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Chapter 113
Who’s the Thief
The saint bit her lips tightly like a wounded girl and then bent down again, reaching toward the handkerchief. But Johan’s vile behavior didn’t stop there.
Silently, Johan tugged the handkerchief, mocking the saint.
A heavy silence fell.
If this keeps going, Johan’s reputation will suffer…
Until now, Johan had been cruel, but as a noble of high rank, people had admired him. Yet his cruelty was only tolerated when there was justification.
There is justification, but…
Still, Saint Stella was a noble saint.
The aristocrats, known for their fervent devotion to Athea, made humiliating faces as if they too were suffering the saint’s disgrace.
With a thud, the saint lost her balance and fell to the floor.
Her white dress touched the ground and spread out like petals. She looked up at Johan with tears brimming in her eyes.
“D-Duke Blanchett, isn’t this going too far?”
“Saint’s actions may appear unreasonable at first glance, but still—”
At that moment, the emperor, who had been quietly observing, stepped in to mediate.
“-Duke Blanchett.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I’m sure even the saint is reflecting on this.”
Johan gave a neat smile, looking down at the saint with contempt.
“Do you think someone who reflects would do something like this?”
“That’s…”
“In my view, the saint still seems quite aggrieved.”
The saint could only bite her lips without saying a word. Johan lightly patted my waist, which he held in his arms.
He’s asking me to handle it?
At that moment, I realized that this whole situation was actually an opportunity Johan had given me.
That’s why he acted so excessively.
It was meant to naturally highlight me and further secure my position as Duchess Blanchett.
“Johan, the banquet just started. It’s a good day; let’s let this slide with a smile.”
“Must we really let it slide?”
“Your Majesty wouldn’t want things to get more uncomfortable either.”
When I upheld the emperor’s dignity, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
I upheld the emperor’s honor too.
Johan stepped back as if he had nothing more to do.
Whoosh—
At that moment, a palace servant’s horn sounded throughout the hall.
It signaled that the hunting tournament was about to begin.
To escape the awkward atmosphere, everyone consciously shifted their attention to the tournament.
Johan, following the moving nobles, led me outside. Mounting the prepared horse, he said to me:
“If that strange woman causes trouble again, tell me.”
“Should I tell Johan everything?”
“You can even slap her until I arrive.”
The massive black horse, with mixed demonic lineage, matched Johan perfectly.
“Well, I’ll be off now, Madam.”
Johan waved the red ribbon in his hand while on horseback.
The ribbon fluttered in the wind. I waved back enthusiastically.
Then Johan, as a final farewell, lightly kissed the ribbon before quickly disappearing into the forest.
One of the nearby palace servants approached me.
“Duchess Blanchett, there are prepared stables for the ladies. Shall we move there and wait?”
“Yes, please.”
I nodded and followed the servant.
At that moment, I felt a peculiar gaze. Turning my head, I searched for its source.
In the distance, the original male lead, Leandro, rode a white horse, looking at me longingly. He muttered something.
“Perhaps you are to me—”
But he was too far to hear clearly.
This feels… unsettling.
Leandro’s first and true love was Estella.
Even in the original story, where Estella didn’t appear, Leandro treated me as a substitute for her. He felt pity and sympathy, but he still loved Estella.
But now, Estella has appeared.
Even if her face is unrecognizable and her status is different.
If he loved her that much, shouldn’t he notice?
Ignoring Leandro’s gaze, I followed the palace servant.
On the way, I spotted Saint Stella on the opposite side.
Fortunately, she was headed in a different direction, so we wouldn’t stay in the same place. Surrounded by several ladies, Stella glanced at me.
Our eyes met.
Her face, once pale and blue, had returned to the saintly calm expression, but her piercing gaze remained.
So, what are you going to do about that?
I smiled back at her, unfazed, and walked toward my stables.
Nothing should happen until the hunt ends.
But the moment I arrived at the stables, a high-ranking priest in white with golden trim approached me.
“Saint Stella wishes to have a private tea with Duchess Blanchett. She said you had promised to meet before.”
I hadn’t made such a promise.
“Did the saint really say that?”
“She wishes to talk near the ballroom, regarding the commotion at the dance. Will you accept her invitation?”
Saint Stella, Libertan’s biological daughter Estella.
With the strange memories of her previously tormenting me…
She was far from just a pure, beautiful girl.
At first, I thought my unease came from my own position…
Today confirmed it.
My discomfort toward her wasn’t just because she was a biological daughter.
“Alright.”
Even aside from our connection through Libertan, Saint Stella herself had provoked me first.
I can’t just sit here and be naive anymore.
I smiled faintly and nodded.
“I’ll talk with the saint.”
This was my chance to fully understand her true nature.
Stella sat at a garden table prepared behind the forest.
Gracefully holding a teacup, she noticed me and gave a faint smile.
Perhaps she had changed into a new dress, for the spotless white gown gleamed brightly.
How interesting.
Estella, constantly compared in Libertan.
Her beloved daughter, said to have a sun-like smile and purity.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”
In the sunlight, wearing a white dress, Stella looked like a saint but also like a refined young lady of a noble house.
“You called for me?”
“Yes. There seem to be many misunderstandings between us, especially regarding the royal trial.”
Stella gave a faint smile and offered me tea.
How amusing.
It wasn’t the first time seeing her face, yet I felt strangely unsettled. Perhaps it was because I had seen memories of the living Estella tormenting me as a child.
Back then, I wished Estella had returned alive.
At first, I feared the biological daughter’s return would leave me abandoned. But over time, constantly being compared to a non-existent ideal was far worse.
So this is what she’s really like.
Saint Stella sipped her tea.
“The aroma of the tea is lovely, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Don’t you have anything to say to me, Duchess?”
If I were to be honest, there was much to say.
Why didn’t Stella return to the Libertan family?
Her beloved parents were suffering, yet she didn’t save them and insisted on performing the purification ritual calmly.
-Be careful…
A nearby tree shook its bare branches as if warning me.
-The woman… the closer you get…
The tree’s voice stopped. I pretended to straighten the hair moved by the wind and glanced back at the tree.
But I couldn’t tell which tree had spoken, nor did I hear more.
“If it’s difficult for you to speak, I’ll start. After all, it’s just the two of us.”
Stella placed her teacup down with a clink.
“I’m sad that our friendship keeps being shaken. Perhaps it’s my fault, too, and it pains me.”
Yes, it’s all your fault.
“I was so happy to see the duke again that I acted hastily. Please forgive me with generosity.”
Bowing gracefully, Stella looked like a saint of legendary dignity.
But I sensed the bite in her words.
She’s doing it on purpose.
Johan’s misconduct was due to the saint’s frequent unpleasant advances. Even now, she was repeating it.
But why Johan specifically?
The original male lead is Leandro. Shouldn’t she target Leandro, not Johan? And Leandro was fated to love Estella.
Many thoughts ran through my mind, but my course of action was clear.
“Don’t worry, Saint Stella.”
“Will you accept my apology?”
“Of course.”
I held the cold teacup with ice and smiled gently.
“One can’t let such trivial matters upset them. These things happen to my husband all the time.”
“Ah… you are truly understanding.”
“Indeed. As you know, Johan is so charming, many young ladies like you make mistakes. I can’t get upset about every little thing.”
Stella’s smile was unwavering, but I could feel it directly.
She’s very upset, isn’t she?
Perhaps she believed her connection with Johan was special.
“No, you’ve given me great insight. Actually, I’ve known Duke Blanchett since childhood.”
Stella lowered her long eyelashes and murmured pitifully.
“I acted too hastily, hoping you’d recognize me.”
Then, she clasped her hands and sparkled her eyes.
“If you understand me, could you help the duke remember old memories? We are friends, after all.”
I was momentarily dumbfounded.
What is the saint even saying?
“I’ve always thought Duke Blanchett’s heart toward God is different from others. If you help a little, he can return to the right path.”
I froze, smiling innocently at Stella.
“Are you displeased, Duchess?”
She raised her eyebrows adorably, in a seemingly innocent voice.
“Oh, no. I was just thinking.”
“Then you mean you’ll allow it?”
“But what should we do about this…”
I sighed deeply, looking at Stella.
I didn’t expect her to be this unhinged.
It was becoming difficult to maintain politeness.
“But my husband doesn’t even remember your name. I’ve asked several times because I felt sorry for you at the temple…”
Stella’s lips trembled.
“…He doesn’t know my name? Are you sure, Duchess?”
“Really, he doesn’t. That means he has no interest. Living only in the temple, I suppose he can’t understand jokes.”
“I was raised gently, so I am like that.”
“I understand your feelings, but Johan seems irritated just by hearing your name. To him, it’s as if a woman he doesn’t remember is imposing herself, which is unpleasant, really.”
I covered my mouth, embarrassed.
“I spoke harshly. I’m sorry, I should have handled it differently…”
“Oh, no. I too was quite rude.”
“You knew it was rude?”
Stella’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“I thought you didn’t know, since you spoke so boldly. But you knew this was rude.”
Stella glared at me irritably. I looked back at her, feigning innocence.
“But don’t be too sad. Thanks to your rudeness, Johan treats me better, and our relationship has grown stronger.”
“……”
“In conclusion, you tried to help our marriage, so I’ll let it slide.”
Finally, Stella abandoned her fake smile.
“Duchess.”
She asked coldly, her eyes arrogant.
“Don’t you think you should return everything you took without the owner knowing?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“A thief can’t pretend to be the owner.”
A strange chill ran down my spine.
She’s calling me a thief?
My mind cooled. I feigned ignorance and tilted my head.
“Is that so? I’m not sure I understand.”
“No. You know. There is a rightful owner.”
“Indeed, that’s true.”
I didn’t know why she was calling me a thief, but I could only say this:
“A shameless thief who covets what’s already assigned should disappear.”
“I think you’re mistaken.”
“Perhaps I am, since you spoke so strangely, I might have been mistaken too.”
The more I talked, the more I realized Saint Stella was not in her right mind.
“But, Saint Stella.”
I stood slowly and looked down at her.
“Can something that no one acknowledges truly be called the owner?”
“……”
“That’s usually called delusion.”
At that moment, a chilling, ominous aura was felt. I felt uneasy but straightened my back and summoned my fairy power.
Then.
—Estelle.
I heard Isidore’s voice.
—What is it?
—I feel your fairy power from the saint. No, that is your power.
