In a quiet voice, there was a deep concern, mixed with a suppressed surge of emotion. It felt sowhat strange.
Hmm, it’s better to finish the business quickly and leave.
I brightened up, as if nothing had happened, and said with confidence, "It’s a good thing, actually. I’m planning to be sowhere with Tesilid for a while, so I just wanted to let you know that we might be unreachable for a bit."
"I see. Understood."
"Well then, since you’re busy, Tesilid and I will take our leave."
"Yes. Please take care, Your Grace."
We exited the Cardinal’s Council room. As the door closed behind us, the light that had been pouring into the hallway slowly diminished.
As I retraced my steps, I could feel cautious gazes grazing my cheek.
"Ah..."
The voice sounded more deeply worried than before. I needed to clear up the misunderstanding.
"It was an act earlier. What if you get tricked too?"
"...Ah."
When I chuckled softly and spoke, Tesilid belatedly beca embarrassed.
I decided to tease him a bit more.
"It seed like a good role reversal."
"Role reversal?"
"That’s how I feel when I look at you. Keep that in mind."
"...You knew what my feelings were like?"
"Hmm?"
"Never mind."
Tesilid awkwardly changed the subject, attempting to divert the conversation.
"The Holy Office’s attitude is firr than I expected. They didn’t even ask where you and I are going."
"Ah, now that you ntion it."
"Sothing doesn’t sit right. It feels like there’s more to this."
Tesilid continued probing.
At that mont, I absentmindedly responded with indifference.
"It’s probably nothing. You don’t have to worry too much."
Tesilid’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Hey, did you know sothing?"
"Well, yes. I do."
"Then why didn’t you tell before we ca here...?"
Just then, Tesilid’s words were cut off unnaturally.
He stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the hallway. His gaze turned away from , staring at sothing far in the distance.
I turned my head in the direction he was looking, and then...
‘Ah, this is bad.’
I felt a sense of ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) defeat.
One side of the first-floor corridor was open to the garden with no wall.
There, a mysterious female priest was being escorted by Clovis and Rex.
Her steps were graceful and light, as if she were out for a stroll.
Her long, black hair, shining like a starry night, fluttered in the wind and then settled down. Her eyes, gazing at the flowers, had a mysterious mix of blue and gold.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
She was clearly soone I had never seen before, but there was no way I could mistake who she was.
Muriel Filizé.
The original saint who would perfectly take my place without regret. She had arrived.
In that one sentence, everything I had told Agnes seed to be encapsulated. I also beca aware of Tesilid’s reaction.
The first ti the protagonist ets Muriel in the original story was after the 40th cycle.
It was then that the growing affection led to their eventual union in the 86th cycle.
But what followed was a series of betrayals for three consecutive cycles.
The protagonist discovers that their beloved is cursed by a demon and has only a limited ti to live.
He willingly gives up his life to save her. That was the end of the 86th cycle.
In the 87th cycle, he overprotects her to prevent the curse from affecting her, ensuring her lifespan is unhard. But this ti, the saint is caught up in the political struggles of the Holy Office and is frad for a terrible cri.
Again, unable to watch his lover suffer, the protagonist takes the bla and sacrifices himself.
Now, it was the 88th cycle. As it was the last of the three betrayals, this cycle would bring a shocking revelation.
The saint directly betrays the protagonist, accusing him of heresy before his public execution.
Just before the burning at the stake, she said, "This world needs your death. I’m sorry. And thank you, Sir Tesilid."
While I felt anger, there was also a strange sense of gratitude in her words.
If she hadn't created such an uncomfortable atmosphere with that statent, the protagonist might have died for her a few more tis.
Indeed, the protagonist of the Sacred etings loved Muriel dearly.
So now, what about Tesilid, standing in front of ?
I had been faithfully disrupting the original story as a transmigrator.
Would you still love Muriel in this twisted world?
Is it really that strong a connection?
...Is it fate?
I silently asked myself, watching Tesilid Arzent’s figure.
"..."
It was as if ti had stopped for him.
His gaze was fixed entirely on Muriel. His eyes, slightly wider than usual, seed to have forgotten how to blink.
The sight of this handso man, who appeared to be focusing all his attention on Muriel Filizé, answered my question.
I muttered bitterly to myself.
‘Must be nice, Inspector. Looks like it’s going according to the original...’
Just then, she spoke.
"Why... are you here personally...?"
"What?"
I couldn’t quite catch the words as they were filled with trembling.
Tesilid seed to snap out of it and turned toward . His gaze was shaky and confused.
There was no ti to ask why.
"Are you... the Holy Saint?"
"...!"
Muriel had spotted us and was walking toward us.
Clovis and Rex followed her, their faces filled with awkwardness.
It seed that our eting was an uncomfortable situation for them.
By the ti Muriel had co to stand before us, she bowed slightly.
"It’s a pleasure to et you, Your Holiness. I’m Muriel Filizé."
"Yes. It’s a pleasure, Your Holiness."
I returned the greeting, addressing her according to her title. Muriel smiled warmly, her eyes curving.
"Ah, I see, you recognized right away."
"Yes, just as you recognized ."
My eyes instinctively scanned Muriel.
Her graceful deanor, calm attitude, and gentle aura—coupled with her stunning appearance.
Her eyes, especially, which contained both blue and gold, were so mystical and sacred, it felt as though I was witnessing a divine descent.
"Now, with that, it feels like we’re sisters, doesn’t it?"
Her laughter was clear and transparent.
She truly looked like the perfect image of a saint, as if drawn in a picture.
‘Of course, she should be perfect.’
In truth, Muriel was a manifestation of a special person who was sleeping in the sacred land. If they were going to create a substitute, it made sense for them to make it flawless.
And so, Muriel was beautiful. Truly breathtakingly beautiful. My heart wavered.
Why would they elevate the appearance of a villain pretending to be the heroine? Isn’t that overvalued?
Feeling a bit nervous, I glanced at Tesilid.
He had been standing still, completely frozen since getting a close look at Muriel. It was such an unlike him behavior.
By now, I wanted to ask.
‘Have you already fallen for her? Is that it?’
Just then, Muriel locked eyes with Tesilid, almost as if to show off.
"You are the holder of the Holy Sword, aren’t you? Sir Tesilid Arzent?"
"Yes, Your Holiness."
"It may sound strange, but is this our first eting?"
"What do you an?"
"I don’t know why, but I feel a sense of longing from you. If it’s alright, may I call you Tesilid by na?"
Without warning, Muriel began flirting with him.
Agnes's chuckle clearly expressed disbelief. But unlike her, I wasn’t caught off guard.
The situation before my eyes was exactly like their first eting in the original story.
Now, it was Tesilid’s turn to give his polite approval. I was waiting for it without much expectation when...
"Longing... I feel the sa way, actually."
"...!"
What? You’re flirting too?
I snapped back to attention.
‘Hey! Tesilid!’
I never expected this from you!
Reviews
All reviews (0)