Chapter 86

“I get what you’re misunderstanding, but it’s not like that.”

“It’s not?”

When Oscar cut him off so firmly, Finn pouted his lips in disappointment.

“She’s just, well…”

Oscar tried to explain immediately but hesitated as if something was holding him back, which only piqued Finn’s curiosity further. Sensing that Finn wouldn’t drop his suspicions easily, several emotions flickered across Oscar’s face before he finally spoke with a look of utter exasperation.

“Well?”

“…It’s actually true. She’s my first love. We were separated when we were young and just reunited.”

I could guess why Oscar was making such a ridiculous excuse.

The events that occurred at the Duke’s mansion that day were under a strict gag order enforced by a confidentiality agreement. Oscar was one of the people who had pressed his thumbprint onto that contract. He was doing mental gymnastics just to keep the oath.

And it was quite effective.

“I knew it~! I thought it was suspicious how you went running the moment you saw her.”

“Ah, yeah. I’m so moved to have miraculously met my long-lost first love that my heart is practically racing. I’d really like to enjoy this precious time undisturbed, so could you please bugge—I mean, head out now?”

“Of course! I was going to leave even if you didn’t ask~ Just make sure you aren’t too late! Professor Brandon is scary, you know…”

Finn insisted earnestly, shivering at the mere thought of him.

While I appreciated Finn’s willingness to sacrifice himself for a friend, I had to stop and think for a moment. The name of the professor those two students mentioned—Brandon. It was the same name as the professor who supposedly reported Edelina.

Was it just a coincidence?

‘There’s no way.’

Did he come here with Professor Brandon, who was set to appear as a witness? But why this guy?

I watched Finn’s retreating back with conflicted eyes when Oscar lowered his voice to a whisper.

“Sorry. It’s because of the oath… You signed one too, right?”

He was right. It happened the day after I took the Oath, immediately after Kalat and the priests had left. Instead of a gentle soul like Kalat, several priests with terrifying faces and physiques had visited the mansion. They carried a stack of oaths under their arms, intended to silence the mansion’s employees.

‘It was basically like being forced to sign…’

Recalling that eerie memory made goosebumps break out over my skin.

“Sigh. That guy is quick-witted, and if you give him a half-baked excuse, he’s the type to keep digging. Even after that newspaper came out, he realized immediately it was about my family’s house. I mean, I guess anyone who knows would know. You get what I mean, right?”

I did. He was being careful because if he introduced me as a maid who worked at his family home, Finn might catch on. Oscar crossed his arms and let out a grumbling sound.

“What did they say would happen if we got caught saying anything that even remotely hinted at that incident? Did they say we’d have to offer an arm to the Order of Ralphican?”

After signing the confidentiality agreement, memories of having this conversation with my roommates came flooding back.

“This is insane! Shouldn’t it be more like ‘I’ll kill you if you break this’?”

“You seem to have a lot of complaints, Io. I assume that means you didn’t put your thumbprint on it?”

“Ah… no, I did.”

Io had grumbled about how one could possibly refuse the will of Ralphican, to which Isabella had snorted.

“Why didn’t you argue that boldly back then?”

“Isabella… I don’t have two lives.”

“True. If they’re the kind of people who present a contract saying they’ll take your limbs every time you break a rule without blinking an eye, the chances of them listening to you converge to zero.”

“Right?”

“So, Belita. Was it the same for you? Is it stricter since you’re the one involved?”

“Was it similar for you?”

When I nodded, Oscar chimed in, saying he understood.

“They sure used you as a propaganda tool well enough. Yet they’re so stingy with the person actually involved. Honestly, shouldn’t you be getting royalty fees? Your story has been sold all over the place.”

Now that was an interesting perspective.

Come to think of it, they had turned my life into articles and plays without my permission. It was no different from leaking and selling someone’s private life. Well, I didn’t really care. However, showing that would make him think I was strange, so I came up with a suitable excuse.

“I don’t like being in the spotlight. Even if the Church hadn’t forced me to keep it a secret, I would have hidden it.”

Oscar tilted his head at my answer.

“Is being known that burdensome?”

Isn’t that obvious? Who would enjoy becoming a lion in a cage for everyone to gawk at?

“Usually, people are happy to be chosen by a god… especially someone who believes enough to take an Oath.”

I made an effort to ignore his muttering voice and asked what I was curious about.

“Why did you visit the Great Cathedral?”

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Oscar’s face, but he answered immediately.

“Just to handle a few things.”

‘A few things.’ I couldn’t tell if he meant he had multiple purposes or if he was just brushing me off.

“Is it related to the Academy?”

When I tried to keep the conversation going by prodding for details, Oscar narrowed his eyes slightly.

“It’s complicated. Not something to talk about here. And not something to tell you, either.”

He was cutting me off. It seemed he didn’t have the slightest intention of letting me know.

“I told you everything, so I’m a bit disappointed.”

“…”

When I spoke my mind frankly, he looked at me with eyes that were impossible to read.

Oh. It seems that treating him casually because he wasn’t someone I needed to impress actually worked in my favor. Did he think saying everything I wanted to say in front of a noble was bold?

Shop Points too?

I was about to hurriedly check how high the affection levels were, but blue windows popped up one after another, blocking my view.

…!!

This was the first time I had received a trait as a reward since the prologue.

Unlock Your Heart? What kind of ability was that?

“Your bold personality is as constant as ever, I see.”

I had been silent, distracted by the notification windows, but Oscar let slip something that sounded potentially useful.

“Well. I suppose I can tell you one thing.”

Oscar hesitated for a moment, then covered his mouth. He seemed to be adjusting his volume so that only I could hear.

“I have something to confess to the Saintess… and it’s something quite big.”

…He probably can’t even imagine that the Saintess is standing right in front of him.
I pretended to be intrigued, acting surprised.

“A confession? I heard that not just anyone can receive one from the Saintess. Besides, I thought she had suspended those for now.”

“You’re well-informed.”

“Haha. You tend to pick up quite a bit of information while working.”

Who would know my schedule better than me?

Confession was one of the Saintess’s duties that I performed occasionally. Sometimes, when foreign dignitaries visited the Great Cathedral, they would specifically request one just to get a chance to meet the Saintess. For now, I had suspended them using the excuse of being busy with outside affairs, and I heard it was scheduled to resume later.

“I happened to get the opportunity. To be honest, it was just through a connection.”

A connection?

The only person Oscar Rubel could call a “connection” would be his cousin, the protagonist… right?

I began searching through my memories to see if the protagonist had ever made such a request of me.

“Honestly, I’m pretty nervous. It’s my first confession. Still, I’m hoping that by opening up to the Saintess, some kind of change might occur within me. What do you think?”

I didn’t recall being asked.

I’d have to head back and find out what was going on. For now, I needed to answer.

“Enlightenment can come from the most unexpected places. I think it’s better than doing nothing.”

Oscar burst into laughter at my response.

His affection level didn’t rise, but he seemed to be in a good mood.

“Right, I suppose you could think of it that way. Though it’s not exactly the kind of confession where one gains enlightenment.”

Oscar started to turn as if to leave, then paused. He stared at me with uncharacteristically serious eyes.

“Belita. You’re something of a turning point in my life. I was disappointed to hear you’d left the mansion, but seeing you doing well puts me at ease.”

“…”

“Well, take care. See you again if the chance arises.”

After parting ways with Oscar, I returned to my room and carefully summoned the status window with a solemn heart.

A rainbow-colored flash effect, looking more brilliant than usual today, began to appear…
And soon, the long-awaited blue window manifested.

Nice. The new trait was properly registered.

I mimicked the motion of pressing down on the trait name.

Persuasiveness increases by the affection level?

Does that mean for characters who are already over 100, they’ll unconditionally do whatever I ask?

For example, if I somehow raise the Pope’s affection level, could I force him to release Edelina?

…As if on cue, a red window warned me that it didn’t work like that.

Moreover, I just noticed it doesn’t always trigger.

Still, it’s a very good trait. If I’m lucky, it means they’ll grant almost anything they deem possible for themselves.

‘It’s a shame it showed up so close to the clear point, though.’

I knew there were already quite a few characters who had surpassed 100. I pulled up the affection window.

Kalat, Theodore, Hereis, and Ilian.

That meant a total of four people were guaranteed to grant my requests.

But honestly, I didn’t even need to look at the others.

The most important fact right now was…

The protagonist’s affection level was over 100!

‘Ah, this is a wrap.’

Surely, marrying Belita wouldn’t go against morals or ethics.

It wasn’t an impossible situation for the protagonist, either.

If I just say, “Please marry me,” it’s a guaranteed free pass. The worry about whether a selection window would appear when I confessed had now vanished.

‘I wonder where we should hold the wedding.’

In other words, I could now lightheartedly declare that the game was cleared.