Chapter 72

The prayer room, filled with a sacred aura, was as quiet as if it had swallowed all the noise of the world.

In front of the intricately carved goddess statue, the candlelight flickered faintly, its dim glow warmly and gently enveloping the surroundings.

Lillian, who had been kneeling in prayer, slowly lowered her delicate hands.

“Priest… do demons really exist?”

Beside Lillian stood a middle-aged man dressed in priestly robes.

As one of the few high-ranking priests in this grand temple, he raised an eyebrow curiously and looked at Lillian.

“Have you encountered a demon?”

“…No, I haven’t seen one.”

Lillian stared at her open palm for a long time.

The sensation she felt when she grabbed the Blanchard Young Lady’s arm at the recent banquet was still vivid.

Something dark and heavy.

It was definitely malice.

An indescribable sense of dread that pierced deep into her bones. Without realizing it, she had unleashed her divine power in response to that strange sensation.

And if she wasn’t mistaken, the expression that flashed across the Blanchard Young Lady’s face at that moment was clearly one of pain.

Divine power was originally a force for healing, a grace to save those on the brink of death.

But what did it mean for someone to suffer from that power?

“I don’t know why the Saintess is curious about this, but I believe demons do exist.”

The priest quietly turned his head toward Lillian.

“Really?”

“Just as we have the omnipotent goddess, there must surely be beings of the opposite nature. The brighter the light, the darker the shadow it casts.”

“Then truly… demons…”

“There have been countless theories about demons passed down from the past. Some say they were once angels who fell, others say they are spirits born from the evil hearts of humans.”

“But hasn’t nothing been proven?”

“That’s correct. Unlike the goddess’s blessings, which everyone can clearly feel, those who claim to have seen demons are extremely rare.”

Lillian was also well aware of the stories about demons.

Fallen beings with power as strong as the darkest desires in one’s heart.

They creep deep into the hearts of humans at their weakest moments, corrupting their souls and inciting their desires.

The corrupted become puppets of the demons, living hollow lives until their bodies and souls are eventually taken by the demons.

However, this too is just a story passed down, as no one has ever clearly proven the existence of demons.

‘…Maybe I’m overthinking it.’

Demons? It sounded like a far-fetched tale.

She wasn’t even sure if the ominous aura she felt from the Blanchard Young Lady was a demon.

Perhaps it was just a simple misunderstanding.

“Don’t worry too much, Saintess.”

The high priest smiled softly and looked at the goddess statue.

“Demons are ultimately beings that hide in the darkness. They cannot freely roam this land blessed by the goddess’s grace.”

“That’s a relief…”

“Instead of worrying about demons, it would be better to focus on your awakening as the Saintess and your position in the social circle.”

“…Oh, right! There’s a banquet I need to attend today.”

Perhaps because she was so absorbed in prayer, the hands of the clock had already passed noon without her noticing.

Lillian quickly ran to her room to prepare for the banquet.

Although she had to do most of the preparations alone without any attendants, she didn’t mind much.

‘Arien is attending this banquet too, right?’

Arien Caltri, the person who always stood by her side.

Of course, she knew that Arien treated her kindly because she was the Saintess, but she was still always grateful for Arien’s warmth.

If it weren’t for her, she would have had a much harder time.

“It would be nice to make new friends too.”

New encounters always made her heart race.

If she showed a more polite and dignified demeanor, she was sure new connections would form.

With a faint smile, Lillian took out a dress from the depths of her wardrobe.

“Hum~ hum.”

Humming a tune, Lillian smiled faintly.

The belief that everything would work out as long as she didn’t give up, no matter the trials, warmed her heart.

Her relationships with the noble young ladies, her life as the Saintess, everything would turn out well.

But.

That expectation shattered not long after she arrived at the banquet.

Life, after all, isn’t always smooth sailing.

The moment she stepped into the social gathering.

The first thing that greeted Lillian was none other than.

Splash-!

A flood of crimson wine pouring over her head.

※

“My, my, what a mistake.”

“…”

The red wine slowly dripped down Lillian’s head.

The wine, seeping into her dress like drops of blood, instantly ruined the dress she had so carefully prepared.

‘Hmm, how bold.’

I hid the smile on my lips and leaned slightly on Bersha’s shoulder.

Enjoying her gentle caress, I watched Lillian, drenched in wine.

The woman standing in front of Lillian was one of Bersha’s faction, holding an empty wine glass and looking down at Lillian.

“I heard an interesting story, Saintess. They say you’re from the Magent Kingdom?”

At the mention of the Magent Kingdom, Lillian’s eyes wavered slightly.

She must be wondering how they knew.

The Magent Kingdom was where Lillian had lived in the past.

Before the Empire’s invasion led to the kingdom’s fall, she had been a noble of the Endoria family.

But the war took everything from her.

With her family and home gone, the only option left for Lillian was the orphanage. Coincidentally, the orphanage was run by the temple, so she was fortunate enough to enter the temple.

She was too young, so most of her memories from that time were gone, but she must vaguely remember that she was once a noble.

Of course, now she’s just a common war orphan from a fallen kingdom.

“A war orphan from a fallen kingdom becoming the Saintess? Are you sure you were truly chosen by the goddess?”

The words were laced with scornful mockery.

It might seem rude to treat the Saintess like this, but there was no rule against it.

Nobles are beings obsessed with status and power.

An ambiguous figure like the Saintess isn’t particularly welcome among them.

While the authority of the sacred goddess religion may be respected among commoners, it doesn’t hold much sway among the recognized nobility.

For nobles, a commoner-born Saintess rising to their level was already distasteful, and the fact that she was a war orphan from a fallen kingdom only made her a greater target for ridicule.

Of course, some might not care about such background, but there would be far more nobles who wouldn’t leave her alone.

‘Well, I did fan the flames a bit.’

Naturally, I was the one who spread the rumors about Lillian.

Before she could awaken her powers as the Saintess, I wanted to drive her out of the social circle.

I didn’t say it directly, of course. I didn’t want to do anything that could cause trouble later.

But I cleverly mixed stories about Lillian into the conversations of the young ladies.

It wasn’t just about her being a war orphan.

I added things that nobles would dislike, like her supposedly holding beliefs that equated commoners with nobles.

My stories, passed through the mouths of several young ladies, grew more sensational, eventually turning into scandalous gossip that humiliated Lillian.

And now, Lillian was receiving the scorn of many nobles.

“…”

Lillian, still in shock, just stared blankly at the floor.

Looking at her dazed expression, I felt a thrilling sense of satisfaction.

What was this strange thrill?

Why did I feel this way?

I couldn’t understand, but there was no time to dwell on it.

“What is the meaning of this!!”

A girl with blue hair rushed over, her voice rough. She quickly hid Lillian behind her and glared at the woman with eyes full of hostility.

“How dare you be so rude to the Saintess… Can you handle the consequences?”

“Rude? It was just a mistake.”

“No one here would believe that.”

Arien placed her hand on the sword at her waist. The faint hostility emanating from her made the woman who had spilled the wine tremble slightly.

‘It’s like watching a morning drama.’

While I was enjoying the rather stimulating scene, Bersha, who had been stroking my head, slowly stood up.

With an elegant gait, she approached the center of the commotion and, with a gentle smile, handed Lillian a handkerchief.

“Are you alright, Saintess?”

Lillian silently looked at her. Bersha placed her hand on the shoulder of the woman who had spilled the wine and made a regretful expression.

“She’s not usually one to make such mistakes. She must not be feeling well today. I hope the Saintess can forgive her with your generous heart.”

Arien stepped forward with a fierce expression.

“That’s such nonsense…!”

“Watch your words, Lady Caltri.”

Bersha’s eyes instantly calmed. Arien, caught in that gaze, froze and fell silent.

Even though she was Lillian’s bodyguard, she couldn’t stand against Bersha.

Bersha was the only daughter of a prestigious count family with considerable influence in the social circle.

On the other hand, Arien, the daughter of the Caltri Marquis family, which had little political influence and focused solely on nurturing talent, couldn’t possibly stand against Bersha.

“Saintess? Are you very upset?”

Bersha asked again with a kind smile.

Lillian, without a word, lowered her head and avoided her gaze.

“Are you ignoring me?”

Bersha’s tone was still soft, but there was a strange pressure.

“N-no, I understand.”

Lillian answered in a trembling voice.

“My, how generous of the Saintess.”

Bersha nodded with a satisfied smile.

Meanwhile, Lillian, perhaps feeling resentful, clenched her fists tightly, trembling.

I slowly shifted my gaze from Lillian, who was being watched with interest by several young ladies.

You have plenty to do in the social circle without getting involved in these fights, Lillian.

So please, don’t step into this.

It’ll be less tiring for both of us.

“…I miss my mother.”

I gently leaned my head on the lap of another young lady beside me and quietly closed my eyes.

When I get back, I’ll snuggle up to my mother and indulge in some pampering.

---