The high society is like an invisible battlefield.
A single word is as sharp as a sword, and gazes shoot like arrows targeting the heart.
Since a small misstep can drag one’s reputation into the abyss, everyone must be cautious with their demeanor and speech.
Occasionally, there are young ladies who seem to act frivolously, but even they have undergone thorough education before stepping into high society.
And here, a woman who was a commoner just yesterday has appeared.
Even with the title of a saint bestowed upon her, a commoner is still a commoner. It’s not easy to shift the deeply rooted gazes of the nobles overnight.
“It would be wise to be a bit more cautious, Saint…”
With my testimony, the farce of the woman became a reality, and all arrows point towards Lilian.
The nobles who looked down upon her were filled with delight, while those who supported her could not hide their disappointment.
Amidst the sharp gazes of numerous nobles, Lilian’s pink eyes trembled anxiously once again.
“I, I…”
“Even without this incident… it’s not a good habit to act recklessly.”
At my words, countless nobles nodded in agreement.
The woman who caused the farce approached me, winking slightly as a gesture of thanks. Behind her red fan, a satisfied smile was hidden.
“What are you planning to do, Saint? Thanks to you, my dress is a mess now.”
Lilian’s eyes were still filled with indignation.
And rightfully so. The wine spilled solely because that woman tripped.
However, unable to endure the increasingly scrutinizing gazes of the nobles, Lilian eventually had no choice but to accept the situation.
“…I’ll pay for the dress.”
In a defeated tone, Lilian spoke, causing the woman to snort and shrug her shoulders.
“You say you’ll pay? Fine, that’ll be ten gold coins.”
“W-wait, ten gold coins?!”
Lilian’s eyes widened in shock.
“Why are you so surprised? Ten gold coins aren’t that expensive.”
Ten gold coins would be about one and a half million won in Korean currency.
Yet, showing such surprise over that amount would surely make her another laughingstock among the nobles.
“Could it be, Saint, that you don’t even have ten gold coins?”
The surrounding nobles murmured.
In the end, they would declare that the saint is just a lowly commoner, and the noble qualities of the saint would be hard to find behind such a dim-witted facade.
Was she truly the person chosen by the goddess?
As they interpreted the situation to fit their own tastes, the nobles busily belittled Lilian.
Yeah, this is humanity.
A being close to evil from birth.
Willing to stab others for their own sake.
This is what normal looks like.
I’m not the strange one.
I haven’t gone off course.
I’m just an ordinary person.
The only abnormal one here is you, Lilian.
In the end, it’s you who is wrong.
I cast a derisive glance at Lilian.
She hung her head, looking as if she would cry any moment.
“I-I don’t have it right now, but… I can save up…”
Couldn’t she hold back any longer?
A tear welled up in Lilian’s eye.
But that tear, in the end, did not fall.
“What on earth is happening!!”
A booming voice echoed through the banquet hall.
A young lady who seemed to be of the same age as us weaved her way through the crowd, her noble blue hair flowing.
Arien Kaltree.
She had grown up alongside the history of the imperial family and, like Viviana, was the heir to the Kaltree marquis family, which walks the path of the sword.
She swiftly approached Lilian, took her hand, and with a gentle yet firm pull, embraced her.
“How dare you commit such rudeness to the saint!”
Her voice carried the strength only a knight could possess.
Lilian’s trembling seemed to gradually calm in her embrace.
“Rudeness? You speak as if the saint is of a higher status than us?”
The woman who caused the farce slightly raised an eyebrow and questioned.
Arien glared at her in disbelief.
“The saint is a being chosen directly by the goddess. It’s only natural that she deserves our respect!”
“Is there any law in the empire that says so?”
Arien’s body stiffened momentarily.
There are countless laws regarding the status of nobles, but none within the imperial law mentioned the status of a saint.
In the end, the saint was merely a fleeting existence.
Had there been a legal specification detailing that the saint held a higher status than the nobles, no one here would dare treat her lightly.
“Though it may not be applicable under imperial law, such actions are akin to a desecration of the sacred temple.”
In response to Arien’s words, the woman covered her mouth with her fan to stifle her laughter, then shrugged her shoulders lightly.
“But the rudeness was instigated by that side first. It was because you suddenly took my hand that my dress got ruined!”
“Is there any evidence that the saint did that?”
“There’s no evidence but there is a witness.”
The woman smiled, pointing at me.
Arien’s blue eyes naturally aligned with my gaze.
“You…?”
Hmm, I was just trying to stay out of it but… I didn’t expect to be directly pointed at.
I looked at Arien with a bewildered expression.
“I just spoke of what I saw. The saint grabbed the young lady’s arm, and then the wine spilled. I hadn’t anticipated it would escalate to this extent.”
At my clumsy words, Arien momentarily fell silent.
She glanced back and forth between me and the saint for a while before biting her lip and pulling the saint’s hand.
“The princess will be arriving soon, so it would be best to discuss this matter later.”
With that, Arien rushed out of the banquet hall, taking Lilian with her.
Clearly, the situation had taken a turn for the worse for Arien’s side.
The woman who caused the farce lightly tapped my shoulder with a satisfied smile.
“Well, aren’t you clever? No wonder the highborn cherish you.”
Judging by her demeanor, it seemed she had taken a liking to me. If she was offering her favor, there was no reason to refuse.
“Ah, n-no… I was just worried that the young lady would be troubled…”
“Hehe… I’d like to invite you to our mansion next time, would you have time?”
“Of course! It would be an honor to be invited!”
“Hehe. I’ll send you a letter soon.”
She looked at me with eyes dripping with kindness.
As I would soon find out, she was a noble lady from a prestigious marquis family.
As soon as Lilian and Arien left the scene, the ordeal wrapped up.
The noisy atmosphere returned to its usual calm quickly as the arrival of the princess marked the turning point.
To a frightening degree.
※
In contrast to the boisterous banquet hall, in a relatively quiet guest room, Arien handed a handkerchief to Lilian.
“…Are you saying you truly didn’t do it, saint?”
The saint grimaced her face, revealing her sorrow as she responded to the question.
“Are you questioning whether you don’t believe me, Arien…? I did hold her hand, but that alone couldn’t have caused the wine to spill…!”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you… I just… wanted to check…”
“Is it because of that young lady’s words…? Who is she that everyone seems to doubt me?”
“…The daughter of Baron Blanc.”
I felt an uneasy sensation creeping over me.
I was confused by the thought that perhaps the saint may have been mistaken.
The darling young lady.
Or the only daughter of Baron Blanc.
The young lady, rumored to be pure and innocent, truly lived up to that reputation with her delightful appearance.
Not only her looks.
With those bashful eyes, an awkward voice, and those cherry-like lips that twitched, she had an inherently likeable personality.
Given that she has always been spoken of as kind and obedient, it didn’t seem possible that she would lie.
But what if…
What if the saint truly didn’t lie?
What if it was the daughter of Baron Blanc who provided false testimony?
And if that falsehood held malicious intent…
“…Ugh.”
A chill ran down my spine.
The thought that the young lady, whom everyone believed to be gentle and kind, might harbor ulterior motives filled me with an unknown dread.
Currently, there are countless young ladies in high society who hold absolute favor towards her.
Starting with the daughter of the Abrel grey family, who claims the spotlight in high society every year, to numerous daughters of esteemed count families.
Additionally, the princess of Merdellia, who boasts mastery in swordsmanship, is a noble of a status that cannot be easily offended.
While there may be some exaggeration, her mood will undeniably influence the dynamics of high society, and a single word from her could ruin a young lady’s social life.
Look at me now.
Even I, who held kindness and loyalty towards the saint, felt doubt over the testimony of the favored young lady, so what of the other nobles?
Surely everyone would only believe the words of the daughter of Baron Blanc and criticize the saint’s flaws.
‘…I can only hope I never have to confront her.’
Though I can protect the saint from the ugly jealousy and malice of the nobles, I do not want to think about having to face the darling young lady.
‘But a knight mustn’t only be fearful.’
To prepare for any eventualities, it’s best to remain vigilant for the time being.
In fulfilling Father’s command to protect the saint, I must thoroughly prepare for every possible scenario.
“…Thinking it over, it seems I was indeed in the wrong.”
At that moment, when she was solemnly harboring her own harsh resolution, the saint suddenly stood up, brightening her face with a small fist raised.
The gloomy air had vanished, and her eyes sparkled brightly.
“Saint…?”
“I was too ignorant about the world of nobility. Regardless of the outcome, it was my mistake for touching recklessly.”
“W-wait… what are you suddenly…”
“I’ll apologize. Even ten gold coins… I think I can somehow earn that. So please support me, Arien.”
“…”
The person who had been on the verge of crying just moments ago was now so spirited that Arien stared blankly at her for a while, blinking.
Was my worry… unwarranted?
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