Assassination
Tenesa took her time, listening carefully to everything the Hero, Lee Hye-yeong, had to say.
But the more she heard, the more she found herself struggling to keep her composure.
The story was so difficult to believe that managing her expression became nearly impossible.
Still, if she showed even the slightest reaction, the unstable Hero might take it the wrong way and do something reckless again. So Tenesa simply sat in silence and listened.
According to the Hero, Edward—the second son of House Frigid—was someone she had known in the world she came from. He was the partner with whom she had promised a future. His true name, she claimed, was not Edward but Choi Hyeonwoo—apparently the name he had carried in that other world.
It was an unfamiliar name to Tenesa, so she decided not to use it herself, merely to keep it in mind.
Whether this Choi Hyeonwoo and Edward were truly the same person remained an open question, but the Hero was so utterly certain that denying it outright felt impossible.
And there was another reason she could not simply dismiss the claim: when the Goddess had sent the Hero into this world, She had bestowed blessings upon her. One of those blessings was an intuition that pierced through to the truth and essence of things—a power essential for a Hero who must dispense justice. It was hard to believe someone gifted with that ability could have been so completely mistaken.
And yet… something felt wrong.
An ominous feeling kept gnawing at Tenesa, refusing to leave her alone.
In all her life, she had never once harbored even a speck of doubt toward the Goddess. But today, for the first time, she found herself questioning whether this person named Lee Hye-yeong—the one her Goddess had chosen—was truly fit to be the Hero.
She had only just begun to entertain such doubts, and already a similar unease had taken root. She could not shake the foreboding thoughts that followed.
O Rabinus… is this person truly one who serves justice and peace…?
Even a woman of Tenesa's devout faith could not help but wonder.
Because if one listened only to the Hero's story—
Even the claim that she and he had promised each other a future was dubious. And even granting that, she said she had eliminated everyone who stood in her way.
But were those people truly obstacles?
The Goddess had told her only that this was a talented individual who had defeated her enemies through pure physical strength alone. Defeating so many with nothing but the power of her body was indeed remarkable.
But had they really been enemies?
The questions kept coming, yet Tenesa had no real choice in the matter.
"…I understand, Hero."
"Really?"
All she could do was listen to the Hero's story and try to grant her what she wanted. And what she wanted was clearly to be united with Edward, the second son of House Frigid. Difficult as it might be, that wish would have to be fulfilled.
"Yes. Although things got off to a poor start, if we take the time…"
"I can talk to Hyeonwoo?"
"Yes…"
Of course, the beginning had been disastrous. But if it was the Grand Duke of Frigid—someone she had known for so many years, a dear friend—perhaps she could find a way.
"I can have Hyeonwoo?"
"Th-that is…"
But the Hero was rushing far too much. Have a man? What a vulgar way to put it. Tenesa found herself speechless before a Hero who casually asked whether she could simply take ownership of a man.
"Why?"
The Hero's expression darkened at once, and she pressed her immediately.
"I would need to consult His Grace the Grand Duke of Frigid…"
"Why why why why why?"
"Haa… Hero…"
"You said you'd help! You said you'd help!"
Did the other world simply have no concept of common sense? Just moments ago, she had completely ruined a debutante—the single most precious event in a young man's life in this world, something valued even above marriage or betrothal. That she still failed to grasp the gravity of what she had done was frustrating enough. Her constant pushing only made it worse.
"Haa… I will help you. However—!"
Even Tenesa, who rarely raised her voice, was so exasperated this time that she could not help but sigh and shout.
"Hurry! Hurry!"
"Haa…"
But even her raised voice fell on deaf ears. Tenesa could only sigh again.
And the Hero, growing more impatient still, looked ready to take matters into her own hands.
"Were you lying? Then I'll just go by myself right now—"
"Can you do it alone?"
"…Huh?"
"Can you win?"
"Ah…"
Even a Hero as willful as she was seemed to remember nearly losing her arm only moments ago. Or perhaps it was the memory of Grace, Edward's knight escort, who had tried to kill her. Whatever the reason, the girl who had been throwing a tantrum like a child finally quieted down a little.
Seizing the moment, Tenesa spoke.
"Hero, you have already accomplished remarkable things despite having only just arrived in this world. However…"
She could not be certain the Hero would truly listen and understand, but she had to make her see reason somehow.
"You yourself still need to grow stronger. And the second son of House Frigid whom you desire will also require time."
"…"
Even if you want to act however you please, you lack the strength. If you wish to draw closer to the one you love, approach him slowly, with patience.
Why was it so difficult to convey such an obvious truth to the Hero? Tenesa wrestled with the thought even as she did everything she could to persuade her.
But—
"If you rush too much, you will only earn his hatred…"
"Hy-Hyeonwoo hates me?"
"Yes. Anyone would, if you approached them so suddenly like that…"
"That's impossible!"
"…"
"Hah… hah…"
Despite all of Tenesa's efforts, the Hero still spoke only of what she wanted to hear. And yet, something had shifted from her earlier, completely unchecked willfulness.
She knew it herself. She was not yet strong enough to take what she wanted.
"Hero, for now I will proceed as you wish…"
"…Really?"
"Yes. So please, calm yourself…"
"…"
"And besides…"
"…?"
"Did you not make a bargain with the Goddess?"
"Ah…!"
"So if you simply follow my guidance and take things slowly, you will obtain everything you desire."
"…Okay."
At last, Tenesa had managed to persuade her.
In truth, nothing had actually been resolved, so there was little cause for celebration. But soothing the Hero had been so exhausting that Tenesa could not help breathing a quiet sigh of relief and allowing herself a moment of private gladness.
"Thank you. Then I shall go arrange the meeting you desire."
"Okay! Thank you!"
"Yes. For now, please rest comfortably."
"Okay!"
Praying that the Hero would not cause any disasters in her absence, Tenesa stepped outside.
"Hyeonwoo~ Hyeonwoo~"
Lee Hye-yeong was in a good mood.
Since arriving in this world, nothing good had happened to her. She had accepted the bargain offered by the Goddess called Rabinus solely because it meant she might see the one she loved again. She had no lingering attachment to the world she had left behind—Hyeonwoo was no longer there.
She was truly fortunate.
She had known nothing, and yet she had come simply to meet Hyeonwoo again. In her previous life, she had waited for death with nothing but the uncertain hope of reuniting with him in the next world.
But the gods had not abandoned her.
No—more precisely, the Goddess of this world had found her. The Goddess had pitied the fact that she and her beloved Hyeonwoo had never been properly joined, and so had invited her into the world where Hyeonwoo had been reborn.
Of course, there was the matter of the Demon King the Goddess had asked her to defeat. She had no idea how difficult or grueling it would be—but for the sake of seeing Hyeonwoo again, she would do it without question.
Still.
One thing had left her dissatisfied.
She had arrived in this world full of hopeful thoughts. And yet there had been so many bothersome things—the Goddess's words, the training, all of it. Especially that woman called Tenesa, the Pope. She interfered with every little thing, as if she somehow owned her.
Lee Hye-yeong had not grown up with proper parents on Earth, so she could not say for certain—but looking at the way Tenesa treated her, it was something close to a mother's behavior.
If this had been Earth, she might even have found those actions comforting. In truth, every one of Tenesa's gestures was filled with consideration. They were the very things she had longed for more than anything from her own parents as a child.
But now, to her, Tenesa's fussing was nothing but a nuisance.
What mattered to her above all else was the Hyeonwoo she loved. Nothing else was important. Nothing at all.
Even so, that bothersome Tenesa had said she would use her influence—not for something useless, but for her sake. She was the Pope, after all, someone of considerable standing in this world. It was worth trusting her for now.
And so she was simply happy, thinking that soon she would meet the one she loved again and grow close to him.
"Hyeonwoo~ Hyeonwoo~"
She kept humming his name under her breath.
But then—
"…"
A thought struck her.
Had he failed to recognize her?
His appearance had changed completely, and yet she had known him at once. So why hadn't he recognized her?
Or… had he pretended not to know?
There was no way he could have failed to recognize her. Unlike him, she had not changed by so much as a single speck.
"Ah… he said he was reborn in this world!"
Then of course he wouldn't recognize her. People were not generally born carrying the memories of a past life.
"No."
But something felt wrong.
"Hyeonwoo, too."
Yes. It was strange.
"There's no way he wouldn't recognize me."
Even if he had lost every memory of his past life—
"There's no way he could forget me!"
So why was he pretending not to know her?
"Hyeonwoo… are you lying again?"
Like back then?
"Hyeonwoo… Hyeonwoo!!"
Murderous intent rose in her once more, and she cried out.
And in that instant—
"What on earth are you muttering about all by yourself?"
"?!"
A woman's voice came from behind her.
And before she could even turn around—
Slash.
"Gah—!"
Thud.