The Guidebook for Villainesses
The Guidebook for Villainesses - Chapter 53

鈥淧ardon? No, it鈥檚 not like that.鈥?/p>

鈥淚t鈥檚 okay to be honest.鈥?/p>

It felt like Isadora would actually make Lara a saintess if she told her honestly. Only after Lara said no three times was she able to get through Isadora.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a relief.鈥?/p>

Isadora let out a sigh of relief. Then she subtly twisted the corners of her lips and said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 better not to do such troublesome work. Now that so many people are cheering for the saintess, it seems like a position that has a lot of power and influence鈥?But in a little while, they will also realize.鈥?/p>

鈥淩ealize what?鈥?/p>

鈥淚f the saintess in question grants someone鈥檚 wish, other people will also cling to her and ask her to grant their wishes too. If she listens to someone鈥檚 request, other people will get mad. Later on, when she saves someone, she will get resentment from the whole world.鈥?/p>

I see.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what a saintess is.鈥?/p>

Lara slowly lowered her big eyes. Isadora鈥檚 calm voice and the cheering crowd outside the window were strangely mixed.

鈥淣ot only will the saintess be politically used between the royal family and the temple, but she will also have to take the lead in dangerous and hard work.鈥?/p>

Why does it remind me of my past the more I listen to it?

鈥淕od is the almighty so it鈥檚 enough for him to just be a witness up there, but a saintess is a human so it will be painful all the time.鈥?/p>

鈥淟iving for others鈥hile ending up losing herself.鈥?/p>

鈥淒on鈥檛 worry too much. Princess Sonnet is not a saintess. I鈥檓 sure the royal family already knows about that.鈥?/p>

It was not Sonnet that she was worried about, but herself. However, Lara just nodded.

鈥淲hat in the world is the temple doing?鈥?/p>

Isadora, who was grumbling, held the knife and accidentally scratched the plate. It was a surprisingly sharp sound. She slipped down the steak she had been cutting and took a sip of wine. Then, she rolled her eyes with a haughty face and looked at Lara.

Lara looked out of the window, pretending not to hear anything, with a nonchalant face for her mother. Isadora said to Lara.

鈥淟ara.鈥?/p>

鈥淵es?鈥?/p>

鈥淒o you still have pocket money left?鈥?/p>

She still had a lot of pocket money. Lara was going to say that mother did not have to give any pocket money to her because she still had enough. Then, she found her mother looking at her with an anticipated face. She closed her mouth once and opened it again. Then she said with a slight smile.

鈥淢other, please give me some pocket money.鈥?/p>

Isadora鈥檚 face has become noticeably brighter.

鈭樷倞鉁р攢鈹€鈹€鈹€鈹€鈹€鉁р倞鈭?/p>

A few more days later, public opinion leaned toward the farmer鈥檚 wife. The nobleman with his daughter also tried hard, but he could not overcome the story of someone who had already experienced miracles. Furthermore, as people began to testify how arrogant and debauched the daughter of the nobleman usually was, it triggered a huge backlash from some people.

By the time rumors of the fake saintess鈥?ugly past spread out of control, people had called on the temple to investigate them. Not only the daughter of the nobleman but also the farmer鈥檚 wife. Some bold people also said that Princess Sonnet, who was hiding in the royal family, should also be brought to the temple for investigation.

Their argument seemed reasonable at first glance. The saintess was an existence that we would believe and follow, so she needed to prove that her past was clean.

It was ridiculous鈹€For those who put on the mask of a saintess even though they were not one, and those who said such and such about the saintess鈥?qualification even though they were not God. It was no wonder that Lara鈥檚 attitude as she watched them became more cynical.

鈭樷倞鉁р攢鈹€鈹€鈹€鈹€鈹€鉁р倞鈭?/p>

It was late at night. Lara was walking along the riverside trail in front of the manor with Demian. As if there had been no typhoon, the river flowed quietly. Except for the height of the water, nothing had changed.

She had a lot on her mind.

鈥楢m I a saintess or not?鈥?/i>

A few hours ago, Lara took a letter opener without Konny knowing and made a small wound on the back of her hand.

It was a very small, shallow wound. A bit of blood came out, but the wound healed before the pain could properly be felt. Unless God had done wonders, it could not be explained the reason she had returned to 10 years ago and acquired a body with a horrifying healing power.

She wanted to ask.

鈥榃hy me?鈥?/p>

She wanted to ask the great existence if there was a standard for choosing people, what was so special about her that she was chosen. To be honest, she did not want to be a saintess again. Everything her mother said was right. It was so hard even when she was a fake, it might be unbearable if she became a real saintess. On the other hand, she had this thought.

鈥業 don鈥檛 want to know.鈥?/p>

It did not seem bad to live comfortably without knowing anything. Being loved by her mother, enjoying a party with her friends every day, and dating a man like Demian.

How should I live my life?

No.

鈥楬ow do I want to live?鈥?/i>

Lara, who was walking slowly along the white sand shore, stopped walking when she reached an out-of-the-way corner. When Lara stopped walking, Demian, who was walking in stride beside her, had also stopped walking.

鈥淒emian.鈥?/p>

鈥淵eah.鈥?/p>

鈥淚f you find out who the real saintess is, are you going to take her to the Empire?鈥?/p>

鈥淚 should.鈥?/p>

鈥淲hat if she says no?鈥?/p>

鈥淚 have to convince her.鈥?/p>

鈥淏ut if she still says no, what are you going to do then?鈥?/p>

Demian, who thought about it for a while, grinned and said.

鈥淚 will have to think about it then.鈥?/p>

鈥淭hen鈥?what if the current situation, where we don鈥檛 know who the saintess is, keeps on going?鈥?/p>

鈥淚鈥檓 sure Acerus will give me another order.鈥?/p>

Demian looked at Lara鈥檚 face after giving his answer. Then, he said with a smirk.

鈥淚 won鈥檛 go if you tell me not to.鈥?/p>

鈥淲hat?鈥?/p>

鈥淚f you tell me not to go, I won鈥檛 go anywhere. I can just send the saintess alone. Even if Acerus orders me to come back, he can鈥檛 do anything if I decline.鈥?/p>

鈥淎ren鈥檛 you his subordinate?鈥?/p>

鈥淪ubordinate, my foot.鈥?/p>

Demian let out a low sneer. Come to think of it, this man is the savior of the Crown Prince of Tarragon who saved him on the battlefield. It meant that the two were very close. Lara did not know that before, so she was very surprised when she found out about that.

鈥淲hy does the Crown Prince need the saintess? Is it something you can tell me?鈥?/p>

鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason why I can鈥檛. Some people already know about it.鈥?/p>

Demian came closer to Lara. Then, he spoke in a heavier voice than usual.

鈥淚t鈥檚 because of the war against the demons.鈥?/p>

鈥淎h鈥︹€?/p>

鈥淎cerus is gathering military strength to prepare for war. Hautean is not included because this country is too weak. If it鈥檚 a country that can be overturned by just a few black sorcerers, when the real demon shows up, far from giving help, this country will only get in the way.鈥?/p>

鈥淵ou take the saintess because she鈥檚 helpful, and then throw the rest away.鈥?/p>

Her mouth was bitter. Her heart ached as if she had swallowed a bitter pill. Demian鈥檚 voice sounded colder than usual.

鈥淲hat the demons want is the domination of this continent. If it鈥檚 taken away, not only Hautean, but the entire continent will be their breeding ground. Humans will be treated as their livestock and will then go extinct.鈥?/p>

鈥淚 understand.鈥?/p>

Lara, of all people, could understand that. She had experience witnessing a demon who appeared in Hautean before she died in her past. She heard he was a high-ranked demon even in the demon realm and was classified in the level of the demon lord. The demon burned half the western part of the Kingdom in just one day. With only two of those things, this country would disappear from the map without even getting to scream.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such an important thing. How can you not go even if I tell you not to? Shouldn鈥檛 you go and protect the Crown Prince?鈥?/p>

鈥淚t has nothing to do with me.鈥?/p>

鈥淎re you allowed to say that?鈥?/p>

鈥淟ara, you better not expect loyalty from me. Although I鈥檓 doing this mission because Acerus asked me to do it鈥?But even if I decline, he won鈥檛 punish me.鈥?/p>

鈥淚鈥檓 not expecting loyalty from you.鈥?/p>

Lara, who hesitated a little, glanced at Demian and said.

鈥淵ou still have your comrades back in the Empire. The people who would never stop waiting for you to come back.鈥?/p>