Chapter 12
“Are you really sure about this?”
A soft, melodious voice brushed against my ear like a gentle wind.
Turning back before stepping into the carriage, I saw Leandros standing quietly at the spot where he had followed me to bid farewell, offering his last words.
“What do you mean?”
I smiled casually, and faintly, his brow furrowed.
“The slums…”
He finally spoke, hesitating before continuing.
“It’s a world so vastly different from where you live, Grace.”
“That figures. The place I live is full of the upper class, where money flows freely. The slums are full of people who can’t even get the water the wealthy use.”
“……”
“What’s that look for? Do you think I wouldn’t know that much?”
He seemed incredulous at my answer, so I gave him a sidelong glance, and he hurriedly replied:
“I thought you were a flower in a greenhouse.”
I didn’t respond, sensing there was more he wanted to say.
“I… I meant, I worried that seeing a real, harsh place might shock you. That you might be appalled, trembling, and leave without finishing what you came to do. I… I acted rudely without meaning to.”
His unnecessary honesty didn’t even make me angry.
“I have some prior commitments and won’t be able to participate in the volunteer work. This one will last a month, and I worried since I couldn’t watch over you closely.”
He added a little nickname and spoke so candidly.
“Of course, I know Grace is kind and gentle, but experiencing a world you’ve never known, it’s hard not to be shocked.”
Hearing his thoughts about me wasn’t unpleasant.
“So you were worried I’d see the slums, be surprised, curse the place, and leave?”
I didn’t get a direct answer.
‘Just as I know Leandros well, he knows me.’
If it had been my old self, this kind of concern would have been warranted.
From the moment the topic of the slums came up, I would have complained loudly to Milla about why I had to go there.
‘But I’m no longer a fool who doesn’t know anything.’
I put aside the unspoken circumstances for now and smiled, telling him not to worry.
“Sure, many might be surprised by my actions… but…”
I paused for a moment, meeting his clear, bright eyes.
His blue, lake-like eyes were so beautiful that I unexpectedly found myself speaking sincerely.
“I won’t do anything to disappoint you. So trust me, Leandros.”
“I do.”
His immediate reply made me smile, satisfied.
With no time to waste, I finished our farewell and stepped into the carriage.
“Miss, are you really serious?”
I barely escaped Leandros’ questioning, only to be confronted by Wendy as soon as I boarded. Her tone was almost scolding.
“Are you really volunteering? In the slums, no less?”
Her expression, like Leandros’, was one of disbelief. But whereas his had been concern, hers was more a lack of trust.
‘Even if she has her reasons to suspect I’m an assassin, should I really be so casual with her?’
Judging by her stubborn, incredulous face, she clearly didn’t believe me.
I couldn’t recall if she had acted like this in my previous lives—servants and attendants rarely drew her attention.
Punishing her arrogance would be satisfying, but it was too early to dismiss her, so I simply answered.
“I am serious.”
“But the slums… How can someone as noble as you go to such a place?”
Her tone contained both worry and a subtle rebuke, as if saying, “What could you possibly do there?”
‘Yes, that’s a normal reaction.’
I recalled Leandros’ worried face just before.
“Are you really sure about this?”
A cautious man, unable to shake off his concern, had stood frozen, watching me before moving.
‘No wonder he was so gentle—he saw me poisoned. And yet, he still stands up for me even in front of Milla.’
So, to meet his expectations, I resolved to make the slum visit count.
“The slums? Where all the worst of society gathers?”
Wendy, unable to contain her frustration, exclaimed, and I glanced at her briefly before looking away.
“Even if it seems impossible, you’re not giving up on becoming a saint already, right? Threats won’t work on people struggling to survive day by day!”
“So?”
“Strange… Why aren’t you angry at the word ‘impossible’? You don’t plan to become a saint?”
It seemed Wendy would be my companion for a while. As she said, I had little interest in the position of saint.
The post bends to the will of the Pope and cardinals, and I couldn’t even protect Leandros from them. Why bother?
I wanted a position with far greater influence than a saint. And conveniently, someone in the slums could help provide it.
“Are you serious?”
She hit the nail on the head, but I pretended not to hear.
“Of course not. Why would I go to the slums if I didn’t intend to become a saint?”
“Your reaction is a little odd… But really, are you going to the slums? That place doesn’t suit someone like you. I’m scared just thinking about it…”
I ignored her muttering as I rested my chin against the window.
‘The slums aren’t a big deal.’
I’ve been from the most luxurious places to the vilest ones.
Back then, I was exhausted. I despised the temple, vilified saints, committed countless crimes, and wanted to give up entirely after endless deaths and regressions.
When I was given a new life, I decided to do nothing.
I let go of the social blossom status I had fought to keep, refused to be engaged, and idled foolishly. That was my crime.
The person who killed the saint appeared, and I was framed as the culprit.
With no means of protecting myself, my family promised to clear my name, but the council refused to shield me.
Yes, I became a sinner, and with the help of a brother who opposed such injustice, I fled.
To a place I never expected—yes, the slums.
‘Soon, I’d have been exposed, interrogated for heresy, and executed in a witch trial.’
I had learned that giving up changes nothing.
‘I’ve survived and fought in the slums before, so visiting it won’t be hard.’
I had struggled to survive in the filthiest, harshest place, so I knew its problems and needs firsthand.
‘There’s no reason to avoid a fight where victory is obvious.’
I didn’t know why Milla was so hostile, but seeing her face crumple slightly brought an involuntary smile.
Little did I know, I was about to encounter an entirely unexpected variable.
The weather was clear, the cool breeze made the day pleasant.
Yet despite the fine weather, most of the volunteers’ expressions were anything but cheerful.
‘Why do we have to do this?’
‘Suddenly volunteering? With our low rank, we can’t refuse this menial work.’
The stench from poorly maintained sewers, the unwashed, grimy people, and the gloomy, anxious crowd made this a place no one would want to linger.
The volunteers silently moved the supplies, mostly junior clerics assigned to Milla.
Serving a saint candidate might have been an honor, but they looked like they had been dragged here against their will.
‘It would’ve been nice if they were serving Lady Aperdita instead.’
‘Clearly, that lady will become a saint.’
The Aperdita family openly desired the saint position, and the temple would surely install Grace as the saint, making Milla and her subordinates cling to their tenuous control. No wonder their morale was low.
“Thank you for spreading God’s love on such a fine day.”
Unlike them, Milla radiated energy and passion.
Previously, she had been timid and unsure, ignored by the clerics, but today she carried herself with proper nobility.
