Chapter 67

The banquet hall was bustling with a mix of anticipation, jealousy, excitement, and worry.

Finally, the doors to the hall opened.

The woman who appeared, accompanied by the echoing shouts of knights, instantly captured everyone’s attention.

Her pink hair cascaded over her shoulders, revealing radiant, porcelain-like skin beneath. Every feature of her delicate face was nothing short of adorable.

The Saintess, Lillian Eldoria.

Some watched her with sharp eyes, while others, seemingly captivated by her charming appearance, blushed and lost themselves in her presence.

But the Saintess herself seemed uncomfortable under the gazes, her tense face darting around nervously.

She tried to force an awkward smile, but…

Amidst the invisible pressure among the nobles, Lillian’s expression gradually darkened.

In the game, she had attended the banquet with the excitement of making new friends.

But reality was cold. With no one approaching her, Lillian stood awkwardly, her face growing paler by the minute.

‘Having spent half her life in the temple, such a place must feel unfamiliar to her.’

It was strange.

Seeing Lillian in distress, a deep, inexplicable sense of satisfaction slowly rose within me.

Perhaps it was the ugly nature hidden within me, finding secret pleasure in others’ suffering.

At least when others were in pain, I didn’t feel as miserable myself.

Watching the flustered Lillian, I smirked and popped a snack into my mouth.

It wasn’t like me to go this far, but for some reason, Lillian’s discomfort felt oddly satisfying.

Maybe it was because she was the complete opposite of me—a bright, pure person—and I felt a hidden jealousy.

I wasn’t sure.

But these feelings wouldn’t last long.

Soon, a helping hand would reach out to her.

‘Right on cue.’

In the tense banquet hall, a woman with blue hair approached Lillian.

Though dressed in a simple dress, her sharp demeanor and the aura she exuded set her apart from the other young ladies.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Arien Caltri.”

“Ah…!”

Relieved that someone had spoken to her, Lillian’s pale complexion brightened instantly.

“Ah, hello! It’s so nice to meet you!”

Lillian grabbed Arien’s hand and greeted her with an energetic voice.

‘Pfft.’

I stifled a laugh at her clumsy greeting.

She should have been more cautious with so many eyes on her.

Not even introducing herself properly and grabbing hands so casually.

It was a frivolous act, unbecoming of a noble. It was almost embarrassing to watch.

At Lillian’s light tone, some nobles’ gazes grew even colder.

‘Right, that’s how it was.’

Until a few days ago, Lillian had been no different from a commoner.

Working as a low-ranking priestess in the temple, doing menial tasks like cleaning and dishwashing, it was only natural that she would seem out of place at a noble banquet.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Saintess.”

“The honor is mine!”

“Hehe, there are many people I’d like to introduce you to, Saintess.”

But Arien didn’t seem to mind at all, holding Lillian’s hand with a gentle smile.

At her kind touch, a blush began to spread across Lillian’s face.

“Caltri… one of the marquis families from the Empire’s borderlands, right?”

As I watched Lillian, a quiet voice came from behind. Mardian, with her half-lidded red eyes, was staring at Lillian.

‘Already taking an interest in Lillian?’

As expected, the story was following the game’s plot.

Hearing the news of the Saintess’s arrival, Mardian and I had stepped out onto the balcony. Thinking of just catching a glimpse of the Saintess, I tried to bid Mardian farewell and leave, but…

[It’s been a while since we last met, and you’re already leaving? How disappointing.]

With those words, Mardian grabbed my hand tightly. She then led me to the sofa and sat me on her lap.

From that moment until now, Mardian had been slowly stroking my head. It felt like I had turned into a cat.

Honestly, it was unexpected.

In the past, she would have grabbed my butt the moment we met, but this light touch was surprising.

Had she reflected during her period of restraint?

But seeing her occasionally bury her face in my neck and breathe in like a pervert, maybe not.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

After today, Mardian’s attention would be solely on Lillian anyway.

So for today, showing some magnanimity to the pervert who had trampled on me wasn’t so bad.

“I remember now, the Caltri Marquis family. One of the families devoted to the Imperial Army.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of them.”

“Pfft, a pitiful family no different from slaves.”

At Mardian’s mocking tone, I nodded.

Currently, the nobility is divided into two factions.

The Conservative Faction and the Noble Faction.

The Noble Faction strives for the prosperity of their families, aiming to build the foundation of society through wealth and power.

The Conservative Faction is mainly loyal to the imperial authority, dedicating themselves to the Empire. They value the authority of the royal family and focus on maintaining tradition and order.

The Saintess is a figure who elevates the reputation of the royal family and the temple. In other words, she is a thorn in the side of the Noble Faction, who wish to weaken the royal authority.

The Caltri Marquis family is a family that trains talents and knights for the Imperial Army. A clear Conservative Faction family. That’s why Arien would naturally be drawn to Lillian.

For powerful Noble Faction families like Mardian or Viviana, she was a target of caution, but for those in the Conservative Faction, it was the opposite.

Our Blanchard Baronet family leans more towards the Noble Faction.

“Tina, do you have a connection with the Saintess?”

A quiet voice escaped Mardian’s lips. It sounded like she was quite irritated.

I turned my head back. Mardian’s eyes were fixed solely on Lillian. Looking into her cold, blood-red eyes, my lips twitched slightly.

Here it comes.

Lillian had caught Mardian’s attention.

Mardian would grow even more interested in Lillian.

She would torment Lillian relentlessly, pouring out all the vile sins of the villainess within her.

“Mardian, what do you think of the Saintess?”

Hiding my sinister thoughts, I asked Mardian a question. Perhaps my question didn’t sit well with her, as she furrowed one eyebrow and answered.

“I find her pitiful. Bestowing the title of Saintess on a commoner doesn’t change the fact that she’s still a commoner.”

A satisfying answer.

Should I provoke her a bit more?

“Hmm… but the Saintess seems to interact with the nobles so casually. I wouldn’t dare to be so informal, but she treats them like ‘friends.'”

“Ignorance is a trait of commoners.”

The hand stroking my head suddenly stopped.

“The Saintess…”

The villainess’s voice seeped through her red lips. Her blood-red eyes slowly, yet intensely, flickered.

Meeting that gaze, I instinctively knew.

‘Now she’ll turn her attention to Lillian.’

Their meeting was an inevitable event, no matter the route.

Even for Lillian, there was no escaping the massive flow of fate.

“Tina.”

Mardian called me, drawing my attention.

I looked up at her with an innocent, harmless face.

“Yes, Mardian.”

Sorry, Lillian.

The worst villainess is about to approach you.

“Do you like that woman so much?”

I’ll be watching closely to see how you endure the villainess’s daily torment.

Naturally, her attention will shift away from me.

But what did Mardian just ask me?

…Did I mishear?

…Huh?

“Yes?”

“Why do you keep staring at that woman instead of me?”

“…Huh?”

The villainess’s blood-red eyes, brimming with anger.

But those eyes were directed solely at me.

“Ahk!”

The hand stroking my head slowly trailed down my back and firmly grabbed my butt.

“Ha… I was trying to slowly rebuild a good relationship with you, but if you keep provoking me like this…”

Crunch-!

“Eek! M-Mardian… there are people around…”

“It’s fine. From this angle, no one can see. Just manage your expressions well.”

This crazy pervert villainess.

What is she doing in public?

“M-Mardian? Shall we go see the Saintess together?”

I tried to divert Mardian’s attention to Lillian, but it only fueled her anger further.

“…If your plan was to make me jealous, it worked.”

“Eek?!”

Mardian squeezed my butt again.

I quickly covered my mouth with one hand, suppressing a moan, and pitifully curled up.

Unlike the subtly timid Viviana, Mardian’s touch was filled with a perverse desire.

‘Reflection my foot… she hasn’t changed at all…!’

“…You’ve become even more enticing without me noticing. How much have you been rolling around with Princess Viviana to become this lewd?”

Mardian’s voice turned icy cold. I couldn’t understand what had made her so displeased.

“N-no, the Saintess is…”

“…Should I kidnap you and make sure you never even think about the Saintess again?”

At her sincere tone, I shut my mouth.

A cold sweat trickled down my back.

‘Huh…? This isn’t how it’s supposed to go…’

An inevitable event, no matter the route.

I was sure of it, but…

Why…

Why does she seem completely uninterested in Lillian?

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