Chapter 68

[I, I have an appointment with someone else! I, I think I should go now.]

The mischievous pet lady ran away from me with a clumsy lie.

Though I didn’t like how desperate she looked to escape me, the way she trembled and ran like a rabbit was quite endearing, so I decided to let it slide.

Mardian clenched and unclenched her hand, recalling the firm yet soft sensation of the butt she had just felt.

Thanks to having touched Tina all day, the faint, refreshing scent of Tina still lingered on her fingertips.

“Just how far does this mischievous girl plan to go?”

A sly smile spread across her face as a red blush bloomed. Her blood-red eyes, filled with madness, lifted upward.

“Don’t you think so, Princess?”

Her gaze landed on a woman standing there.

Through her hair, fluttering like the night sky, amethyst eyes flashed.

A woman who, just by standing, exuded an overwhelming presence.

Viviana Merdelia.

But her aura was not the same as before.

As if weighed down by something, her always-arrogant eyes now held an inexplicable sense of defeat.

Seeing Viviana’s clearly changed demeanor, a sneer formed on Mardian’s lips.

“You’ve been glaring at me quite intensely since earlier. Isn’t that a bit rude?”

“…Don’t even think about doing anything foolish to Tina.”

From the moment she stepped onto the balcony with Tina, Mardian knew Viviana’s gaze was fixed on her.

Especially when she touched Tina’s butt, Viviana’s eyes were filled with deep hostility.

“Acting like Tina’s protector, are we, Princess?”

“Even if I’m not her protector, I can still meddle this much.”

“But I’m much closer to her than a protector. So, it’d be best if you stopped this unnecessary meddling.”

At Mardian’s teasing, mocking voice, Viviana’s face hardened further.

“…Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten what you did to Tina? You’re a rapist.”

An intense aura surged around Viviana.

In the past, such overwhelming pressure would have frozen 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 trembled slightly.

The oppressive aura surrounding her lost its strength and slowly faded.

“You know how much attention Tina gets in social circles. Everyone knows what happened to her.”

“…”

“Someone who values honor so much, I wonder if you’d care to explain what happened.”

Viviana gritted her teeth and closed her lips.

“I have nothing to explain to you.”

Viviana’s amethyst eyes pierced through Mardian. But Mardian, unfazed by the gaze, sat elegantly on the table with a light smile, crossing her legs.

“Princess, I wasn’t trying to rape Tina. I just wanted to give her my endless love.”

Viviana’s stomach churned at the absurd sophistry. To anyone, it was clearly rape. Yet Mardian shamelessly glorified it.

“But I admit, I was a bit hasty back then. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“…”

Mardian watched Viviana’s reaction with a cunning smile.

“At least I’ll make Tina… incredibly happy. So happy she won’t even dream of escaping, let alone something like suicide. Unlike someone else.”

At the word “suicide,” Viviana’s breath caught.

A strong impulse to tear down Mardian’s twisted logic surged, but her own sins shackled her, sealing her lips.

“The Merdelia Ducal Family is a great house that values honor.”

“…”

“So, you should keep chasing that honor you hold so dear.”

A cold, mocking smile twisted beneath her pale face. It wasn’t just the smile of a villainess.

It was the smile of a madwoman addicted to love.

“I’ll only chase after my mischievous little pet.”

—

The banquet hall, now fully alive, was filled with the sweet melodies of the orchestra.

In the center of the hall, nobles displayed their elegant dance skills, while those not dancing smiled softly and engaged in lively conversation.

“Haah…”

I leaned against the wall and let out a quiet sigh. Though I managed to escape Mardian with an excuse, a sense of emptiness still weighed heavily on my chest.

This was completely unexpected.

Mardian showing no interest in Lillian? No matter what choices were made in the game, this kind of development shouldn’t have been possible.

It felt like the game knowledge I had relied on was crumbling.

‘…Does that mean I have to keep dealing with Mardian from now on?’

Just imagining those eerie blood-red eyes scanning me intensely sent chills down my spine.

I thought Mardian would naturally be drawn to Lillian, but instead, she was busy squeezing my butt.

She didn’t seem interested in Lillian at all.

So, does that mean Lillian gets to live comfortably without Mardian’s harassment?

One of the few remaining sources of pain in Lillian’s otherwise perfect life was Mardian’s obsession. If even that’s gone, she’ll live happily ever after.

What the hell.

In the end, I’ve only done good things for Lillian.

“…Annoying.”

I felt wronged and frustrated. It felt like a part of my heart was twisting.

At first, I didn’t understand why I disliked Lillian so much, but as I watched her chatting with people in the banquet hall with a bright smile, I slowly realized.

She’s the complete opposite of me.

Lillian is a character loved by the world for her personality alone.

I live by faking it, adapting to the world, but Lillian captures people’s hearts with genuine kindness.

Her forgiving nature and benevolence that even enemies praise. People naturally fall for her flawless purity.

Countless people will continue to love Lillian for who she is, without any ulterior motives.

A deep affection that loves the person, not the facade.

The kind of pure, genuine affection I’ve craved my whole life but could never attain.

Lillian effortlessly grasps it.

Meanwhile, I force a pretty smile, put on a show, and rely on artificial attention gained through flattery.

My days of putting on a pretty smile, lowering my pride, and flattering noble ladies felt utterly pathetic in the face of Lillian’s existence.

The bright light radiating from Lillian made me feel infinitely darker.

“…A commoner, no less.”

I couldn’t accept it.

When I played the game, I didn’t think much of it, but now, the setting seemed utterly absurd.

The Empire is a strict society ruled by the chains of class.

In such a place, someone like Lillian, who’s practically a commoner, is bound by countless restrictions.

Struggling to make ends meet, destined to crawl at the feet of nobles, oppressed by the system.

In such a reality, being able to smile so brightly and purely was a complete contradiction.

What was the game director thinking when they created such a character?

It was utterly ridiculous.

Humans are inherently evil.

Lillian must surely be hiding dark malice behind that hypocritical purity.

As I dwelled on Lillian alone, I realized I had forgotten to even smile.

Suddenly aware that my mask had slipped, I quickly forced a smile and shook my head to regain my composure.

“…Why am I like this?”

My thoughts keep losing focus and going astray.

Every time I think of Lillian, a deep, abnormal sense of disgust wells up from within.

If I just didn’t like her, I could ignore her, but why does it have to be like this?

I picked up one of the neatly arranged pastries and put it in my mouth. The sweet taste on my tongue seemed to slightly ease the heavy mood.

I let out a thin sigh and tried to gather my scattered thoughts.

Though unintentional, the first thing that caught my eye when I looked up was Lillian’s pink hair.

Though a bit distant, Lillian was close enough for her voice to reach, chatting with a noblewoman.

Her pale face from our first meeting was gone, and now fully immersed in the banquet’s atmosphere, she smiled brightly as she greeted the woman.

‘No sense of awareness.’

The woman Lillian was talking to had an unpleasant expression. But Lillian, oblivious to the subtle cues, continued with her bright smile.

The woman Lillian was talking to, I’d seen her a few times.

If I remember correctly, her family was deeply rooted in the noble faction.

Then of course she’d dislike Lillian. The Saintess is a stumbling block for the noble faction.

‘From what I know, her family is quite powerful.’

Perhaps because I stared too intently.

As if sensing my gaze, Lillian’s pink eyes rolled toward me.

Meeting her eyes, I felt a sudden surge of emotion.

But it didn’t last long.

I quickly shifted my gaze to the woman beside Lillian.

For a brief moment, the smile on her lips seemed unusual.

She glanced around, then deliberately shifted her body to make it look like Lillian had bumped into her.

At that moment, the wine glass in her hand tilted naturally, and red liquid spilled onto the woman’s body.

Splash—!

“Ahh!”

A sharp scream drew everyone’s attention. The yellow dress was soaked with blood-red wine, and the stain on the luxurious fabric became vividly red.

“Saintess…! How could you grab my hand so carelessly…!”

The woman glared at Lillian with an irritated face. Caught off guard, Lillian took a step back and stammered.

“Wh-what…?”

“Ah, really! Do you know how much this dress costs…!”

The surrounding nobles began to murmur and whisper.

Lillian’s pink eyes shook uneasily, as if trying to comprehend the situation.

At a glance, it seemed like Lillian had carelessly reached out and caused the wine to spill.

“Grabbing a noble’s hand without permission, where did you learn such rudeness, young lady!”

The woman glanced around, then deliberately contorted her face and lashed out at Lillian.

In social circles, the volume of one’s voice is power. Even if the words are forced, a loud voice is a weapon not to be taken lightly.

Her booming voice drew the nobles’ attention to Lillian.

“N-no! It wasn’t me!”

“Then, are you saying I tripped myself?!”

Lillian desperately tried to explain, but the woman’s loud voice was all that returned.

“Y-you… you did…”

“Huh? Just because you’re the Saintess, you think it’s okay to slander people? You grabbed my hand without permission!”

“W-well, I did, but that’s not the point…!”

Grabbing someone’s hand without permission is clearly a great rudeness. But Lillian, raised in purity and brightness, wouldn’t understand such etiquette.

As Lillian admitted to touching the woman without permission, the atmosphere grew colder.

Voices of blame and ridicule began to flow among the nobles.

Perhaps afraid of such gazes, Lillian’s unfocused eyes darted around. She seemed to be searching for someone, as if seeking help.

But the blue-haired woman who could help her was temporarily absent.

It was likely that the woman had orchestrated this farce for this very purpose.

Lillian’s anxious eyes darted around.

Finally, her lost pink eyes landed on me.

“Y-you there…!”

Lillian rushed over to me with a desperate expression.

“Y-you saw what happened, right…? Could you please explain?”

Her voice was filled with desperation.

At her words, the nobles’ gazes turned to me.

I immediately put on a troubled expression.

Covering my mouth with my hand, I took a step back from Lillian.

Hmm.

What to do.

Maintaining a flustered expression, I thought for a moment.

And then.

The corner of my hidden mouth twitched slightly.

“I didn’t spill the wine…? If you could just explain the situation, people would understand-”

“Saintess… it’d be best if you were more careful next time.”

“Huh?”

Lillian blinked in confusion.

“And… no matter what, ignoring the truth isn’t very saintly of you.”

“Wh-what…?”

At my troubled words, the woman who caused the scene looked at me with a satisfied expression.

And Lillian, who had been desperately seeking my help.

“Ah…?”

Her trembling eyes grabbed onto my sleeve.

Why?

I felt quite good.

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