Chapter 38
The face that turned toward her was slightly frowning.
“It’s nothing. Let’s keep going, Raymond.”
“……”
And so, we exited the maze garden.
Once outside, a crowd of people came into view.
I wasn’t used to seeing this many people, since I usually left the party when it was nearly over.
Katrina awkwardly followed behind Raymond.
As they entered the banquet hall, all eyes turned toward them.
At first, people looked at Raymond, then they looked at Katrina, and finally, they looked at the two of them together.
Raymond and Katrina.
As if the two of them being together was something extraordinary.
Katrina kept her head down, staring only at the ground.
Her shoelaces, which she had tied so neatly, had come undone.
She needed to tie them…
The loosened laces were terribly bothersome, but she didn’t act on it.
If she knelt here to tie them herself, everyone would stare and whisper.
Nobles were expected not to even tie their own shoes.
“That’s my friend over there,” Raymond said.
Katrina followed the direction of his pointing finger.
Amidst a colorful garden of blooming flowers, a figure with no color caught her eye.
A pure white boy.
His hair, his skin—everything was white.
At that moment, their eyes met. Deep crimson eyes stared back at Katrina.
“…Lucifer Orléans?”
Katrina instinctively said the boy’s name.
He, too, was one of the male leads from the game.
What she also knew about Lucifer was his family, the Orléans.
Weren’t they the priestly family that had produced two Popes?
There were even rumors that Lucifer himself would become the next Pope.
Katrina had once met Lucifer’s father.
When divine power had manifested in her body, she had been summoned by the temple and met the Pope.
But this was her first time seeing Lucifer, his son.
Apparently, he had stayed in his territory due to poor health and had only recently come to the capital.
“You don’t even know me, but you know Lucifer,” Raymond said, clearly exasperated.
“I told you I’d introduce him.”
“For the record, you’re the one who dragged me here.”
“Should I take it back, then?”
So fickle.
Honestly, Katrina didn’t care if he introduced them or not.
Truthfully, this situation made her very uncomfortable.
There were too many reasons for it—Lucifer, like Raymond, was someone who attracted attention. His status was troubling. And the fact that he was a male lead in the game…
There were plenty of reasons to be uneasy, and none to feel at ease.
“If you’re not going to introduce us, then I’ll just…”
“I see you’ve brought someone, Raymond. Who is she?”
She was just about to say she’d be on her way—
But then the white-haired boy approached them.
Raymond clicked his tongue.
“This is Katrina, Lucifer. Say hello.”
The gazes that had been fixed on Raymond now turned back to Katrina.
“I thought you should meet Lucifer,” Raymond added.
“Really?”
At that moment, Lucifer’s crimson eyes sparkled.
“Nice to meet you, Katrina.”
“……”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
His bright smile was as pure as white snow.
That was how Katrina remembered her first meeting with Lucifer.
*
Gilbert felt relieved.
Finally, he’d gotten rid of the troublesome girl!
“My lord… I’m not sure if it’s right to confine Lady Katrina Aviche like this,” his retainer said cautiously.
“She’s a direct descendant of the Aviche family, and if she didn’t actually steal the relic and there’s more to the story…”
“I’m aware of that,” Gilbert replied.
He had no real intention of harming Katrina.
However…
It was because of the Duchess, Berta.
Though Berta had told him to prevent the culprit from being caught, Gilbert had failed to do so.
Now, he had to deal with her displeasure.
But since Katrina had caused such a scandal, locking her up like this would satisfy the Duchess.
She said she wanted the girl sent to a convent.
The culprit had been caught, and as long as he fulfilled that request, that was enough.
Since this territory was managed by Duchess Berta, Gilbert needed her favor.
“I plan to break her spirit a little,” he said.
Solitary confinement was not easy. After a few days, she would realize her place.
“I won’t release her until she admits to stealing the flute.”
And so, three days passed.
“Prepare a lavish meal. Something truly mouthwatering.”
Next step…
“Summon Katrina Aviche.”
He had used the stick. Now it was time to offer a carrot and train her properly.
Gilbert invited all the castle’s guests.
When the grand feast was laid out, the guests couldn’t stop expressing their admiration.
“What a spectacular meal, my lord!”
“To receive such a fine reception—we’re overwhelmed.”
Gilbert was pleased with how everything was going just as he had planned.
He looked at Katrina. Throughout the meal, she hadn’t said a word.
“How is the food, Lady Katrina?”
“……”
“Is it to your liking?”
All of this was arranged for her sake.
The noble and generous lord versus the girl labeled as cursed for being possessed by a relic.
A contrast that couldn’t be clearer.
Satisfied, Gilbert took a sip of his wine with a smile.
“Yes. It’s fine,” Katrina said as she dabbed her lips gently with a napkin.
She remained quiet throughout the entire meal.
Gilbert was confident he had succeeded in crushing her spirit.
“Ahem. Lady Katrina, during your stay here, there were some… unpleasant incidents. I organized this gathering to make amends for that.”
Everyone held their breath at his words.
This was the most sensitive issue of all.
When word had spread that Katrina—who had been accused of stealing and using a relic—would be present, everyone had been on edge.
“I’m willing to forgive the past, Lady Katrina,” Gilbert declared, as if offering her absolution in front of everyone.
He wanted to show, at least for tonight, that he held the upper hand.
“Life in solitary must be lonely. Isn’t it time to just admit what you did?”
“……”
“You should leave that cell.”
Gilbert gave her a benevolent smile.
As soon as he finished speaking, a thrilling sense of satisfaction coursed through his body.
“Yes, it is time to leave that place,” Katrina said.
Gilbert looked at her with scorn.
But Katrina’s eyes widened.
“So you’re admitting to the crime?” he asked.
“That’s not what I meant,” she said calmly.
What was that supposed to mean?
She was supposed to be on the verge of being kicked out.
She shouldn’t even be able to hold her head up in this room.
But her demeanor was strangely confident.
“I meant that I’m leaving because I’ve uncovered the truth behind the incident.”
Gilbert was stunned.
“…What?”
“Including the incident from eleven years ago.”
Katrina’s black eyes were icy cold.
And with that, the entire banquet hall erupted.
“The truth? What do you mean? The culprit has already been caught!”
What nonsense was this woman spouting?
Gilbert was rattled.
“What if the real culprit is someone else?”
At that moment, the dining hall exploded in murmurs.
