“I believe you’ve reflected on this incident as well.”
“Yes, of course, Father.”
Her bright, golden hair swayed as if it had been melted from gold. The woman’s voluptuous curves, vividly apparent between her dress, exuded a sensual atmosphere.
“…Well then, now that your period of restraint is over, what will you do?”
“I need to return to high society and restart the gambling house.”
Her voice was sweet and sticky, drawing people in. The man she referred to as Father nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Mardian.”
“Yes, Father.”
“One who dances only in the shadows is freer than anyone until the light touches them.”
It meant that even if one committed sins, as long as they remained out of the public eye, it would be tolerated.
“Don’t worry, Father.”
A gentle smile blossomed on the woman’s delicate white face as she grasped her father’s inner intentions.
“I won’t make a mistake this time.”
Her red eyes glimmered fiercely between her long lashes.
—
A month.
Time flew by in the Blanc family mansion where I was with my mother, not in Viviana’s estate.
Hugging my mother to sleep, sharing meals, and whimsically seeking affection from her, I soon found I could completely forget about someone named Viviana.
There’s a saying that home is the best place for a reason.
I had locked myself away at home for the past month.
Countless letters from the young ladies asking when I would return to high society had fluttered in, but I didn’t budge from home, using the unfortunate incident with the Duke of Merdellia as an excuse.
Honestly, it wasn’t bad.
It was the idle life I had longed for, and each day filled with my mother’s affection and attention brought me happiness.
However, I couldn’t live like this forever. While I was comfortably lounging around, the financial situation of the Blanc family wasn’t exactly generous.
“The sunlight is quite pleasant today.”
“Indeed.”
On that languid afternoon, I was enjoying refreshments under the shade of an umbrella with my mother.
Cookies and luxurious teacups were laid out before us. Just a year ago, these luxuries wouldn’t have even been glanced at in the baron’s household.
But the massive debts of the Blanc family were no more.
A contract promising to settle all the Blanc family’s debts was obtained under the condition that I would become Viviana’s devoted pet.
I found out only recently that my mother had refused the money offered by that contract. She would never sell me for money, she said.
Instead, she formally demanded compensation for the mental suffering I endured, and the Duke of Merdellia paid a hefty compensation with a polite apology.
With that money, the debts of the Blanc family were completely cleared, and we could now enjoy refreshments like this.
The contract with Viviana being nullified was just an added bonus.
But now, while I’ve settled all the debts, it certainly didn’t mean we had become rich.
I had to slowly start rebuilding our wealth and reputation. Accomplishing this would be as challenging as repaying the debts.
Well, I have no doubt that my mother will succeed somehow.
“The royal palace sent an invitation.”
A single sheet of high-quality stationery was held out to me. The luxurious decorations adorning it highlighted a lion seal, the symbol of the palace, right in the middle.
“That’s something.”
It was rare for the royal palace to send banquet invitations to nobility like us.
The last time I attended a royal event was at the princess’s wedding; since then, I hadn’t had any contact with the palace.
I opened the envelope with curiosity. It had already been opened, as if my mother had read it separately.
As I slowly read through the letter, my eyes widened further with each line.
The content was familiar.
No matter which route you played in [Princess Cultivation Simulation], this was an event you would inevitably receive.
“…The Saint has appeared.”
A Saint who had emerged for the first time in the empire’s long 500-year history.
This was an invitation to a banquet celebrating that toast.
‘Things must be in chaos by now.’
Considering it had been vacant for 500 long years, the appearance of the Saint was by no means a common occurrence.
The position of a Saint is not something a mere human can bestow. Even if the Archbishop says, “Do you want to be the Saint?” it doesn’t mean one can attain that position.
A Saint is born only through the oracle bestowed by the goddess of abundance and the earth, Phlonia.
In other words, a Saint is a direct representative chosen by the goddess herself.
‘I had no idea.’
Perhaps if I had ever set foot in the empire, I might have heard stories about the Saint, but being cooped up at home, I remained unaware.
By now, everyone must be busy preparing for the festival.
This event is on a scale that cannot even be compared to a mere princess’s wedding.
The temple would enhance the faith of the empire’s citizens, while the empire possessing the Saint would elevate its reputation and status.
It’s a win-win situation.
The royal family, which is opposed by noble powers, wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
In the coming month, banquets welcoming the Saint would be held almost daily.
‘Is this when Lilian is chosen as the Saint?’
The second protagonist of the [Princess Cultivation Simulation], following Viviana.
Lilian Eldoria.
She starts from a significantly impoverished environment, but after being selected as the Saint, her life turns upside down. Moreover, the conditions to be chosen as a Saint are not that difficult.
Simply accumulating kindness above a certain level is enough.
To put it simply, this character’s life blossoms just by living kindly.
‘…She is so different from me.’
While I can barely maintain a noble life by relying on others, she just has to be kind, and her future turns bright.
I felt a sense of unfairness wash over me.
Viviana, despite rolling around on battlefields and struggling under immense workloads each month, Lilian was truly walking a flower path just by being born.
The challenges she faced were simply working menial jobs at the temple during her childhood and facing noble interference in the early stages of becoming a Saint?
I hadn’t thought about it before, but upon reflection, I found that I disliked the existence of Lilian quite a bit.
‘Well, it’s not like there’s anything I can do about it.’
And that’s fine.
I have my mother.
Lilian certainly didn’t have such a beautiful and kind woman as her mother.
“…Tina, I think I will have to attend this banquet.”
My mother was right.
An invitation from the royal palace isn’t something they can decline out of hurt feelings. Even that arrogant Viviana would have no choice but to attend.
Moreover, it seemed the phrase requesting all the young ladies of a similar age to be present was inserted in the invitation, wanting to give the Saint friends.
It was practically a semi-compulsory request.
“Well, I guess I have to go. They say it’s a Saint born after 500 years, right?”
“…Are you sure you will be okay?”
My mother’s expression appeared deeply worried.
Between Mardian and Viviana, she must have been concerned due to everything that had happened to me.
“I’ll be fine, after all I’m quite well-known in high society, you know?”
Though I was known more as a pet than a person…
Still, I managed to put on a bright smile to ease my mother’s worries, if only a little.
“It’s a banquet held by the royal family, right? I just need to bring back delicious food and snacks.”
“…I’m glad you’re thinking that way.”
I had been planning to return to high society sooner or later anyway.
Remaining cooped up at home would lead to being forgotten in high society.
For a low-ranking noble young lady like me, fading out of high society would be akin to social death.
My mother knew that, so even if she was reluctant, she was probably trying to send me back into high society.
And above all, there were countless admirers eagerly awaiting me. I might as well give them a smile or two again.
‘The banquet is in two weeks… I guess I need to start starving again.’
Just as they adore my face, they also love my delicate physique that invokes a protective instinct.
Thinking of the numerous gifts that would fill my pockets, I chuckled as I popped the last cookie into my mouth.
“Tina, let’s go out this weekend.”
“Going out?”
It was quite rare for my mother to bring up the word ‘out.’
“I want to buy you a dress now that our financial situation is stable.”
Her kind voice, wrapped in a mature smile, warmly enveloped me.
It was Artaasha who worked tirelessly to repay the debts all this time.
As soon as the debts were settled, her first lavish act was to buy a dress for me, not herself.
“…Mother, can I give you a kiss?”
My mother appeared surprised for a moment, but soon cleared her throat with calm eyes.
“Y-yes, go ahead.”
I sat on my mother’s lap and planted countless kisses on her cheek.
With each brush of my lips against her warm cheek, happiness bloomed in my chest.
In fact, I already had quite a few expensive dresses.
The dresses gifted to me by other young ladies were worth far more than the ones my mother owned.
But I knew for certain.
No matter how many expensive jewels adorned the dresses gifted by others,
For a while, I would only wear the dress my mother gifted to me.
