Episode 4: Twilight (2)

 ⋉◆⌌ Astraea’s POV⌍▫◆⋊.

Just what in the world was that bastard thinking? The moment the ceremony ended, he shoved everyone aside and ran towards Lowe.

This man’s obsession with the protagonist was really something. Just as my doubts were beginning to clear, his dubious behaviour made me second guess my assumptions.

I sighed in disappointment.

I took the main exit and made a detour through the outer court. Then I made my way down the cloisters.

Watching the disturbance from afar, a harem-like situation unfolded before my eyes. I saw Kairen down on his knees, proposing to Lowe. Everyone stared wide-eyed, until Soren Amberheart suddenly stood in between them to say something.

“That guy…” Isodor’s expression twitched. Was it just me or did he look like he secretly admired him?

Kairen was hoisted from the ground, then punched hard in the stomach. The sight of it made me wince. Even though I wasn’t the one taking the hit, I imagined how much it would’ve hurt being on the receiving end. He was dragged away from the scene.

There were many witnesses who managed to watch the disturbance start to end, not just me alone. This would undoubtedly cause some kind or rumour to spread. An illicit relationship between the Saint and the man she saved? Salacious. It was the perfect scandal to ruin the image of the church.

“Astraea…?” Ignoring Isodor behind me, I followed the knights.

As I arrived at the sequestered intersection, I went ahead to intercept them.

“Halt.” They probably didn’t think I’d step in to help such an imbecile. The holy knight captain, Ralph Lawson, looked at me with wary eyes. “I’ll take him from here.”

It would seem that my notoriety had reached even the church. Turning behind to meet the guards restraining Kairen, Holy Knight Ralph beckoned them to release him.

“Understood. I ask that you prevent him from creating further discord. That is all.”

Kairen staggered a little, before regaining his balance. I studied his expression, he flashed a bitter smile before turning his head to avoid my gaze. Oh? So he does feel shame after all.

“You should’ve considered your timing,” I rolled my eyes.

It might not have been that he proposed to Lowe, but regardless, it didn’t make him any less shameful in my eyes.

“Huh?” He looked at me incredulously.

“Nevermind. We need to talk. Follow me.” Putting my own emotions aside, there were other, more important things I needed to ascertain.

“Astraea…” Isodor called out to me with a voice tinged in worry.

I shook my head and said nothing. I headed to the main gate where the carriage should be waiting with Kairen in tow.

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Isodor followed anxiously behind her. It was the first time he had felt this way ever since he made the mental decision to completely break off his engagement with her.

Normally, when Astraea treated him this way, he would feel rising indignance, thinking it was unjust of her to be so hypocritical. But now… all he could feel was a perpetual sense of guilt and remorse.

Isodor glanced at Kairen. A man shrouded in mystery.

His origin was unusual, coming from a family of merchants which had been arrested for illegal dealings. He had tan skin with raven black hair, an appearance which was starkly different from his father.

There were many puzzling aspects to his personality Isodor couldn’t make sense of.

The first of such abnormalities happened a few months ago when he bought Lowe’s time using money. It was an inconceivable circumstance, moreso when Lowe had accepted the role to become his personal servant. If they had been caught, facing disciplinary action from the disciplinary committee would've been the last of their only concerns.

Second, was how he had risked his life for Astraea during the practical examinations. Why did he go so far as to die for her even when he knew she was the one abusing him? Did he not feel any hatred for her?

Thirdly, the incident just moments ago where Kairen had knelt before Lowe.There were strict codes of conduct to be observed in the presence of powerful figures, especially for someone of common birth. Yet he had chosen to discard his wellbeing and jeopardise his dignity for the slim chance of earning the Saint’s favour. What reason would have driven him to take such desperate action? Or was it simply his way of expressing genuine gratitude, seeing as she had been the one to save his life?

The more Isodor thought about it, the more Kairen appeared to be a madman. Not only did he not know shame, he also didn’t fear death.

Even now as their gazes intersected, there was an almost despondent acknowledgement in Kairen’s eyes. It was as if Isodor’s standing as royalty didn’t faze him. In fact, this person had even cursed at him.

By law, If Isodor wanted, he could send Kairen to the gallows. Did he not fear that?

Now such a man had just received his fiancee’s favour. If Isodor had to hazard a guess, likely that Astraea simply wished to express her gratitude. But if that were the case, would there be a need to emphasise ‘we need to talk’?

There was something more to this. Isodor didn't know what it was, and it made him uneasy.

If only he hadn’t driven her away, if only he hadn’t doubted her. If only… If only…

There were so many things he wanted an answer for. He wished he had not been so foolish, to abandon his fiance for the newly crowned saint… now he was regretting even having made this decision.

“Your Grace.” The butler assisted Astraea to enter the carriage.

“Get on.” Sitting inside, she turned to them and spoke.

Isodor, in a daze, came forward. However, the moment he was about to step in, Astraea rudely stretched out her hands to stop him.

“Not you. Him.” Her icy cold glare felt like thorns digging deep into his heart.

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The carriage shook with each rotation of the wheel. I felt strangely excited, an unusual response which didn’t seem to align with the circumstance. It was as if I had anticipated this moment for a long time?

That said, I’d nearly forgotten just how awkward it could be to be sitting confined in such a small space with someone of the opposite gender.

Kairen Copper was looking out the window with a somewhat melancholic expression. We hadn’t spoken a single word to each other even after the carriage had left the premise of the church.

“Do you mind explaining why you did what you did?” I started. With the kind of commotion he had caused at the church earlier, I hadn’t expected him to be the contemplative kind of person.

Without turning his head, he merely shifted his amber coloured eyes to look at me. “Your Grace, by that, what are you referring to?”

“That’s for you to judge.” Did I need to explain the need to justify his actions in front of the saint?

“Then don’t blame me for jumping to conclusions.” He turned his body to face me. His expression was fair, as if having prepared for this moment. “Your Grace, I know you were the one who spread the rumours about me. Telling people that I had purposely abandoned my sister—I don’t blame you for what you did. You had sufficient justification. However, please believe me when I say that I did not wish for that to happen either.”

His word dump caught me off guard.

“Regardless of how things should’ve unfolded, please allow me this opportunity to convey my gratitude. Thank you for saving her, and providing her a place to stay.” He lowered his head. “My sister’s life which you saved, I have done in turn with yours. That evens out the debt we owe to each other. I saved you that night for the same reason you saved her.”

He painted a broader perspective to the matter.

“Does my sister hate me?” Kairen asked, his expression hazy.

I wanted to apologise for what I had done, for the misunderstanding—but the stuffiness in my chest only had me coughing out air. I struggled for an answer. What have I done? “...I can’t say she doesn’t despise you.”

“I see…”

I didn’t understand, I didn’t know how to continue and apologizing felt out of character.

The truths he revealed was like a hammer to my head. But was it really real or just some made up lie? I hesitated to believe that he was a good person. In an ordeal which he meant to die, he didn’t. And if he hadn’t stepped up… the one who would’ve died was me.

I knew it’s wrong to continue reserving suspicion towards Kairen, but the contraindicating evidence I have of him warranted an extra layer of precaution. If I caved in here… and my judgement proved wrong then… I might actually make the same mistake twice.

“I’m sure you have many questions about what happened that night. So let me explain in brief.” Kairen changed the topic to alleviate the tense air.

An unnamed character I knew, Fabian, had been the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. In his desperation to win Kairen over, he had chosen to kidnap… and somehow the victim ended up being me.

While I found it hard to believe he managed to fend off five assassins with Tiffany alone, I had no choice but to believe that his words were true. The scenario had clearly deviated from the original… and trying to make sense of things now would be no different from trying to predict the future.

His fighting prowess, the maturity in his understanding, and the one and only variable I could attribute to all this change in this timeline…

“<Devouring Blight: Estelle’s Flower>” I clenched my fist. If he didn’t get my hint here, I’m thinking of calling it quits. “Kairen, how familiar are you with this story?”

He tilted his head. “What is that? Is that supposed to be the title of a book or something?”

“You mean you aren’t…” So it was a misunderstanding after all? He wasn’t a reincarnator then? Then how about—

The carriage bumped hard, knocking into a rock. I bit my tongue. Owowowow!

“A-Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m-I’m fine.” Damn it, I’m not fine. It fucking hurts!

The way he showed concern for me was strange. I suddenly felt the urge to punch him in the face.

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We arrived at Winterfall Manor not long after.

My father and mother had errands to run so they did not attend the Lowe’s consecration (it’s an excuse)—saying that since I’m Lowe’s friends it should be enough of a courtesy if I went alone.

As mentioned before, if I ever bumped into Kairen on the way, they wanted me to bring him over for tea. I glanced at Kairen following behind me, curiously studying the premise. He looked like a bumpkin who had never seen fine art before.

Watching him like this made me a tad concerned. Was he even aware of what was going to happen to him? Imagining the kind of reception he’ll receive from my parents later made me anxious.

I could’ve left him at the church and not brought him over to the manor, saving me the pain of having to follow up on the many potential misunderstandings but… I too had my own conscience.

Being the one responsible for ruining his life… I had the power to put it back in one piece.

Was this the right thing to do? I don’t know.

I may regret it for life.

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◃'◤⌌ Kairen’s POV⌍◢╨▹.

Astraea Winterfall. The villainess.

I studied her appearance as she walked ahead of me. Her strides were paced, graceful like that of a noble, yet unconsciously constructed, as if she carried with her the experience of a trained knight.

If I hadn’t encountered her at the alleyway during the time she saved my sister, I would’ve suspected that she was hiding her abilities.

There were two main tropes for villainess stories. First was the type where the villainess is killed due to their own foolishness. The second was the type where the villainess has a change of heart and wins the heart of the male leads.

I initially thought the visual novel was trope type number 1. But in the life I led prior, I learnt that this world was actually based around trope type number 2.

There wasn’t a lot I know about her from the game itself as I had never played it, but knowing the general premise of these kinds of visual novel games, she was likely a girl who had been often misunderstood.

As much as I despise the male leads, I do not despise the villainess. In fact, I almost feel pity for her because she was surrounded by a bunch of self-centered men in my previous life. I’m sure she had some kind of world ordinance that helps her put a golden leash on these people but… I can’t help but think of how much trouble she will face once these men start to fight over her.

Though, what can I say? That’s her fate. And from what I remember, it didn’t seem like she had too much trouble managing them.

‘Ah, right. I just remembered.’

If this was trope type 2, then it’s likely that she’s a reincarnator.

But before I could put my question into words, she stopped before one of the doors. Her expression darken subtly.

I realised then that the whole time we had been roaming the manor, we hadn’t bumped into a single maid. Was this normal?

She knocked on the door.

“Enter.” The voice on the other side spoke.

Her Grace glared at me with eyes as if to say ‘don’t cause any trouble’. She then pushed open the door and announced her presence.

“Enter.” Again the voice spoke. I snapped out of my daze and went in.

Only to find her parents waiting for me on the other side.

‘What the hell is this?’