Chapter 80

*Crackle-*

My mind was filled with chaos, unable to comprehend the situation.

The news that reached me was so absurd it was hard to believe.

The Empire had ended the war with the Kingdom of Kaladwen and claimed the glory of victory.

This… shouldn’t be possible.

No matter how quickly the war progressed, it should have taken at least five years to conclude.

The Kingdom of Kaladwen, known as the Kingdom of Dark Magic, boasted formidable power and had numerous allies backing it.

Even if you played the game on the fastest route, ending the war at this point was nearly impossible.

Yet, the Empire proudly declared the end of the war by hanging the head of Kaladwen’s king on the city walls.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

A trembling voice escaped my lips without my realizing it.

If it were just news of the war’s end, I wouldn’t have been this anxious.

But what was making me nervous now was entirely different news.

Lillian had fully awakened as the Saintess.

On the battlefield, she healed hundreds of soldiers and even reattached severed limbs with her immense holy power, playing a decisive role in the Empire’s victory.

Returning to the Empire, Lillian was granted the title of Baroness along with her own territory and was even given the title of “Savior.”

“This is weird!”

In the early stages, Lillian’s stats were ridiculously low.

Aside from her high divine and mental power, she was no different from an ordinary woman.

Lillian was a character who would later awaken as the Saintess and display immense power, but until then, she was supposed to quietly devote herself to prayer.

And yet, she achieved greater feats than Viviana, who was known as the “Ghost of the Battlefield”?

This wasn’t just a minor deviation from the original story.

*Crackle-*

“Savior? What kind of title is that…!”

Savior? It was such a childish title.

I’d never heard of such a title before, nor had it ever existed. Even in the game, there was no title like “Savior.”

It was a title so straightforward it could be called simple-minded.

But the power behind that title was immeasurable.

This went beyond mere social status.

Whether noble, commoner, or even royalty, no one would dare treat Lillian carelessly now.

As if she were a true savior.

Because of this event, Lillian would gain a status comparable to the Grand Temple.

Many would see her as a messenger of the goddess.

A sacred light would shine upon her path, leaving behind endless blessings and happiness.

Just like in the late stages of the game.

*Crackle-*

“She should’ve just stayed quietly praying…!”

If things had gone as I expected, the Saintess, having left the social circle, would have gone to the temple.

It was absurd that the Saintess, who should have been quietly devoted to prayer, had now gone to the battlefield.

Even in the game, the battlefield wasn’t an option for where Lillian could stay.

After all, Lillian, with her gentle nature, had no reason to step onto a battlefield where lives were taken.

But she went to the battlefield, achieved great feats, and returned.

And she received the title of Baroness, a higher rank than my mother.

If…

If it were ever revealed that I was the one who spread rumors about Lillian…

“That’s impossible.”

I forced a smile, but it trembled weakly.

There was no way it could be discovered.

Not a single rumor about Lillian had ever come directly from my mouth.

I had only guided the flow of stories from behind. Even if Lillian traced the source of the rumors, it would never lead to me.

My image in the social circle was that of a pure-hearted person who couldn’t possibly engage in slander.

‘Though there’s one thing that bothers me…’

Arien Caltri.

Once Lillian’s closest friend, the person who became the reason Lillian was driven out of the social circle.

By subtly manipulating her, I caused Lillian to become disillusioned with the social circle and never appear at gatherings again.

Of course, I hadn’t done anything wrong back then either.

I had only conveyed my ‘genuine concern’ that Arien would suffer if she stayed by Lillian’s side.

But if Arien were to spread unnecessary rumors and make Lillian suspicious of me, it would become a troublesome situation.

“…I was too careless.”

I knew that Lillian would awaken as the Saintess someday.

Yet, I remained complacent, without any sense of caution.

Lillian’s awakening was still far off, and even if she found out what I had done, I believed she would forgive me.

Lillian was foolishly kind, to the point of trying to forgive even the many young ladies who had tormented her, including the vicious Mardian.

But with the original story so derailed, no one could guarantee that her naive mercy would remain.

It’s better to prepare for what can be prepared.

I’ve kept my distance from Arien for the past year.

Arien, who possessed nothing but excellent swordsmanship and a chivalrous spirit, had little to offer in terms of benefits.

Still, it seemed necessary to keep her in check to prevent any unnecessary actions.

I put on my coat and left the bedroom.

As I walked down the hallway, I lightly tapped the shoulder of a maid cleaning and spoke to her.

“Could you prepare the carriage? I think I’ll be going out.”

As our financial situation gradually stabilized, our baronial family began hiring servants again.

Though not many, we now had enough servants to keep the mansion tidy.

“Going out? Where are you headed, miss?”

“…Do I have to tell you that?”

My voice came out cold and icy.

What else could I do?

With Lillian’s situation irritating me, even a lowly commoner was getting on my nerves.

Mother was excellent at managing finances, but it seemed she paid less attention to the education of the mansion’s servants.

“S-sorry, miss…”

“It’s fine. Just hurry, please.”

“Yes, yes!”

The clumsy maid scurried down the hallway. While the carriage was being prepared, I lightly sprayed myself with a subtle floral perfume.

“…I should prepare a suitable gift too, right?”

I opened the wardrobe in the corner of the bedroom and unlocked the hidden compartment at the bottom with a key.

Inside, a dazzling array of jewels sparkled.

These were my precious treasures, acquired from various young ladies.

Selling just these could allow me to live luxuriously for the rest of my life.

“Something that doesn’t look too expensive… Yes, this will do.”

I picked out a necklace that could easily be found in the market and carefully packaged it in a box.

Honestly, I felt like taking out the gem inside and just giving that, but I couldn’t do that.

[The carriage is ready, miss.]

Following the maid’s guidance from outside the door, I stepped out.

I briefly instructed the coachman to head to the Caltri mansion and boarded the carriage.

I knew it was impolite to visit without prior notice, but I was certain Arien would welcome me with open arms, so I didn’t mind.

After boarding the carriage, I took a moment to catch my breath.

‘I’ll have to make it clear to Arien.’

That it was entirely her own decision to betray Lillian, and that I had no part in it.

In fact, that was the truth.

I had only been concerned for her, and Arien’s decision to abandon Lillian was entirely her own.

In the end, Arien gained quite a lot from it.

Her family’s reputation was restored, and thanks to her connection with me, she naturally became part of the Bersha and Sharrione factions.

There, Arien would have interacted with many young ladies and formed new connections.

Perhaps Arien should be grateful to me.

I essentially gave her wings, ensuring that the ignorant young lady who only wielded a sword wouldn’t be pushed out of the social circle.

Lost in these thoughts, I barely noticed when the carriage arrived at the Caltri Marquis’s mansion.

Before getting out, I took out a mirror I had prepared and practiced a natural expression.

A pure, bright smile with a slightly seductive gaze completed a charming face.

Soon, a knight in shining silver armor opened the carriage door and extended a hand toward me.

Taking the knight’s hand, I carefully stepped out of the carriage and followed the head butler’s guidance into the mansion.

Having visited here often and shown favor multiple times, the servants of the Caltri Marquis’s mansion always welcomed me warmly.

Finally arriving at Arien’s room, the head butler knocked gently on the door with a warm smile.

“To have two esteemed guests in one day, this is truly a joyous occasion.”

“…Huh? There’s another guest besides me?”

“Hehe, Miss Blanchard, you’ll be quite surprised soon.”

As soon as the head butler’s smiling words ended, the door slowly opened, revealing Arien’s blue eyes.

“Ti, Tina?!”

“Arien! I missed you so much!”

With a radiant smile, I lightly threw myself into Arien’s arms.

Arien immediately embraced me, but there was a strange awkwardness in her actions.

“Ti…Tina, not now…”

And I soon realized why.

“My, what a surprising coincidence.”

A soft, melodious voice filled the room, whispering like a gentle breeze.

I slowly lifted my head from Arien’s shoulder.

And as I faced the person before me, my heart sank coldly.

“What a pleasant face to see.”

Her pink eyes, filled with lovely vitality, were staring straight at me, freezing me in place just by meeting her gaze.

“Wh-what are you doing here…?”

The woman sitting on the sofa inside the room gracefully stood up.

With each step she took, there was no trace of awkwardness left in her demeanor.

“My, do I need a special reason to visit my friend?”

“Friend…?”

Don’t lie.

Arien clearly betrayed you.

There’s no way you two are friends.

“And as for you, Miss Blanchard,”

The Savior, Saintess Lillian Eldoria.

“Do you have business with my friend?”

She looked at me with a serene smile.

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