Chapter 26
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 26
Since Daisy had a backstory with Jelly, I figured she’d be the sub-heroine, the heroine’s loyal supporter, or perhaps her best friend. But seeing how much Canna disliked her, it seemed my guess was off the mark.
Didn’t that leave only one possibility? When I possessed Evangeline, the original villainess, the genre had shifted into a "Villainess Possession" story. On top of that, Canna, the original heroine, liked me so much that there was no way she’d interfere with my romantic prospects. That meant a "supporting villainess" had been subbed in—a classic obstacle of love to make this romance fantasy even more heart-wrenching!
When I looked at it that way, everything made perfect sense. I had wondered why a female character with a sudden backstory had just popped up out of nowhere. Daisy was a nun, right? She’d probably become a Saintess later. The Saintess versus the Villainess? It was a perfect setup for a confrontation.
So, from now on, Daisy would likely keep appearing before Gabriel and Jelly, trying to sabotage my relationships.
Part of me wanted to cheer them on and tell them to enjoy their little games of love, but Evangeline was a villainess. In the world of romance fantasy, if a villainess doesn't receive love, she immediately spirals into ruin. I had no choice. Sorry, Gabriel. I’m not stringing you along because I enjoy it.
“Please, have a seat.”
Gabriel, the man destined for a spot in my "fish tank," pulled out a chair for me with impeccable manners, completely oblivious to his future.
“I entrusted Uriel with escorting the Young Lady. Why did you come with her instead? Where is Uriel?”
“Uriel is in the infirmary. He’s not hurt, but Michel is… well.”
“Michel?”
“It’s a long story…”
Raphaella began to explain the situation to Gabriel. He recounted meeting Uriel and me while seeing Daisy out, and how they had rushed toward the sound of voices only to find a painting on fire.
Hearing that much, Gabriel let out a low hum.
“The painting burned, you say…”
“Yes. We don’t know the cause of the fire yet. We’ll need to hear from the people who were there.”
Raphaella shrugged. The cause? Fires don’t just start on their own; someone present must have set it. Would the culprit confess? Unlikely. They’d probably just keep their mouth shut and feign innocence.
Well, even if they didn't speak up, there were many eyes watching. The culprit would eventually be revealed.
“Do you have any idea what might have happened, Lady Rohanson?”
When Gabriel asked, I hesitated. If I said something now, would he accuse me of suspecting innocent people? But a painting doesn't just spontaneously combust—someone definitely set it ablaze. Honestly, even Raphaella and Michel were a bit suspicious. I had arrived late, after all, and only saw Michel already engulfed in flames.
“I’m not sure.”
I gave a vague answer and left it at that. Gabriel didn't seem surprised, as if he’d expected that response.
Raphaella continued his explanation. He described how Michel, who was supposed to be locked in his room, had suddenly appeared and been consumed by the fire, and how I had suppressed the flames by pouring holy water on him.
This part was news to me. Michel just jumped into the fire? Was he insane? Why would he do that? No wonder everyone was just standing around like idiots!
Gabriel didn't even bat an eye at the news of such bizarre behavior. He truly was the textbook romance fantasy male lead—cold to everyone but "his woman." If only he’d been born in the North, he’d be perfect.
“Thank you for saving Michel.”
Gabriel bowed his head. This, too, was just like a righteous knight, a male lead who took good care of his subordinates.
Ah, what a relief. I had only saved him out of basic human decency, but it felt like I’d earned some favorability points with Gabriel. This should make up for at least one of the original Evangeline’s misdeeds.
“Still, it’s a relief that Bishop Zabaniya was the one to discover it,” Raphaella added.
“Is it…?” I asked.
“The Bishop shares our stance.”
“True. At the very least, it will help in covering up the incident,” Gabriel concluded.
As expected of a top-tier male lead. Even though Gabriel hadn't been at the scene, he immediately grasped how things would likely proceed based only on what he’d heard from Raphaella.
The old-fashioned Bishop had been among those who disliked Donau’s painting, so he would likely help sweep the fire under the rug. There would still be disagreements, of course, but with the painting already reduced to ashes, things would be much simpler.
“The investigations we’ve conducted so far to have the painting removed will also be of help,” Gabriel said, looking at me.
I suppose that was his way of appealing to me—showing that he hadn't been idle and was ready to take my side. Good. This was the perfect time to give him a reaction and manage my pond.
“Is that so? I’m curious to know what efforts you’ve made.”
That should be enough, right? I had a reputation as a villainess to maintain; I couldn't suddenly act like a bubbly heroine and gush, “Wow! You worked so hard for me? Evangeline is so moved!” Still, that felt a bit abrupt, so I added more.
“Wasn't the reason you called me here because a witness appeared?”
That’s right. He said Daisy had just given her testimony. Of course, he probably didn't just hear testimony; he likely got an earful of her badmouthing me as well.
Wait… should I test the waters?
“So, what did you hear?”
“Commander!”
As expected, the adjutant was quick on the uptake. Raphaella seemed to realize his superior was facing a trial of love and tried to give him a hint. When I shot him a sharp glare, he flinched and snapped his mouth shut.
“My question was for the Commander.”
I turned back to Gabriel. Beneath his jet-black hair, his exceptionally clear blue eyes were visible. It was like staring into a blue star, composed only of sea and sky, with no land for a person to stand on. Seeing myself reflected in those eyes, I felt as if I had become the first person to leave a footprint there, defiling it.
“What did you hear from Daisy?”
Gabriel didn't look away. I engaged him in a fierce staring contest while admiring his face. Wow, I almost got bewitched for a second. As a romance fantasy male lead, his face really was top-tier. Jelly was handsome too, but perhaps because he was the sub-male lead, he couldn't quite beat Gabriel.
“She must have told you something about me.”
“I heard nothing about you.”
Eh? Liar. Daisy definitely said she talked about me. When I gave him a skeptical look, Gabriel handed me a piece of paper.
“This is the statement from the witness who just left.”
It seemed to be a summary of Daisy’s testimony. The first page detailed something about a monastery. It said the Abbot had summoned something ominous using the same summoning circle as the one in the painting to gain power and had been committing evil deeds with it.
What? No, just how far has my summoning circle been passed around?!
And he even succeeded in the summoning! What kind of spirit did he get? Since Donau summoned a fire spirit, was the Abbot’s of the same element?
Wait, why am I the only one without a spirit? This is so unfair! That guy is doing all sorts of bad things with his, and I wouldn't even do that…
I don’t need a werewolf! Just swap it for a small, cute spirit! And how did they even find out the summoning method? Why am I the only one who doesn't know?
Wait a minute… could the fire just now be related to this? Maybe that Abbot did it to monopolize the summoning circle. Since it’s a fire spirit, maybe he did something from a distance! That jerk… using my summoning circle however he wants. Well, technically it was Evangeline’s mother’s, not mine, but still.
“I definitely want to meet this Abbot.”
When I do, I’m going to grab him by the collar and shake him for all he’s worth. I made a firm vow.
Ah, come to think of it, this wasn't the important part. My obsession with spirits had almost made me forget my main goal. I flipped to the next page. Was this the part about me?
Evangeline Rohanson…
Just as I read that far, my vision suddenly distorted. The world began to shatter like glass, and the letters on the page fractured. A single character split into dozens of fragments and scrambled together, making it impossible to read. Are you serious? My translator is glitching now of all times…?
□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□.
□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□.
What is this! Why have I suddenly become illiterate at this exact moment!
“I heard nothing.”
Gabriel looked perfectly confident, as if to say, See?
He wouldn't know my internal translator was on the fritz. Was he acting so confident because he was telling the truth? I definitely saw the name Evangeline written there… was it just nothing important?
No, how could that be! Daisy must have said something. It was either that she had significantly downplayed my misdeeds, or Gabriel was so whipped by the villainess that he’d lost all sense of judgment.
“You may take it with you.”
I guess it’s the latter? I almost flinched at his words. I was just worrying about how I’d read it later when the translator came back online—did he read my mind? I guess that’s a male lead for you…
Satisfied, I took the paper and handed it to Canna. Canna, who had been glaring at the document as if she wanted to shred it, reluctantly tucked it into her bodice. Why was she glaring at it like that? Wait, is Canna illiterate too?
I had just assumed that as the heroine, she’d obviously be able to read. But this was a slightly dark romance fantasy world. Maybe they gave her an illiterate setting to put her through as much hardship as possible. I shouldn't rely solely on the translator, either. We should go home and learn how to read together…
“Are you satisfied?” Gabriel asked.
Yes, of course. I would have felt uneasy leaving it behind, so I was glad he let me take it. I could just read it later when the translator was fixed.
“It’s enough.”
“The reason I called you here was to show you that. Did I not tell you before? I wish to be of help to you.”
Was he trying to prove he had no intention of hiding anything from me? I was supposed to be the one managing him, but it felt like I was the one being managed. He certainly had a silver tongue. Just as I was marveling at the prowess of a romance fantasy male lead, there was a knock at the door.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
“Commander. Bishop Zabaniya has sent a messenger.”
“He says Lady Rohanson’s holy water has been safely delivered to her guard. He also mentioned he would like to see you for a moment.”
“Is that so? Understood. You may leave.”
“Yes, sir.”
It seemed Jelly had completed his errand successfully. I hope he packed the correct number of holy water vials. I’ll have to count them later.
Well then, shall we head back?