COARV Chapter 24

He'd definitely heard Lina's shout. What would Kallis think of me? Would he think I was a villainess tormenting the pitiful, tragic saint? Like in the original? Like just before he cut off Seria's head in the original?

I couldn't understand Lina's actions at all.

Why on earth?

"Lina."

Unable to accept it, I stared at this lovely saint. Her pale face. Her innocent-looking dark eyes. Her short bob swaying on her shoulders.

"Kallis is outside… So why are you saying this now? Do you want him to hear? Want him to hear and not misunderstand your true feelings? Or do you want me to look like a bad person?"

"……."

Lina's eyes shook violently. Mine were probably shaking just as much. Normally I would've used polite speech with Lina, but I had no luxury to worry about that now. I was genuinely curious.

"Why? I didn't torment you…?"

I'd had no intention of clashing with Lina. I meant it. I had various grievances against her, but that was all. I'd never truly thought about tormenting the female lead beloved by the gods in the original.

What mattered to me was my life. I just wanted to survive. Everything was the result of struggling desperately not to die horribly. What else did I do wrong besides that?

The color gradually drained from Lina's face. She looked frightened like a child. In the original, she was a female lead who cleverly defeated villainesses, but plausibility is always necessary. Lina couldn't even properly handle Haneton's noblewomen. It meant she couldn't skillfully handle situations that made her look like a villainess this early in the original's beginning, creating such circumstances herself.

Continuing with Lina seemed pointless, so I just turned away.

"Get out."

"Seria!"

The moment Lina ran over and grabbed my arm. Whether she'd misstepped, her body lurched violently. Her body, which seemed about to fall toward me, floated up into the air like a lie.

"……!"

The full moon I'd thought was large tonight suddenly filled my vision like the sun. One of Lina's shoes fell to the floor, then her shocked eyes turned toward me. She was being sucked into the air. I quickly reached out to grab Lina, but I was too late. Nothing caught.

The terrace emptied completely.

"Seria!"

The door burst open at the same moment. It was Kallis. A servant followed him in with a pale face.

Kallis pressed close to the balustrade and looked down. But he didn't seem to find Lina's broken limbs or anything. Only Lina's shoe, fallen right in front of me, remained vividly.

"…Seria."

Kallis looked at me and asked in a trembling voice.

"Did you… push Lina?"

Those words felt like being struck on the head. My hands instantly turned ice cold.

"Marquess? What are you saying!"

The servant seemed to cry out without thinking, then gasped and shut his mouth. I looked at the servant. I'd heard that going to check the glacier every winter day had improved my reputation among Berke Castle's servants.

I shifted my gaze and stared quietly at Kallis.

"You only hurt people to the very end, don't you, Kallis."

The moment my words ended.

The moonlight disgorged Lina like a lie.

"Huk, huk…! Aaah! Ahhh! Don't abandon me…. Don't abandon me…!"

"Lina!"

"My lady!"

Lina, seized by panic, clutched her head and curled up screaming. As if terribly frightened by someone, she curled her body with an agonized expression. Simultaneously, pure white divine power bloomed across her wrists and cheeks. Though I hadn't seen it myself, they said when Lina first descended to this Berke territory's frozen lake, such patterns had been drawn on her skin.

The priest stationed in Berke territory had hurriedly informed the Grand Temple of Lina's appearance, and only then did the Grand Temple reveal the oracle they'd been hiding. That very oracle saying the god's representative would appear at the frozen lake, the glacier.

Clear oracle and divine power patterns. Everything pointed to Lina being the saint.

The problem was….

'Lina will travel back and forth to her original world several more times.'

Today was very brief, but the second time she'd leave this world for a full year. Even I hadn't anticipated the first time would be right now.

"To think I'd even be suspected as a murderer…."

I muttered without thinking, then bit my lip. My voice came out more trembling than expected. A voice clearly in deep shock. I raised my gaze, hoping Kallis hadn't heard, but I was wrong. He was already looking at me.

"I'll carry the saint!"

The servant hurriedly hoisted Lina onto his back and went outside. Screams echoed from outside like a panorama. When I tried to follow them out, Kallis grabbed my wrist and stopped me. Even if Seria was a Stern, she had no ability to make people disappear and return. Kallis knew that better than anyone.

"Seria, I misspoke. So don't make that expression. Please."

My expression must be that terrible. Since possessing Seria's body, I'd always lived with my expression composed. I had no time for that now. A beat too late, I realized I was shocked beyond imagination.

After possessing a villainess with no hope of salvation, I'd done my best to survive safely. Easier said than done—spending an entire year in constant tension, struggling desperately to revive a rock-bottom reputation was absolutely not easy.

Even if I couldn't reverse Seria's past evil deeds, Kallis had clearly witnessed the good deeds I'd piled on top with all my strength. That's why I'd been genuinely happy at his proposal. I'd even felt grateful that Kallis started believing in me despite experiencing Seria's evil deeds.

Though Kallis had chosen the female lead and driven me to the brink of death. Still… I'd thought my year of effort wouldn't disappear. The times I'd built up with such anxiety felt meaningless. I never imagined words from the man who'd just recently returned begging me back, saying he loved only me, would pierce my heart like this….

I was suspected just because Lina disappeared. Like this.

It felt hollow. Whether from Lina's incomprehensible actions mixing with Kallis's suspicion that jumped out like sincerity, the shock I received was tremendous.

"Beloved Grand Duchess?"

A voice suddenly interjecting. A beat too late, I realized Linon stood outside the door, calling me stiffly.

"His Grace the Grand Duke wishes to enter the terrace. Will you permit it?"

"…Ah. I'll come out."

"Seria, just a moment…."

Linon's voice dropped flatly to Kallis trying to grab my hand.

"His Grace the Grand Duke absolutely cannot climb these stairs without permission from the Grand Duchess. It's an unwritten traditional rule even His Grace cannot break. Of course, other nobles also cannot freely enter the terrace."

Linon said, "We'll have to send official documents to Marquess Haneton and the Grand Temple for the rest." Even in this situation, the thought briefly crossed my mind that Berke territory would use this excuse to extract an enormous price.

I grasped the arm Linon offered and moved, and he added in a careful voice.

"Why do you look so hurt? That's not like you…."

I was about to answer Linon when—

"Berke's Chief Aide."

Kallis spoke first. He strode to block Linon and me. Kallis glanced at me once, then finally shifted his gaze to Linon.

"I'll leave first."

"That's what I was hoping to hear, Marquess Haneton."

With raised voices exchanged and Lina carried away by the servant, every gaze in the grand ballroom would be focused right here now. On the Grand Duchess's terrace.

The saint was carried out on someone's back—so who would emerge from the terrace next? Naturally Seria Stern, who could freely access the Grand Duchess's terrace. What expression would she be wearing?

If Kallis went out now, defying expectations, all gazes would definitely fix on him. In high society, this counted as courteous consideration. Kallis stared at me with emotion-filled eyes, then clenched his fist and descended the terrace stairs.

As expected, I heard the murmuring grow louder. I looked at the hall through the glass, then spoke to Linon.

"Linon, go change the music to something softer and more elegant, and you know the ice champagne? Tell them to release it now."

"I will, my lady."

"When you go down, tell His Grace not to come up now. If His Grace comes up, it'll be too conspicuous."

"That's… Yes. Understood."

Not long after Linon went down, the music changed. I'd considered whether playing exciting but noisy music would be better, but that seemed too much like covering one's ears and yelling. Music that calmed people's moods spreading through the hall seemed better.

'Besides, ice champagne is liquor everyone wants to taste when they come to Berke.'

I'd originally prepared to serve this around midnight anyway, so releasing it a bit early should be fine. Serving it now would at least distract attention toward that liquor.

In any case, I'd prepared this year-end party diligently, even owing Elliot a debt. I absolutely didn't want it ruined midway by something like this.

When the grand ballroom grew boisterous again, I left the terrace and descended the stairs. I'd worried Lesche Berke might be standing in front of the stairs, but fortunately he wasn't there. That man was so conspicuous—if he'd been standing there, people would've gathered in a circle around him.

I walked slowly along the wall just as ballroom ladies walked. Everyone was too absorbed tasting the ice champagne. Thanks to that, I could relatively easily exit through the large open ballroom doors into the corridor.

I hadn't expected to encounter an unexpected man there.

"Your Grace."

Lesche, arms crossed, leaned against the wall frowning. Seeing me, he straightened and walked toward me.

"……."

I thought he might be angry since I'd told him not to come up, but he didn't express any particular emotion. He didn't ask anything either. After looking down at me briefly, Lesche offered me his arm. A standard escort. The most appropriate attitude in this situation.

I obediently placed my hand on Lesche's arm.

"You look like you're about to cry."

"……."

I answered nothing, just lightly wiped beneath my eyes. Fortunately Lesche kept looking ahead as we walked, not glancing my way, so I could wipe more confidently.

The year-end party somehow concluded safely, and the next day. I heard shocking news.