Chapter 45
The nuns were busy looking for jewelry that would match her every time she changed into a new dress.
“Hmm.”
Pavella turned in front of the mirror, seemingly carefully appreciating how each dress emphasized her beauty.
“I’ll go with this one.”
After a long time of trying on dresses, she finally chose a black velvet gown.
The black veil draped halfway over her face was embroidered with precious gold threads, giving it a luxurious feel, and delicate gold stitching ran from the neckline and bodice down to the skirt, enhancing the dress’s elegance.
The wide sleeves were fitted with black cuffs, emphasizing serene beauty and elegance, and the waist cincher added a touch of modern sophistication that was currently in fashion across the Empire.
Her gaze lingered last on the golden pendant around her delicate, deer-like neck.
The pendant was set with a blazing red gemstone in the center, surrounded by finely engraved patterns on the metal.
Pavella touched the pendant and smiled.
“Shining brighter than ever. The Heart of Inferno…”
The Heart of Inferno.
A demonic artifact that, when worn, greatly enhanced mana and amplified her charm to the utmost.
Its only drawback was that it required periodic human sacrifices to maintain its effect.
“You are breathtakingly beautiful, Saint.”
“…”
At the nun’s bow, Saint Pavella only slightly lifted the corners of her lips.
“Now, let’s begin with your hair.”
Her attendant skillfully brushed Pavella’s flowing golden hair, then braided the strands at her temples, pinned them neatly above, and let the rest cascade gracefully over her dress.
Pavella quietly admired the way her radiant hair flowed elegantly over the gown.
Next came makeup.
A subtle rouge brightened her cheeks, and her eyelashes were coated with “kahol,” a mixture of coal powder and animal fat, making her eyes appear darker and more pronounced.
With makeup enhancing her natural beauty, she looked as if she could glow in darkness.
“Let’s go out now.”
“Yes, Saint.”
When she entered the banquet hall, all eyes were drawn to her.
The gathered nobles couldn’t stop exclaiming their admiration.
“Oh, the Saint has finally appeared!”
“It’s like the goddess herself has descended.”
Pavella was undoubtedly the most dazzling jewel, the brightest fragment of divinity.
Women gazed enviously at her attire and makeup, while most men raised their heads, staring in awe.
Priests and sub-priests in white robes embroidered with golden runes, as well as lower-ranking clerics in festive attire, bowed their heads like ripe autumn rice to her every step.
However, not everyone in the hall looked at her with reverence.
“…”
The young emperor glanced at her with a faint, disgusted smile before averting his gaze.
It was not the look one would give to a soon-to-be fiancée.
‘Disgusting.’
He was well aware that their engagement was a political tool of the holy nation.
Apart from being a member of the royal family, she had no power of her own—merely a convenient stepping stone.
Fine, mock me as you wish.
I’ll continue to play the part of a hopeless brat for a while.
He thought of the Night Hounds he secretly raised away from the eyes of nobles and the state.
He would wait until the dogs had grown large.
‘Until then…’
Clack.
Rosignol reached for the crystal glass on the table.
The steward poured a measure of amber liquid into the glass.
Rosignol preferred his whiskey dry and without ice.
The chilled glass barely touched his lower lip when—
“Ha!”
A commotion erupted not far from their table.
Apparently, there were more impudent souls not paying full attention to the Saint.
“Oh, catching it well, huh?”
The noise came from the table of the Kinzello triplets and their associates.
They were playing a game of who could catch peanuts tossed in the air more skillfully.
“You’ve improved a lot, Hon? Practiced just by eating?”
“Heh. Why? Jealous?”
“That peanut you dropped earlier…”
John’s remark made Hon look as if he had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer.
“You vile fiend. Using such dirty tricks! Aren’t you ashamed of the name Kinzello?!”
“I’ll never forgive you!”
“Isn’t that my line?”
“I anticipated that, so I went first.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
As John and Hon growled at each other, Dun slammed the table.
“Honestly, we’re not kids anymore. Why act so foolishly?”
“Exactly. And you were the one who tossed the peanut to Hon in the first place!”
Hon’s blue eyes glared fiercely at the youngest.
“I could give you a special experience of being hit with a peanut, if you’ve never had it before. Interested?”
While the three argued loudly, the Saint walking elegantly across the hall briefly cast a glance at them.
A faint displeasure appeared on her face.
She looked at them not as humans, but as if they were maggots swarming over a heap of filth.
“Everyone, please be seated.”
As soon as she sat, the nobles who had stood lightly bowed to her and then took their seats. That was the signal for the orchestra to withdraw from the stage.
Now, the children from the orphanage were ready to perform.
Creak.
The hall’s side door slowly opened, and the children began marching in orderly lines.
At the front was Ivin.
“Okay, line up slowly. Be careful not to trip.”
Rosignol, Theodore, and the triplets turned their heads simultaneously at the previously expressionless Ivin.
“Oh my, isn’t that the youngest daughter of the Kinzello family…?”
A noblewoman whispered in surprise at Ivin’s plain attire, ill-suited for a grand hall.
Ivin knew all eyes were on her but remained calm and composed, leading the children steadily.
“Alright, Ros, stand right in the center here.”
Ivin’s simple outfit had a reason.
Looking at the hall’s decorations and the nobles’ attire, she had a moment of ‘reality check.’
The cost of the caviar canapés they’d devour in a bite could instead provide an extra outfit for every child in the orphanage, or an extra potato in each meal.
The price of 100g of truffles per bite could fund iron supplements for all the children. A single bottle of wine could buy extra blankets to make winter warmer for them.
“Vi, over here! This way!”
Ivin joined the triplets at their table.
“Our little squirrel, good job.”
“The kids obey our princess well, don’t they?”
“Now sit and enjoy the show. You’ve been busy all day, Princess.”
The triplets fussed over Ivin as soon as she took her seat.
“Is it true your precious hands got dirty? Really, how could you do that…”
“Are your hands injured? Your delicate hands…”
“I’m fine, brothers. Really.”
While Ivin calmed them, the stage curtain slowly rose.
The children’s singing and acting were about to begin.
Where the Saint’s love had touched, under the blessing of the god Plula, the orphans laughed, sang, and enjoyed happy days.
Their dreams stretched high into the sky, full of hope under the dazzling sunlight, blooming blue under the light of Saint Pavella and the god Plula, hand in hand, running freely.
May the blessings of Plula always be with them.
Time passed.
Ivin glanced nervously out the hall window, looking around anxiously.
“Vi, what’s wrong?”
The youngest sibling’s unease was sensed by John, who leaned slightly toward her and asked kindly.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“Ah, no… it’s nothing.”
Ivin gave a vague answer, turning back to the stage, but her expression betrayed her worry.
‘It’s almost time for “that” to appear…’
The “that” Ivin was waiting for was an event from the original story.
Then—
Raaaaar!
In the midst of the children’s performance, a sudden roar came from outside.
Bang!
With an enormous crash, all the windows on one side of the hall shattered, and the wall began to collapse.
“Ahhhh!”
Panic spread through the hall as soldiers outside moved in an organized manner.
The full-scale response had begun.
“Evacuate the sponsors first! Quickly!”
