“I, I have an appointment with someone else! I think I should go now.”
The mischievous pet-like Young Lady scampered away, weaving a ridiculous lie.
Though her desperate attempt to escape was rather unappealing, the sight of her trembling and fleeing like a rabbit was undeniably charming, so I decided to let it slide.
Mardian clenched and unclenched her fists, recalling the soft yet bouncy sensation of Tina’s rear that she felt just moments ago.
Perhaps it was because she had been touching Tina all day, but a faint trace of Tina’s fresh scent lingered on her fingertips.
“How far does this naughty girl plan to take it?”
A smirk formed on Mardian’s face as a faint blush rose. The frenzied glint in her blood-red eyes was raised even higher.
“Don’t you think so, Princess?”
A woman stood where her gaze landed.
Through her hair flowing like the night sky, Amethyst-like eyes sparkled.
This woman exuded an overwhelming aura just by standing still.
Viviana Merdellia.
Yet, her once intimidating presence was not the same as it used to be.
She seemed crushed by something, her eyes that were always arrogant now reflected an inexplicable fear.
Seeing the drastically changed Viviana, a sneer crept onto Mardian’s lips.
“You’ve been staring at me for quite some time. Isn’t that a bit rude?”
“…Don’t think about doing anything absurd to Tina.”
From the moment they stepped out onto the balcony with Tina, Mardian was aware of Viviana’s gaze fixated on her.
Particularly, when she laid her hands on Tina’s backside, a deep deadly aura shimmered in Viviana’s eyes.
“It’s as if you’re acting like Tina’s protector, Princess.”
“I can intervene to this extent even without being a protector.”
“But we share a much deeper connection than mere protection. So, I think it’s best to refrain from unnecessary interference.”
In a teasing tone laden with sarcasm, Mardian’s playful voice stiffened Viviana’s expression even more.
“…Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten what you did to Tina? You’re a rapist.”
A strong energy emanated from Viviana’s surroundings.
If it had been before, the overwhelming force would have paralyzed Mardian in fear, but instead, she let out a mocking laugh.
“Well, at least a rapist is better than a murderer, don’t you think?”
Viviana’s eyes slightly trembled.
The oppressive aura enveloping her began to lose its strength and slowly faded away.
“I suppose you’re aware of how much attention Tina receives in High Society. Everyone probably knows what happened to her as well.”
“…”
“Someone who valued her honor as much as you did should perhaps explain what transpired.”
Viviana bit her lip and fell silent.
“You don’t have anything to explain to me.”
Her Amethyst-like eyes pierced through Mardian. However, Mardian, unfazed, gracefully sat at the table with a light smile, crossing her legs.
“Princess, I didn’t try to rape Tina. I just wanted to give her my endless love.”
Viviana’s stomach twisted at the absurd reasoning. It was clearly a case of rape, yet Mardian brazenly glamorized it.
“However, I admit I got a bit impatient and made a mistake. It won’t happen again, I promise.”
“…”
Mardian watched Viviana’s reaction with a clever smile.
“At the very least, I’ll make Tina… incredibly happy. She won’t be able to escape from pleasure to the point where she won’t dare to think about suicide. Unlike someone else.”
At that moment, the mention of ‘suicide’ made Viviana gasp for breath.
A strong impulse to dismantle Mardian’s convoluted reasoning surged, but her sins clamped down on her voice like shackles.
“The Duke of Merdellia is a great family that values honor.”
“…”
“So, please continue to chase after that honor you hold dear.”
Beneath her fair complexion, her red lips twisted into a cynical smile. It was not just a mere villainess’s grin.
It was the smile of a love-addicted madwoman.
“I will only pursue my delightful pet.”
—
The atmosphere in the Banquet Hall gradually reached a crescendo, as the soft melodies of the orchestra elegantly resonated.
In the center of the hall, nobles showcased their exquisite dance skills, gracefully twirling, while those not dancing exchanged lively conversations with soft smiles.
“Sigh…”
I leaned against the wall, quietly exhaling. Having made an excuse to escape from Mardian, I still felt a sense of dread weighing on my chest.
This wasn’t at all what I had expected.
Mardian having no interest in Lilian? In the game, such a turn of events would never occur regardless of the choices made.
The knowledge I had firmly believed in within the game was crumbling down.
‘…So, do I have to keep dealing with Mardian from now on?’
Imagining those chilling blood-red eyes intensely scrutinizing me once again sent chills down my spine.
According to the original story, Mardian would naturally divert her attention towards Lilian, but instead, she was busy groping my backside.
It looked like Mardian couldn’t care less about Lilian.
So, does this mean Lilian can now live peacefully without Mardian’s harassment?
If life’s path is a flower lane for Lilian, one of her few remaining pains was Mardian’s obsession; if that was gone too, she’d live smoothly and happily.
What is this?
In the end, it turned out to be nothing but a good thing for Lilian.
“…I’m so annoyed.”
I felt aggrieved and furious. It was as if a corner of my heart was twisted.
At first, I didn’t know why I held such disdain for Lilian, but as I watched her converse with people in the Banquet Hall, smiling brightly, it slowly dawned on me.
She stood in stark contrast to me.
Lilian was a character who garnered love from the world solely because of her personality.
While I wore a facade to blend into the world, Lilian captured hearts with her authentic kindness.
Her beautiful spirit, forgiving everyone, and kindness that even enemies would praise. People naturally fall for Lilian’s spotless purity.
In the future, countless people would come to like her just for who she was, without any ulterior motives or costs.
A profound affection that sparks genuine admiration for one’s humanity rather than mere appearances or fabrications.
Something I had longed for throughout my life, yet something I could never possess—the authenticity of love.
Lilian effortlessly claimed that.
On the other hand, I could only rely on insincere attention borne from my forced smiles and clumsy charms, desperately trying to earn.
Having to put on pleasant smiles while lowering my pride and shamelessly fawning over the noble Young Ladies only felt pitiful in the presence of someone like Lilian.
The bright light emanating from Lilian only made me feel darker and darker.
“…A commoner, of all things.”
I couldn’t comprehend it.
When I was playing the game, I hadn’t thought too deeply about it, but now it struck me that those character settings were utterly ridiculous.
The Empire was a rigid society governed by a class system.
In such a place, someone like Lilian, who was practically a commoner, could only live a life constrained by countless limitations.
Existing merely to crawl beneath the nobles, crushed by the weight of the system, struggling to make a living.
For someone in such a harsh reality to beam so brightly with a pure smile felt like an utter contradiction.
What on earth was the game director thinking when crafting such a character?
It was utterly pathetic.
Humans are inherently evil beings right from birth.
Lilian too must surely conceal dark malice behind that hypocritical innocence.
As I pondered over Lilian, I suddenly realized I had forgotten to wear a smile on my face.
Suddenly conscious of stripping off my mask, I hastily donned a forced smile and shook my head to gather my thoughts.
“…What’s happening to me?”
My thoughts were continuously getting lost and it felt completely askew.
Every time I recalled Lilian, a deeply abnormal disgust would surge from the depths of my heart.
If I just disliked her, I could simply ignore it, but I couldn’t shake this feeling.
I picked one of the delicately arranged sweets from the platters and put it in my mouth. As the sweet taste touched my tongue, the heavy feeling began to lift, just a bit.
Releasing a thin sigh, I tried to soothe my scattered emotions.
Unintentionally, as I raised my head, the first thing that entered my sight was Lilian’s pink hair.
Though I was at a distance, Lilian was close enough to hear her voice as she chatted with a noblewoman.
The pale expression from our first encounter had vanished, replaced by a radiant smile as she greeted the woman, fully adapted to the atmosphere of the Banquet.
‘So unaware.’
The woman Lilian was conversing with wore a distinctly unpleasant expression. However, Lilian, completely oblivious to that subtle change, continued speaking in her bright tone.
I had seen the noblewoman chatting with Lilian a few times before.
If my memory served correctly, her family was firmly of the noble faction.
Then it made sense that she would harbor loathing towards Lilian. Having a Saint around was like an obstacle for the noble faction.
‘If I recall, her family is considered quite powerful.’
Was it because I was staring intently?
As if sensing my gaze, Lilian’s pink eyes rolled toward me.
The moment our eyes met, I felt my stomach churn.
But that feeling didn’t last long.
I immediately shifted my gaze to the woman next to Lilian.
For just a moment, a sinister smile had crossed her lips.
She glanced around, seemingly to ensure no one was watching, and then slightly turned her body as if to make it appear that Lilian had accidentally brushed against her.
At that moment, the wine glass in her hand naturally tilted, drenching the woman in red liquid.
Swish—!
“Ahhh!”
With a shrill scream, all eyes turned toward her. Blood-red wine spread under her yellow dress, the stain glaringly visible against the luxurious fabric.
“Saint…! How could you indiscriminately grab someone’s hand like that…?!”
The woman glared at Lilian with an incredibly vexed expression. Taken aback by the unexpected situation, Lilian took a step back and managed to stammer out a trembling voice.
“Y-yes…?”
“Goodness! Do you have any idea how much this dress costs…?!”
Around the crowd of nobles, whispers began to circulate.
Lilian’s pink eyes fluttered with anxiety, as she seemed to struggle to understand the current situation.
To the untrained eye, it looked as though Lilian had carelessly reached out and spilled the wine.
“How dare you touch a noble so recklessly! Where on earth did you learn such rudeness, Young Lady?!”
The woman briefly surveyed the crowd, then deliberately contorted her face as she directed her ire at Lilian.
In High Society, the volume of one’s voice equated to power. Even if a statement were baseless, a loud proclamation was a weapon not to be taken lightly.
As her voice rang across the room, one by one, the nobles turned their attention to Lilian.
“N-no! That wasn’t me!”
“Then, are you claiming I stumbled on my own?!”
Lilian desperately tried to clarify, but only the woman’s booming voice echoed back.
“Y-you did… you did that…”
“Really? Simply because you hold the title of Saint, does that mean it’s acceptable to slander others? You grabbed my arm first!”
“Well, yes, that was true, but that wasn’t related…!”
To grab someone’s arm without permission was undoubtedly rude. But someone as pure and bright as Lilian likely wouldn’t comprehend those social niceties.
The moment Lilian acknowledged she had grabbed the woman without permission, the atmosphere grew increasingly bitter.
Voices mixed with criticism and mockery began to rise among the nobles.
Perhaps fearful of such gazes, Lilian’s eyes, now unfocused, darted from side to side, as if searching for a helping hand.
However, the woman with the blue hair who could assist her had momentarily stepped away.
She must have intended for things to unfold this way.
Lilian’s anxious gaze flitted around nervously.
In the end, her pink eyes, having lost their sense of direction, landed on me.
“Ex-excuse me…!”
Lilian ran towards me with a desperate expression.
“You saw the situation, right…? Can I ask for your explanation?”
Her voice was laden with urgency.
At her words, all eyes fell on me.
I immediately wore a perplexed expression.
I covered my mouth with my hand and took a step back from Lilian.
Hmm.
What should I do?
I maintained a façade of confusion while thinking it over for a moment.
And then.
The corners of my hidden mouth twitched slightly.
“I’m not the one who spilled the wine… If you could just explain the situation, I’m sure people will understand—”
“Saint… I think it would be best to be a bit more cautious next time.”
“Excuse me?”
Lilian blinked at me in surprise.
“And… no matter what, I think ignoring the facts isn’t very saintly of you.”
“N-no…?”
At my difficult words, the woman who had caused the uproar gazed at me with a satisfied grin.
And before me, Lilian, who had been desperately seeking help, murmured, “Ah…?”
With trembling eyes, she clutched at my sleeve.
I wondered why.
I felt undeniably good.
