I Will Not Fall For the Villain’s Flirtations - Chapter 76

“Excuse me, priest.”

People who didn’t even bother to ask my name usually called me that. Anyone could see I was a lady here for socializing, not a priest.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

I replied gently, not wanting to ruin my image, but inside, I was boiling with anger. I already had a good idea of what they were going to say.

“The gentleman who was with you earlier, is he really the Master of the Magic Tower?”

I knew it. I responded with a drawn-out ‘Yeees,’ and a fake smile.

First step: Confirming his identity. This was just a formality, but it had to be done.

“Is the truce really happening?”

“They say the negotiations are almost complete.”

Second step: Confirming the truce to ease their guilt. Why guilt, you ask?

“Oh, that’s good news. I heard he’s single. Does that mean he doesn’t have a lover?”

“……”

The relationship with the Magic Tower deteriorated rapidly about three years ago. Before that, it was just frequent friction, and before Keene became the Master of the Magic Tower, it was actually well-regarded as a place only top mages could go, like an academy.

I looked at the group of ladies who were looking at me with hopeful faces, all dolled up. At least on the surface, they didn’t look very young.

In other words, they were of an age less influenced by propaganda. The girls who had been directly affected by the terrifying image of the Magic Tower, which the Pope had started to instill three years ago, didn’t even show curiosity about Keene.

A sneer escaped me without realizing it. I tried to maintain a good impression, but it was impossible.

“Wouldn’t it be better to ask him directly?”

“What?”

“If you can’t even approach him, what are you expecting?”

“……”

I sensed that rumors about my rudeness would soon spread among my peers, but I had no regrets. To be precise, I was too exhausted to care about such things. Anyway, finding a husband this season was out of the question.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

The young ladies, perhaps shocked by my blatant hostility, didn’t stop me. It was awkward to sit there after turning red with anger, so I had to move.

“Sigh…”

Having nowhere to go, I ended up outside. Thanks to Viscount Ohanes, who meticulously arranged not only plants but also luminous stones, it wasn’t bad for a stroll.

“Unnecessarily handsome.”

Anger suddenly surged again. It was unbelievable that he received such favorable attention despite his notorious reputation. Is being handsome really the best? They probably don’t know how crazy he is. They should hear his insane ramblings.

“So annoying.”

In a fit of anger, I stomped my foot and ended up hitting a stone. Holding my aching foot, I whimpered for a moment, then sighed deeply as my frustration turned into a different kind of discomfort.

My stomach, which had been feeling uneasy, now felt even more so. Gulping down a cold drink might help, but I was too lazy to go back inside the mansion.

“…Is he looking for me?”

But that worry soon evaporated like vodka. Keene was a man who could find me like a ghost even without the magic he had implanted in my ear. He would find me soon enough this time too.

Would you accept me if I left the tower?

“……”

The words that suddenly echoed in my mind made me put down my throbbing foot. As my head grew more complicated, the pain in my foot gradually faded.

[If I leave the Magic Tower, would you marry me?]

[Why not?]

It occurred to me that he might indeed leave the tower if he were serious. But then…

[Surely you haven’t turned into an ‘after marriage’ kind of person just because you entered the temple, have you?]

[What should I do then?]

[Well, we should get married.]

[What did you just say?]

From the days long ago when he merely toyed with me and enjoyed my reactions, he had always been consistent. Even back then, he mentioned marriage without a hint of hesitation.

And the reason he could do that was probably…

[Is there anything that means something to you?

No.]

Because nothing held any meaning for him.

Even life-altering decisions carried no weight for him.

How could I trust a man like that? Even if he left the Magic Tower and avoided the villain’s ending in the original story, what would change? He wouldn’t change as a person.

It was pointless. I couldn’t even imagine a future with him. I couldn’t even be sure of his feelings.

At best, it was probably just interest. I didn’t know what aspect of me intrigued him, but it couldn’t be a noble emotion like love. It was obvious what would happen if I recklessly gave my heart to such a person.

[I think it would be okay to try.]

[It’s cute. The way you struggle.]

But why did those words keep lingering in my mind? Why did my heart race so foolishly?

Why is this happening? Do I want to believe it? Someone I never understood for a single moment? Duna Valorem, are you crazy?

“You’ve lost it. Completely lost it.”

No, no. It’s just that I want to escape reality. Having blown this season at such a late age, I just want to cling to something that would make me feel better.

[I’m always sincere.]

But what if.

What if he really meant it?

“…Sir Peidos?”

The train of my dangerously racing thoughts derailed the moment I saw a familiar figure riding a horse from afar. Dismounting from his white horse in front of the gate, Sir Peidos began walking briskly toward the mansion’s main entrance.

He was supposed to be on an expedition. Has he already returned? More importantly, what is he doing here?

Curious, I quickened my pace. Perhaps something had happened at the temple.

“Sir Peidos.”

“Duna!”

Hearing my voice, he turned immediately and approached me with quick steps. Without even catching his breath, he started speaking.

“You…”

But his words trailed off. For some reason, he hesitated. Just moments ago, he seemed to have urgent business, but now his demeanor was completely different, making me tilt my head in confusion.

“Chelin Sniter has been poisoned. He is in critical condition.”

“What?”

I was so shocked by the unexpected news that my mouth fell open. A calm explanation followed.

“We immediately started an investigation, but unfortunately, we haven’t found the culprit yet. The position of Great Saint cannot remain vacant, so the Cardinals urgently convened and selected candidates for the position. Primis Starring, and…”

His deep green eyes flashed as he stared directly at me.

“You.”

Before I could recover from the shock, a low question pierced my ears.

“Do you have any intention of accepting?”

“I…”

I exhaled a shaky breath, trying to process the shock. According to the script, it was inevitable that the protagonist Primis and Duna Valorem would become candidates for the Great Saint. But this seemed too fast.

It wasn’t supposed to proceed so hastily, and there were supposed to be a few more candidates. Moreover, Sir Peidos Carmel didn’t personally deliver this news to Duna Valorem either.

Although it was a brief moment, the answer had been clear long before I took leave. The day I achieved summa cum laude in the ordination exam flashed through my mind.

A thrill that extended from my temples to the tips of my toes. The joy that gripped my heart so tightly it hurt. The moment when, with the hope that maybe I too could do it, the world seemed as beautiful as if sprinkled with gold dust.

What happened to that brilliant time? It vanished before I could fully enjoy it. Just like a curtain falling.

The result of defeating an opponent I had never beaten in the original story was insignificant. Even though I took a different path from the novel’s plot, the protagonist was still Primis Starring. No matter what achievements I made, that didn’t change.

The path to becoming a candidate was such a path. A path leading to despair. I didn’t want to feel that defeat, that despair after a pointless hope, again.

I closed my eyes tightly and then slowly opened them, staring intently at Sir Peidos. With a faint smile, I shook my head slowly.

“Sir Peidos, thank you for delivering such an honorable message. But the position is too much for me. I am just…”

“The reason I came here to find you today is…”

Sir Peidos’s serious voice cut through my decision.

“To persuade you.”

“What?”

“I want you to accept.”

“……”

My brain froze again at the unexpected words. To persuade me? Does that mean he wants me to become a candidate for the Great Saint?

“It’s a selfish desire, but…”

He began with a small murmur, then looked straight at me and said,

“As you know, I am the next Guardian. Once the new Great Saint is elected, I will undergo the connection ceremony and live my life protecting that person.”

The connection ceremony binds the Great Saint and the Guardian as one entity. It is a vow to ensure the safety of the Holy Kingdom and to prepare for any impending doom. From that moment on, the Guardian’s top priority is the Great Saint. Sir Peidos Carmel would also step down as the commander of the Holy Gabriel Knights and devote himself to protecting the Great Saint.

“I’ve tried hard to control my emotions. To avoid having someone I want to protect more than the person who will become the Great Saint. I always suppressed and brainwashed myself, telling myself it wasn’t a deep feeling.”

“……”

“But when I heard you had taken leave to prepare for marriage, my heart… I couldn’t control it any longer…”

He sighed painfully, lowering his gaze. As his hand, which had been rubbing his eyes, lowered, his eyes filled with determination focused solely on me.

“I had no choice but to come running. Before it was truly too late.”

“……”

I was so confused that I could only stare blankly at him. He sighed deeply, ruffling his fine silver hair. Wetting his lips a few times as if nervous, he continued with a slightly softer expression.

“I’m sorry. For rambling on so incoherently. But I wanted to tell you before you made a betrothal with someone else. Please consider me as well.”

“…Sir.”

“I like you, Duna. I like you.”

“……”

“I want you to be the one I protect with all my body and soul for the rest of my life.”