I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 799: Saintesses SS [2]

“I hope Lord Edward is all right…”

Maria’s face was clouded with worry.

Ever since he had suddenly collapsed in the hall during the birthday celebration, she had not been able to stop thinking about him. At the time, panic had seized her so completely that she had nearly burst into tears, especially after seeing what looked like a blade driven into him. Even now, the memory still made her chest tighten. Though it had turned out to be some sort of illusion, the shock of it had not faded so easily.

What frustrated her most was that she had not even been able to properly check on him afterward. The moment everything ended, she had been escorted away with the others and sent back under protection to the Church. Since then, news had been scarce. If anything, that incident had only made the Church even stricter about security, and they had become far more reluctant to let any of them go outside freely.

“Would you ever stop worrying about him?” Seraphina asked with a sigh.

She sat beside Maria on one of the wooden benches, sounding exasperated, though not entirely without affection. She had clearly heard enough about Edward for one day, yet Maria’s concern did not seem likely to disappear any time soon.

“But, Sera…” Maria lowered her eyes and tightened her hands in her lap. “He might be hurt. If he is, maybe we could help him…”

Seraphina gave her a look. “We already tried to help him back there. From what I saw, he was exhausted after using whatever power that was. That’s all. He didn’t look like someone on the verge of dying.”

Maria turned to her at once, hope flickering across her face. “Then you really think Lord Edward is fine?”

“Of course he is,” Seraphina said, as if the answer should have been obvious. Then, after a brief pause, she added, “If it bothers you that much, we can send him a letter.”

Maria’s expression brightened immediately. “Yes! Let’s do that!”

Seraphina stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. “A Saintess Candidate secretly sending letters to a man? Do you have any idea what kind of uproar that would cause if anyone found out?”

“Sera!” Maria’s cheeks flushed red at once.

Seraphina rolled her eyes, though there was a faint smile on her lips. “Fine, fine. We’ll think about it later.”

Maria let out a small breath, but the worry did not truly leave her. Her fingers curled tighter over her skirt as she looked down for a moment, then quietly murmured, “I wonder when we’ll see Lord Edward again…”

Seraphina glanced sideways at her. “Why do you want to see him that badly already?”

Maria hesitated, as if embarrassed by the question, then answered in a much softer voice. “Because he saved us, Sera… and when I saw him at the birthday party, I felt relieved.” She paused, her cheeks growing warmer. “I felt safe.”

Then she turned toward Seraphina with an earnest look. “Didn’t you feel the same?”

“W-What?” Seraphina blinked, clearly caught off guard. For a moment, she seemed unsure how to answer. “I mean… of course I’m grateful he saved our lives. Anyone would be. But it’s not like I want to see him every day the way you seem to.” She crossed her arms and looked away with a faint huff. “And keep those thoughts to yourself. People around here won’t like it if you start showing interest in a man. If the wrong person notices, you could end up losing your position as a Saintess Candidate.”

Maria’s expression dimmed slightly. “But I don’t even want to become the Saintess, Sera. You’re better than me at everything anyway. You’ll be the Saintess in the end.”

Seraphina’s face softened a little at that. “Are you scared of the role?”

Maria did not answer at once.

Seraphina leaned back slightly, then added with a teasing smile, “Or are you more scared of ending up married to someone you don’t even know after becoming the Saintess?”

“Sera!”

“I’m joking, I’m joking,” Seraphina said, lifting a hand dismissively. “But Grandpa did tell us it’s possible. We might even be matched with one of the Apostles one day. Maybe even the Apostle of Lumen we met back then. So yes, I can understand why you wouldn’t be thrilled about becoming the Saintess.”

Maria lowered her gaze again, her earlier blush fading into something more troubled. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet.

“I… I’m just scared…”

The worried look on Maria’s face did not escape Seraphina.

Without hesitation, she reached for her hand and held it gently.

“Are you thinking about those strange dreams again?” She asked softly.

Maria nodded.

“I don’t like them…” She whispered. “You’re not there with me, and I feel… different. Alone, Sera.”

Seraphina’s expression softened at once. She tightened her hold on Maria’s hand, as if to anchor her back to the present.

“I will never leave you alone,” she said. “You know that, Reina, don’t you?”

Maria gave a small nod before leaning her head against Seraphina’s shoulder. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The golden hall around them glowed faintly beneath rows of candlelight, yet Maria still looked perturbed, as though the shadows of those dreams had followed her even here.

After a while, Seraphina glanced down at her and remembered what Maria had said before.

“Then what were you so afraid of when I mentioned the Apostle of Lumen?”

Maria hesitated.

“I… don’t know,” she said, her gaze drifting toward the candles flickering across the hall. “When I see him, I feel drawn to him. Attracted.” Her fingers curled more tightly around Seraphina’s hand. “My heart starts beating so loudly… just like it does when I see Lord Edward.”

She lowered her voice.

“And I don’t like it…”

Seraphina blinked, then looked away for a moment before speaking.

“It happens to me too.”

Maria lifted her head at once, eyes wide with surprise.

“Eh? Your heart beats loudly for Lord Edward too?!”

“W—What? No!” Seraphina blurted out immediately, her face coloring. “Not that!”

Maria stared at her, still startled, while Seraphina let out a breath and tried to regain her composure.

“I meant the pull toward the Apostle of Lumen,” she said, more carefully this time. “I feel it too. I just… don’t think it affects me as strongly as it does you.”

Maria’s shoulders drooped a little, though she managed a faint smile.

“That’s because you’re stronger than me.”

Seraphina was about to reply when a new voice cut through the moment.

“And what do we have here?”

Both girls turned.

A girl their age stood a short distance behind them, her reddish-gold hair catching the candlelight as a small, self-satisfied smile played across her lips.

“Two Saintess Candidates whispering together,” Helena said, her eyes moving between them. “And smiling over the incarnation of Lucifer himself, no less. Isn’t that reason enough to have both of you removed from candidacy?”

Seraphina’s gaze hardened immediately.

“Do you have a problem, Helena?”

“No problem at all,” Helena replied lightly. “I’m merely concerned. It would be tragic if you two let yourselves be corrupted by that grey-haired demon.”

“L-Lord Edward is not a demon!”

Maria stood so quickly that even Helena looked mildly surprised. Her voice, usually so soft, had risen with unexpected force.

For a brief moment the hall went still.

Then Helena recovered, the smile returning to her lips, though sharper than before.

“Are you blind, Maria?” She asked. “Did you not hear the things he said to us? Did you not see the way he acted? Only a demon would whisper such lies to innocent girls just to stain them.” Her eyes narrowed faintly. “Don’t tell me you’ve already been corrupted.”

“All this because he touched you, Helena?” Seraphina said dryly. “Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a little?”

Helena turned toward her, openly incredulous.

“Just because?” She repeated. “You truly are a failure of a Saintess Candidate, Seraphina. We are meant to embody purity, and yet you speak as though being ensnared by that man means nothing.”

Seraphina crossed her arms, unimpressed.

“You were ensnared by him too, if I remember correctly. He had you pinned against the wall so close you could probably feel his breath—”

“E—Enough!” Helena snapped, her whole face flushing red. “Don’t speak such vile nonsense!”

“You started this, Helen,” Seraphina said with a shrug.

Helena drew herself up stiffly, smoothing her expression as best she could.

“Hmph. When my dear elder brother returns from his holy pilgrimage, I’ll be sure to tell him all about your disgraceful behavior.”

At those words, Maria instinctively reached for Seraphina’s sleeve and clutched it.

Seraphina, however, did not so much as flinch.

“By then, I’ll already be the Saintess,” she replied. “Even Ezekiel won’t be able to do much about it.”

Maria looked up at her with clear admiration, the tension in her face easing into a bright smile.

Helena’s own smile thinned.

“I will become the Saintess,” she said, placing a hand over her chest. “I am the only one fit to fulfill that role.”

With that, she turned sharply and walked away, flicking her hair back as she left.

Once she was gone, Seraphina let out a quiet sigh.

Maria looked after Helena for a moment before turning back.

“Why does Helena hate us so much, Sera?”

“She doesn’t hate us,” Seraphina said. “She just sees us as rivals because we’re all Saintess Candidates. Honestly, I wouldn’t even mind handing her the role…” She paused, then glanced at Maria. “But as expected, I think I have to become the Saintess.”

Her eyes lingered on Maria a moment longer.

‘I need to protect her.’

“Sera?”

Seraphina blinked, returning to herself.

“Hm? I was just thinking…” A smile slowly returned to her lips. “If I become the Saintess, then you’ll be free of all this duty.”

Maria tilted her head.

“And then,” Seraphina added, unable to resist, “you can spend as much time with Edward as you want.”

“Sera!”