The Tragedy of The Villainess

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*Lina’s POV in the first half chapter.*

***

Haneton's aide walked in and bowed deeply.

“Saintess. It’s a gift from Marquis Haneton.”

“Is Kalis all right?”

"The doctor says he needs more rest."

Lina heard about what happened between Lesche and Kalis. She was startled by what happened and went to visit Kalis, but he politely sent her back.

"…Why doesn't Kalis want to see me?"

"He doesn't want you to see his injuries, so I hope the Saintess will understand. He said congratulations from the bottom of his heart.”

With several congratulations, Haneton's aide retreated, and Lina felt relieved.

‘Kalis isn't such a bad guy.’

However, her elevated heart went cold at the mention of Kalis’s request for another divorce the other day.

"……."

If it had been the Lina of the past, she would have divorced Kalis immediately.

But Kalis had hurt her so much.

For he had used her as a tool after all.

So she deliberately asked Seria to marry her so that Kalis would listen.

Lina was filled with the desire to make Kalis regret. She was also full of resentment as to why she was the only one who had to be in pain and unhappy. So she proposed to Seria. Kalis would never ask Seria to marry him, but Lina, the saint, would be different.

"If this child is Seria's divine power, divorce Grand Duke Berg and marry me."

It was outrageous, but if she really was going to live with Seria in the Great Temple.

She intended to ban Kalis from entering the temple.

It would be difficult to completely control Lesche Berg because of his status, but he would still lose his wife.

Won’t Seria feel uncomfortable too?

That one word was slightly better than telling Kalis that she couldn't divorce him and that she wanted the position of Grand Duchess of Berg.

Then the three of them will have a hard time like herself (Lina’s).

Seria was right, the proposal Lina had made out of spite had been such a reasonable one in retrospect. After Seria left, Kalis came to her (Lina) and looked at her in great pain. Her heart hurt a little when she saw that look…

First of all, it was Kalis who was in pain.

In the meantime, Lina didn't beg to marry Lesche Berg because he looked too hard in her eyes.

Then again…wouldn't it be great for Kalis to marry the Grand Duke Berg?

Because the man who wanted Seria to be alone the most was none other than Kalis.

On the other hand, Lina resented Seria.

Because if it weren't for Seria, Kalis would never have seen her (Lina) as a tool.

Then she wouldn’t feel hurt.

Until now, Lina had never properly exercised her power over any priest or noble.

That was because she was new to this world and had always been insecure.

But now ….

Lina wrapped her lower stomach tightly.

"Saintess?”

“Tell Kalis I can't divorce him right away."

***

‘Sir Abigail…did the priests take her money?'

Linon, who was walking with a bunch of documents, thought of this because of the people gathered in the corner of the garden.

In the corner of the Great Temple garden full of greens, the high ranking priests were in a circle with Abigail in the center.

Linon, who was naturally familiar with basic personal information about Abigail and her reputation in the temple, quickly made his way over.

Meanwhile, the priests had quickly parted ways, as if their business was done.

“Sir Abigail, what were you doing?”

Abigail looked at Linon indifferently.

“I was demonstrating how I can insert the sword on the stone floor.”

"……?"

Linon looked stunned.

"Why would people who will never hold a sword in their lives care about that?"

“I don't know."

“Did you do what they were curious about?”

Abigail put her hands on her hips in response to Linon's question. It was a moment.

Boom!

Abigail inserted her entire sword into the stone floor. Linon backed away with a grin. Abigail said without blinking.

"As you can see, it's a simple matter, and I wouldn't say no to it."

"……."

As Abigail retrieved her sword, stone dust scattered in the air. Linon did not want to say anything even remotely appropriate.

“Um, um, yeah, hmmm…We will be returning to Berg territory soon. As long as these papers are settled, that is."

These were the documents held in Linon’s arms.

This was the sum total of the sacred power that Lesche demanded from the Great Temple. The number was higher than usual, which made Linon curious.

‘Why is he asking for more sacred power when there's an archangel?’

It was like demeaning a reward because people were called in one way or another during this busy time. Lesche wasn't the type to lose money.

But with Seria around, Berg didn't need that much divine powers anymore…

Linon couldn't quite understand why he was demanding so much to stir things up.

He couldn't ask.

It was because Lesche’s atmosphere was very bad when he requested.

“His Highness is in a bad mood.”

Linon's voice naturally came out in sorrow. Even though he couldn't say this to Seria, Abigail was also in a position to serve someone like him.

He spoke a little more comfortably. He felt like he was talking about his worries in front of a large rock in the form of a person.

“I have no idea why but try to pick the options, Sir Abigail. Number one is the one where the Saintess proposed to the Grand Duchess. Number 2 is Marquis Haneton said he would raise the Grand Duchess’s child. Number three is what His Highness is doing today with the priests….”

Linon mumbled, not expecting a reply.

"Number three."

Abigail answered in a casual tone.

“Because of his uncontrolled behavior at the temple.”

Linon's eyes fluttered open.

“That's it, isn't it?”

“I'm sure of it."

"……!"

Yesterday, the priests stood frozen due to Seria’s divine power.

It turned out that Seria knew that she was going to be announced as the new Saint, thanks to supplementing the holy object with a frightening amount of divine power.

Until a few days ago, the temple building where Seria was staying had been visited from morning to evening by the priests.

The reverence for Stern was formidable, but after witnessing the immense divine power, some of the priests were even more desperate for Seria.

However, when it was mentioned that Lina could create the child of God, the nerves of sin leaned in that direction.

The original story was a tremendous miracle that was not even recorded in the Bible, but that was, well, the position of the Great Temple.

“Sir Abigail. I'm saying this just in case. You can't just sweep away the holy knights."

Abigail's brows furrowed. Linon was scared.

"I'm not going to do anything that the Lady won't like.”

"……."

Abigail said shortly and carried on walking, and as he heard that clean answer, Linon was taken aback.

‘This knight….what is it?’

Abigail was a mystery to Linon. The other day, Alliot, the commander of the Berg Knight, had shed concern as if Abigail were going to cause an accident. Linon had remembered and never forgot it.

Alliot's worry was not so wrong. Abigail had caused the legendary accident that had killed all the knights of Duke Howard's family. And yet she was a very silent knight. But she was also more insightful about people than he thought….

Something Seria said to him one day suddenly popped into his head.

"How did Bibi have such a narcotic charm?"

“Sir Abigail! Let’s go together!”

Linon quickly chased after Abigail, who was moving away.

***

“Now then, Stern, pray comfortably.”

When Seria entered, the priest closed the door himself.

This was one of the hundreds of prayer rooms in the temple. The Stern insignia was neatly positioned in front of the altar.

There was an old saying that the closer the Stern insignia was to the Stern, the more it shone. Instead of this, the Stern insignia was also shiny, probably because there were two Stern.

Lina was also Stern.

She may now have inherent divine power.

Seria stared at her hands, which were in prayer position. The reason she hadn't used her power on Lina was simple.

What if Lina dies?

This was the question.

Duke Dietrich, Baron Ison, and Nisso Kellyden passed out and coughed up blood….

Will Lina be okay?

She didn't want to be stigmatized as Saint’s killer.

There was no way to get Lina out separately. She was shaking more in the previous match than she thought. Perhaps she and Lina would clash. Even after Lina's official debut in imperial society, the priests would always follow her.

At first she thought she would try to make some time to talk to Lina alone as she felt very uncomfortable about Lina's unreasonable proposal…

But if Lina dies, she (Seria) would never be able to fix it.

Besides, she (Seria) had never killed anyone before.

So Seria waited until after Lina's divine power had been transferred to the sacred tree. Because if Lina had the divine power of God, it was safe for Seria’s divine power.

Then she didn’t know what the darkness was before, but God would not give inherent divine power to a saint who was not an equal and was tainted.

What would have happened if Lina didn't have a child with divine power? Seria had a lot of trouble figuring out how to use the divine power of the insignia on Lina. It was a selfish thought, but she had no choice.

That was when it happened. She heard someone coming into the prayer room. She didn’t request any annoying private prayers, so it wouldn’t be surprising if a noble came in.

It was strange. The footsteps that were walking stopped just behind her. A distance close enough to hug her from behind. There was no other sign of movement.

…What is it?

Seria turned around to look behind her and her shoulders shook. A man dressed neatly in a form-fitting uniform. The familiar silver hair and the red eyes staring at her…

It was Lesche.