Chapter 100

“I take back everything I said about the Princess not being my type. Hearing her talk now, I’m totally feeling her.”

-Real.

-The Saintess is a bit too self-centered, to be honest.

“Exactly! I mean, the Saintess has done a lot of good things in various ways, but how should I put it… I feel more like being used. I don’t even know if she actually likes Hereis.”

-Yeah, looking at the monologues, the protagonist seems to feel that way too.

-The Saintess’s events are a bit too dry and business-like.

Mo Je-won made a thoughtful sound as he pondered.

“Then should we consider something other than the Saintess route?”

-I’m still curious about the Saintess ending, though.

-You’re going to quit the game once you see an ending anyway. Just pick what you want.

-Are you giving up on the hidden ending?

“Ah, you think so? It’s hard to judge because I can’t see the Saintess’s affection level. But couldn’t the lack of an affection meter mean she’s not actually a heroine? Like, it was a trap all along!”

-No way lol.

-You’re overthinking it.

-Giving up the hidden ending just because of a suspicion is a bit much.

“Hey, I want to see the hidden ending too~.”

Mo Je-won agonized over it, clutching his head, before finally moving the mouse with a look of determination.

“Ah, I don’t know! I’ll just pick whatever my heart tells me and leave the rest to fate! It’ll work out somehow!”

-Hahaha, fair enough.

-Is this the right move? lol.

“I do want to see the hidden ending! But if the Saintess starts feeling too ‘sus,’ I’m keeping the option to run away on the table. We all agree on that, right?”

-Okay.

-LOL, you’re just as self-centered as the Saintess.

-I trust your choice, Je-won~.

-Let’s goooooo.

-Full steam ahead.

Allen Regent, a veteran servant of the Imperial Palace.

He was fidgeting in front of the audience chamber, waiting anxiously for someone.

‘Damn it, damn it!’

The person Allen was waiting for was none other than the Messenger of Ralphican.
Allen never imagined he would be the servant tasked with attending to the Saintess, who was known as the “Heaven above Heavens!”

‘Why me, of all people!’

There was a sad reason behind this.

It was a high-stakes mission where a single mistake could cost him his head!

From the highest-ranking officials down, everyone had passed the buck with one mind and heart. Since they couldn’t possibly assign a low-ranking servant, the line was drawn at Allen, who had only recently earned his senior servant status.

Allen was clutching his racing heart, trying to calm his nerves.

Creeeeeak—

‘Hieeek! Sh-she’s here!’

The doors to the audience chamber opened. As soon as he saw the tips of her white shoes, Allen bowed even deeper than he already was.

“S-Saintess! It is an honor to meet you. His Majesty has commanded that I serve you with the utmost—”

His greeting didn’t even make it halfway.

The Saintess had ignored him and was already moving past.

“Wait, just a moment! Where are you going!”

Allen pleaded as he chased after the Saintess, who was making her way down the hallway at high speed.

“Heh, pant. S-Saintess…! Do you even know where you’re going? P-please, don’t do this, just tell me where you wish to go and I will—!”

Allen was terrified as the Saintess, who should be a stranger to the palace, strode through it without hesitation.

But how could a mere servant stop the Saintess?

He had to follow her, explaining the situation to the bewildered Imperial Guards who wondered what on earth was going on.

“Th-that area is for the Imperial Family… ugh, mmph!”

Though no conversation had actually taken place, he was trying his best to assist her in his own way.

Allen’s mouth was suddenly clamped shut as he tried to stop the Saintess from entering the Imperial sector.

“Mmph, mm-mmph!”

The Saintess put her index finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet. Allen, fearing for his life, nodded vigorously.

‘H-huff, I barely survived. I had no idea the Saintess was so forceful!’

She was truly a law unto herself!

After feeling the threat to his life, Allen kept his mouth shut tight. Only then did he feel the subtle atmosphere permeating the hallway.

Come to think of it, the guards and maids who should have been guarding the Princess’s bedroom were nowhere to be seen.

‘I guess the Princess isn’t in.’

Allen naturally assumed so.

Until the voices of a man and a woman drifted out from the bedroom.

‘Ah, she has a guest.’

In that case, it seemed the Princess had cleared the area on purpose.

What kind of conversation were they having? The question popped into his mind, but for a servant to survive in the palace, the basic requirements were a lack of curiosity and a mouth that stayed shut.

He was about to close his ears as usual, when…

‘Whoa!’

The Saintess stopped so abruptly that he almost slammed into her!

‘I-I almost died…’

His heart chilled, and Allen hurriedly put some distance between them.

Before he could even process it, the voices became faintly audible.

‘Gasp, they’re talking about the Saintess?’

He wondered why she had stopped, but if she had heard people talking behind her back, it made sense.

He didn’t know the story behind the mysterious man, but he was speaking quite mournfully in a very somber atmosphere.

H-Hereis?

Could it be Hereis Rubel, the Saintess’s Companion?

Allen swallowed hard, stealing a glance at the Saintess.

The Saintess stood perfectly still without a single movement. He couldn’t see her eyes, but she seemed as though she would be drowning in sorrow.

‘She must be in such shock! I mean, even if the Princess was egging him on, her own Companion just denied her…. Poor Saintess!’

‘Uwaaa, Princess! Who are you saying those things to?! Stop right now~!’

Even for a Princess of the Empire, stealing the Saintess’s man(?) was practically a declaration of war against the Holy State!

Crash!

The door was suddenly ripped from its hinges, flying toward Hereis and the Princess.

“What in the world!”

Under Hereis’s protection, Princess Dione narrowly avoided being crushed and shouted in a rage at the intruder behind the door. Hereis also carefully pulled the Princess away from his chest and turned toward the entrance.

I guess they really don’t notice anything during events. I thought the protagonist might stop the event if he felt my presence, but I was wrong.

‘Well, it was like that last time, too.’

It almost felt as if something were artificially manipulating things to ensure the event wouldn’t be interrupted.

‘I just have to do something conspicuous.’

It was a good thing I caught the strange vibe while talking to the Emperor. It was also good that I came looking for the protagonist to stop him immediately. But normally, the Princess—who should be acting like a total fan and showering the protagonist with praise during their first meeting—was instead…

‘Why is she trying to drive a wedge between me and the protagonist?’

I thought it would be a sweet event with the Princess, so the fact that it was unfolding in a completely different direction was nothing short of shocking. But even more shocking than that was the protagonist’s inner thoughts.

‘So that’s how he’s been thinking of me.’

I thought I had him hooked, but he was dreaming of an escape. Even with an affection level over 100! But if I think about it calmly, it’s not entirely nonsensical. The true nature of the protagonist’s feelings toward me was dependence—not affection or love. If he hasn’t actually liked me all this time but was merely using me as an object for his own escapism, then it makes sense. If he decides to stop leaning on me and stand on his own, that affection could drop to 0 in an instant.

‘Then hasn’t the one being used been me?’

They’ve been treating me like a villain for a while now, and the unfairness made my stomach churn. I felt a bit hurt. Empty, even.

‘In the game, the Princess is portrayed as someone who is an expert at handling people.’

If Edelina stood out academically, the Princess seemed to have a talent for subtly digging into people’s psyches.

‘Turning a perfectly fine person into a villain.’

But for now…

‘I can’t let them hold hands!’

I put all my strength into my fist and sent it flying straight toward the door.

Crash!

As the dust from the destroyed door cleared, the figures of the man and woman clinging to each other were revealed.

-Gasp.

-Crazy, is it you again?

“…S-Saintess?”

In front of the two horrified people, I brushed the dust off my dress. Then, I spoke solemnly.

“My apologies. I had urgent business.”

-What kind of urgent business justifies breaking down a door?

-Did she hear? She definitely heard, right?

-That’s terrifying lol

-She broke it because she heard, obviously T_T

Mo Je-won hugged his shoulders as if he’d caught a chill.

“Is it possible to cut ties with the Saintess?”

As if.

-Too late lol.

-Maybe if you die.

-You’re screwed, just stick to the Saintess route.

“Sir Hereis. Will you follow me for a moment?”

No choices appeared, and the protagonist obediently nodded his head….

-The pressure is insane.

-Save me please T_T

The air and atmosphere in the room grew colder as twilight settled in. I took a spark from my lantern, tossed it into the fireplace, and spoke.

“Do you know why I sought you out?”

“My apologies. With my meager knowledge, I truly cannot say…”

“There’s no need to be sorry. I only called you to deliver a few pieces of news. So, there’s no need to be so stiff.”

-Why is it scarier when she says it like that?

“I wish it were all good news, but there is bad news as well. A person can’t go through life only saying pleasant things.”

“…….”

“Tell me when you are mentally prepared.”

Ding!

Will you listen to Belita?

“Whoa, this looks pretty important.”

-Let’s hear it.

-Your sanity points are gonna tank, maybe buff them first?

-Looks like a major branching point.

“Ah, I already maxed out my sanity points before the chapter started~.”

-Nice prep!

-Look at you being responsible for once.

He’d earned plenty of shop points as a reward for finishing the Edelina Heresy episode.

“Well, obviously we have to listen. I’m clicking it, okay?”

-Go go.

-Wonder what she’s gonna say.

When Mo Je-won clicked the button, the protagonist nodded with a stiff expression.

“Please, tell me.”

“Hmm, where should I start…? Ah, right.”

I held up two fingers and continued.

“Pick a number between one and two.”

“…I will pick number one.”

“Is that so? Then, let me start with congratulations.”

I gave a few half-hearted claps and continued.

“From now on, you are a Duke.”