COARV Chapter 3

"You know what happened. You were there at the meeting too, weren't you? The saint descended from heaven, so naturally she's different from us tainted nobles. But instead of understanding that, to scold her with harsh words and chase her away…."

"Begonia didn't say anything particularly harsh."

"She didn't?"

"No. She just told her not to make a spectacle of me. That's terribly rude from a noble's perspective. Or did the saint perhaps say something different?"

Kallis's brow furrowed slightly.

"The saint told me something similar. But the situation…."

"The situation?"

"Damn it, Seria."

Kallis dragged his hand roughly through his hair.

"Do you like Begonia's dresses that much?"

Of course I liked them. But did I like them so insanely much that I'd strain my relationship with my fiancé over them? No, not quite that much. It was just a dress, after all.

But.

"Yes. I like them."

"Then…."

I was saying I liked them, so Kallis couldn't exactly insist otherwise.

"But Lina…."

I looked at Kallis coldly.

"You're calling the saint by her name?"

Kallis's expression shifted—caught in a mistake. And well he should, considering he now had a fiancée. To call another woman's name with such casual intimacy was certainly deserving of censure.

"…I misspoke. But Seria, please understand. I was appointed as the saint's protector."

"Oh, really?"

Ah. Of course I'd heard. Right, so this was yet another scene from the original story.

In the original, Seria Stern couldn't contain her fury when Lina—whom she'd been dying to crush—acquired Kallis Haneton as her proper protector.

In her rage, she'd stormed into Lina's quarters and hurled a vase, injuring Lina and earning Kallis's wrath.

Everything was a shortcut to the villainess's destruction, naturally.

To avoid danger, I smiled sweetly.

"I understand."

Kallis's expression relaxed with relief.

"I'm glad. I was worried you'd be angry. Sleep well, my beloved fiancée."

Kallis pressed his lips to my forehead and smiled. That warm smile I'd grown accustomed to.

After Kallis left, I stared at the wedding dress he'd left behind for quite some time.

The next day, before the lunch reception, Kallis sent his aide.

"Miss Seria, Marquess Kallis Haneton says he regrettably cannot join you for lunch due to unavoidable circumstances."

"Unavoidable circumstances?"

"The saint's divine power hasn't stabilized yet…."

'Lina again.'

I nodded at the aide's fumbling explanation.

"Miss Seria, the marquess says he absolutely won't be late for dinner tonight!"

"…Is that so?"

I didn't particularly believe it.

Divine power didn't stabilize in half a day. In the original story, Lina had struggled tremendously in the early chapters because her divine power wouldn't settle. The first part of the novel had been quite grueling because of it. The female lead had to suffer, after all.

The thought of the aide returning just before dinner with another 'My apologies, the saint…' wasn't particularly pleasant. Better not to waste time.

"Tell Kallis I'm canceling the dinner appointment because I'm busy."

"Pardon? Do you perhaps have a dinner engagement with someone else?"

"Yes."

"With whom…."

"Do I need to detail my private life?"

When I raised an eyebrow, the aide flinched and bowed his head. The villainess's face, as expected. So convenient when showing displeasure. The aide withdrew, deeply apologetic.

After a moment's consideration, I checked the clock.

'I should head to the main castle.'

I'd originally planned to go after lunch with Kallis, but now I'd be leaving earlier.

I surveyed my chambers. Befitting high nobility, the room was extremely luxurious. Above all, it was spacious. Thanks to the Stern name, though I was in Berke territory for the wedding, I'd been given one of the finest guest wings in Berke Castle.

'Of course, the timing helped too.'

Lesche Berke, the master of this castle and territory, was both exacting and not. He was particular about his duties and the knight order, but he clearly found hosting noble guests and maintaining ceremonial protocol tedious.

A truly exacting noble would meticulously consider a visiting guest's status, position, influence, territory size, marital status, and gender before providing accommodations.

But Lesche Berke was the exact opposite of such types, and I'd been assigned this excellent wing close to the main castle for one reason only: I'd arrived at Berke Castle first.

Well, I would've received top-tier accommodations regardless. Seria was a Stern, after all. Berke territory never neglected the Sterns.

In this respect, things were convenient. I could reach the main castle quickly and meet the Berke family's knight commander.

"Miss Seria, why do you look so unwell?"

'Do I look unwell?'

I answered awkwardly.

"Must be the cold."

"You catch a cold every year, miss."

"I suppose so."

The Berke family's knight commander, Elliot. He'd been the first to open his heart and offer considerable help as soon as I'd become the reformed Seria. What had he said to me? Something about how no one who repents is truly bad?

'I'm just trying to survive here.'

The man spent all his time swinging swords, so of course he was naive. How was he going to survive this harsh world being so trusting….

"Where are you going?"

"…Going where? Did I mistake the time, sir?"

"Are you going to check the glacier?"

"Of course."

"You're going to the frozen lake in this cold winter with a cold? You've already checked every day until today—that's more than enough."

"Winter isn't over yet."

"That may be true, but…."

Elliot's expression grew ambiguous.

Berke territory contained an extraordinary lake.

The frozen lake, the glacier, was a tomb for demonic beasts. To call it a lake understated its vastness—you couldn't see from one end to the other.

Periodically inspecting the barrier around this glacier had been the Berke family's hereditary duty, and for some reason, it required a woman bearing the Stern name. Thanks to this, Sterns received precious treatment. Their numbers were genuinely scarce, too. This had been the foundation allowing Seria Stern to behave tyrannically.

'It was quite important in the original story too.'

Especially around now—the week before and after the heroine Lina's descent—these days were even more critical.

On a scheduled inspection day, Seria would suddenly throw a tantrum and refuse to go to the lake. Naturally because of the heroine Lina.

Furious that Lina—who'd appeared suddenly as a saint—was stealing all the attention, Seria would pitch a fit. The lake, which would normally be fine, would suddenly spawn a demonic beast—wonderful timing for the original plot.

The territorial residents suffered terrible losses, and a commoner couple who'd lost their child to the beast would throw stones at Seria, splitting her forehead open.

'Of course, Seria, being a rotten human being, would fly into a rage.'

This was a world that strictly followed class hierarchy. The commoner couple who'd dared—dared—throw stones at a Stern would be executed by beheading.

'So I just need to go out and check every day for a few more days.'

"Well then, let's go together."

"All right."

I headed to the stables with Elliot. My white horse saw me and made happy whinnying sounds, enthusiastically greeting me. My beloved mount. I stroked the horse's head.

"Hello, my horse. I'm here."

"Must you name it like that?"

"Too villainous?"

Elliot shook his head. I tilted mine and mounted the horse.

Despite having a delicate visual that couldn't lift a single sword, Seria Stern's horsemanship was quite impressive. She had to know how to ride to survey that vast lake.

'She knew that fulfilling her duties as a Stern would solidify her position.'

This half-clever villainess…. Should I call her cunning instead?

The frozen lake was truly vast. Fog hung over it, limiting visibility significantly. Elliot and I tied our horses at the designated spot and proceeded on foot.

"Hoo."

My breath scattered white in the air.

That's when it happened. Elliot's expression turned cold as he suddenly placed his hand on his sword hilt. Simultaneously, Elliot turned around and—

"Your Grace?"

'Your Grace?'

I spun around too. My eyes widened in momentary surprise.

"Grand Duke."

Lesche Berke.

The master of this territory and the male protagonist of the original story. He was striding toward us through the fog, a massive sword at his side, wearing his distinctive red cloak. Lesche Berke's height was so imposing I flinched slightly. Lesche swept his gaze over Elliot and me in turn, then asked:

"What are you doing here?"

"Yes, Your Grace. I was inspecting the lake with Miss Seria."

At Elliot's answer, Lesche's expression twisted slightly. Yes, twisted.

'Why? Why is he reacting like that?'

I trembled a little—I who read male leads' expressions with uncanny accuracy. Had I done something wrong? Did he dislike my outfit?

Lesche looked at me and spoke.

"Lady Seria Stern."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Do my words mean nothing to you?"

"Pardon?"

I'm trembling at your every word and you say such hurtful things.

"Why come to the lake when you've caught a winter cold?"

"The cold isn't severe. And this is my duty as a Stern."

"Since when have you been so conscientious about your duties?"

Sharp as expected of a male protagonist. Despite having gone to inspect the glacier every day since arriving at this castle, he still said that. Lesche looked at me with eyes that held no trust whatsoever.

"Or are you trying to catch a severe cold to gain your fiancé's attention?"