Chapter 65

“I believe you have reflected on this matter as well.”

“Yes, of course, Father.”

Her bright golden hair, as if melted gold, shimmered. The curves of the woman, visible through her dress, exuded a sensual aura.

“…Well, now that the period of reflection is over, what will you do?”

“I must return to the social circle. And I’ll start running the gambling den again.”

Her voice was sweet and sticky, drawing people in. The man she called Father nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Mardian.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Those who dance only in the shadows are freer than anyone until the light touches them.”

It was a statement that even if one committed sins, as long as they weren’t seen by others, they would be overlooked.

“Don’t worry, Father.”

A sly smile bloomed on the woman’s delicate, pale face as she understood her father’s deeper meaning.

“I won’t make a mistake this time.”

Her red eyes glowed through her long lashes.

—

A month.

Time at the Blanchard Baronet Family’s Mansion, not Viviana’s mansion, but with my mother, flew by like an arrow.

Hugging my mother while sleeping, eating meals together, and being spoiled in her embrace made me completely forget about Viviana.

There’s a reason people say home is the best.

For the past month, I stayed cooped up at home.

Countless letters from the young ladies asking when I would return to the social circle arrived, but I used the unfortunate incident with the Merdelia Ducal Family as an excuse to stay put.

Honestly, it wasn’t bad.

It was the unemployed life I had always wanted, and receiving so much affection and attention from my mother made each day happy.

But I couldn’t live like this forever. The Blanchard Baronet Family’s finances weren’t so generous that I could stretch out and live like a freeloader.

“The sunlight is quite nice.”

“It is.”

On a lazy afternoon, my mother and I enjoyed tea and snacks under the shade of an umbrella.

The cookies and luxurious teacups before us were luxuries we couldn’t even dream of a year ago.

But the Blanchard Baronet Family’s massive debt was now gone.

The contract to pay off all the Blanchard Baronet Family’s debts—it was the agreement I secured by becoming Viviana’s exclusive pet.

I recently found out that my mother refused the money from the contract. She said she would never sell me for money.

Instead, she formally requested compensation for the mental damage I suffered from the ducal family, and the Merdelia Ducal Family paid a hefty sum along with a polite apology.

With that money, we paid off all the debts, and with the remaining assets, we could now enjoy such luxuries.

The contract with Viviana being nullified was a bonus.

But now that we’ve paid off all the debts, it doesn’t mean we’ve become wealthy.

We’ll have to slowly rebuild our wealth and reputation. It’s not as easy as paying off debts.

Well, I have no doubt my mother will succeed somehow.

“An invitation from the Imperial Palace has arrived.”

A letter was handed to me. Even at a glance, the luxurious decorations on the envelope were evident, with the Imperial Palace’s lion-shaped seal stamped in the center.

“This is unusual.”

It was rare for the Imperial Palace to send an invitation to a low-ranking noble like us.

The last time I attended an Imperial Palace event was the princess’s wedding, and since then, we’ve had no contact with the palace.

With a curious heart, I opened the envelope. The letter was already opened, perhaps my mother had read it.

I slowly read the letter. As I followed the words, my eyes grew wider.

It was a familiar content.

An event that inevitably occurs no matter which route you take in [Princess Training Simulation].

“…The Saintess has appeared.”

The Saintess, appearing for the first time in 500 years of the Empire’s history.

It was an invitation to a banquet to celebrate her appearance.

‘By now, it must be chaos.’

Given that the position had been vacant for 500 years, the appearance of a Saintess was no ordinary event.

The Saintess is not a position that can be bestowed by any human. It’s not something one can achieve just because the Archbishop says, “You want to be the Saintess?”

The Saintess is born only through an oracle from the Goddess Flonia, the deity of fertility and earth.

In other words, the Saintess is the Goddess’s chosen representative.

‘I had no idea.’

If I had visited the Empire even once, I might have heard about the Saintess, but I was too cooped up at home.

By now, everyone must be busy preparing for the festival.

This is an unprecedented event, incomparable to something like the princess’s wedding.

The temple will boost the Empire’s faith, and the Empire, possessing a Saintess, will elevate its prestige and status.

Killing two birds with one stone.

The Imperial family, trying to suppress the noble factions, wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

For the next month, there will be banquets celebrating the Saintess’s appearance almost every day.

‘Was this around the time Lillian was chosen as the Saintess?’

The second protagonist of [Princess Training Simulation], following Viviana.

Lillian Eldoria.

In the early stages, she’s in a very poor environment, but after being chosen as the Saintess, her life turns around completely. Moreover, the conditions to be chosen as the Saintess weren’t difficult.

Just accumulate a certain amount of good deeds.

Simply put, she’s a character whose life blossoms just by being kind.

‘…How different from me.’

While I have to cling to others to maintain a noble-like life, she just needs to be kind to have a bright future.

I felt the unfairness of the world sinking in.

Viviana struggles every month on the battlefield and is buried under a mountain of work, but Lillian is a character who walks a flower-strewn path just by being born.

The only hardships she faces are doing odd jobs at the temple during her childhood and some noble opposition in the early stages of being the Saintess.

I hadn’t thought much about it before, but now that I do, I find Lillian quite unpleasant.

‘Well, it’s not like I can do anything about it.’

And it’s okay.

I have my mother.

Lillian probably doesn’t have a mother as beautiful and kind as mine.

“…Tina, it seems we must attend this banquet.”

As my mother said.

An invitation from the Imperial Palace isn’t something you can decline just because your heart aches. Even the haughty Viviana will have no choice but to attend.

Moreover, perhaps wanting to make friends for the Saintess, the invitation strongly urged all young ladies of similar age to attend.

It’s more of a semi-forced request than a favor.

“We have to go. It’s the Saintess, appearing for the first time in 500 years, right?”

“…Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

My mother’s expression was filled with unease.

After Mardian and now Viviana, she must be very worried about what’s happened to me.

“I’ll be fine. I’m quite famous in the social circle, you know?

Well, famous as a pet, not a person…

But I smiled brightly to reassure my mother.

“It’s a banquet at the Imperial Palace, right? I’ll just bring back lots of delicious food and snacks.”

“…I’m glad you think that way.”

I was planning to return to the social circle soon anyway.

If I stay cooped up at home, I’ll quickly fall behind in the social circle.

For a low-ranking noble like me, falling behind in the social circle is akin to social death.

My mother knows this, so even if she’s not entirely pleased, she’ll send me back to the social circle.

And most importantly, there are plenty of patrons eagerly waiting for me. I should start smiling at them again soon.

‘The banquet starts in two weeks… I’ll have to start starving myself again.’

They like my face and my fragile body that triggers their protective instincts.

Thinking of filling my pockets with various gifts, I chuckled and popped the last cookie into my mouth.

“Tina, let’s go out together this weekend.”

“Go out?”

It was quite rare for my mother to suggest going out.

“Now that our finances are stable, I want to buy my daughter a dress.”

Her kind voice, wrapped in a mature smile, warmed me.

She’s the one who worked so hard to pay off the debts.

And the first luxury she indulges in after paying off the debts is buying me a dress.

“…Mother, can I kiss you?”

My mother was momentarily flustered but soon calmed down and cleared her throat.

“Y-Yes, of course.”

I sat on her lap and planted countless kisses on her cheek.

Each time my lips touched her warm cheek, happiness blossomed in my heart.

I actually have quite a few expensive dresses.

Several dresses gifted to me by the young ladies, even more valuable than the ones my mother owns.

But I was certain.

No matter how many jewels adorned the dresses from other young ladies.

For a while, I’ll only wear the dress my mother gives me.