Chapter 08:
“—Huff.”
I took a deep breath and lowered my leg.
The man, his face pale, was trembling on the ground, rolling around. His mouth opened and closed like a fish.
Did it land properly?
Looks like it did.
I admired my newly discovered talent and firmly grabbed my skirt.
Then, while asking the very practical question of why the Saintess’s clothes only consisted of skirts that made running difficult, I started running.
“S-Seren…!”
That damn “Seren.”
At the groan from behind me, I clenched my teeth, then lifted my head as the wind brushed against my face.
The blue sky stretched wide above, white clouds drifting like a painting. Leaves rustled in the breeze.
“—Hahaha!”
The refreshing scenery made me burst into laughter.
“I should’ve done this sooner!”
I raised both arms high and grinned.
After getting hit there twice, there’s no way that guy will come near me again!
At that moment, my skirt dropped and I stumbled over it.
I quickly lifted it again.
“Ugh!”
Still, I shouldn’t let my guard down.
Thinking about the original story, Rexton wasn’t the type to give up easily.
But I’ll be working with a mage, and more importantly, I’ll avoid him as much as possible. That should help, right?
If I can just hold out until Alexandra files for divorce—
Then the death flag from the original story is gone.
Once Alexandra files for divorce, Rexton will become obsessed with her, suffer endlessly, and eventually head toward a happy ending.
Yeah. That’s the best outcome—for me and for the protagonists.
…Or is it?
Is that really a happy ending?
…Huh?
My legs, which had been running smoothly, suddenly felt heavy.
Is that truly a happy ending for everyone?
My steps slowed—
Then stopped.
Panting, I looked back in the direction where Rexton had fallen.
Honestly.
If I’m being completely honest—
“…I don’t know.”
I murmured emptily.
An affair takes two people.
If the Saintess is the villain for it, then isn’t her partner just as guilty?
I lifted my gaze, staring into the distance. The original story played through my mind like drifting clouds.
Rexton—
The one who ignored and mistreated Alexandra, eventually branding her as a “villainess.”
The one who didn’t help her when she was isolated in the mansion and in society—
but instead drove her to death.
The one who made her learn of his passion… through another woman.
Why should he end up with Alexandra?
Why?
I took a sharp breath.
To be honest, while reading the original story, I always hoped Alexandra would divorce him and live happily on her own.
But now—
This is happening right in front of me.
And I’m supposed to just let it play out?
The heat in my head cooled instantly.
Right now, I have no right to interfere.
Of all characters—
I possessed the Saintess.
The villain.
Swoooosh—
The wind swept through the garden.
The rustling leaves, once refreshing, now sounded like screams.
“…Ugh.”
I licked my lips and tasted blood.
I must have bitten them too hard.
Thump. Thump.
I could feel my pulse in my lips.
The heartbeat of someone still alive.
“…Haa.”
I exhaled slowly.
Right.
I’m alive.
And I need to survive.
I won’t die meaninglessly like before.
So—
Cut it off.
Unlike me, the villain—
The protagonists are guaranteed a happy ending.
Pressing my aching lips with my fingers, I turned toward the library.
Recently, whenever I had time, I had been gathering information from books and records.
That was the only way for a villain like the Saintess to increase her chances of survival.
***
The Felond Duke’s estate was in full bloom with May flowers.
As Rexton dismounted his horse, he let out a faint groan.
Hearing it, the servant holding the reins asked carefully,
“Master, are you feeling unwell anywhere…?”
“Get lost.”
Rexton spat harshly.
The servant flinched and lowered his head immediately.
But a question formed in his mind.
Why is the master in such a bad mood?
Usually, after visiting the Grand Temple, even his terrible temper softened.
If you played your cards right on days like that, you could earn a nice tip.
That’s all the servant had tried to do.
Did something happen?
As he led the horse away, he glanced back.
Rexton, who usually walked with arrogant confidence, was limping slightly today.
It wasn’t just him who noticed—other servants were also stealing glances.
Insolent fools.
Feeling their gazes, Rexton ground his teeth.
To the butler following him, he said coldly,
“Fire everyone outside.”
“Yes, sir.”
The butler bowed. It wasn’t an unusual order.
As Rexton walked down the hallway, he asked casually,
“Where is she?”
“She”—the butler understood immediately.
“There is only one person in this mansion referred to that way.”
“The Duchess is in the office.”
“The office?”
The woman who usually shut herself in her room was… in the office?
She can’t even speak the imperial language properly.
Rexton scoffed.
At the same time, he resented the circumstances that forced him into this marriage.
The Felond family had been granted a ducal title after great achievements in past mage hunts.
But over generations, their wealth declined—
Until his grandfather, infamous for luxury and indulgence, left behind massive debt.
His parents couldn’t bear it and took their own lives.
Rexton, becoming a young duke, refused to follow the same path.
Thus, a political marriage.
But no family in the Holy Empire could cover such debt.
Then they found the Famel Viscount family of the Karem Kingdom—
A wealthy trading house with a daughter just over twenty.
At first, it was unpleasant to propose marriage to such a low-ranking family.
But they offered an enormous dowry.
After negotiations, the marriage was settled.
In the end, Rexton paid off all debts and even reclaimed lost lands and mines.
And Alexandra—
became the Duchess of Felond.
At one point, I thought it wasn’t a bad deal.
But now—
He wasn’t so sure.
Even if it was a mutual arrangement, a duchess who couldn’t speak the language properly was a problem.
And a woman who trembled just seeing his face could never handle high society.
At one point, he even called her “a useless parasite.”
She had understood that, at least—
lowering her head with a pale face.
Then she asked to host a tea party.
He had no expectations but allowed it anyway.
As expected—
She failed.
After that, Alexandra shut herself in her room.
All authority was handed to the butler and head maid.
That’s how it was supposed to be.
And yet… the office?
He let out a dry laugh.
He had warned her—
“If you’re incompetent, doing nothing is the best help.”
Did she forget already?
Or maybe—
She never understood in the first place.
He hated those who challenged his authority.
And even more—
those who couldn’t understand him.
He deliberately made loud footsteps as he pushed open the office door.
“What are you doing—?”
His eyes widened.
The scene inside—
was completely different from what he expected.
“…What are you doing?”
