Chapter 67: Why do you keep looking at other girls.

Expectations and jealousy, excitement and worry intertwined in the noisy banquet hall.

At last, the doors to the hall opened.

The woman who appeared amidst the resounding cries of the knights instantly captured everyone’s attention.

Her pink hair cascaded down to her shoulders, and beneath it, her dazzling alabaster skin was revealed. There wasn’t a single feature of hers that wasn’t lovely, from her delicate and well-proportioned face.

She was the Saintess, Lilian Eldoria.

Some observed her with sharp eyes, while others seemed entranced by her charming appearance, blushing as they gazed at her in a daze.

However, the Saintess herself appeared uncomfortable under the stares, her face tense as her gaze darted around nervously.

It seemed like she was trying to force an awkward smile…

But amidst the invisible pressure emanating from the nobles, Lilian’s expression grew darker and darker.

In the game, she attended the banquet excited to make new friends.

But reality was cold. With no one approaching her, Lilian only awkwardly remained in place, her face growing paler.

‘For someone who’s spent half her life in the temple, a place like this must be unfamiliar.’

It was strange.

Seeing Lilian troubled, a strange sense of satisfaction slowly rose from deep within me.

Perhaps it was my hidden, ugly nature, taking secret pleasure in others’ pain.

At the very least, when others suffered, I didn’t feel like I was unhappy myself.

Watching Lilian as she wandered, I smirked and put a piece of a snack into my mouth.

It hadn’t always been this way, but strangely enough, her distress felt somewhat welcome.

Maybe it was because she stood on the opposite end of the spectrum from someone like me, a bright person, and the jealousy rising within me made me feel this way.

I’m not sure.

But this feeling won’t last long.

Soon, someone will extend a helping hand to her.

‘Right on cue.’

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

Though she wore a simple dress, the sharp aura she exuded made her distinctly different from the other noble ladies.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Arien Caltry.”

“Ah…”

Perhaps relieved that someone had finally spoken to her, Lilian’s pale complexion quickly brightened.

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

Lilian grabbed Arien’s hand and greeted her in an energetic voice.

‘Heh.’

Hearing her clumsy greeting, I laughed inwardly.

She should be more cautious when so many eyes are on her.

Not only did she fail to introduce her own name during their first meeting, but she also grabbed someone’s hand as she pleased.

It was an undignified action, completely lacking in the refinement of a noble. It was almost painful to watch in good conscience.

The looks from a few nobles grew even colder at Lilian’s casual tone.

‘Right, that’s how it was.’

Until a few days ago, Lilian’s status was no different from that of a commoner.

A person who had worked in the temple as a lowly priestess, doing chores like cleaning and washing dishes, had suddenly come to attend a noble’s banquet, so naturally, her inexperience would show.

“It is an honor to meet you, Saintess.”

“The honor is all mine!”

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

However, Arien didn’t seem to mind at all, as she clasped Lilian’s hand and smiled warmly.

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

“Caltry… Wasn’t that the marquisate on the Empire’s frontier?”

As Lilian’s actions were being watched, a quiet voice came from behind. Mardian was gazing at Lilian with her half-lidded crimson eyes.

‘Is she already interested in Lilian?’

As expected, is everything going according to the game’s settings?

Upon hearing the news that the Saintess had arrived, Mardian and I stepped out onto the balcony. I gave Mardian a light greeting, intending to leave and go see the Saintess.

[It’s been a while since we’ve met, and you’re already leaving? I’d be disappointed.]

With those words, Mardian firmly grabbed my hand. Then, she led me to the sofa and sat me down on her lap.

From that moment until now, Mardian had been gently stroking my head. It felt like I had become a cat.

Honestly, I was surprised.

In the past, as soon as we met, she would have grabbed me by the waist right away, but now it was just this light skinship.

Could it be that she reflected during her period of probation?

But seeing her occasionally bury her face in my neck and inhale like a pervert, it might not be the case after all.

‘Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.’

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

So, for today at least, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to show a bit of tolerance to the pervert who once trampled on me.

“You remembered, the Caltry Marquisate. One of the families devoted to the Imperial Army.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of them as well.”

“Hmph, a pitiable family no better than slaves.”

At Mardian’s mocking voice, I nodded.

Currently, the nobility is divided into two major factions.

The Conservative faction and the Aristocratic faction.

The Aristocratic faction strives for the prosperity of their families, harboring ambitions to lay the foundations of society through wealth and power.

The Conservative faction, on the other hand, is mostly comprised of those loyal to the imperial authority, dedicating themselves to the empire. They place importance on the dignity of the royal family and focus their efforts on maintaining tradition and order.

The Saintess is someone who elevates the reputation of both the royal family and the temple. In other words, to the Aristocratic faction that wishes for the weakening of royal power, she is a thorn in their side.

The Caltry Marquisate is a family that raises talent and fosters knights for the imperial army. Clearly a Conservative family. That’s why Arien would naturally be drawn to Lilian.

For those from powerful individual families like Mardian or Viviana, who belong to the Aristocratic faction, she is a target of caution, but for those in the Conservative faction, it’s the opposite.

Our family, the Baronage of Blanc, is closer to the Aristocratic faction.

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

A quiet voice escaped from Mardian’s lips. It was a tone that betrayed quite a bit of irritation.

I turned my head back. Mardian’s gaze was fixed solely on Lilian. Seeing the icy coldness in the villainess’s blood-red eyes, my lips twitched slightly.

The inevitable has come.

Lillian has caught Mardian’s eye.

From now on, Mardian will become even more interested in Lillian.

She will torment her to the point of making her life unbearable, pouring all the vicious sins of the villainess onto her.

“What does Lady Mardian think of the Saintess?”

Hiding my sinister intentions, I posed the question to Mardian. Did she not like my question? She furrowed one eyebrow and responded.

“I think it’s laughable. Even if you grant a commoner the title of Saintess, she’s still just a commoner.”

It was a satisfactory answer.

Should I provoke her a bit more?

“Hmm… but the Saintess seems to treat the nobles without hesitation. To me, she’s someone I couldn’t dare to act so freely with, but she seems to think of them as ‘friends.’”

“Ignorance is a characteristic of commoners.”

Mardian’s hand, which had been gently stroking my hair, suddenly stopped.

“A Saintess, huh…”

A villainess’s voice slipped through her crimson lips. Her blood-red eyes flickered slowly yet intensely.

Facing that gaze, I instinctively knew.

‘Now, she’s turning her attention to Lillian.’

Their meeting is something that is destined to happen, no matter the path.

Even Lillian won’t be able to escape the great currents of fate.

“Tina.”

Mardian called my name, drawing my gaze toward her.

I looked up at her with an innocent, harmless expression, as if I knew nothing.

“Yes, Lady Mardian.”

My condolences, Lillian.

Soon, the worst villainess will come for you.

“Do you like that kind of woman so much?”

I’ll watch carefully how you endure the increasingly harsh torment of the villainess.

Then naturally, her attention will drift away from me.

But, what did Mardian just ask?

…Did I hear that wrong?

…Wait, what?

“Pardon?”

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

“…Huh?”

The blood-red eyes of the villainess were filled with rage.

But those eyes were directed solely at me.

“Ah!”

Mardian’s hand, which had been stroking my hair, slowly traveled down my back and grabbed my butt firmly.

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

Squeeze-!

“Ugh…! La-Lady Mardian… there are people around…”

“It’s fine. We’re at an angle where no one can see us. As long as you can control your expression.”

Th-this crazy perverted villainess.

What on earth are you doing in a public place?

“Lady Mardian? H-how about we go see the Saintess together?”

I tried my best to divert Mardian’s attention to Lillian, but instead, it only served to fuel her anger even more.

“…If you were trying to make me jealous, you’ve succeeded.”

“Ugh?!”

Mardian squeezed my butt again.

I quickly covered my mouth with one hand to suppress my groan, curling up pathetically.

Unlike the somewhat timid Viviana, Mardian’s touch was filled with insidious desire.

‘Repentance, my foot… Nothing’s changed at all…!’

‘…Has she become even more twisted while I wasn’t looking? How many times must she have rolled around with Lady Viviana to change this much?’

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

“No, I mean, about the Saintess…”

“…Do I need to kidnap her so she can never think of being a Saintess again?”

Her voice was filled with sincerity, and I bit my lip.

A cold sweat dripped down my back.

‘W-wait…? This is bad, isn’t it?’

This is an event that is supposed to happen no matter the route.

I’m certain of that…

So why…

Why does she seem completely uninterested in Lillian?