Divine punishment.
The words that seemed so distant that I had taken them for granted felt incredibly heavy when they came out of his mouth.
‘Punishment... Punishment.’
After rolling the word silently in my mouth for a long time, I finally managed to open my lips.
“What kind of injuries can one suffer as a result of divine punishment?”
“Well, I don’t know for sure. There are so many different types of punishment. But if I were to guess...”
“Hmm,” he said, rubbing his chin as he continued to speak.
“One day, you might suddenly lose your sight, or your whole body might burn black in an instant without any warning or trigger. Or some part of your body might melt.”
He, who had been saying scary things with a calm face, suddenly leaned towards me.
“Well, if you want to try, I won’t stop you. How about trying your luck?”
“...”
I shut my mouth tightly again.
Because it would be impossible for a fraudster who took over the constellation without the Goddess' permission to receive the holy relic.
He stared at me, who seemed to have no confidence, then burst out laughing.
“Your intention to save your neighbors from suffering is admirable. However, there is no need to risk your life being swayed by such petty emotions. A human being only has one life.”
He slowly got up and suddenly reached out his hand towards me.
I instinctively pulled back, but his hand still managed to cover the top of my head.
“And if possible, it might be better to stop being a Saintess.”
Contrary to my expectations that it would be threatening, it was a warm touch.
“I owe you something. This is advice I’m giving you, so you better listen to it.”
“Debt?”
“Yes, you will probably never know.”
I had a blank expression on my face and was saying incomprehensible things. He stroked my head a few times with a calm expression, just like he did when I was six years old, and then left the room.
That night.
After the party, Melina returned to her room and collapsed on the sofa.
The maids, who had been looking at each other with tired looks on their faces, approached her hesitantly.
“Your Ladyship, are you tired? Oh my, the party went on too late into the night.”
“I’m taking a bath right now. I think I’ll feel better if I soak in the warm water and lie down on the bed.”
“Would you like me to rub your shoulders until the bath water is ready?”
It was quite funny to see the daughters of the Count's family acting cute and flirting with the illegitimate children of the Duke's family.
If it were normal, Melina would have smiled broadly in satisfaction at that sight. But now, it was all just annoying.
“Yes. I want to be alone, so everyone, please step aside.”
“Yes? But taking a bath...”
“I told you to go out!”
Melina's voice rose.
After becoming a Saintess, she had always shown only a benevolent appearance, but today, it was difficult to maintain the mask.
As she glared at them with her eyes wide open, the maids who had been startled lowered their heads, not knowing what to do.
“Yes, yes. I will do as you say, Saintess.”
“We will be leaving now, so please get some rest, Saintess.”
“Well then, that’s it.”
Melina, who was clicking her tongue as if she was displeased with them disappearing in a hurry, as if they were afraid that they might get in trouble, soon got up and headed to the bathroom.
The porcelain bathtub, sparkling without a single drop of water, was half-full of water.
Melina stepped into the bathtub, still in her dress.
A chill that seemed to freeze her to the bone ran up her toes.
It seemed like she hadn't had time to mix hot water with her congratulatory message.
But Melina just laid back in the bathtub.
The unfamiliar coldness made her scalp tingle, but strangely, the heat boiling through the veins of her entire body did not go away.
"It's annoying."
Today, at least for today, she thought she was the main character.
A Saintess who stopped a disaster with her powerful power and brought peace to the people of the empire. How could she not become the main character?
Yeah, Melina was actually in that position at the beginning of the party.
Everyone, regardless of age or gender, was looking only at her, and they were anxious because they couldn't talk to her. All the lights were shining on her.
But after the Crown Prince broke everyone's expectations and asked Shayne to dance, the spotlight shifted to Shayne.
People couldn't take their eyes off the two people dancing gracefully like a painting, and that was the case even after the dance was over.
The sight of them laughing and whispering in a corner away from people's eyes instead of sitting in perfectly prepared seats actually amplified curiosity, and people were busy guessing what kind of relationship they had.
'They even tried to leave before the party was even over.'
The arrival of the Marquis, who was either Bayen or something, seemed to have quelled their curiosity, but he also left the party with the two.
From then on, it was just talk about the three of them.
“What, Marquis Bayen knew His Highness and the Saintess?”
“What do you mean? Marquis Bayen has not been living in seclusion since he inherited the title.”
“Yes, that’s right. But why did he go out with those two?”
“Yes, that’s right. But what is the relationship between His Highness and Saintess Veloce? They seem very close.”
“His Highness always sticks around whenever she visits a disaster site. Maybe he's developed feelings for her?”
“I guess so? When the two of you talk, the atmosphere is a bit...”
“I said one hundred percent. Just a moment ago, I saw His Highness touching the Saintess’s ankle. How could His Highness, who treats women like stones, act so shamelessly...”
“Ahhhhh!”
Melina suddenly screamed and stomped her feet roughly.
The recoil caused the water in the bathtub to splash everywhere, even covering her face, but she was still angry.
“You vixen! You dare steal my party? Aaaah, it pisses me off!”
It was at that time that Melina was unable to control her boiling anger.
“Melina, my daughter. Calm down.”
A gentle voice echoed in her head. It was her master's voice.
“Ibis...”
Perhaps because she felt she couldn't show such a reckless side in front of her master, Melina suddenly stopped struggling.
But that anger soon manifested itself in other ways.
“It’s so unfair. This party was supposed to be my party, and I should be the center of attention, but Shayne, that b*tch...”
A wet, childish moan flowed from Melina's lips.
The dark voice laughed at the sight of a baby whining in its mother's arms.
“Yes, it’s understandable to be angry. But don’t worry. The smile on that child’s face will last until today.”
Melina's eyes sparkled at the meaningful words that the voice conveyed.
“What are your plans?”
A voice echoed in Melina's mind again, and her expression filled with excitement.
Melina, who had been quietly listening to the voice, opened her mouth to smile.
“Yes, I follow the orders of the revered Ibis.”
She bowed her head in submission, then got up and left the bathroom.
Her face, sleeping soundly in a white negligee, was calmer than ever.
.
.
.
And that night.
The disaster that had been in a lull again struck the empire.
All at once, as if they had been waiting.
The next day.
The maids rushed into Melina's room at daybreak.
“Your Ladyship, the disaster began again last night. Requests for help are pouring in from all over the country at the same time.”
“His Majesty is looking for the Saintess.”
“Get ready...”
“No, there is no need for that.”
Melina cut her off firmly.
“Huh? What is that...”
The maids who had been frozen in place asked with puzzled expressions, and Melina opened her mouth with a stern expression.
“Go and tell His Majesty that I, Melina, renounce the Constellation as of this very moment.”
The words that seemed so distant that I had taken them for granted felt incredibly heavy when they came out of his mouth.
‘Punishment... Punishment.’
After rolling the word silently in my mouth for a long time, I finally managed to open my lips.
“What kind of injuries can one suffer as a result of divine punishment?”
“Well, I don’t know for sure. There are so many different types of punishment. But if I were to guess...”
“Hmm,” he said, rubbing his chin as he continued to speak.
“One day, you might suddenly lose your sight, or your whole body might burn black in an instant without any warning or trigger. Or some part of your body might melt.”
He, who had been saying scary things with a calm face, suddenly leaned towards me.
“Well, if you want to try, I won’t stop you. How about trying your luck?”
“...”
I shut my mouth tightly again.
Because it would be impossible for a fraudster who took over the constellation without the Goddess' permission to receive the holy relic.
He stared at me, who seemed to have no confidence, then burst out laughing.
“Your intention to save your neighbors from suffering is admirable. However, there is no need to risk your life being swayed by such petty emotions. A human being only has one life.”
He slowly got up and suddenly reached out his hand towards me.
I instinctively pulled back, but his hand still managed to cover the top of my head.
“And if possible, it might be better to stop being a Saintess.”
Contrary to my expectations that it would be threatening, it was a warm touch.
“I owe you something. This is advice I’m giving you, so you better listen to it.”
“Debt?”
“Yes, you will probably never know.”
I had a blank expression on my face and was saying incomprehensible things. He stroked my head a few times with a calm expression, just like he did when I was six years old, and then left the room.
***
That night.
After the party, Melina returned to her room and collapsed on the sofa.
The maids, who had been looking at each other with tired looks on their faces, approached her hesitantly.
“Your Ladyship, are you tired? Oh my, the party went on too late into the night.”
“I’m taking a bath right now. I think I’ll feel better if I soak in the warm water and lie down on the bed.”
“Would you like me to rub your shoulders until the bath water is ready?”
It was quite funny to see the daughters of the Count's family acting cute and flirting with the illegitimate children of the Duke's family.
If it were normal, Melina would have smiled broadly in satisfaction at that sight. But now, it was all just annoying.
“Yes. I want to be alone, so everyone, please step aside.”
“Yes? But taking a bath...”
“I told you to go out!”
Melina's voice rose.
After becoming a Saintess, she had always shown only a benevolent appearance, but today, it was difficult to maintain the mask.
As she glared at them with her eyes wide open, the maids who had been startled lowered their heads, not knowing what to do.
“Yes, yes. I will do as you say, Saintess.”
“We will be leaving now, so please get some rest, Saintess.”
“Well then, that’s it.”
Melina, who was clicking her tongue as if she was displeased with them disappearing in a hurry, as if they were afraid that they might get in trouble, soon got up and headed to the bathroom.
The porcelain bathtub, sparkling without a single drop of water, was half-full of water.
Melina stepped into the bathtub, still in her dress.
A chill that seemed to freeze her to the bone ran up her toes.
It seemed like she hadn't had time to mix hot water with her congratulatory message.
But Melina just laid back in the bathtub.
The unfamiliar coldness made her scalp tingle, but strangely, the heat boiling through the veins of her entire body did not go away.
"It's annoying."
Today, at least for today, she thought she was the main character.
A Saintess who stopped a disaster with her powerful power and brought peace to the people of the empire. How could she not become the main character?
Yeah, Melina was actually in that position at the beginning of the party.
Everyone, regardless of age or gender, was looking only at her, and they were anxious because they couldn't talk to her. All the lights were shining on her.
But after the Crown Prince broke everyone's expectations and asked Shayne to dance, the spotlight shifted to Shayne.
People couldn't take their eyes off the two people dancing gracefully like a painting, and that was the case even after the dance was over.
The sight of them laughing and whispering in a corner away from people's eyes instead of sitting in perfectly prepared seats actually amplified curiosity, and people were busy guessing what kind of relationship they had.
'They even tried to leave before the party was even over.'
The arrival of the Marquis, who was either Bayen or something, seemed to have quelled their curiosity, but he also left the party with the two.
From then on, it was just talk about the three of them.
“What, Marquis Bayen knew His Highness and the Saintess?”
“What do you mean? Marquis Bayen has not been living in seclusion since he inherited the title.”
“Yes, that’s right. But why did he go out with those two?”
“Yes, that’s right. But what is the relationship between His Highness and Saintess Veloce? They seem very close.”
“His Highness always sticks around whenever she visits a disaster site. Maybe he's developed feelings for her?”
“I guess so? When the two of you talk, the atmosphere is a bit...”
“I said one hundred percent. Just a moment ago, I saw His Highness touching the Saintess’s ankle. How could His Highness, who treats women like stones, act so shamelessly...”
“Ahhhhh!”
Melina suddenly screamed and stomped her feet roughly.
The recoil caused the water in the bathtub to splash everywhere, even covering her face, but she was still angry.
“You vixen! You dare steal my party? Aaaah, it pisses me off!”
It was at that time that Melina was unable to control her boiling anger.
“Melina, my daughter. Calm down.”
A gentle voice echoed in her head. It was her master's voice.
“Ibis...”
Perhaps because she felt she couldn't show such a reckless side in front of her master, Melina suddenly stopped struggling.
But that anger soon manifested itself in other ways.
“It’s so unfair. This party was supposed to be my party, and I should be the center of attention, but Shayne, that b*tch...”
A wet, childish moan flowed from Melina's lips.
The dark voice laughed at the sight of a baby whining in its mother's arms.
“Yes, it’s understandable to be angry. But don’t worry. The smile on that child’s face will last until today.”
Melina's eyes sparkled at the meaningful words that the voice conveyed.
“What are your plans?”
A voice echoed in Melina's mind again, and her expression filled with excitement.
Melina, who had been quietly listening to the voice, opened her mouth to smile.
“Yes, I follow the orders of the revered Ibis.”
She bowed her head in submission, then got up and left the bathroom.
Her face, sleeping soundly in a white negligee, was calmer than ever.
.
.
.
And that night.
The disaster that had been in a lull again struck the empire.
All at once, as if they had been waiting.
***
The next day.
The maids rushed into Melina's room at daybreak.
“Your Ladyship, the disaster began again last night. Requests for help are pouring in from all over the country at the same time.”
“His Majesty is looking for the Saintess.”
“Get ready...”
“No, there is no need for that.”
Melina cut her off firmly.
“Huh? What is that...”
The maids who had been frozen in place asked with puzzled expressions, and Melina opened her mouth with a stern expression.
“Go and tell His Majesty that I, Melina, renounce the Constellation as of this very moment.”
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