quality, the success rate will increase. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, that words you said.¡± ¡°I will never fail you.¡± I gave the doll a firm handshake. *** ¡°Are you here, Sir?¡± A lifeless voice as if it were about to break. Ian advanced toward the source of the voice. A woman with white hair sat half-up on a large bed. ¡°Do not get up. Your Eminence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m going to sit like this.¡± The Cardinal t looked up at Ian, her head trembling. She looked incredibly frail for someone who once stood tall as the apex of the sword and the strongest in the church, preaching God¡¯s will. Ian silently looked at the Cardinal, who had now lived nearly her entire life. CH 58 ¡°I went through each report. Many things happened while I was resting. The King of the Incubus.¡± The Cardinal frowned. ¡°How did such a disaster come without any warning?¡± ¡°We are trying to figure out the situation. Please Your Eminance focuses only on recovering.¡± Ian said in a low, formal voice. The Cardinal smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come closer instead of just saying such formal words?¡± The high priest¡¯s tone changed. It wasn¡¯t the Holy Cardinal looking at the Commander of the Holy Knights but the voice of a caregiver who had spent a long time watching a patient. Ian approached the Cardinal¡¯s bedside without saying anything. ¡°How was it? The King of the Incubus.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a very difficult guy.¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m remembering the good old days. I once met one of those tribes. His coquettish voice bewitched me, and I almost fell for it.¡± The Cardinal who watched the Holy Cardinal¡¯s outspoken behavior that almost fell to the demon broke into a cold sweat. Ian opened his mouth casually. ¡°Half of the continent would have been blown away if the Your Eminance had fallen for it.¡± ¡°Whoa. Blown away. Well, I was in my prime at the time, so I won¡¯t deny it too much¡­¡­ Come on, give me your hand.¡± Ian obediently extended his right hand. The Holy Cardinal examined his outstretched hand with care. ¡°These hands are too pretty for a boy holding a sword. Hmm¡­ ¡­ Did the saintess like this hand?¡± ¡°Your Eminance.¡± When Ian scolded him in a firm voice, the Holy Cardinal laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that something I¡¯m not supposed to say? Please understand if I make a fuss. It¡¯s because I¡¯m sad that I can¡¯t see my grandchildren.¡± ¡°You will feel better soon. Didn¡¯t I tell you not to talk like that?¡± ¡°Oh, you must have the plan to give me a grandchild.¡± ¡°Your Eminence¡­¡­¡± When the Cardinal saw Ian¡¯s solemn expression, she shook her head. ¡°I know there is a reason for your marriage to the saintess. The relationship isn¡¯t made of love, just as the world is excited and fussing around.¡± ¡°However, aren¡¯t you, who never confronted anyone, still plotting something with the saintess?¡± The Cardinal laughed when Ian didn¡¯t deny it with silence. ¡°Irene Grace. I¡¯ve only met her once, but she¡¯s a lively young lady.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Ian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, as if thinking of Irene. It was a problem because his contract partner was so lively. He also heard that she was invited to her new friend¡¯s mansion today. It was amazing how she kept making friends in a place where she had no connections. ¡°Oh boy, do you think you can trust her?¡± ¡°Did you see who I believe in?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it. Don¡¯t you have any faith in me? A man devoid of humanity.¡± The Cardinal grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s more strange.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve never seen you go round and round with someone you don¡¯t even believe in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s like a ticking time bomb.¡± Ian responded promptly. ¡°I don¡¯t feel safe unless she¡¯s by my side.¡± ¡°Fufu.¡± The Holy Cardinal laughed suspiciously. A few seconds later, Ian, who had previously been silent, suddenly said. ¡°That girl¡­¡­ She can cast a commandments.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± The Cardinal was startled and shaken for the first time. Ian nodded firmly. ¡°It was not my sword that ended the king of the Incubus, but her words.¡± ¡°This¡­ ¡­ This is amazing. Is it just me who knows?¡± ¡°Yes. Even she doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Huft.¡± The high priest let out a sigh. ¡°The last person with the ability to commandment was my great-great-grandfather. As you know, he was cast into the battlefield alone after being deceived by a cultist¡¯s trick, where he consumed all of his divine power with his words and died.¡± ¡°Yes. I remember.¡± ¡°You must protect that child.¡± The Cardinal looked straight up at Ian. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t tell her she could use the commandments. When she discovers it for herself, she will further awaken her ability. That would exponentially increase the risk. Ian, please take care of her.¡± The Cardinal stated firmly. ¡°The commandment¡¯s power can only be used against evil things, i.e. against the Goddess¡¯s will. In other words, if you keep them at bay, you will undoubtedly protect the child.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Ian thought of Irene, who should have fallen asleep in her bedroom by now. His suspicious contract wife was something to be wary of, but she also needed to be protected. Has he ever had a more contradictory existence in his life? When he sighed, the Cardinal smiled as if she had read his thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be lonely.¡± The startling statement elicited no response from Ian. After saying those words, the Cardinal closed her eyes and fell asleep again as if she were unconscious. Ian stared at her silently for a moment. ¡°Commander.¡± Lucian cautiously approached Ian¡¯s side. ¡°I have some strange information for you, but I think you should listen to it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Let¡±s go.¡± After taking his gaze away from the Holy Cardinal, Ian left her bedroom. As they made their way down the hallway, Lucian whispered. ¡°There was information that a cultist group was hiding in this underground ball.¡± ¡°Cult.¡± Cultists are those who serve the Demon Pereas. They were people who would not even kill for a religious ritual. ¡°What brings them to the underground ball?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to figure out the exact reason yet, we are still investigating the matter because we have heard that things connected to the Great Devil will be auctioned off. We will get results in a short time.¡± ¡°Sure, anyway.¡± A sly smile crept across Ian¡¯s lips. ¡°The time has come to wipe out that fucking perverted gathering once in a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you trying to come forward yourself?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it great? I haven¡¯t been stuck in the capital at this time of year in a long time, but I¡¯ve got a good prey.¡± As summer approached, the commander of the Holy Knights had a tradition of going on inspection trips to remote areas where the church had been untouched for generations. However, this year¡¯s inspection was postponed because to the Rycalion Incident. The underground ball was a welcome new prey for Ian, who was almost buried in administrative work again. ¡®They¡¯re also really unlucky.¡¯ Lucian nodded, briefly lamenting the people who would participate in the underground ball. ¡°Yes, I intend to infiltrate. Do you want to get some shut-eye tonight? ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡± A beat later, Ian recited his response. The woman was in the bedroom. Lucian approached quietly and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m glad you and the saintess seem to be getting closer. It must have been a significant influence for both of you to march together, right?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop talking nonsense and get back to work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I think it was truly fortunate out of misfortune that Madam Irene was truly fortunate out of misfortune to fall on the commander¡¯s bed that day. Who would have thought she was that strong and capable?¡± Instead of responding, Ian clicked his tongue. That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the problem. Irene Grace¡¯s abilities far exceed expectations. ¡°Then I will take my leave. Have a restful night, Commander.¡± Lucian nodded and walked away from the bedroom. Ian took a moment to contemplate the closed door. The feeling that someone else was already in his bedroom was just strange. Ian waited a short while before opening the door cautiously and sighing. ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡± As though she were sound asleep, he could hear her breathing normally. Ian took a moment to contemplate the pink hair that had to be all over the pillow. She, the world¡¯s only person capable of commandments, was sound sleeping. ¡°Are your nerves made of iron cord?¡± Even though you know it¡¯s a bedroom where an extramarital man will soon enter, it¡¯s a dreamland with no knowledge of the outside world. Ian let out a chuckle and began unbuttoning his sleeve cuffs. Then a small voice came from the bed. ¡°You are here¡­¡­?¡± Ian tilted his head toward the bed. ¡°¡­¡­ Did you say something for me?¡± Although they temporarily made a relationship, they don¡¯t remember letting go of the conversation. Instead of responding to his absurd question, Irene responded with an absurd response. ¡°¡­¡­ No, nothing¡­¡­ I did not wait.¡± Ian raised one eyebrow. Irene Grace did nothing and waited for me? It was a blatant lie. Because he saw and heard that she had just visited her new friend¡¯s mansion. ¡°So, tomorrow too¡­¡­come. Huh?¡± Ian paused, undoing the cuff after hearing her muffled voice. A stretchy voice could be heard coming from the bed. ¡°Duty¡­..Because we can be¡­¡­¡± Ian stared at the bed for a moment. Wrapped up in a huge blanket, Irene was trembling with her tightly closed eyes. As if a bad dream had crushed a child. Soon after, Ian let out a low sigh. In the Rehart Empire, there is a superstition that nightmares devour human souls. Of course, Ian didn¡¯t believe that. However, seeing his contract wife suffocating on a long blanket was difficult. ¡°Irene.¡± Reciting quietly, Ian pulled the blanket over Irene. However, the blanket that had become a lump with Irene did not move. Ian, who was about to mutter again, abruptly stopped his hand. A clear stream of water ran down the side of Irene¡¯s tightly shut eyes. ¡°Leave it, don¡¯t go¡­¡­.¡± A single tear ran down Irene¡¯s cheek and wet her pillow. ¡°What bad dreams are you having? You¡¯re not answering to me.¡± CH 59 ¡°Uuughh.¡± As I stretched and raised my body, I immediately froze. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not the only one in the bedroom!¡± I was preoccupied with the underground ball yesterday and fell asleep before Ian came in. ¡®Did you spend the night in here, that guy?¡¯ When I looked around, there was no one lying next to me. ¡°Did he staying out or what?¡± Will people believe we¡¯re newlyweds? I pursed my lips and looked at the empty space beside me. Well, it was good because if I saw his face in the morning, my heart would stop beating. ¡°By the way, I feel like I¡¯ve had a bad dream.¡± While remembering, I tried to touch my cheek, but it felt strange. ¡®No way, did I cry?¡¯ I gasped in relief as soon as I glanced surprised in the mirror. It was just a mark on the pillow. It was fortuitous. To cry over my mother¡ªwho at this point I had forgotten even her face¡ªwould be too embarrassing. ¡°Madam Irene, are you awake?¡± Outside the door, Annette¡¯s cautious knock was heard. I quickly got up and took Annette in, and she gave me the surprise news. ¡°Mr. Lucian said he had something to say to Irene, and asked if it would be alright if he stopped by!¡± ¡°L-Lucian is?¡± No way. You didn¡¯t know what was going on with Rizello and me yesterday, did you? ¡®That impossible. Then Ian would have directly hit me!¡¯ I barely nodded, trying to calm my racing heart. An hour later, Lucian came into the room. ¡°Hello, saintess. I requested this meeting with you exclusively to discuss the budgets proposals that the saintess must approve.¡± ¡°Pardon? What do I approve of?¡± ¡°Because you are now the mistress of Duke Esteban.¡± Lucian said with a pleased look on his face. ¡°Most of the internal affairs will be handled by myself or the butler, but it would be nice if the saintess, who has since become Duchess, would pay for the major ones herself.¡± ¡°Really? ¡­.Did Ian approve of this?¡± I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll leave the housework to me. In response to the dubious questioning, Lucian nodded vigorously. ¡°Of course. That¡­¡­¡± After a few moments of looking around, Lucian lowered his voice. ¡°Because during the contract period, the saintess will properly become the Commander¡¯s wife. If the commander did not say anything¡­¡­ Oh! I think there¡¯s a note that the commander left there, too.¡± Lucian pointed to the bedside table. There were some papers and a small card. When I opened the card, I blinked. This was truly Ian¡¯s handwriting. He seemed to have been in and out of the room all night. ¡®It wasn¡¯t like he was staying out all night.¡¯ The card only had a short phrase written on it. ¡¸Wedding Gift.¡¹ Huh? I tilted my head and examined the papers beneath the card. Is this a gift? I opened my eyes wide as though startled after a while of reading the document with a dubious look. ¡°M-Mr. Lucian.¡± ¡°Yes, saintess?¡± ¡°This¡­¡­ What is this?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Did I get it wrong? Yes, it must be. Let¡¯s read it again.¡± However, when I read the document again, I saw that it had the same information. That ownership of an island off the southern coast of the continent was transferred to me in its entirety. ¡°Ah, that document!¡± With a clap of his hands, Lucian said. ¡°Are you reading the document transferring ownership of Orbite Island to the saintess?¡± ¡°Did I get it right?¡± I was appalled. ¡°No, why, the island? To me? Why?¡± After being stunned by an unbelieveable, I spewed forth jumbled words. Lucian laughed softly, then whispered in a low voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor going around the city that the saintess is the princess of some remote island? The commander, he tried to make that rumor true.¡± What exactly do you mean ¡°make it¡±? I was mesmerized by Lucian¡¯s nonchalant tone. ¡°You look surprised. In fact, creating a kingdom is not difficult. It is difficult to gain international recognition. Anyway, the saintess has officially become the princess of the kingdom of Orbite!¡± Lucian clapped. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to feel bad about lying anymore, and you can talk about your origins without fear of being judged. We need to relocate a few people¡­¡­ I¡¯ll take care of that, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± I sat there dumbfounded, listening to Lucian¡¯s never-ending explanations. Only then did Lucian cast a glance my way. ¡°Do you feel pressured?¡± ¡°Rather than feeling pressed, I understand it well¡­¡­ No, but bought an island?¡± Still, I was creaking in that part without knowing why. I can¡¯t believe he bought an island. It¡¯s a line I¡¯ve seen in gossip magazines featuring famous celebrities. I asked Lucian in a frenzied tone. ¡°Excuse me, maybe, Mr. Lucian. Speaking of Ian¡­ ¡­ Pardon me, but how wealthy is he?¡± I didn¡¯t know much about Ian¡¯s wealth. I knew he could throw 10 million Mars at me, but that was all. Even though he was a member of the Imperial Family, the Emperor would not have granted him much money because he entered the priesthood as a member of the Holy Knights. He knew that the salary of the commander of the Holy Knights itself was not astronomically high. Despite this, he not only gave me 10 million Mars, but he also bought me an island. How rich is he? ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t you know?¡± Lucian¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°The commander has several sources of income, but the biggest one is the Bernyl Mine.¡± ¡°Bernyl Mine?¡± It¡¯s a name I¡¯m familiar with. I quickly remembered who the name belonged to. ¡®It¡¯s a mine where the emerald from my wedding tiara was extracted!¡¯ I listened to Annette¡¯s admiration for the size of the emerald athe worth of my tiara, which was made of the highest quality emeralds found there. But the owner of the mine was Ian? ¡°Yes. When the commander was just out of princely status and the Bernyl Mine was still being developed, he bought it for a reasonable price. It is now the largest emerald mine on the continent.¡± Lucian laughed haha and said as if telling a trivial story next door. I was delirious when I heard that. ¡®I¡¯m married to some munchkin.¡¯ He¡¯s a man with a face, talent, and money now. It was both amazing and shocking. ¡®What did the original author think?¡¯ After creating a character with buff like this, forcibly corrupting as the final villain and killing him. Is the author crazy? Somehow I felt unfair. What is the point of buff? In the end, he is killed by the main characters! I used to stick out my tongue whenever I saw Ian¡¯s munchkin side, but this time I was emotional. ¡°Saintess? You don¡¯t look well. Even if it means inconvenience for you¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, ah. Hmm, nothing. But is it really okay? Buying an island isn¡¯t enough, and taking the residents there is not enough. I¡¯m wondering if the scale of lies is becoming too large¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Lucian smiled confidently. ¡°Recently, a monster invasion devastated a village of settlers in a remote area near the southern border. Instead of providing those residents with a new place to live, they simply requested silence.¡± ¡°Did they accept it easily? The story of suddenly going to live on an island?¡± ¡°These are people who have had their hometowns destroyed. All of the money to move to another place and settle down has disappeared. Although Orbite is an island, the land is quite fertile. Everyone was delighted when they saw the beauty of the place. Above all, we provided them with a settlement fund.¡± Lucian said with a wink of his eye. ¡°Um, I¡¯d be grateful if that were the case.¡± Lucian smiled confidently at me, who was still worried. ¡°You have nothing to worry about about that. You can really put your mind at ease. By the way, about what I¡¯m here for today¡­¡­.¡± Lucian said as he opened a large book. I wanted to pass out because I knew what was written in it was Esteban¡¯s budget for the following year. *** That was three nights later. My face became anxious at myself in the mirror. A modestly designed outdoor dress, as well as a non-flashy hair ornament. I was dressed casually as if I were going out on the busy street before him. But there was something unusual in my pouch this time. I sighed, remembering the plain black mask that should have been lying facedown inside. ¡°I¡¯m nervous.¡± The underground ball is about to get started. Knowing how debauched the meeting was from reading the original novel naturally discouraged me. I pretended to be a dating expert in front of Ian, but in reality, I lacked practical experience. I¡¯ve heard that openly affectionate acts occur in public places¡­ Will my timid heart be able to bear it? ¡°Madam Irene. It¡¯s about time.¡± I looked at my watch in horror as Dame Joan spoke. Before she knew it, my watch was set to nine o¡¯clock, the start time of the ball. CH 60 ¡°All preparations are finished.¡± While she said this, Dame Joan¡¯s face remained as stony and expressionless as ever, like a grim reaper. ¡°I apologize, Dame. Because I¡¯ve dragged you all the way here.¡± ¡°No. Rather, I appreciate your candor.¡± Dame Joan was also present at the underground ball today. I couldn¡¯t get away from Dame Joan, who was trailing me in order to escort me, so I confessed my destination after giving it a lot of thought. With the request that it never, ever, ever reach Ian¡¯s ear. It was a gamble. Making a secret from Ian, the commander of the Holy Knights would be inconceivable for a devoted holy knight like Dame Joan. However, I staked my chances on the ¡°blood oath¡± that Dame Joan offered me. Dame Joan, who had heard about the underground ball, showed a stony expression and a deafening silence. This was the very first thing that Dame Joan, who didn¡¯t begin speaking until much later, spoke, ¡®If anyone tries to rudely contact the saintess, can I subdue them in any way?¡¯ ¡­¡­In any way? Even though it was a terrifying sentence, all I could do was nod in response to it. That¡¯s how I got to go to the underground ball with a strong escort named Dame Joan. ¡®It would be nice if nothing special happened.¡¯ I let out a tinier sigh. What I care about the most right now is finding out whether or not the real name of the incubus that is going to be exhibited at the dark auction is fake. ¡®There¡¯s a high chance it¡¯s just a rumor.¡¯ Items, the value of which had been exaggerated with weird stories, were placed at illicit auctions with the intention of attracting inquisitive customers. After all, the name with the true name of the incubus on it is so easy to get around. ¡°Then shall we set off, Dame Joan?¡± I walked cautiously through the Cathedral¡¯s darkened corridors, accompanied by Dame Joan. Ian, who was supposed to be the biggest impediment to going out today, didn¡¯t even cast a shadow all day. Because there were no creases in the sheet in the sleeping spot next to me when I got up in the morning, I assumed that he did not even use my bedroom as a place to sleep. ¡®I was the only one who bore the weight of the world on my shoulders.¡¯ I clicked my tongue as I stared at the cold bed. Not only today, but also for the past few days, I haven¡¯t seen or heard from Ian. I¡¯m not sure what he was up to, even pretending to be a newlywed couple, but it worked out for me in the end. I snuck onto the horse-drawn carriage in the middle of the night and used the dye powder that I had made earlier. My pink hair, which resembled cotton candy when I first got it, went brown very soon. ¡®Pink hair really bothers me. It draws unnecessary attention to itself.¡¯ While the passengers complained, the driver continued on to the location that Lizello had specified. When we got there, we found ourselves in the vicinity of a huge townhouse. ¡®A meeting place in a prominent building on a street like this?¡¯ Even though the underground ball had gained quite a reputation, the rumor that the emperor¡¯s mace had not yet reached it seemed to be true. I entered the mansion, tightening the mask around my face. As soon as I went in, I could smell the alcoholic tang of the wine. It had already been some time since the banquet had begun. As I entered the hall, I noticed a lot of eyes on me. Even though my face was beyond the mask, it was a direct gaze that was felt. I pretended to be calm as I moved my fan about and gazed around the large space. Men and women were dancing or speaking while dressed in exquisite costumes and wearing lovely masks that slid easily over their faces. ¡®Than you think¡­¡­ Is it good?¡¯ It was a little more unconventional, unlike any other ball dressed in a modest style; nothing else was unusual about it. There were no obscene displays of intimacy or illegal gambling. ¡®It¡¯s different than what I expected.¡¯ As I tilted my head, someone called from behind me. ¡°Beautiful lady. Are you by yourself?¡± When I turned around, I saw a red-haired young tall man even though he was wearing a mask, smiling wide. I answered quickly, conscious of the presence of Dame Joan standing by my side. ¡°I apologized. I have a partner.¡± ¡°Ah. Please pardon me.¡± The young man with the red hair smiled, nodded, and then bowed before leaving. It was overshadowed that he was wary of being more tenacious because the place was a place. The young man backed away, and I murmured something to Dame Joan. ¡°It just looks like an ordinary ball.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early to pass judgment. If ¡®that thing¡¯ you were talking about is here, then there is a good chance that the cultists will be here as well.¡± Cultist. When I heard the name, I immediately clamped my lips together. The cult, a group that worships the demon god Pereas, was also a source of consternation for the main couple in the original novel. Their main goal is to summon demons and destroy the world. ¡®They were ambitious, but they weren¡¯t a particularly frightening villain because they mostly failed¡­¡­¡¯ Things would be different if they summoned an incubus. The risk was low until now because there was no record of success simply talking about summoning a demon, but if it were successful, the risk would rise. ¡®By the way, where is Rizello?¡¯ The ball was supposed to start at nine o¡¯clock, but we didn¡¯t specify a time to meet Rizello. To be more specific, it was a predefined but highly ambiguous criterion. ¡®What do you mean, after the ground has been submerged?¡¯ Couldn¡¯t that bastard master say anything without peppering it with cryptic expressions? Nothing happened at the ball until the clock struck ten. As I watched the men and women slowly waltz, I forced myself to ignore the boredom that was building up inside of me. Was it a dark auction or an illegal gamble? It was at that point that I started to complain so much. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting a long time. Everyone.¡± A discordant voice echoed across the hallway. The men and women who were dancing the waltz before, exchanged glances and began giggling. That was a sly grin on their face, as if something had finally arrived. ¡°Madam Irene. Please come closer to me.¡± Dame Joan was standing right next to me. At the same time, the voice rang once more. ¡°I¡¯m glad you that all of you were able to remember to get together this year. We have a lot of entertainment planned out for you to enjoy that will not let you down this time, so please enjoy it to the fullest. And always keep in mind that what goes on below the ground will never leak out above the ground.¡± The voice sounded cheesy, possibly due to the content of the speech. I shuddered unknowingly, but the floor began to vibrate at the same time. ¡°Ugh!¡± Dame Joan quickly grabbed me as I struggled to maintain my balance and lost my footing. The ground continued to vibrate and move throughout. At the same time, it appeared that the ceiling was strangely receding. No. It was definitely moving away from us. ¡®The floor is going down!¡¯ Thud. The floor began to fall in earnest, as if in response to my realization. With Dame Joan¡¯s assistance, I stared up at the ceiling, which was receding further and further away. A few seconds later, a huge veil of dark red light descended from the ceiling. The lighting from the chandelier, which had been magnificent before, then passed through the dark red veil, and it changed to an odd color. When the lighting shifted, it was as if the space in front of me had undergone a complete transformation from what it had been. ¡°You were here, customer?¡± ¡°Huh!¡± A peculiar sound escaped my lips as my nerves were already on edge. When I turned around, my eyes landed on a mysterious figure wearing a vibrant purple mask, smiling in my direction. Although I couldn¡¯t see his face, only one person could call me ¡®customer¡¯. ¡°Do you know him?¡± Dame Joan took a step forward and questioned. Rizello blew a whistle at the same time. ¡°Oh, you brought your loyal guard dog as well. Good to see such thorough preparation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to my escort knight.¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me.¡± Rizello showed his contrition by putting both hands up in the air and apologizing. I wasn¡¯t fond of the discomfort I experienced as he apologized, but I didn¡¯t want to cause a problem with the person in charge of the magic tower while we were in this uncomfortable place. ¡°The auction will start shortly. After three waltzes, most likely.¡± Rizzello, who was bending over me, whispered. Nonetheless, sweet music was emanating from all directions. With hesitant eyes, I looked at the dancers more closely than usual. ¡°In the meantime, if you¡¯re bored, I can deal with you.¡± I looked up at him with exuberant eyes. ¡°As I previously stated, I am a married woman. I don¡¯t dance with random people.¡± ¡°You are sure of your fidelity.¡± Rizzello laughed sarcastically. ¡°Since we¡¯ve been talking about your husband, I¡¯m curious about how things are going for the two of you. Do you enjoy your marital relationship?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Why should I tell you that?¡± I was irritated, and the pointed response turned into gossip almost immediately. ¡°Of course it is. It¡¯s perfect marital harmony.¡± ¡°Is that so? Hmm. According to the information that I obtained by accident, the commander of the Holy Knights has been sitting in his office for several days.¡± I kept my mouth shut after being attacked right in the middle. Indeed, I haven¡¯t seen Ian¡¯s shadow in three days. It¡¯s time to act as a newlywed couple in full swing, but I can¡¯t even see their faces. True, I was beginning to feel a little out of place. ¡®Somehow it feels like a simple new bride.¡¯ ¡°Because he¡¯s always busy with work. He is in charge of a very important mission, as you know, right?¡± As I defended him, Rizello made a ho-huh sound and pursed her lips. At that time, someone came up to Rizello and said something in a whisper. Rizello, who had lost his twirling laugh in an instant, paused for a moment before turning to face me and said, ¡°Please wait a moment, customer. I¡¯ll be going somewhere soon.¡± ¡°Come only before the auction starts.¡± It would have been better if I could go. After spending time with Rizello, regrettably, I looked up to see a man and a woman dancing close to the wall. It was considered dishonorable to be stuck on the wall without dancing at the ball because it expressed alienation; however, at this point, I had no qualms about being alienated in this place. ¡®It¡¯s opulent.¡¯ I lazily flapped my fan while becoming a perfect spectator and scanning the crowd. It was a fascinating experience to take in the surroundings. People who were exquisitely dressed and had adorable dance moves. Gentle lighting and scattered throughout the space are a few sparkling jewels. Perhaps the splendor that surrounded this place contributed to the appearance of the people here having an abundance of style. Take for example, the man who is standing in front of the pillar over there. ¡®¡­¡­ Wow.¡¯ My eyes, which had been darting aimlessly around the room, suddenly focused on a complete stranger who was standing there. The marble-like skin lay beneath the jet-black hair, which gave the appearance of devouring everything, including the chandelier lights. Even from far away, he was handsome and could get my attention with just one look. ¡®I live alone in the world.¡¯ Even though I was wearing a mask, the presence of blurring the men around me made me naturally tongue-tied. ¡®Somehow he seems familiar.¡¯ Indeed, it is said that when people see the golden rule, they instinctively feel more secure. The body of that man was the perfect illustration of the golden ratio. That was probably the reason for the strange sense of sight. CH 61 I wasn¡¯t the only one whose gaze was drawn to the man. Aside from me, many women were staring at that men and leaving their partners behind. The gentleman stood out in a ballroom full of couples for his solitary presence. Because of that, he even stood out more. ¡®Those eyes are really high.¡¯ [TL/N: They have high standards for man.] Yes, even if you only glance in the mirror once a day; your standards will keep getting higher. I could see the ladies surrounding the man exchanging even more frantic glances with one another. They seemed to look at each other to see who would speak first. ¡®I¡¯m rooting for everyone.¡¯ Finally, the lady with the seductive blonde hair pulled back above her shoulders was seen walking toward the man. What would happen? It was a moment when I was so immersed that my fanning accelerated. ¡°A beautiful lady. We meet again!¡± A familiar but strange voice called me. The voice was that of the same red-haired young man who had earlier asked if I had a companion. ¡°Ah yes. Hello.¡± I was about to return my gaze to the scene I was viewing after greeting out of politeness. ¡°Are you still alone? Is your companion not coming?¡± ¡°Oh, he was away for a while.¡± ¡°Haha. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You come alone to a place like this and then leave as two.¡± ¡­¡­ What is he saying now? I looked at the red-haired young man with eyes that were slightly creased in a frown. As if he hadn¡¯t noticed the change in my expression because of the mask, the young man continued to chatter. ¡°How are you feeling, Lady? Will you dance with me for the next song?¡± ¡°I apologize. My partner will be back soon.¡± ¡°Hmm, why would you do this? Oh, are there any hobbies or interests that you have besides dancing? It¡¯s fine to get to know each other in a quiet place.¡± The redhead said this while pointing somewhere. As I turned around, I saw large sofas tucked into the venue¡¯s nooks and crannies. The eerie atmosphere was caused by the dim lighting as well as the veil that was covering it. What¡¯s the matter with this man? I crumpled my brow to the point where it was visible enough to see through the mask. ¡°No. I¡¯m not interested. I¡¯ll go now.¡± I didn¡¯t have to be polite because he didn¡¯t understand, even though I politely refused. I was about to turn around and walk away, but he grabbed my wrist. ¡°You¡¯re so arrogant. You¡¯re just playing hard to get, but is this your behavior even when we¡¯re underground? You can do whatever you want here, but you are innocent-¡° ¡°How dare you.¡± Schwing, I heard the sound of someone drawing a sword. Dame Joan was pulling a dagger out of her arms. If this continued, the guards would kick us out, and I couldn¡¯t fulfill Rizello¡¯s request. ¡°Hey!¡± I called out to Dame Joan before she could do anything. ¡°When I am still being polite, just get out of here. Don¡¯t regret it later.¡± But my warning didn¡¯t work. The pervert who looked back at Dame Joan was frightened when he heard the sound of someone drawing a sword. ¡°No, did that woman pull out her sword just now? Weapons are prohibited here! We need to call the guards right now- Heum! Heum!¡± The pervert suddenly found themselves confronted with a hand that was covering his mouth with a black leather gloved hand. I raised my head, my eyes wide open. The main character of the hand was a familiar man. ¡®Why is this person here?¡¯ He was the main character who had occupied the attention of the beautiful ladies until now. He was a long distance away, but when did he get here? No, what brought you here? My lips fumbled as I tried to cover my embarrassment, but the man lowered his head and whispered something in the pervert¡¯s ear. The voice was muffled, but I could see the pervert giggling and shrinking his body. ¡°Wh-What. Who are you to make such a joke out of a threat?¡± What were you threatening? Instead of responding, the man pressed his hand against the pervert¡¯s cheeks and gave him a painful squeeze. The mouth of the pervert was gaping open. I saw the man who forced me to look at him open his mouth again. A few seconds later, the pervert¡¯s complexion turned black. ¡°I, I mean. I know. It¡¯s not like that.¡± The pervert, whose voice had suddenly become more subdued, started shaking his legs all of a sudden. When things started to get awkward, Dame Joan removed herself from the situation. The pervert collapsed and ran away on her knees when the man let go of her cheek. It was really disgusting to look at. ¡®What an ugly backside.¡¯ Tsk, I clicked my tongue and watched the pervert leave for a moment before turning my head to the front and being startled. A man was looking at me. ¡°Ah.¡± I fumbled with my lips. I had to say thank you when I thought about it. It would have been hard for me to do without him. ¡°Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I got out of trouble.¡± I showed my gratitude by first raising the bottom of my dress and bending my knees slightly, and then a moment later, I cocked my head to the side. There was no return response. When I looked up, the man still looked down at me, but he said nothing. He had been sweeping the crowd¡¯s gaze since I first saw him, but he still stared at me with all eyes on him. As a result, I was also in the center of attention. ¡°Well¡­¡± I opened my mouth to hide my embarrassment. ¡°Thank you once more. I am in debt.¡± I retreated noiselessly, taking a single step backward. I didn¡¯t want to attract people¡¯s attention any longer, even though I wore a mask and changed my hair color so they wouldn¡¯t recognize me. Fortunately, the man showed no signs of him trying to grab me. Well, even if it wasn¡¯t me, dozens of women would fit in at this venue alone, and it was natural that he would not want a reward just by looking at his pride, which was full to the brim. It was time to hurry away from the gaze of that men and people. ¡°Ah.¡± I¡¯m not sure if I rushed too much. The hand fan I was holding slipped out of my hands. With a light thud, the fan rolled across the floor. The hollow, feathered wood fan rolled and bounced all the way to the man¡¯s feet. ¡°Ah. Please excuse me.¡± I was about to bend down to pick up a fan, but I immediately opened my eyes wide. Before I bent down, the man bent down and used his long finger to lift the fan. ¡°Thank¡­¡­you.¡± I blinked and thanked him once more. The man did not answer this time. He instead looked at the fan in his hand. ¡°Any problem with debt¡­¡­ Do I happen to have any?¡± Since there was no sign that he was going to give back my fan, I asked while trying to hide how embarrassed I was. That fan was just one of many in my cabinet. For your information, I¡¯ve never bought a fan. As a wedding gift, Ian filled my dresser and closet with things. People say this is the marriage culture of Rehart aristocrats. Actually, Ian didn¡¯t fill it out. He just told his subordinates to do it, but whatever. The man, who had been staring at the fan for a moment, grinned. It was more of a smile than a grin. ¡°Excuse me. Sir?¡± I called the man one more time because I was getting tired. Only then did the man¡¯s gaze shift away from the fan and back to me. My skin became itchy in an instant. It was the first time I¡¯d seen a man up close. Even from a distance, I could tell he was attractive, but up close, I could see that his handsome features shone through despite the mask covering half of his face. Not only did he have a flawless face, but his body lines also went down there. So much so that when I tried to look down at his body, I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open. The staring down at me without saying anything made my lips dry for no reason. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me? Me?¡¯ The man was rude. He¡¯s been staring at me for far too long and won¡¯t answer my thanks or explain what he meant by paying back the debt. This was rude enough to protest despite the help earlier. But now, the tickling in my stomach makes me feel embarrassed instead of uncomfortable. A man standing close by gave off a nice scent. Even though he didn¡¯t look like he was wearing perfume, I could smell it on the tip of my nose. As soon as I realized this, my heart started to beat faster than usual. ¡®Let¡¯s calm down.¡¯ Despite what I was telling myself, my fingertips continued to bend. The man had an overpowering presence. To the point where I¡¯m not sure why he was wasting time in front of me. The man then moved in closer to me. I realized I was trying to talk at the same time, and the realization shot through my head like a bullet, along with the body scent that approached me. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve smelled this scent. ¡°You are so bold.¡± A soft, hushed voice tempted my ear. I froze on the spot as if I had been struck by lightning. How the hell was he here? Did I run into someone I wanted to avoid more than the Grim Reaper? CH 62 ¡°How do you handle this situation?¡± The man. No. Ian asked in a whisper. During the interrogation that was posed as a question, I experienced a chill up and down my spine, as if I were being doused in ice water. ¡®Let¡¯s think about it, think about it, think about it.¡¯ Not everything is out of whack yet. Ian had no idea that I had come here because of a deal with The Master of Magic Tower and that the deal was for a medicine that could break the time-limiting curse. Still, there was a loophole to get through. I¡¯m certain there was. After a brief moment of self-admonishing, I raised my head and looked Ian in the eyes. Behind the mask, a pair of cold blue eyes looked down at me. ¡®How could I not have recognized it?¡¯ This person. How. I should have recognized him from a distance of at least ten miles. I was feeling so bad about myself 10 minutes ago when I was taking in his sights as if it were a good picture. ¡°There is a reason for this.¡± I said that first. Excuses were something I had to come up with while I was talking. ¡°Reason.¡± Ian repeated in his own voice what I had just said. His monotonous delivery lacked any sign of emotion, and he did not even appear to be the least bit agitated, let alone angry. That made me even more appalled. ¡°Is that so? Joan. Tell me. What is the reason my wife came here?¡± In utter shock, I looked at Dame Joan. Dame Joan bowed her head discreetly. ¡°I will gladly accept your guilt in any form.¡± ¡°Did you know?!¡± Dame Joan seemed to have recognized Ian¡¯s identity from the moment he showed up. I was the only fool in this place. ¡°You should take it in stride. There is no need to remind you of what kind of serious crime disobedience is.¡± With his cold sarcasm, I turned my head to Ian. Even Dame Joan would be in danger at this rate. Mumbling was not appropriate at this time. ¡°I don¡¯t think you really think I was having an affair. If you look at it that way, both you and I, since we met here, would be having an affair.¡± Because people were listening, I called Ian ¡®you¡¯ instead of his name, and one of his brows raised slightly. ¡°I was having an affair?¡± ¡°If we follow your reasoning, the answer is yes. It¡¯s because you and I are the same people who are here.¡± Those eyes beyond the mask narrowed thinly. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s just pretend you had a good reason for doing what you did.¡± ¡°Of course you have to trust me. There is no way that I could forget about the agreement and go around cheating on you without any repercussions. I just had business here.¡± When I lowered my voice to the point where Ian was the only one who could hear it, he let out a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s for you to keep. It¡¯s questionable secret business that you went to such a place for, but¡­¡­ Let¡¯s believe it. I am also here for reasons that are comparable to yours.¡± The words ¡®I will believe and see¡¯ came out of Ian¡¯s mouth. However, I was unable to feel any relief. He had only let it slide for the time being, but if we had moved to a location where no one would see us, he would have inquired about my business. But for now, it was important to earn even a few minutes. ¡®Rizello will return shortly¡­¡­If he¡¯s sensible, he won¡¯t pretend to know right now. Let¡¯s forget about that for now.¡¯ For now, the first thing to do was to put out the biggest fire, called Ian in front of me. People were openly watching us, which we only realized later. Most of our conversations were probably misunderstood, but that seemed to pique their interest even more. Even though no one was paying attention to the dancing, the band was compelled to play a new waltz. After that, a few of the couples started dancing once more, as if they had suddenly regained their faculties. ¡°Well, first of all.¡± While Ian was talking to me about this, he put his arm around my waist. I opened my eyes wide at the first movement of the waltz that started out of nowhere. ¡°Let¡¯s finish our business first.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­¡± ¡°My business is after the ball. First and foremost, it means that we need to pass this time well without attracting more attention.¡± How can we make it through this situation without drawing even more attention to ourselves? I think it was already wrong when you ran into me. That was not something I could say, so I wrapped my arm kindly around Ian¡¯s neck. I¡¯d gotten used to dancing with Ian thanks to a lot of practice. As soon as we started the waltz, the people in the room turned their attention back to their partners as if they had suddenly realized there was nothing else more interesting to see. The basics of waltz are to make eye contact with your partner throughout the dance. Therefore, I had no choice but to make eye contact with Ian. ¡®As expected, I think you¡¯re still angry.¡¯ The eyes hidden behind the mask were darker than usual. He hasn¡¯t received a proper explanation yet, so it¡¯s understandable that his anger hasn¡¯t calmed down. Then Ian drew me in with a gentle movement. I heard a low whisper in my ear as I was helplessly dragged away. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I owe anything to women.¡± ¡®What is that¡­ Ah.¡¯ I owe Ian a debt of gratitude for rescuing me from the man with the red hair, and I remember thanking him for being in debt. Yeah. If I hadn¡¯t known it was Ian, I certainly wouldn¡¯t have said that. There will be no more debt to this man! ¡°Yes. I regret it too.¡± ¡°You¡¯d rather write a check right away. So that you don¡¯t talk nonsense later.¡± The words that Ian spoke came across as sound advice. I looked up at Ian with bewildered eyes. I thought you would growl in my ears while dancing sweetly, but this is out of the blue. Nonetheless, I nodded obediently because I was relieved to hear anything other than an accusation. ¡°I understand¡­¡­Yes. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°By the way, when does my wife¡¯s ¡®business¡¯ begin?¡± It would be pointless to back out now. Because I am still here, it is impossible for me to tell a wholly false story. I quickly shook my head and said that honestly. ¡°It¡¯s a dark auction.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± The corners of Ian¡¯s mouth turned up in a grin that made him look like a bad boy. ¡°That business has become impossible.¡± ¡°Why. Why?¡± I asked with a frown because I was dismayed. Ian lowered his head even more and spoke in a whisper. ¡°Because it will have turned over before then.¡± What? ¨D There was no need to ask. Bang! A roar pierced my ears. I felt a strong arm wrap around my shoulder and hold me up. I gasped and almost fell over in the arms of other people. ¡°What is this, what is this¡­¡­.¡± Bang! Kwang! Then there was an explosion. I looked around in complete confusion as I tried to process what I was seeing because I couldn¡¯t believe it. However, nothing could be seen clearly because the fog obscured my view. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°What happened¡­ ¡­ Huh!¡± The sound of a sword being drawn could be heard all around, and at the same time, people could be heard screaming in pain. My body trembled with fear without knowing it. It was scary when I crossed between monsters in Ian¡¯s arms, but at that time, I could see ahead. Even if I had wanted to investigate the situation, the fact that there was nothing to see was more terrifying than I had expected. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Because you are safe.¡± Ian whispered. Ironically, hearing that one word brought a sense of relief to me. It was none other than Ian who was holding my back as if to protect me. Regardless of this, the trembling voice continued. ¡°This, this. It¡¯s what you did.¡± ¡°Are you going to start calling me ¡®you¡¯ now?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I say. Sir Ian also use that to call me that often. Anyway!¡± I looked back at Ian desperately. ¡°You can¡¯t blow everything away. I¡¯ve heard rumors that something important will be listed at the Dark Auction!¡± ¡°Important thing? Do you want it?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that!¡± What exactly do you mean I want it? I repudiated it with disgust. Who wants a piece of paper with the name of the devil on it? Unless it¡¯s a cult of lunatics who like to summon demons. It was time to tell Ian about the item. ¡°W-who is it! How dare you do this!¡± ¡°Boss!¡± A man with a huge body screamed desperately and jumped out. The guard appealed, referring to him as a lord owner. I could see the two of them from a distance because the smoke was gradually dissipating. ¡°These guys are crazy! They planted a bomb in our venue!¡± ¡°These wrathful holy bastards!¡± A man called Boss was indignant. It was funny. Talking about the wrath of heaven in relation to the topic of a party where there is widespread participation in illegal gambling and auctions. As the smoke dissipated, I could see more distant sights. My stomach turned as I witnessed the armored men brutally slaughter the guards. Attacked with the back of a knife and kicked with a foot. Unfamiliar knights clad in armor were fighting their way through the crowd and defeating the guards. No. Looking at it now, it wasn¡¯t an unfamiliar armour. ¡®It¡¯s the armor of the Holy Knights!¡¯ It was only then that I realized what was going on and opened my mouth wide. In order to completely eradicate the underground ball, Ian has arrived to lead the Holy Knights who are under his command. When I finally understood, there was a sudden and strong pull on my shoulder. ¡®I¡¯m so unlucky¡­¡­!¡¯ Ian jumped into the place where he had been before! ¡°How dare you do these things!¡± ¡°Boss, that is the armor of the Holy Knights! They are Holy Knights!¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± The boss¡¯s voice cracked, as if he was intimidated by the word ¡°Holy Knights,¡± but he got back up and shouted. ¡°Do you think that just borrowing the name of God will do everything?! Block everyone! Fight back! All of you guys will be fired if you spare yourself even a little bit!¡± ¡°B-But, Boss! Our opponents are highly skilled paladins. Only the guards can put a stop to it¡­¡­!¡± The boss gritted his teeth. ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to use other means than useless bugs! Release it!¡± That? ¡°What are you waiting for! Do you want to become its prey?¡± ¡°Hwik! Okay, then!¡± The adjutant dashed away. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but it looks like he¡¯s trying to activate something like a special move. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t it be stopped?¡¯ By the way, why is the person behind my back just standing there watching? ¡°Hmm.¡± Then I heard a strange laugh behind me. CH 63 I got goosebumps for a moment. Do you find that if someone hears that dangerous and dubious sounds, they will laugh out loud? ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s not normal.¡¯ ¡°Joan.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± ¡°Take the saintess to the cathedral. Immediately¡± ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let me down this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Saintess Irene, I will take care of you.¡± At Dame Joan¡¯s words, I hesitated for a moment, but then I was forced to stand up and followed her. Since this happened, the dark auction was over. I couldn¡¯t even see Rizello; even his shadow was trying to hide, which is why today¡¯s deal was as good as it was. Before leaving, I looked back at Ian out of courtesy. ¡°Take care of it well and please come back. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you gone yet?¡± L-look at the way he talks. In fact, I didn¡¯t even have to worry about it. I saw with my own eyes how that person toppled the incubus in Rycalion. ¡®It will be fine.¡¯ It¡¯s only right that I, who should be a burden, leave quickly. I followed Dame Joan up to the spiral staircase. After I climbed up and looked down, I could see the ballroom in the basement at a glance. ¡®That thing.¡¯ When I looked down, my eyes widened in surprise at what I saw. When I first opened my eyes, I saw Ian standing there with his sword drawn. On the opposite side, a massive monster was standing in its way. It would appear that ¡°it¡± was a monstrous creature after all. Then, did the man named Boss work together with the cultists? ¡®Anyway, that. That¡¯s a horse¡­¡­?¡¯ The monster that howled at Ian was in the form of a horse. However, it seemed considerably bigger than a real horse in size. It was such a massive horse that it gave the impression that it could wipe out human beings with a single breath, similar to how one would extinguish a candle. ¡°Saintess Irene. You must go.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologised and stuttered, but I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the underground for a moment longer. Even when confronted with a horse the size of a house, Ian did not show the slightest sign of reluctance. I could see his sword charging at the monster without stopping, even from this distance away. ¡®He will be fine.¡¯ Consoling myself, I made fun of my brisk steps again. ¡°What monster is that?¡± ¡°It is a ¡®Nightmare¡¯, a monster that drives nightmares, and is a type of dream horse.¡± Nightmare. The name evoked in me an unpleasant sense of deja vu. The incubus he defeated in Rycalion was also one of the Dream Demons. Do you think it¡¯s just a coincidence? When I arrived there in a confused state, the land was already clamorous with the commotion of people fleeing in all directions. ¡°Get out of my way, get out of my way!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push me!¡± At the door, everyone was vying for the opportunity to leave the building first. The men and women who had been exchanging knowing glances with one another while dressed in stunning gowns and suits have now shoved and cursed each other. ¡°Get in line! Get in line! It will only be delayed this way!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go ahead and cut in queue like that!¡± It took only a moment for everyone to revert to their baser nature when confronted with their instincts for survival. The sudden explosion obliterated any vestige of aristocratic elegance in the survivors of the catastrophe. Dame Joan stared at the scene with a hard face and then looked back at me as if she had made up her mind. ¡°There will be no exit. Please come this way.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s the path that leads nowhere¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will knock the wall down.¡± meI was taken aback by the calmness of her voice, and I turned my attention alternately to Dame Joan and the wall. What do you mean, break it? ¡°H-Hold on a minute. The explosion must have caused some damage to the building, but if you were to knock down that wall, wouldn¡¯t the whole structure fall down?¡± Doing so puts the people underground at risk. In response to my crucial words, Dame Joan shook his head momentarily. ¡°We¡¯re going to make sure the building isn¡¯t overcrowded. I can use the sword to cut it.¡± ¡°Cutting down the wall?¡± I stared at Dame Joan in even greater astonishment. For her boss to think she wasn¡¯t, the subordinate was a very embarrassing answer. It didn¡¯t seem like Lucian was making nonsense when he said that Dame Joan was an outstanding person who had the potential to become a Sword Master in the future. Dame Joan knocked on the wall as if to confirm. Soon after, a teeny tiny crease showed up in the space between her brows. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why, why are you like that?¡± ¡°There seems to be something beyond this.¡± ¡°What?¡± When I heard Dame Joan¡¯s contemplative voice, I let out a short breath. What else could there be? I can¡¯t even begin to count the number of times that I¡¯ve been taken aback just today. There is no more excitement now. After giving the wall a stern look with her hard face, Dame Joan lifted her right foot and kicked it without pausing for a moment of hesitation. ¡°What!¡± The kicked wall fell down without being able to hold it up anymore, and another space opened up beyond it. ¡°It was a fake.¡± I peered over the top of the wall with my eyes wide open as I looked into the hidden space there. On the inside, there were items that raised suspicion, as if to demonstrate that this was a secret space large enough to conceal by erecting a fake wall. A flask containing bubbling liquid was sitting on the desk, and pentagrams drawn in chalk were scribbled all over the floor, ceiling, and other surfaces in the room. Anyone who looked around could see that this place was the laboratory of a wicked sorcerer. ¡°This is where it is.¡± After looking inside with a frown on her face, Dame Joan turned her attention to me. ¡°Madam Irene. I¡¯ll find another exit. Please come this way.¡± Dame Joan made an effort to avert his eyes from the scene of the black magic for the time being, acting as if ensuring my safety was the most important thing. ¡°Madam Irene.¡± While I stood there dumbfounded, Dame Joan came up behind me. This newly revealed place was suspicious and interesting, but I knew that now was not the time for curiosity. Even so, I stopped for a moment and couldn¡¯t take my eyes off one place. ¡°Dame Joan. Wait a minute.¡± A bizarre object was brought to my attention as I reached the end of my gaze. It was the severed head of a goat. It felt like someone had hit me in the back of the head, and the result was that my entire body became rigid. If you look carefully, you¡¯ll see that the goat is carrying a piece of black chalk in its mouth. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡­¡¯ The moment I laid eyes on the bizarre scene, I felt a tremendous amount of dread wash over me. When you looked more closely, you could see that the goat had drawn on the bottom of the porridge with the chalk that was in its mouth. Thump, thump, thump. My heart beat fast. My thoughts were all jumbled up because there was a possibility that the answer could be ¡°no way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Go to the place where the black line connects.¡± ¡°There is no time. You must get out of here.¡± ¡°Now do as I say. Please.¡± ¡°Madame Irene, I would ask that you return to the cathedral for the time being. If there is anything else that you need done, just let me know and I¡¯ll get it done. But first¡ª¡± ¡°Dame Joan! There is no time.¡± I asserted myself clearly while simultaneously directing my eyes to follow the path of the black chalk. I had to concentrate on seeing it because it was buried in the marble pattern, but once I did, I noticed that one of the dark chalk marks continued all the way to the wall on the other side of the room. ¡°Break down the door over there too!¡± My request came out of the blue, which caught Dame Joan off guard. She exhibited a bewildered expression on her face only infrequently. ¡°This is for Sir Ian. So please hurry up!¡± As I urgently urged her, Dame Joan¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. As soon as I pointed my finger in a certain direction, she clenched her teeth and moved in that direction as if she had already made up her mind. I counted myself extremely fortunate to hold the role of a Saintess of Wisdom. If I hadn¡¯t been considered to have such powers, Dame Joan would have carried me to the cathedral no matter how much I begged her. When Dame Joan moved to the other side of the wall, she continued to kick the wall in the same manner. Once more, the temporary wall fell, exposing the area that lay beyond it. I hurriedly looked around and immediately opened my eyes wide. This time a severed head of a pig lying inconspicuously in the corner. Similarly, it had a piece of black chalk in its mouth. ¡°A goat and a pig.¡± Dame Joan muttered confusedly. ¡°Next will be a snake.¡± I said with confidence. Goat, Pig, Snake, Scorpion and Toad. The five animals, which were considered evil in the Rehart Empire, also played a role in the practice of black magic. After finding the heads of the two different animals, there was no longer a need to search any further. There must have been a hiding place somewhere for the heads of the other three animals as well. I hurriedly ran outside and looked down into the basement. The underground area was a scene of utter chaos as the Holy Knights clashed with the demon. With unwavering focus, I gazed upon the scene before me. ¡®I can see it.¡¯ The black chalk marks, which I thought were marble patterns, were clearly drawn on the floor. When I viewed the basement from this vantage point, looking down at it from a distance like this allowed me to see what patterns the lines were drawn gradually. The chalk lines drawn in black formed an inverted hexagram. ¡®¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that. A magic circle?¡¯ Dame Joan murmured something as though she had also discovered the same thing. ¡°What on earth is this¡­¡­ Could it be the remnants of the cultist¡¯s method for calling forth demons?¡± ¡°No. This is not a cult.¡± It¡¯s the work of Nine. Nine¡¯s favoured method of performing dark magic involved constructing a six-dimensional magic circle from the severed head of a dead animal. When the conflict in the original story reached its peak, I had read the episode where Nine¡¯s black magic was activated several times, so there was no way I could get confused. This building itself was encircled by a massive magical circle that Nine had drawn. And there, in the centre, right in the middle of the turned six-pointed star, was Ian. Ian was pushing the monster dreamer, Nightmare. Even though he didn¡¯t even take out the holy sword that was sleeping in the subspace, it seemed that the winner had already been decided. But instead of feeling relieved, it felt like my heart was going to burst every time it beat. ¡®This is a trap.¡¯ The word hit my head. What if everything was just a trap that Nine had set up? What if Ian was intentionally led into the magic circle? ¡°Dame Joan!¡± I didn¡¯t give it a second thought before blurting out to Dame Joan what sounded more like a scream. ¡°As a saintess, I will give you an order. Please take me down right now.¡± ¡°Madam Irene!¡± ¡°Please do as I say. Because Ian is in danger!¡± Dame Joan¡¯s face hardened at the urgent cry. Ian had been the target Nine had been targeting for a very long time. To enchant that one, the entirety of the guild contributed an incredible amount of resources and time. And by the time the pages of the original work were almost turned over, their efforts finally bore fruit. Although not in the same way now. When I thought back to how the results turned out after that, I could feel a shiver run through my entire body. ¡®Not right now.¡¯ This is the point before the original work even started. There was not a single main character available who could prevent Ian from becoming enchanted at this time. The heroine still hadn¡¯t made her appearance, and Elliot still hadn¡¯t been baptised at this point. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ And neither have I made any preparations to save Ian in any way. I knew that the original story had started to take an unexpected turn, but I never imagined it would become this convoluted. However, this was not the time to make any excuses. If I didn¡¯t save Ian immediately, the magic circle enchantment would take his soul. ¡®Like the original content I¡¯ve read over and over again.¡¯ I clamped my teeth together firmly. I couldn¡¯t leave it alone. I may not know later on, but not right now. CH 64 ¡°I understand, Madam Irene. I will guide you.¡± Dame Joan spoke with a firm, keen expression. I nodded and followed her. Not only had Lord Owner summoned Nightmare, but monsters the size of a child were stirring everywhere. ¡°Heehee, let¡¯s play. Let¡¯s play!¡± ¡°Come play with us!¡± The demons, dressed in brightly coloured hats and costumes, resembled clowns. There were also clowns with one hand holding a trumpet and blowing continuously. At first glance, it looked like a child wearing a clown costume, but a closer look revealed otherwise. The mouth that had been torn down to the bottom of the ears and the eyes that were black all over the whites of the eyes proved that they were monsters. ¡°They are also a type of nightmare. When you touch it, it becomes parasitic and begins sucking your vitality, so be careful.¡± As Joan had warned, I could see the people who had not yet escaped laughing as if clowns had attacked them. Each of them had a very happy dream. ¡°Those who have become like that will be sucked into the Demon Realm forever through their dreams if action is not taken quickly.¡± Unlike their childlike bodies, they were terrifying bastards. I quickly turned around to look for Ian. It was easy to spot him in the middle of the battlefield, wielding a sword. The nightmare was walking backwards, purple blood all over. ¡°Ian!¡± I called Ian¡¯s name, but he couldn¡¯t hear me. Too! Too! The clown-shaped demons suddenly started blowing the trumpets they were holding. Too! Too-Too! ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± The horrible sound of the trumpet made me plug my ears. Even that wasn¡¯t enough; the clowns formed a tower among themselves, like small, grotesque cheerleaders, and instantly blocked my path. I could no longer see Ian over there. ¡°Ugh, these¡­¡­¡± ¡°Madam Irene! Cover your ears.¡± At Dame Joan¡¯s scream, I obediently covered my ears. The sound of the trumpet was grotesque enough to hear even to me, who knew nothing about it. There must be an evil spirit mixed in. Dame Joan swung her sword at the clowns, but the more she did, the more clowns rushed to fill the gaps. The number of clowns continued to grow. The clowns, who were clearly outnumbered, smirked excitedly. ¡°Get out! Get out!¡± ¡°We are more than you. I¡¯m stronger than you guys.¡± ¡°Get out! Get out!¡± The clowns raved about like crazy. The clowns did not know how to retreat despite Dame Joan¡¯s sword. It just babbled louder. Are they, by any chance, ordered to keep us away from Ian? Such doubt crossed my mind. ¡°Get lost! Get lost!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Even though I covered my ears from the clowns¡¯ shrill screams and the sound of the trumpets, I felt like my head would explode. What about Dame Joan, who is fighting without covering her ears at the same time I am? No matter how hard Dame Joan swung her sword, the situation was not improving. Where on earth do they keep popping up? I bit my lip in nervousness. This isn¡¯t the time. This isn¡¯t the time to be stuck with these guys. ¡°Get lost! Get lost, get lost!¡± Their whining voice of a repulsive child. I, who couldn¡¯t hear any longer, loosened my biting lips and shouted without realizing it. ¡°You guys get lost!¡± I felt refreshed as I shouted with my eyes closed as if a lump in my heart had been released. And the surroundings became quiet for an instant. As I adjusted my stumbling body, I slowly opened my eyes. My vision was blurry as a result of overexposure to the trumpet¡¯s sound. ¡®But I¡¯m glad I can¡¯t hear them anymore¡­¡­ What?¡¯ The bastards who had built the tower with their bodies fell flat on their backs no matter how much Dame Joan cut them down. ¡°What, what is it?¡± I was perplexed and biting my lower lip. The clowns lay motionless on the floor as if a typhoon had swept through them. I turned to Dame Joan, wondering if she had done it. Dame Joan turned around and stared at me with wide eyes. She, like me, had puzzled expressions on her face. It seemed that she, too, had not grasped her exact situation. I don¡¯t know what it is, but once the nasty troubles are gone. ¡°Irene!¡± Just then, I heard Ian¡¯s voice shouting my name. When I raised my head toward the sound, I held my breath. Ian, who always shone softly as if bathed in moonlight, had been dyed black like the night. It wasn¡¯t just because of the black hair and mask used for disguise. His eyes, which were as blue as the sea, had been dyed black, darker than the abyss. Even light couldn¡¯t be reflected because it was so dark. ¡®It¡¯s like a sorcery¡­¡­¡¯ There was no room for questioning. There were indications of witchcraft in those peculiar black eyes. Chills ran down my spine like ice had been poured into it the moment I faced the description I had seen many times in the book into reality. ¡°What are you doing? What are you doing here!¡± Ian came running to me with a ferocious look. Nightmare¡¯s corpse was rotten behind when it was about to be disposed of. ¡°Why on earth, even if you listen to people¡­¡­ Damn it. Are you hurt? Where did you get hurt.¡± I stared blankly at Ian, who had quickly approached me and was angry with me. Those black eyes were frightening. It wasn¡¯t because he was angry with me, but that appearance seemed to prove that he had been stained with black magic. ¡®No. Still, I¡¯ll be able to turn it around.¡¯ Even as I thought this, I couldn¡¯t stop my fingers from trembling. ¡°This place is dangerous. Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Irene? Why are you not saying anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Irene. Irene!¡± Ian yelled strongly, clenching my stiff shoulders. Because of the increased distance between us, Ian¡¯s dark eyes were more visible. For a brief moment, I was rendered speechless by the abysmal darkness. Ian, who had been calling me for a few more seconds, looked back at Joan wildly. ¡°Shit. Joan!¡± ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± ¡°What happened to the saintess? Why is she like this?¡± ¡°That is.¡± Dame Joan¡¯s voice trembled lightly as if swallowing the perplexity. Ian let out a growl. ¡°How many times are you going to disappoint me today?¡± ¡°I apologize. I¡¯ll accept any punishment.¡± Ian¡¯s voice berating Dame Joan jolted me awake. It¡¯s not the time to point fingers at her for failing to protect me. All I could do was hope that the loud trumpets of the clowns didn¡¯t hurt my ears too much. Dame Joan or Ian seemed the world¡¯s greatest fool, unaware that their own soul was on the verge of being eaten. ¡®Let¡¯s take a deep breath.¡¯ I clenched my fists until my nails were driven into my palms. It seemed obvious that Ian didn¡¯t know anything now. In retrospect, it was a fortunate circumstance. When he discovers that he is a puppet of others, he loses faith in himself to the extent that he truly is. If such a disturbance occurred, Ian would be an ideal target for the enchantment to penetrate. Taking a short deep breath, I looked up at Ian. ¡°Sir Ian. From now on, please listen carefully to what I have to say¡­¡­I found a magic circle drawn all over this building.¡± ¡°A magic circle?¡± Ian narrowed his brows. I nodded and went on. ¡°I found a severed goat head and pig head. It had a mouthful of black chalk. I don¡¯t have to explain what it means, do I?¡± Ian¡¯s black eyes shook once. His gaze turned to the knights under his command who were in the midst of battle. ¡°¡­¡­You said it was installed all over the place?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure I saw it.¡± ¡°Darn it.¡± Ian returned my stare after muttering a low curse. ¡°With such a massive magical circle, it¡¯ll never be a light plot.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°The whole building¡­¡­ Maybe.¡± Ian¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It could be the kind of black magic that sacrifices all the paladins here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Instead of correcting Ian¡¯s misunderstanding, I shut my mouth with a serious face. Even if you appear to be that way, Ian cares about his subordinates, so if he misunderstands something like that, he will act quickly. Ian clicked his tongue. ¡°Was it a trap?¡± ¡°I can turn it around. If only it was now.¡± I quickly opened my mouth. ¡°You just have to find the black magician hiding somewhere in here and get out of this place. It can be undone, so stay calm.¡± The most important thing was Ian¡¯s mental and physical well-being. In a situation where he had already been caught in witchcraft, agitation was forbidden. I told Ian to calm down and squeezed his arm. The body temperature of others is helpful for stability. This is a scientifically proven fact, so even a cold-blooded person like Ian would have an effect. Ian looked down at his arm in surprise. ¡°¡­¡­ What is it?¡± ¡°Sir Ian can overcome this difficulty. I trust Sir Ian.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Have I been affected by black magic?¡± The most important thing is Ian¡¯s stability, so I tried to reassure him as calmly as I could, but Ian said something ridiculous. Nonetheless, my hand refused to let his hand go, so I squeezed his arm even tighter. ¡°Let¡¯s find the black wizard first. Because I¡¯ll be in here!¡± Most wizards know that even if the magic circles are not directly seated, they will work as long as they are installed. However, if it was powerful enough to target a sword master, there was no way it would stop at that point. With the amount of magical energy contained in the magic circle, it would be impossible to capture Ian. So, there must be a caster who will add more magic to this place. ¡®Where is it?¡¯ With ferocious eyes, I looked around. CH 65 No matter how hard I looked, I was unable to find anyone who was casting a spell. It was highly likely that he was hiding, but given that he couldn¡¯t get too far away from the magic circle, it was likely that he was inside this building. ¡®There isn¡¯t anywhere to hide.¡¯ Because it was located underground, there was neither a terrace nor any other separate rooms. I bit my lip hard. I was anxious because I didn¡¯t know how much time was left with Ian, and it made it difficult for me to concentrate. After that, I was startled to hear a voice that sounded inebriated. ¡°Hmm¡­ Doesn¡¯t this cake really make you fat? More, more, please. Give me 500. I¡¯m going to eat it every day. Keep giving it to me.¡± A jester knocked out a nobleman and then forced him to sleep, during which time the nobleman talked while his face was all screwed up. Because I went all the way, I could hear it much more clearly. Although the aristocrat¡¯s sleep talking was exceptionally loud, upon closer inspection, the vast majority of the victims who had fallen were struggling in their sleep, regardless of how large or small they were. A smiling face, a terrified face in which the subject seems to be being pursued by something, or a face that is drooling. The victims had different outward appearances, but they were all the same in that they were immersed in their dreams. However, some of the fallen victims were lying on their stomachs or with their backs turned away from me, so I could not check their faces. When I turned around, I saw a large number of nobles scattered across the ballroom floor. There were a significant number of people who were unable to get away in time and ended up getting killed by the clown. ¡®The wizard will not be able to leave this place to finish his spell, and there is nowhere for him to hide. Then¡­¡­¡¯ I swear to you, they were around here somewhere. As I looked around at the scattered group of people, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. Perhaps in there? ¡°Ian. Do you happen to¡­¡­.¡± Having said that, I suddenly realized that I was still holding Ian¡¯s arm in my hand. ¡®Have you removed it yet?¡¯ It¡¯s a silly thing to say to the person holding it, but it was a little embarrassing. That Ian, I knew, was someone who had an extreme aversion to physical contact with people of the opposite sex. ¡®I¡¯m curious as to whether or not he¡¯s actually enjoying the effect of calming both his mind and his body.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but ruminate on the peculiar query of whether my body temperature was that warm. Or perhaps- ¡®Has magic completely destroyed it?¡¯ With wide eyes, I looked up at Ian. ¡°What is it? Why did you stop talking?¡± The way he spoke was the same as I knew. It was harsh and cold, and there was not the slightest sign of affection present. The fact that Ian has such a personality is widely known at this point. Even those people could easily fake this much information if the current version of Ian was not the real him but rather a puppet controlled by Nine. ¡®Besides, they probably don¡¯t even know that Ian and I have a thorough business relationship.¡¯ First of all, they¡¯ll know that I lured Ian out by any means, so they don¡¯t even know that we¡¯re a show-window couple with no physical contact whatsoever. ¡®Could it be that¡¯s why he¡¯s so lenient about the touch?¡¯ I looked suspiciously at my hand, which was still on Ian¡¯s arm. No. I quickly shook my head. If Ian was truly consumed by black magic, it would be the worst-case scenario imaginable. It was prudent to move on without considering that possibility for the time being and to proceed. After reaching my conclusion, I had another conversation with Ian. ¡°There are a lot of people lying down there, and I have a sneaking suspicion that one of them is a wizard.¡± After putting my thoughts into words, I realised that it was a plausible suspicion. As I got closer to the area where the people were congregating to sleep, the clowns, who had been keeping their silence for a while, started to struggle. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Bad bastard, die.¡± Clowns came at me, swinging trumpets and yelling gibberish like babbling children. But they didn¡¯t try to rush in like they had before. As if frightened of something, perhaps Ian is behind me. ¡®By the way, these bastards are behaving strangely.¡¯ I decided to put my theory to the test by taking another step towards the clown who had fallen. After that, the clowns let out a loud noise and began blowing their trumpets. ¡°Go away! Go away!¡± ¡°Die! Go away!¡± My eyes lit up. As expected, these clowns. When I get close to people who have fallen clowns, it seems that they become more sensitive, as if they had received orders to keep someone safe in the middle. ¡°Die! Die!¡± The number of clowns increased rapidly, even in the midst of short thinking. Where the hell did it keep coming from? It was doubling every few seconds. ¡®It¡¯s difficult if only like this.¡¯ It was already a foregone conclusion that the Black Wizard would perform a spell while concealing himself among the fallen clowns. But finding the answer did not solve the problem. Even after we broke through the thick wall of clowns that was blocking our path, we still had to check each and every one of those numerous people. ¡®How frustrating. A huge number of clowns are coming in.¡¯ I only gave it a light nibble. It was something that I had brought to my attention on a number of occasions, but Ian didn¡¯t have very much time left. I couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about the situation. I quickly turned around to look at Ian again. I had my doubts that Ian could prevail, even if he ordered every holy knight in the world to fight for him. Then, the sound of a child whining pierced my ears. ¡°Move! Get out of the way!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them all! I¡¯ll kill it without leaving a trace!¡± Because of the clowns approaching me and blowing trumpets, I finally reached the end of my patience. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I wanted to hit the clowns on the forehead with their trumpets like playing Whack the Mole. I yelled at the clowns while yelling at them while my mouth was open, which annoyed them. ¡°Shut up and get out of my way ¨C uh huh?!¡± It was the moment when I felt that my shouting vocal cords were getting emotional, perhaps because I was too angry. The size of a palm covered my mouth. I opened my eyes wide and groaned in response to the sudden approach. However, the palm would not release its hold on my mouth. I tried to look back at Ian with absurd and bitter eyes. This human was the only one who could do this to me. But right before I turned around, Ian decided that covering my mouth wasn¡¯t enough and hugged me. ¡°Huh! Hmm?¡± ¡®Why are you acting this way? Are you insane?¡¯ ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡®Why are you doing this!¡¯ My arms shook with indescribable embarrassment. It was physically impossible for my arms to move while he had such a firm grip on me. Ian walked away from the clowns while still holding me in his arms. I noticed the holy knights who were fiercely fighting, looking at us with surprised expressions on their faces. I felt dizzy with bewilderment. Hugging me in front of so many people. That was really Ian Esteban? I couldn¡¯t figure out why he was doing this. After all, he didn¡¯t even know that the enchantment had fully progressed. ¡°Calm down. Madam. I will take care of it from here.¡± Unlike me, who was in a panic, the voice from behind was eerily calm. It was difficult to believe that the voice belonged to someone who had been possessed by dark magic. A man who takes care of himself holds an old lady in the middle of the battlefield? I was stunned, I whirled around to face Ian and glared at him. But, of course, Ian wasn¡¯t going to be stunned by the attack in my eyes. ¡°All knights, get in line.¡± Ian knew how to give orders with dignity even while holding me. After gathering in the ballroom, all of the holy knights attentively listened to Ian¡¯s command. ¡°Bring them all in five minutes.¡± The knights charged at the clowns in unison. *** The work was completed in an instant. Although there was some friction, the holy knight successfully subdued the clowns. Because Ian had already eliminated Nightmare, their leader, the fight appeared to go in our favour from the beginning. After having to deal with the clowns, this came as a big surprise. A black wizard was indeed hiding among the fallen nobles. The black wizard, who had pretended to be asleep, moved his lips to recite spells until the knights discovered him, but that was the end of it. After receiving severe blows to the back of the head, the black wizard eventually nodded off to sleep. When the caster falls unconscious, the magic circle loses its power. Ian was certain that the magical power contained in the severed goat¡¯s head had been completely cut off. With that, everything was settled. There were quite a few knights who were injured, but there were no holy knights who passed away, and even more importantly, there were no holy knights who were sacrificed as part of a dark magic ritual. ¡®The most important thing is.¡¯ The colour that was once in Ian¡¯s eyes has also returned to normal. During our trip back to the cathedral, I made sure to keep a close eye on Ian, who was sitting in the carriage across from me. ¡®For now, there¡¯s nothing wrong with his outward appearance.¡¯ His eyes, which had been dyed black, had returned to their natural colour of a transparent sea as if they had never been coloured black. But that didn¡¯t prove Ian was safe from black magic. It was clear that the black wizard hadn¡¯t finished the cast, but Ian was already enchanted. It¡¯s possible that reminiscences of it are still lingering in his mind. ¡°What are you staring at so intently?¡± Ian tilted his head and said something to me. Ian¡¯s harsh voice was unmistakable. But as I said earlier, this much could be imitated enough by puppets. ¡®It¡¯s risky to ask for information that fake Ian wouldn¡¯t know.¡¯ For example, I could confirm Ian¡¯s authenticity in front of me by referring to the agreement that we had previously established between Ian and me. However, if it is fake, it will be like revealing only my secret to the enemy. ¡®It¡¯s necessary to scoop it up without being caught that I¡¯m doing it.¡¯ ¡°Why are you not talking? You seem to be aware of your mistake?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why in the world are you not even pretending to listen to my request?¡± Ian interrogated me with a stony expression on his face. I would have been so anxious that I would have felt numb, but because I am preoccupied with other things, it didn¡¯t really affect me. ¡®It¡¯s a natural way to tell if he is real or fake¡­¡­¡¯ Suddenly, I had a thought pop into my head. It brought to mind the time when Ian, who abhors skinship, gave me a hug earlier. ¡®This is it. How to distinguish the real person.¡¯ It was a wise decision to reconsider. The sooner I take action, the better. I sat down and called Ian. ¡°Sir Ian.¡± Ian furrowed one eyebrow, probably noticing the sudden change in my demeanour. ¡°What is it? If you¡¯re going to try to find an excuse for it¡­¡± I mumbled the words of apology as quickly as I could. Ian, whose speech was cut off, looked at me as if he was dismayed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong. So¡­¡­ please forgive me.¡± My voice for forgiveness grew smaller and smaller until it was as inconspicuous as the hushed utterance. The whites of Ian¡¯s eyes appeared to be trembling slightly, as though he had become aware that something was wrong. ¡°Forgiveness¡­ You won¡¯t hold it against me, will you? After saying that, I quietly stood up and walked to the other side. Ian¡¯s body stiffened with tension as I sat close enough to cling to him. ¡°Right, honey?¡± I looked up at Ian while murmuring in a low voice, at a distance close enough that the skin would be rubbed in the event that the carriage rattled badly. I was doing it on purpose, but his eyelashes were flickering. Of course, there was only one reaction from the real Ian here. CH 66 ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A suffocating stillness descended upon the inside of the carriage as time passed. I was not pulled or pushed by Ian in any way. This kind of reaction is completely outside of my scope of comprehension in every possible way. Because I was so confused, I leaned in towards him to get a better look. ¡®¡­ ¡­ Looking at your skin.¡¯ When I got too close, unnecessary things started getting into my eyes. For instance, it is difficult to believe that a man¡¯s clear skin or a jawline that connects smoothly but firmly was the cause of those characteristics. ¡®I always think about it, but one face is really.¡¯ He was the type of person to whom I could not utter an expletive in his presence, even if he pointed out hundreds of flaws. Even if you compare him to Elliott, the man who played the male lead in the story¡¯s original version, this man will shine brighter. Understandably, the protagonist¡¯s first love and the final boss of the work were in risk, which is why it was challenging, but this was an extreme example of going too far beyond what was necessary. For a while, it was as if I were appreciating a piece of art; I was mesmerised. It took a few seconds for it to register in my mind that my nose was very close to making contact with Ian¡¯s cheek. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Looking at Ian, who came right before me, I was taken aback. ¡®You¡¯re not pushing me?¡¯ When someone of the opposite sex gets this close, it¡¯s only natural to try to push them away or act seriously, especially in light of Ian¡¯s reaction so far. Because there was no one else in the carriage with us, there was no need to pretend to be a married couple in order to avoid drawing attention from other people. But at this very moment, Ian is not exhibiting even the slightest sign of movement. Are you really a puppet? As goosebumps began to rise on my arms, I fixed my gaze on Ian¡¯s eyes. His eyes had become as hard as tightly packed sapphires. Even though I had been with Ian for a long time, I couldn¡¯t read it. ¡°¡­¡­That is.¡± Ian finally said something. A low whisper came from lips that were too close together. ¡°What¡¯s it all about?¡± What does it mean? I blinked, mulling over his words. This question came as a surprise. It wasn¡¯t how the real Ian would act, and it wasn¡¯t how a fake Ian would act, either. It was time to look up at Ian with blank eyes in bewilderment. The carriage stopped smoothly as if he had arrived at the destination. At the same time, a familiar voice came from outside. ¡°Madam Irene! Oh, you¡¯ve finally come back! Oh my goodness! I apologised!¡± I heard Annette screaming from outside the carriage. Judging from her hasty apology, it seemed that he had seen us while we were riding in the carriage through the window of the carriage. When I thought I had caught this little girl close to Ian, my whole body felt hot. ¡°I am truly apologise. It¡¯s time for me to get up ¨C whoops!.¡± Oops, without even noticing it, my whole body shifted toward Ian in the blink of an eye. ¡®No!¡¯ I stretched out my arms instinctively. However, my body had already completely collapsed due to gravity. The momentary effort was overshadowed by my unsightly pouring onto Ian¡¯s body. At the same time, my lips touched something warm and hard. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± My entire body started to feel hot when I had the thought that I had caught this little girl who was very close to Ian. ¡°Pardon . I have to get¨DOops.¡± Because I arose in such a hurry, my feet got all twisted up. Whoops, I had unintentionally positioned my body so that it was leaning towards Ian. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ I instinctively stretched out my arm. However, gravity had already caused my body to collapse completely. Even though the momentary effort was not worth it, I ended up pouring on my body to Ian in an awkward way. At the same time, my lips touched something warm and hard. ¡°Heok, sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± My mouth accidentally made contact with Ian¡¯s neck. As I bowed my head in contrition, I caught a glimpse of something that completely blew my mind. There are still marks of the light pink lipstick that Annette painstakingly selected for today, and they look like flower petals scattered across Ian¡¯s neck. ¡°W-Why is this here¡­¡­.Sorry. I¡¯ll wipe it right away!¡± It was unheard of for a knight like him to have such clear skin, so the light pink shade of my lipstick stood out more against his complexion. Somehow, it felt even more sensational because these marks were buried on the person who seemed to be the most reluctant in the world. Embarrassed by the visual shock, I kept apologising for it. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. I¡¯ll clean it right away.¡± I quickly rubbed the nape of Ian¡¯s neck with the palm of my hand in an attempt to remove the lipstick marks, but instead of removing the marks, they became even more widespread. ¡®W-Why can¡¯t this be erased?¡¯ It amazes me that I can¡¯t seem to get rid of the lipstick. It turns out that the technology used in the production of cosmetics in this world has experienced significant advancement. ¡®Somehow, no matter how much tea I drank, I couldn¡¯t erase it from my lips¡­¡­ No, not that.¡¯ This is not the time to be joking around or messing around. When I looked down at Ian¡¯s neck, where the mark of my lipstick was smeared all over the place, I couldn¡¯t help but be completely astounded. The situation has become much more serious than before. It almost looked messy now. ¡°¡­¡­ What are you doing?¡± Since the beginning of the empire, the faithful Commander of the Holy Knights ¡ª who is widely believed to be the most powerful of all the Holy Knights ¡ª has been promiscuous. It was an adjective that should never be used. ¡° ¡­ What exactly are you up to?¡± At long last, Ian made a sound with his mouth. It was a very hushed voice, almost as if it were expressing unease. ¡°M-My lipstick marks are here. I¡¯ll clean it up real quick.¡± ¡°All right. What is that?¡± Ian could say such a thing because he couldn¡¯t see himself right now. Just because of the lipstick stain, the current Ian looked like a macho man on the street rather than the commander of the Holy Knights. A bit too handsome. Ian coldly glared at me as I lifted up his collar, which was dishevelled from rubbing. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone as unpredictable as you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do something weird out of the blue, and don¡¯t rub someone¡¯s neck hard enough to tyre them out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.No, I¡¯m very worried.¡± ¡°All day long, what kind of thoughts are going through that head?¡± I was choked up for a moment when I was treated as a troublemaker. You didn¡¯t know I was doing it for your own reputation¡­¡­! Seeing that he only picked such mean words, Ian in front of me now must have been the real person. Thinking like that reminded me of the spell they carried out earlier, and my eyes closed tightly. Yes. Even Ian would have suspected that I had taken the drug if I had suddenly clung to me and gave me a coy look. When I finally got around to thinking about it, I noticed that my face started to get hot. ¡°¡­¡­ I had a reason for that too.¡± It was a voice that no one could believe. It was the moment when I opened my mouth to explain seriously. ¡°Anyway, there are many circumstances that I deserve to be heard from you.¡± ¡°Why did you want to go to the dark auction, and why was it so important for you to keep it a secret from me? I wish I could listen carefully to everything.¡± I firmly clamped my lips together. Never before has the concept of the right to remain silent on Earth been so desperately needed. *** ¡°Shit!¡± A sudden, piercing noise echoed through the air, accompanied by a string of profanities. Even though shards of broken glass frames grazed his cheeks, Number 4 did not move from his kneeling position. ¡°How much do you have to handle things like a dog to fail miserably like this?¡± As soon as he heard the angry voice, Number 4 bowed his head. Literally, what he went through today was the worst failure, so Number Four couldn¡¯t come up with an excuse. ¡°What the hell does that b*tch mean? How dare she betray us as a slave? Dispose of her immediately!¡± Unable to control his anger, the leader shouted. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get rid of her. You only need to turn on the stigma on the body of number 76. But, master. Think about it again.¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re trying to teach? You dirty bastard!¡± The number four¡¯s cheek made a slapping sound as it turned to the opposite side. Number 4¡¯s face started to turn red and swell up where he had been hit, but he kept going as if nothing had happened. ¡°Number 76 wouldn¡¯t know that today was Nine¡¯s plan. Because I never shared it.¡± The main cause of today¡¯s failure was definitely Nine¡¯s Number 76 slave, who wore the shell of Irene Grace. It was a well-thought-out strategy. At first, there were rumours that members of cults would be present at the Dark Auction. Knowing that Ian Esteban would be stranded in the capital for the first time in a while, this was a plan that had a good chance of succeeding. They didn¡¯t know how painstakingly the rumours were spread in order to entice someone who wasn¡¯t as prudent as that human being. A magic circle of that size was too expensive even for Nine to afford, but Nine had recently been receiving astronomical financial support from their ¡®sponsor¡¯. Nightmare, who had been summoned in advance as planned, consumed some of Ian¡¯s power, and in the interim, the enchantment was activated. If only they had been able to cast the spell to the end, they would have been able to obtain the strongest knight ever. But they failed. With success just one step ahead. Because of Irene Grace, the 76th slave was wearing the mask of a saintess. It was a surprise to see Irene at the underground ball. But they wouldn¡¯t have changed their plans even if they had known. A fake saintess without divine power couldn¡¯t have interfered with their plans. But she did it with pride. ¡°Damn it. Cheeky bitch!¡± The leader grumbled out his anger. Even though he rationally knew that Number 4 was right, he gave Number 4 several wild kicks. After a while, the leader seemed to have lost his temper and spat on the floor. ¡°Even if this is a coincidence, it is true that slave has not made very much progress in her mission. You never know. She may have had a different mind.¡± ¡°If her life is worth it, she won¡¯t be able to harbor a rebellious heart easily.¡± The stigma curse that the Nine casts upon their slaves was their worst invention. Because it was a curse that the dark magicians of Nine had crafted themselves, they were the only ones who understood how to cast it. It was impossible for a mediocre slave to find a way to do it, even if the person who was trying to do it was a legendary genius wizard. ¡°Tools should be useful. Otherwise, it will just be discarded.¡± The leader gave an order. CH 67 There was no energy in my whole body. I was so exhausted that I just went ahead and passed out on the bed. The interrogation that was carried out by the Commander of the Order of the Holy Knights was a laborious task in and of itself. ¡®What a quirky man!¡¯ I thought that I had pushed a well-prepared excuse, one that contained a small amount of lies mixed in with the majority of the truth. Ian probed my weaknesses with questions that were as penetrating as a well-honed awl. Still, it was over and over again. The proof was that I was lying there, not in the cathedral dungeon, but in my bedroom. I heard that the true name of an incubus would be auctioned off at a dark auction. Ian expressed great discomfort with such a sincere appeal. ¡®For any reason, it is forbidden to act alone.¡¯ Ian said with a stony expression and cold tone. ¡®You are my contract partner, but before that, you are a saintess who must be protected by me. Do not forget your duty.¡¯ In response to the authoritative tone, which reminded me of the voice of the grim reaper, all I could do was nod my head. However, it came out sooner than expected. I was prepared to be held captive for several hours. I don¡¯t know why, but in the middle of the day, I asked him if his body was okay, and he didn¡¯t like it. To be honest, I was prepared for a much scarier interrogation, but maybe Ian had enough generosity to overlook me as an acquaintance. Anyway, for the time being, Ian¡¯s surveillance of me will intensify. It didn¡¯t bode well. ¡®Because I couldn¡¯t get my hands on Cakulta essence¡­¡­ Damn it.¡¯ I pictured the face of the Master of the Magic Tower in my mind. Even though the dark auction itself was a struggle, wouldn¡¯t he keep his promise even if he saw my sincerity in going to that place? ¡°Madam Irene. I got a lot of letters today!¡± After that, one could hear Annette¡¯s vivacious voice. Correspondence? At just the right time, my ears perked up when I thought about the Master of the Magic Tower. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± ¡°Yes, I will bring them all over here right away!¡± Annette eventually presented me with a stack of letters on a silver tray after some time had passed. I went through the cards, checking the sender¡¯s name one at a time, and I soon came across the name that I had been looking for. ¡®Melody Hyacinth. As expected!¡¯ When everything came to an end in such an unpleasant way, there was no way Rizello could have avoided getting in touch with me. I quickly opened the card, and to my surprise, there was a recognisable phrase hiding behind the usual greeting. ¡¸Oh. Melody likes to be alone. Do you know?¡¹ I remember getting a card in the past with exactly the same phrase written on it. I turned to Annette. ¡°Annette, I need to go to sleep right now because I am so exhausted.¡± ¡°Ah, sure. I can only imagine how exhausted you must be after the amount of work that you¡¯ve had to do today. I¡¯ll assist you in getting ready for bed as soon as possible.¡± Annette¡¯s cheeks flushed with red at the mere mention of the phrase ¡°a lot of work.¡± Also¡­ ¡­ Another strange thought, that kid. It was completely my fault that I had to listen to a child¡¯s wild speculations about what had happened earlier in the carriage. It wasn¡¯t long before I was by myself in the bedroom. When I looked at the card once more, I noticed that the text had begun to twist and change. ¡¸I am sorry about what happened today. I didn¡¯t know your husband would make a mess. I¡¯m sorry.¡¹ The handwriting felt sharper than usual as if he was really regrettable. ¡¸But a promise is a promise, so I will send you what you want. Actually, it¡¯s not that difficult for me.¡¹ The pride that appeared out of nowhere was unobtrusive, but it was an excellent addition nonetheless. I didn¡¯t expect him to give it to me so easily. I was worried that he would find another reason to fight, but it seems that the distribution must be substantial in order to achieve the position of owner of the mage tower. ¡®I¡¯ll go see you soon.¡¯ Done¡­¡­! A deep sense of relief enveloped me. It was only natural that if he got the essence of Cakulta, I would be able to heal the time-limiting curse that Nine had placed on me. I will, at long last, have the opportunity to escape the horrible Nine. ¡®I¡¯m a little concerned about the fact that I¡¯ll come see you soon¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ No meeting place or time has been set. It was true that it was a bit embarrassing, but the opponent was the owner of the Magic Tower. When it comes to dealing with customers, he is an honest and trustworthy person, so I can count on him to keep his word. Thinking so, I stretch out across the wide bed. Today, I was the only one who slept in the bed. After I had finished my line of questioning, Ian exited the cathedral once more to finish the investigation for today. He informed me that he would not be able to return today. ¡®Is this the room for the bride or the room where you live?¡¯ We¡¯ve been married for a long time, but I can count on one hand the number of times I¡¯ve fallen asleep in this room with Ian. I repeat, of course, it was good for me. Ian would have never been able to move like this in bed. ¡®By the way, was the paper with the true name of the incubus really on display?¡¯ I thought of a question all of a sudden. Even though Rizello asked for the meeting and I went there, I was also very interested to see if the paper would be sent in. Maybe that itself was a lie to draw Ian out. But it was strange to even think about it. Out of all the powerful demons, they choose ¡°Incubus.¡± Only the Holy Knights who have been to Rycalion know that an incubus has shown up there. I was immersed in that thought, but I suddenly felt a little chilly. ¡®Is the window open?¡¯ I don¡¯t think meticulous Annette would have made such a mistake. I got off the bed and went to the balcony. The window was wide open, and the wind brushed my skin more as I got closer to the terrace. ¡°Shh.¡± ¡°?!¡± Some kind of black smoke stuck to me like it was muffling my voice. I opened my eyes wide when I saw a black shadow on the terrace. ¡°Listen as it is.¡± said the black shadow. I had seen a shadow like that once before. That shadow was Nine¡¯s minion. Shocked at the fact that Nine had sneaked into the bedroom, my body froze. The shadow whispered, probably noticing that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the smoke is just to keep the sound out, it can¡¯t harm you. I can only infiltrate the Cathedral, and I cannot even attack you.¡± What¡­.the heck? Feeling uncomfortable, I frowned. This shadow was oddly polite, unlike the first one, Edward Vichen, who was so forceful. ¡°There are doubts about the progress of the mission from the boss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Since taking the pendant from Edward, I haven¡¯t let it anywhere near Ian, I hardened again. ¡°Are you making progress? It should be. The tolerance of those in higher positions has reached its breaking point.¡± Is it my delusion? Both the tone and the content of the shadow¡¯s words were serious and formal, but for some reason I did not feel the malice that the other members of the Nine guild did. Because of this, even though I found myself in a situation where I couldn¡¯t speak up, I didn¡¯t feel too threatened. ¡°I will remove the smoke now.¡± After they finished speaking those words, the cloud of soot that had been blocking my mouth dispersed into the air. I opened my free lips. ¡°¡­¡­Yes. I¡¯m progressing step by step.¡± Judging from this question, it seemed that there was no way for Nine to know for sure if I was using the pendant. The black shadow gave a knowing nod to my red lie. ¡°If everything goes as planned, the undercover work will be done by the end of this month.¡± This month. My body tensed up once more in response to those words. The time that remained was much less than was originally planned. ¡°There is one last remaining step. It is also the step that is crucial.¡± The voice of the shadow who said so was subtly permeated with a troubled light for a moment. Because of that, I had the innate realisation that what Shadow had to say after that was an excessive request. ¡°Take this.¡± The shadow writhed and spat something out near my belly, then handed it to me. After reluctantly accepting it, I looked at whatever it was and confirmed my suspicions while narrowing my brows. ¡®Are those crystal earrings?¡¯ Earrings with drop-shaped crystals were pretty, but looking at them made me instinctively feel uncomfortable. I looked at the shadow with eyes demanding an explanation. ¡°You only need to do it once.¡± The shadow moved its lips into a soft whisper and opened its mouth. ¡°Just this once, put some blood from the target onto that crystal.¡± The target. No one needed to ask who it was talking about. I could feel the cold seeping into my fingertips. ¡®Ian¡¯s blood, here¡­¡­¡¯ ¡°The crystal resonates with our warlocks, so if it is stained with blood, we can automatically detect it without any news. So you just need to be covered it in his blood.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Things were getting worse. To a greater extent than when I first got the pendant. This task was not something that could be faked like a pendant would be. ¡°I know that asking for his blood is an unreasonable demand.¡± The shadow continued as if interpreting the reason why I was frozen differently. ¡°It only takes a single drop. If you only perform this task, your boss won¡¯t ask you for more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­That wouldn¡¯t give you the freedom you¡¯re looking for.¡± In a heavy voice, the shadow murmured to itself. I clutched the crystal earring. It was complicated enough that it made me feel like my head was going to explode, but the shadow couldn¡¯t figure it out. Trying to act calm, I opened my mouth. ¡°When is the deadline?¡± ¡°Until the next full moon rises.¡± I raised my head and observed the moon as it hung in the air above me. The moon, which had been full a few days ago, was now a little thin. A little less than one month will pass before the next full moon appears in the sky. No longer than one month. ¡°Good enough.¡± Hiding my agitation, I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a challenging mission, but I¡¯ll complete it until then.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve completed this task, the higher-ups will trust you.¡± I responded with a sarcastic laugh. The voice of Edward, who had threatened me, was still clear in my ears. The confidence of such people was something that was something that was acceptable to them regardless of how much it brought them. ¡°Is that all you need?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The shadows which answered succinctly slowly began to fade. I narrowed my brows. I thought that that shadow might have been acquainted with number 76 in the first place. ¡®¡­¡­ But that¡¯s not important right now.¡¯ My palm was pricked by a crystal earring that I had tucked into my fist. Constantly leaving an impression of my presence as if I were imprinting it. CH 68 ¡°No matter how¡­¡­I should be intimidated, cough, cough. I don¡¯t know anything! I just took the money and left the order!¡± A bloodthirsty cry rang through the cellar. The eyes of a black wizard who was bound to a chair and staring at the man who stood in front of him became weary. On his body, there were telltale signs that he had been interrogated. Ian took the watch out of its hiding place in his chest and checked it. It¡¯s been quite a while since he entered this interrogation room. ¡°You are a stickler.¡± Ian tilted his head. ¡°Is your family held hostage?¡± ¡°Uh, what¡­¡­ I really don¡¯t know anything. I mean, I just did what I was told! Please!¡± ¡°Or your lover? Either way I¡¯m willing to bet that your loved ones will endure more pain than you can possibly imagine if you choose not to speak up right now.¡± Of course, Ian has no intention of hurting an innocent person, no matter how much he is involved with a criminal. However, the wizard¡¯s eyes widened as if the threat had worked. ¡°H-How do you know where it is¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll figure it out in some way. Now, what are you going to do? Are you going to put something in your mouth any time soon?¡± The wizard trembled all over his body. Ian could finally tell that his night shift was over, so he put his watch back in his pocket. Thirty minutes later, the wizard who had vomited everything passed out as if he were dead. Ian¡¯s eyes got smaller as he thought about what he had discovered. ¡®Nine of the dark guild.¡¯ It was his belonging that the wizard had revealed. Ian knew about Nine. The Empire¡¯s cancerous existence. A group of worst criminals who will not think twice about taking a life for the right price. However, they would not have been bold enough to do something openly in the capital city of the empire. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s a plan made to bring me out.¡¯ The wizard swore under oath that he did not truly understand what the magic that was for him to use. He only hit him and said he didn¡¯t know while pouring yellow liquid between his legs, so that must be true. He didn¡¯t know what the magic circle was for, but if it was to bless himself, it probably wasn¡¯t a magic circle. ¡®It¡¯s about someone joining hands with Nine to harm me.¡¯ The culprit was roughly guessed. Since he has already had the blood of two blood relatives on his hands, it would be nothing to hesitate to remove even the last remaining blood relative. Ian gave a sneering grin as he thought about Rashid, his older brother. In recent years, Ian thought he had decided to focus more on his values had rather than his hatred for him, but it seems that he has had a change of heart about this decision. ¡®How far can he go?¡¯ After retrieving and inspecting all of the items that had been up for bid in the dark auction, investigators came up empty-handed in their search for a piece of paper that revealed the true name of the great demon. In the end, it was all false rumors. Someone must have used a spell to call the incubus to Rycalion, as that is the only explanation for why it was there. Ian, who had doubts from the beginning that such a great demon had descended out of nowhere, immediately sensed that it was an intentional summon as soon as he heard the rumour about the paper with his true name written on it. And the culprit must be the same person who spread false rumours about this dark auction. According to the logic that Ian used, Nine and the Emperor would be the ones responsible for all of this. ¡®But is he really that insane to think he can let the Incubus loose on the land that I rule over?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t tell. Over ten years had passed since he had left the imperial palace. It is not known to what extent the brain of his brother, who had been dead for such a long time, has rotted further. Thinking so, Ian slowly stroked his hair. It seemed as though his hair, which had turned silver without him even noticing it, was flowing through his fingers. ¡°Commander. This is Joan.¡± At that precise moment, a courteous tone of voice could be heard coming from the direction of the door. ¡°Please come in.¡± When Joan entered the room where the interrogation was taking place, she sported a look of unusual exhaustion on her face that was not usually seen. It was a portent of the punishment that she would have to endure as soon as she returned to the cathedral. ¡°What about the saintess?¡± ¡°She fell asleep.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re more loyal to that person than I am, as long as I¡¯ve attached you as her escort.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°However, you should never put that person in a situation in which they could be in danger. No matter how much the person wants it. This is my only order.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Joan paused for a brief period of time with her head bowed. ¡°¡­¡­I beg your pardon, Commander.¡± When Joan finally raised her head again, there was a fleeting look of perplexity in her eyes. ¡°This is what happened when the saintess encountered the Nightmares today¡­¡­It¡¯s possible that what I saw was an illusion, but I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± There is no way that someone as talented as Joan could confuse what she saw with her own eyes. Still, the reason she had her doubts was that it was impossible to happen in real life. Ian had a hunch about what Joan was trying to say. Ian continued to stare at Joan while slowly opening his mouth. ¡°There is a bone in madam¡¯s words.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Joan opened her eyes wide. Even though it was just a simple hint, it was enough to make Joan get it. Ian knew that she had seen the same thing he had. That she was not mistaken. ¡°The saintess¡­¡­¡± Are you sure she can use commandments? Unable to finish her words, Joan fumbled her lips. One word she uttered was still clear in the sight of the Nightmares falling down. The commandment is never a commonly given power. An ability that is given like a miracle only to those whom God truly cherishes and loves. Ian also admires it as a power bestowed by God to the empire, but even he did not have the ability to speak. ¡®The fact that the commander blocked the saintess¡¯s mouth at that time¡­ ¡­ Could that be the explanation?¡¯ The scene where Ian hugged Irene in the middle of the battlefield was still vivid. Although there is little known information because it is such a rare ability, it was obvious that it would consume a lot of divine power. Ian stopped Irene from losing a lot of her divine power. Joan, who quickly grasped the situation, spoke firmly. ¡°I won¡¯t let the saintess use her power directly ever.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let me down. This time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian said to Joan, who bowed her head deeply. ¡°A spy hid among the maids.¡± Joan turned her head because she didn¡¯t expect those words. ¡°I will catch them right away.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary. I already know who they are.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± A confused light flashed in Joan¡¯s eyes. Joan¡¯s eyes lit up with confusion. Ian¡¯s words made it sound like he knew who the spy really was but was choosing to turn a blind eye to it. ¡°There is no peril if you know who they are. It¡¯s just a matter of throwing enough useless prey and keeping them in check.¡± Joan nodded slowly. Ian was right. If anyone dared to put a spy in the cathedral, they would try to put in another spy even if they were caught and kicked out. Instead, it was much better to play with spies in the palm of your hand. Ian was used to this. It wasn¡¯t a matter of a day or two for the emperor to plant spies next to him. But this time, the purpose was more obvious. All of a sudden, the spy was put into Irene¡¯s bedroom maid. ¡°However, I¡¯ll make sure that spy doesn¡¯t mess around with her.¡± Ian gave Joan a description of the spy It was to keep them from approaching Irene secretly. The selection of Irene¡¯s bedroom maid was also scheduled to be adjusted to her personal maid. Even so, it wouldn¡¯t be too much to spy on what kind of relationship he and Irene would have so that he wouldn¡¯t be too dissatisfied. Ian looked at the wall clock. A long time after midnight. Even now, his wife would still be in bed by herself. *** I slept like I was dead. It was almost noon when I opened my eyes. The interrogation by Ian made me anxious, and as a result, my entire body was overly tired, but I was unable to sleep for such a long period of time. ¡®Is it because of the burden on my heart?¡¯ When I thought back to the task that the shadow had given me the night before, my stomach got tight. No, it wasn¡¯t a feeling; it was really twisted. My stomach, which had skipped breakfast because I was sleeping, seemed to be at its limit. ¡°Ugh, how long have I slept?¡± Before I knew it, it was time for lunch, so I quickly washed my face and changed clothes before leaving the room to eat. ¡°Sir Ian arrived at the restaurant first.¡± Annette¡¯s whispers made me hesitate. Still, since we¡¯re married, we eat together a lot when we¡¯re not too busy, and it looks like today is one of those days. ¡°Hmm. Wouldn¡¯t it be kind of sad if he found out I had been sleeping until now?¡¯ I retrace my steps to get out and put some more water on my face for no reason. When I entered the restaurant, Ian, who was perfect as usual, was sitting there looking like a famous painting, in contrast to me, who had just woken up and was a little puffy from sleeping in. ¡°Are you awake now?¡± Ian, who glanced at me, said as if he were going to throw it. As expected, he shows off a lot. I tried to hide the embarrassment I was feeling by sitting down as though nothing had happened. ¡°I was a little tired. Ian didn¡¯t come in last night, right? I was lonely even in my dreams.¡± I put on a show because I knew the attendants to serve the meal. At first, I got goosebumps, but by the end of it, all this acting seemed like nothing. ¡®By the way, there are some servants I haven¡¯t seen.¡¯ For example, the orange-haired, pigtails hair girls who served Ian by his side. ¡°How could you leave your wife? You were really mean.¡± Even though I know Ian is busy with work, I did a good job of acting like a charming new bride. One of Ian¡¯s eyebrows moved up once, but he quickly spoke up without giving it much thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I had the same mind, I would never have left your side.¡± ¡®Hoo.¡¯ I whistled inwardly. People say that humans are animals that can learn, and Ian, who used to be like a wooden rock, now knows how to act as a couple in a pretty natural way. The moment I thought so, Ian opened his mouth again. ¡°So please give me a chance to make it up to you.¡± Huh? What chance? As I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected words, Ian smiled at me and said, CH 69 ¡°I¡¯ve informed the Elsmath department store.¡± If it was Elsmath Department Store, it must have been the name of the most luxurious shopping district in the capital. Ian continued with me, whose head was still full of question marks. ¡°Leave all the blank checks my wife is writing to me today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Well. It¡¯s not just a story for today.¡± Ian smiled and said as if he were whispering love. ¡°I hope that the sparkling things will help ease your heart a little bit.¡± ¡®This¡­¡­What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?¡¯ I was confused, but I couldn¡¯t ask back because t was happening in front of the attendants. I could feel the attention of the attendants being drawn to me. All eyes were filled with envy and jealousy. Among them, the maid with the orange hair had a particularly intense look in her eyes. I tried to ignore their eyes and smiled as naturally as I could. ¡°Ha. Do you think that money can buy my heart?¡± Of course, you can buy it. If it¡¯s a little¡­¡­. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I decided to take advantage of the situation first. A blank cheque. When will I use this again? ¡°But you aren¡¯t anyone else, and Sir Ian is sincere, so I¡¯ll gladly accept it.¡± *** Who doesn¡¯t like shiny things? At least, I wasn¡¯t one of them. To be more precise, I haven¡¯t even had the opportunity to decide whether or not I like it yet. But now I know for sure. I was the kind of person who liked shiny things a lot. That¡¯s very bad, too. ¡®It¡¯s really pretty.¡¯ When I was looking into the closet, I came dangerously close to pinching the bridge of my nose by accident. There was something inside that was more stunning than anything else I¡¯d ever seen. A miniature baby angel has been intricately carved, along with a pentagonal jewellery box that runs underneath it. The jewellery box, which was lavishly decorated with violet sapphires, glowed in an extravagantly deep purple colour from every vantage point. ¡°The saintess has a good eye. Speaking of this orgel¡­¡­¡± The clerk began to explain with a happy face. It was a lengthy and detailed explanation of which artisans made what kind of jewellery and how difficult it was to make, but it didn¡¯t really come to my ears. This orgel was stunning on its own, regardless of whether or not it had such an interesting history. ¡°I will also play music for you.¡± The clerk carefully opened the cupboard and took out the orgel. When he operated the clockwork at the bottom of the jewellery box, a piece of a baby angel began to spin and play music. ¡®Beautiful¡­¡­¡¯ Even the lilting melody that was playing was exquisite to listen to. ¡°There is not another one like it anywhere else in the entire world. If you pay for it right now, it will be yours and yours alone.¡± The clerk murmured discretely in a voice that was eerily similar to that of a devil who is a master in seduction. After focusing on the price tag for a short while, I abruptly opened both of my eyes wide. How many zeros are there¡­¡­? ¡®No. I can¡¯t buy it.¡¯ It was impossible for me to spend such a large sum of money on such pointless and pretty junk that did nothing but make my head spin. Ian must have meant to buy something to show off our relationship to others, not an orgel with so many different uses. ¡°I can¡¯t either. Show me something else. It would be nice to have earrings or a necklace.¡± ¡°Excuse me, Madam Irene.¡± I tried to look away from the orgel, but Dame Joan spoke to me in a troubled voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but today Madam Irene had an order to buy everything to buy everything she wants.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Exactly, he said this. ¡®Be sure to purchase everything that my wife¡¯s eyes linger on for more than ten seconds. As you know, my wife tends to put up with material desires.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my, Oh my.¡± When Dame Joan delivered the line that Ian had done in his characteristic insipid voice, cheers erupted from all over the place. However, unlike the reaction of the people around me, I pouted alone. ¡°That guy. We can¡¯t show off as husband and wife by spending time together, so you want to solve the problem with money, right?¡¯ Even Ian was completely clueless about everything. When it comes to love, money isn¡¯t everything. No matter how much money I put into these jewels,, being with someone made them feel more romantic. No matter how much I bought these jewels, people always felt more romantic when they were together. ¡°Sir Ian seems to really love Madam Irene a lot.¡± ¡°You seem very hooked. You are all in love.¡± ¡­¡­ The clerks had different ideas from mine. ¡®Err. I don¡¯t know. If that¡¯s what he means, I¡¯ll keep up with you.¡¯ It¡¯s not even my money anyway. After briefly considering the situation, I approached the clerk. ¡°Please. Give me this orgel.¡± ¡°Oh, what an excellent choice! How can I be of assistance to you with the payment? Since we are a company that has partnered with the Imperial Bank, it is perfectly reasonable for you to make payments in installments.¡± The clerk quickly and kindly recited the manual that seemed to be in working order. Well, I didn¡¯t expect to say this line because I used to pay for college textbooks in installments. I opened my mouth with a new feeling. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all the money in one single payment..¡± *** Shopping was a lot of fun. I was taking a short break at a cafe that had seating outside and staring blankly into space. ¡®How much is the total amount of money I picked up today?¡¯ At least 6 zeros¡­¡­ No. let¡¯s not think about that. I quickly tried to push my thoughts out of my head. I have to think about how much it will hurt my petit bourgeois heart. ¡®But is this really going to work?¡¯ First of all, rumours will surely fly because numerous customers witnessed me sweeping the department store today. Irene Grace swept the department store, and all of the payments were made in the name of Ian Esteban. Rumours like that must already be running around like words without feet travel a thousand miles. I opened one of my bags and pulled out the last item I had purchased. A box with an opulent presentation that is about the size of the palm of my hand. The package contained a tie pin that had a sapphire set into it. It was also the only item for which I made a payment directly into my account rather than sending Ian a cheque. ¡®It¡¯s kind of like buying a present with that person¡¯s money.¡¯ I had no plans to buy Ian a gift, to be honest. He wouldn¡¯t expect such sincerity from me either. It was a very impulsive purchase. Even if the sparkling sapphires in the store didn¡¯t look exactly like that guy¡¯s eyes, they still wouldn¡¯t have stopped by to take a look at the gems. ¡®By the way, did he use something like a tie pin?¡¯ Ian wore mostly simple clothes. He was so beautiful that he looked even better than he did in his clothes. Would someone like that really wear a jewelled tie pin? ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll return it. I asked him to get a receipt for a tie pin because I thought he would say he didn¡¯t need it anyway. While I pondered this, I sipped my chocolate drink. The cold beverage, which was also sweet, worked quickly to boost energy. I think that it has all of the energy that the department store drained out of my energy. I was thinking about getting up soon. ¡°What. Who is this?¡± A voice like I had never heard before came into my ears. ¡°There is a precious person in a humble place. Hello, Saintess. I¡¯ll see you all in a place like this.¡± Me? I made a small movement with my head to the side and then frowned for a second. That charming, innocent-looking face. Where did I see it? ¡®Oh, that¡¯ I greeted the young man who was standing in the middle of the group, and he approached me. ¡°Hello, Mr. Ardon!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Arden.¡± The bright young man¡¯s forehead cracked for a moment. Oh, was that his name? Because I was feeling bad, I put my hand down and greeted the person. I had no choice but to do it. My memory is already full of remembering a name that doesn¡¯t even appear in the original novel. ¡°Excuse me. Nice to meet you, Mr. Arden. It¡¯s been a while since we last spoke.¡± It seemed like a long time, I blurted it out without giving it much thought, but Arden¡¯s expression hardened once more. ¡®Oh. Come to think of it, He was abandoned by Cordelia. This person.¡¯ Arden and Lorena used to be Cordelia¡¯s closest aides, are now in a position where they are not even invited to her salon. Cordelia must have realised at some point that the two people who she thought were her friends were actually using her. The nobles who were currently sewing on Aden¡¯s side were not part of Cordelia¡¯s group either. I didn¡¯t mean to stab Aden in the tender spot, but I did, so I sipped the chocolate drink for no particular reason. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been a long time. It is hard to see the saintess in the social world these days.¡± Arden, who quickly finished his expression, said quietly. But because I knew a little bit about his personality, I could tell that there was something bony about that question. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while since I haven¡¯t been to a social gathering. Because I get caught up in various things.¡± It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been really busy these days, but unfortunately, all of them couldn¡¯t be revealed to the public. Then, Arden smiled softly as he roughly glossed over it. ¡°It¡¯s all sorts of things¡­¡­ Were you more preoccupied with your work than going to see the Moon of the Empire?¡± The moon of the empire means the empress. When he unexpectedly brought up the empress, all I did was look at Arden and remain silent. ¡°You must know that Her Majesty the Empress held a grand ball a week ago, right?¡± CH 70 A ball hosted by the empress? I had no idea. Because Ive been incredibly busy lately. Arden went on with a look on his face that said he was remorseful. ¡°It was a ball that all the nobility of the empire attended. But Madam Irene, who is the talk of the town right now, was conspicuously absent, much to the disappointment of Her Majesty.¡± My vision was blurry as I looked up at Aden. If I could ask, with all of my memories exposed, it was something I really wanted to do. For about a month, I was dragged on by the Commander of the Holy Knights, broke through the middle of the demons, met the original male protagonist, and was forced to participate in the dark auction. Furthermore, I was threatened by the nefarious Nine to spill the blood of my husband within a month. Did I really have the spirit to dwell on the ball? Arden emitted yet another pitiful sigh while I remained silent, gazing at him intently. ¡°Well, it would appear that Madam Irene is not yet conversant with the aristocratic culture of the capital. Because the culture of the capital has such a long history, there are a great deal of archaic customs and unspoken rules, like stars. It¡¯s no wonder that Madam Irene had no chance of fitting in.¡± I slowly cocked one brow in response. The end of the sentence is extremely drawn out, but the meaning that he was trying to convey can be summed up in a single sentence. ¡®A hillbilly like you won¡¯t be able to adjust to the sophistication of capital¡¯s society.¡¯ There was no particular backlash. The notion that this aristocratic culture has a lot of pointless ways of doing things is one that I have no problem agreeing with. ¡°Thank you for your understanding. I¡¯m doing my best to get used to it.¡± When I responded with a smile, Arden¡¯s forehead wrinkled slightly, as though he hadn¡¯t been expecting that response at all. It was obvious what thoughts were running through his mind. ¡®You hillbilly, don¡¯t you get that I was being sarcastic?¡¯ Well, it had to be something along these lines, didn¡¯t it? I couldn¡¯t help but keep staring up at Arden while smiling blankly. If I¡¯m being completely honest, the sight of a wildcat dozing off with its claws extended after it had drunk didn¡¯t bother me in the least. Again, Arden stated it, but this time she did so with a smile that was as delicate as a flower. ¡°Do not worry. Isn¡¯t it just a matter of learning those manners? We are also able to assist. Is that the case, Your Grace the Duchess of Beyondine? She is the Duchess of Beyondine. I racked my brain, trying to come up with the name of someone I hadn¡¯t heard before. ¡®Ah, that imperial faction.¡¯ I remember that in the early days after I arrived at the cathedral, when I was learning about the imperial situation, one of the topics that I was required to study was the Beyondine duchy. The Duke of Beyondine family was a well-known family and was also a representative figure of the pro-emperor faction. In the original work, it wasn¡¯t a very important family, but it was also not a small family in the empire. ¡®Your new friend is quite popular.¡¯ No wonder. His nose seemed to be higher than before. The Duchess of Beyondine was a lady who exuded elegance like a tulip. Her beautiful red hair looked like it was cared for every day, and her green eyes, which looked like they were sprouting, and her white skin, which looked like it had never been exposed to the sun, showed that she was pure innocence. The Duchess of Beyondine flashed an embarrassed smile while she looked at me. ¡°If Madam Irene wants it, of course I can help.¡± According to what I learned in the Imperial Situation class, in contrast to the Duke of Beyondine, who uses the Emperor¡¯s meeting room as if it were his master bedroom, his wife is very calm and quiet person. I thought it was so at the time and passed it on, but seeing it in person, I could see the innocence in her confused eyes. She was innocent in a way that was similar to Cordelia¡¯s. I can¡¯t say for sure how he did it, but Aden seemed to have a knack for winning over the hearts of these kind of nice people. ¡°Madame Irene, if I dare to give you some advice.¡± Arden spoke to me once more while wearing that smile that reminded me of flowers. ¡°It would be better to visit Her Majesty as soon as possible. She is Irene¡¯s senior even as a saintess, and she is a distant senior in the social world¡­¡­ Haven¡¯t you ever visited and greet her before?¡± As Arden continued to speak to me, the Duchess of Beyontine¡¯s face displayed a trace of bewilderment for a moment. She interrupted. ¡°As a newly appointed saintess, you must be very busy. Even Her Majesty the Empress won¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°She is that kind of person. Her heart is like a great favour, so she won¡¯t mind it, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can hide a subordinate¡¯s duty.¡± It seemed that she had become acquainted with the Duchess of Beyondine, and had made quite an acquaintance with the powers of the empress. Arden, who referred to me as an underling and spoke to me in an admonishing tone, was crossing the line with ease. Just by looking at the Duchess of Beyondine¡¯s very confused face, I knew what to do. But I wasn¡¯t too angry about the way his claws looked, like those of a poisoned wildcat. I cocked my head to the side and pondered something. ¡°Arden is right. Her Majesty¡­¡­ I should greet her soon.¡± It wasn¡¯t empty talk. Right now, there are so many things that I¡¯m preoccupied with, so it¡¯s hard for me to relax, but I was personally curious about the empress. Lorelai Blancia Rehart. She is the supreme empress of the Rehart Empire, a saintess, and and has an amazing power that can heal any wounds she has received in the past ten minutes. Nevertheless, Lorelai was a character who was not a very important character in the original work. So, I didn¡¯t know if Empress Lorelai was on the Emperor¡¯s side or if she was just a figure who supported him. ¡°However, as Lord Arden pointed out, I don¡¯t know a great deal of people in the social circles of the capital. Would you, Arden, a senior member of this social circle, please assist me? I gave Arden a grin and told him. As if this reaction had caught him by surprise, Aden parted his lips in a daze. Because of what I did to get him abandoned by Cordelia, he would rather die than help me. However, from the position that he was in, which was to assist me with his mouth just a moment ago, he could only provide one answer to the question. ¡°Of course¡­ I can. Haha.¡± ¡°Sure. Of course I¡¯ll help you. There¡¯s no need to be very nervous because it¡¯s Her Majesty¡¯s ball. Madam Irene will adjust quickly there, too.¡± The Duchess of Beyondine came out with a smile. I smiled wide and looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that you are cheering me on. I must definitely attend the next gathering hosted by Her Majesty the Empress. As long as the conditions are appropriate.¡± ¡°Well, Irene. Then, will Sir Ian be attend¡­¡­?¡± A woman who had been listening to what Arden¡¯s crowd was saying asked in a timid manner in the meantime. I smiled my eyes at her in response. ¡°Perhaps he will? You can¡¯t imagine me going there by myself.¡± This was half true. Even though it¡¯s not because of jealousy, since the underground ball happened not too long ago, it¡¯s clear that if I say I¡¯ll go to the ball again, I¡¯ll be interrogated with my eyes open. When the girls who didn¡¯t know the truth heard my answer, they were excited and whispered among themselves. Since the women couldn¡¯t hide their excitement, Ian must have been a famous person in this world. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s better when they don¡¯t know the truth.¡¯ The night before yesterday, whenever I thought about those terrifying eyes staring at me and questioning me, I couldn¡¯t help but shiver uncontrollably. Thanks to the excited ladies, a joyful atmosphere unfolded. Arden, who had been quiet for a while, then spoke up with a big smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you felt that way. I just know how to help you, Madam Irene.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Do you think that fox would really want to help me? I forced myself to ignore my misgivings and turned to look at Arden with an inquisitive expression on my face. ¡°Yes. It is a secret weapon that can win the heart of Her Majesty. Of course, she is a noble empress, but she also has a strong identity as a saintess.¡± Hmm. I have a premonition of something unsettling. With a bright smile and a face like a flower, Arden said, ¡°Does Madam Irene know about this tradition? In the past, when cathedrals had a stronger hierarchy, it was common for the newest saintess to give ¡°elixir¡± to the oldest saintess.¡± Elixir was an elixir that the priests made by collecting their divine power to heal the sick. In other words, the story of how he asked me to give it to the empress. ¡°Are you saying that I will extract my divine power and give it to Her Majesty as a gift?¡± ¡°Exactly. Her Majesty the Empress will be very happy.¡± I looked at Aden silently with a smile on my face. Arden¡¯s intentions were obvious. It would be necessary to amass a sizeable quantity of divine power for it to be sufficient for the empress, and the recovery process would necessitate a fair amount of laborious effort on the part of those involved. That¡¯s a cheap trick to play. But it is a fatal move for me. ¡®I do not possess divine power.¡¯ Even if I had a tremendous amount of respect for the empress, there was no divine power that I could give her that would compare to the power of my nails. Let¡¯s figure out a way to turn the situation around and dismiss it. It was while I was racking my brain for an explanation for what had happened. ¡°You know only one thing and don¡¯t know two.¡± Upon hearing the unexpected break in the voice, everyone turned in the same direction. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± The women who were confirming who the voice belonged to were startled and whispered. Not only did they and everyone else find it surprising, but they found it surprising as well. ¡®Why is that person here?¡¯ Ray Monaghan, no. The Master of Magic Tower, who was disguised as Ray Monaghan and headed in this direction with a grin on his face.