Pina Grancia woke up in her bedroom wearing pajamas and muttered,
“Ugh.. my head..”
She grabbed her head due to the hangover from too much drinking the night before, recalling the events of yesterday.
“..Such a pity.”
The white-haired woman looked at herself in the mirror and thought, ‘I must still be far from matching that Saintess’s appearance.’
“I thought Licht would come over.”
When she lived without wearing the masterpiece, the surrounding nobles looked at her with greedy eyes,
“Indeed, those male protagonists in books are different.”
Above all, she thought her intimidating figure would help, even though she had no experience with men, as that’s how it was in the novels she read.
Confirmation bias stemming from distorted and limited information.
In fact, even though she was drunk, all her actions were calculated. The reason was simple.
“First of all, since the Celestial Demon advised me… I tried it, and it worked.”
She was also encouraged by the white lily, one of the Ten Heroes, who was the master of the hero in the black knight helmet.
“..I really had no immunity when it comes to women. Licht.”
Pina felt jealousy towards the Nameless Saintess and impulsively drank, almost succeeding.
“If only the guard hadn’t been there… I could’ve made Licht notice me.”
With a sigh of disappointment, she continued to reminisce.
*
Looking back at yesterday’s events, the sequence was as follows.
“This lady has no intention of taking a junior. Young lady.”
“How am I supposed to believe that?”
“Kekeke! This is quite the item!”
Seeing Pina not believing the truth told by the white lily, she bared her fangs and laughed.
Perhaps it was the fresh feeling, akin to having a first love.
“Then do I need to give you a piece of advice to believe me?”
From her perspective, the daughter who didn’t realize her feelings and broadcast jealousy would undoubtedly be resented by the man she liked.
“That guy has no connections with women. You can just tell.”
Because of that, the white lily advised Pina, and she showed interest by wagging her wolf ears and tail.
“Really?”
Immediately, her tone changed to respectful speech. The Celestial Demon was at a loss for words. The emotional ripe situation had arrived.
“That so-called Saintess also hasn’t truly shared love with Licht.”
The oblivious junior hadn’t said a word to either of the two women he had attracted, which was oddly comforting.
“This lady prefers you more, young lady.”
“Why?”
“I’ve heard that you sincerely saved our junior.”
Compared to the Nameless Saintess, who was the source of the mind sword that Licht often referenced, the princess in front of him appeared more appealing.
The white lily thought that there seemed to be a gap in the relationship the junior spoke of with the Saintess, like longing for someone unattainable.
Otherwise, it felt like one-sided emotions that made him scared to approach.
After all, until pulling the first mind sword, he’d been fleeing from his feelings.
“In adversity, it’s the person who stays with you who is the best.”
“…”
“So, I wish you’d stay by our junior’s side moving forward.”
“Do you also know? That adversity could become a long-term partner?”
The Celestial Demon closed her eyes slightly. Regretting not being there for Dennis when he struggled against the Head’s ignorance, she hoped it wouldn’t happen again.
“I understand. I’ll believe you.”
Pina Grancia finally released her jealousy towards the Celestial Demon. From what she had seen, Licht always seemed distant from women.
“Kekeke! My junior, you’re just such a naughty man!”
Although he seemed to cherish the Nameless Saintess, that was about it.
Their relationship didn’t sound like a romantic one at all. After all, he had been so shy about his own body.
Pina was curious. Who in the world was she that made him go to lengths to keep caring for her?
Why did he endure dishonor to claim the second place just to get the Mana Rose?
And why did he hold back his words whenever it involved the Nameless Saintess?
She was on the verge of losing her mind with curiosity.
A beautiful white-haired woman. Anyone would say she looked just like Pina Grancia.
‘..I’m so jealous.’
Moreover, now she could physically sense it. She was able to feel his heartbeat through their shared mana circuit,
and it thumped more when she was with him than when she was around others. It might be a bit of a cowardly tactic, but Pina still had hope.
The hope that she could be someone as precious as the Nameless Saintess to a man named Licht.
Having risked her life to save him, wouldn’t it be a bit disheartening if he kept sacrificing his life for the Saintess?
“Hehe, so sweet…”
Someone kind and gentle who slightly handed her chocolate drink while she was drunk.
It felt refreshing, clearing her mind, and simultaneously, she thought, ‘This guy is quite skilled.’
He was the kind of guy who even put on her coat just in case she might feel cold going outside. And it was still early summer.
Pina thought at that time that Licht, who was so oblivious and kind-hearted, was wasting his life getting tangled up with women.
“It was an unforgettable first love.”
But as she confirmed through drunken honesty that she had a crush on him and the Nameless Saintess, her heart sank.
‘Why am I feeling this way?’
The tightening pain. A heart that turned as cold as ice. A sharp sensation like being stabbed made her lose her temper.
“Next time… tell that Saintess to come and fix me.. I won’t fix you..”
Her tongue got twisted over the unplanned words, but she let out a hot sigh and whimpered.
And when she heard the sentence that referred to the relationship as merely ‘friends,’
‘Friends can be this much..? If Licht considered me a precious person like the Nameless Saintess….’
In that moment, a flame of jealousy ignited in Pina’s cool, quiet glass heart.
Perhaps it was due to Lumen’s drunken ramblings, or maybe it was his heartbeat echoing hers, but either way,
“Pina, wait. You’re too drunk.”
Her heart was pounding fiercely.
“…If I feel this way, could you also treat me as a precious person, Licht?”
She attempted to kiss him like in the books she read, where male protagonists often swooned from a single kiss from female protagonists.
She’d read scenes where men with vows would turn their eyes to other women.
Although Pina herself didn’t realize it, she suddenly felt an urge to leave her mark on Licht’s lips.
A complete possessiveness. The sensation of wanting him all to herself.
Whether he had burn marks or not, she wanted to go for it.
“You’re already a precious person to me. Pina.”
“I know it’s real, but I can’t believe it, Licht.”
One little-known fact is that wolves are born hunters.
They’re not stupid or fickle like the villains in fairy tales.
They are monogamous, romantic animals dedicated body and soul to love.
“I want to become more special to you. Just like that Saintess…”
Although she knew that being called a precious person was true due to his naturally good instincts, Pina refused to stop moving forward.
Even if the only first kiss of the princess from the Empire disappeared, being a black knight was fine.
She wanted to become someone invaluable to Lee Soo-hyun even more.
More than that Nameless Saintess.
Seeing Licht, blushing and trying to resist kissing her, brought a smile to her face.
“Ugh.. Licht.. I read that men take notice when a girl does this…”
Thoughts of wanting to make him consider only her, as a predator, swirled in her mind.
“Princess Grancia!! His Majesty Rock is calling for you!!”
At that moment, Pina Grancia’s perfect plan fell apart due to the unexpected call from her father.
If only she had gotten one breath closer, they would have almost touched, but it failed. The man fled, creating distance.
That alone made him seem adorable, like a scared puppy, in Pina’s eyes.
‘..Should I dismiss the guards?’
A mix of disappointment and irritation coexisted as the intoxicated Pina bit her lower lip in secret.
*
After bathing with rose bath salts, Pina was preparing to head to the academy as usual.
“..Mana Rose.”
Suddenly, her eyes fell on the blue rose held in a vase. The medium Licht had used to save her.
“Thinking about it, this seemed like something I should give to the Saintess.”
Her gaze narrowed. It was an item she had deliberately lost during her year-end exam, and he used it to save her.
“I won! Against the Saintess.”
Recalling the man who tried to cast healing magic on her despite the thorns embedding in his palm, she took the flower from the vase.
“..This is the first thing Licht gave me.”
When he had woken up in the treatment center, she recalled his words that she could keep the Mana Rose.
Seeing the rose slightly faded because of his tight grip, her lips curled into a smile.
Though it didn’t look valuable enough to be given as a gift to a woman, Pina didn’t care.
Just the fact that he gave it to her made it look more beautiful than any flower in the world.
“I want to cherish it.”
From Pina, the glass magic began to bloom as she held the rose.
In an instant, the Mana Rose was trimmed, and its surface coated, transforming it into an elegant hairpiece.
“Hehe, looks good.”
She smiled in the mirror, adorned with the blue rose in her white hair, curious about Licht’s reaction.
“After today’s class ends… I should go to the Imperial Palace with Licht.”
She had a task of meeting her father, Emperor Rock, but what troubles could arise?
From her perspective, he was a kind father who loved her dearly.
“Surely, Father will… like Licht too?”
After all, he was the man who rescued her mother, Bellin Grancia, and even saved Pina’s life.
“Yeah, it’ll be fine. He’s a wonderful person.”
Thinking he wouldn’t dislike him, she stepped out of her room.
