Chapter 22
The next morning.
As expected, the temple bombing by the Gwangmyeongdan (Brilliant Light Sect) made the front page of the Empire’s newspaper.
The article detailed the scale of damage inflicted on the temple and declared that the Empire would launch a major crackdown on the sect for crossing the line.
“Looks like things will be noisy for a while.”
The Gwangmyeongdan would go on to stir up chaos all over the Empire, starting with the Grand Temple.
Hospitals, restaurants, cafes, boutiques—no industry was left untouched, and that included Daphne’s flower shop.
When all her cherished flowers were ruined, an enraged Daphne joined forces with Rio to take down the Gwangmyeongdan!
As a true protagonist, she scored yet another accomplishment.
‘Oh right, that was an actual arc.’
Well, they were the kind of villains who would eventually get their heads chopped off by the protagonists anyway, so there was no need to worry too much about them.
“What’s with the newspaper this early in the morning?”
An arm suddenly stretched out from behind the sofa.
Herace took the paper and naturally plopped down beside me.
“Gwangmyeongdan? What kind of tacky name is that?”
I gave Herace a strange look.
“That’s an oddly annoyed expression.”
“I was just reminded of how out of touch you are with the world.”
I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of face he’d make if he heard the rest of the story.
“That tacky cult you just insulted is actually a pseudo-religion founded by people who worship you.”
“What?”
Herace’s face twisted.
“They think the Empire is rotten and must be destroyed to bring about a new era. That’s their entire logic.”
“And what does that have to do with me?”
Suppressing my laughter, I spread my arms dramatically.
“Listen. These fanatics want to create a new world. Not exactly a simple task. Then, one day, they hear the tale of a legendary figure who singlehandedly destroyed the First Empire.”
“No way…”
Herace’s face fell rapidly as my stifled laughter began to leak out.
“That’s right. In their eyes, you’re a hero, maybe even a god. And since there are also rumors that you’re a demon? Well, that just makes the story perfect for people who reject and deny the existing gods.”
“Idiots. They worshipped the wrong person. The real demon is me!”
Ban, munching on some snacks, snorted and protested.
“They’ve lost their minds. Making a religion about me? I’ll burn the whole thing down.”
“Herace, calm down.”
“Maybe I should show them how the First Empire really fell.”
Muttering ominously, Herace rose to his feet.
He looked like he might set something on fire immediately, so I quickly tugged on his arm.
“It’s not their fault. You’re just too amazing. Let’s let it slide, just this once? Yeah?”
“Tsk. Try saying that without smirking.”
“Pfft! Ahahaha!”
That did it—I burst out laughing, slapping the armrest of the sofa.
“You hate it that much? Come on, at least they didn’t name it something like ‘Heraceism.’”
It was lucky they didn’t know Herace’s name. If they had, his name would’ve been plastered all over the Empire by now.
“If they had, I’d kill them all. I’d dig up the grave of the idiot who coined that name and burn it. First order of business: off with the cult leader’s head.”
“Don’t worry. That cult won’t last long anyway.”
Daphne would handle it all soon enough. We just had to sit back and watch the fireworks from across the river.
But Herace took my words differently.
“Sisi, you’re destroying them for me, aren’t you?”
“…How did you get that from what I said?”
“There’s a rumor that you destroy anyone who gets on your nerves.”
“…Huh?”
“Something about a ‘mad dog’ named Sienna Winter?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Everyone at the temple calls you that.”
…Well, yeah. With that many people, it would’ve been odd not to have heard the rumors.
“Sisi, you used to be kind of a big deal, huh?”
“…Don’t.”
“Were you some kind of street brawler? Or wait, since you were a mad dog, did you just bite everyone?”
“…Hrngghmm.”
I gave Herace a fierce glare, but it only made the mischievous glint in his eyes stronger.
“Stop looking at me like that. It’s too intense, I’m blushing.”
Blushing, my foot—his face didn’t even twitch. I squeezed my eyes shut in exasperation.
“I really should throw you out.”
“Mistress, abandoning a human is wrong.”
“Yeah, Sienna. Letting a guy like Herace loose on the world is a disaster. You woke him up—you take responsibility.”
Herace nodded at Ban’s words.
“I don’t like being called a stray, but he’s right. If you leave me, I might not survive the heartbreak.”
“Quit it. You’re not dying anytime soon. You can’t even leave my side.”
“Obviously. I belong to you.”
“No thanks.”
His low, teasing voice whispered near my ear. The ticklish sensation made me rub my ear reflexively.
“Ugh. What is with this disgusting atmosphere?”
Ban, in the middle of eating cake, gagged and clamped his hand over his mouth.
“I think I’m gonna be sick. Ew. I got chills…”
“Ban. That’s rude.”
“Sienna! Did you see Herace’s eyes just now? His eyeballs are weird!”
“The only weird one here is you. Want me to gouge yours out first?”
“Sienna!”
There it was. I was wondering when they’d start bickering today.
As usual, I watched the two of them squabble from the sidelines.
BANG!
Suddenly, the door burst open.
I quickly clamped my hand over Ban’s mouth.
“Oppa?! You can’t just come in without knocking!”
As expected, it was Noah. Rina followed behind him with some medicine.
“Wait a minute. I definitely heard a strange voice…”
Noah’s sharp gaze scanned every corner of my bedroom. His hunter-like stare made a cold sweat break out down my back.
“It’s just you and Herace?”
“Of course.”
Under Noah’s scrutiny, I subconsciously tightened my grip over Ban’s mouth.
“Mmmph!”
“…What was that sound?”
Noah’s eyes locked right onto Ban.
“That’s the doll you like, right? Hoya, was it?”
“No, I changed the name. He’s Ban now.”
As I patted Ban’s head and introduced him, Noah’s expression shifted in a strange way.
It was the face of someone genuinely concerned for me.
“…Sienna, I heard something weird coming from that doll.”
“Must’ve been stuffing coming loose. He’s old, so the filling’s falling out.”
“It sounded like someone choking.”
“No way. Look, it’s just a normal doll.”
I lifted Ban and shook him in front of Noah. Ban’s limp body flopped about.
“Our cute Ban. Time for snacks. Ah~”
But the one who opened his mouth wasn’t Ban—it was Noah, in shock.
“…Sienna. Are you okay? You seemed fine lately, but were you just pretending?”
“What are you talking about? Everyone played house with dolls when they were kids.”
I nudged Herace in the side, hoping he’d play along. He didn’t miss a beat and picked up a fork.
“Of course. We used to feed each other too. Here, ah~”
As the fork came toward me, I twitched and shook my head violently.
Noah’s expression grew graver by the second.
“N-no thanks. I’m full.”
“Then I’ll feed Ban.”
Rejected by me, Herace turned to Ban with a devilish grin and brought the fork to his face.
“Herace, you’ve lost your mind too. Step away. Now.”
“I’m afraid I can’t obey, young master. My master is the young lady.”
Their gazes clashed midair, crackling with tension.
‘There they go again…’
I sighed and downed the medicine Rina had brought.
These two always clashed like this because neither of them could stand to lose.
Well, more accurately, it was usually Noah getting annoyed at Herace’s over-the-top behavior.
“Sienna. Come here.”
As always, Noah pulled me away from Herace and had me sit beside him. Then he handed me a letter.
“Take this.”
“An invitation?”
“It’s been a while since you got a letter that wasn’t a lawsuit.”
“…Keep thoughts like that to yourself.”
The fact that it was a genuine, innocent remark rather than a joke like Herace’s made it even more irritating.
I tilted my head at the red seal with the imperial crest.
“Anyway, why would the palace be sending me an invite—oh.”
Of course. The princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.
‘I thought she’d never invite me again.’
I didn’t get along with the princess.
Not that I got along with anyone, but especially not her.
Ever since we clashed badly at the founding festival’s banquet six months ago, she’d gritted her teeth just at the sight of me.
‘She probably didn’t send this out of sincerity… No point going and stirring up trouble.’
I stuffed the invitation back into the envelope and said,
“I’m not going.”
“You’re not? But you said you’d wear the most expensive dress in the world and make every noblewoman jealous.”
Noah’s face clearly showed he didn’t expect me to refuse the ball.
“The princess’s party isn’t what matters right now. We need to find the apothecary. I’m not budging until we find Margo.”
Despite our family’s vast information network, Margo had been missing for over a month.
“Actually, that’s what I came to tell you. Sienna, we’ve found information on Margo.”
