Your Highness, The Lady You’ve Abandoned IS the Saintess!

Lina is the true saintess.

Those words uttered by someone amongst the crowd spread throughout the high society in a flash.

The contrast between the Saintess, Aileen Conrad, who couldn’t do a single thing, and the count lady, Lina Wagner’s tremendous healing prowess.

Well, it was obvious enough who will be showered with praises.

With all the hyenas now scurrying around House Conrad, Maynard, worried, had me stay within the royal castle instead.

Even father, who’s been hostile to Maynard for the last month, had no choice but to allow it.

He apparently winced at the thought of his daughter getting hurt while staying at the manor, but then again, it was true that I couldn’t do anything, so I’ll resign myself to any censures of being a saintess-only-in-name. Although, Maynard insist on ignoring them all instead.

The only ones who knew the true role of saintesses—which is to say, as an emergency sacrifice—are his and her majesties, the king and queen, the king’s younger brother and the two princes. Although these people look at me with sympathy, the gazes of the staffs of the royal castle, on the contrary, are cold.

Not wanting to make me feel offended, Maynard instead called Selma from the Conrad Manor, and also declared to all the staffs that there’s no room for doubt in my anointment as the saintess. Regardless, I know that doubts of those kind are not so easily discarded away.

Prince Savalier was apologetic, blaming himself for not being careful enough, but he is the first and foremost victim here. It was great enough that he is well.

Caroline smiled bitterly and said that rumors are bound to calm down after three months, and that there’s nothing we can do but endure it for now.

Three months… that’s quite a long time.

But then there’s the issue of self-loathe too, so I can’t see myself recovering so easily.

 

 

 

‘That wench seriously gets on my nerves!’

Those were the first words of Caroline, who dropped by the castle to visit.

Apparently, I am staying at the room for the crown princess.

Naturally, they would alter the room’s décor accordingly to the eventual crown princess’ taste, but I still wonder whether I should be using this room.

Maynard responded that I could even use this room for all eternity; he has to be joking, isn’t he?

Incidentally, the room besides mine was the room of the crown prince. Maynard was not officially the crown prince yet, and normally, should not be the one staying there, but for some reason he also moved there the same time as I did here.

I was flabbergasted by the whole ordeal of it, but Prince Savalier only said that he was not interested in the throne anyway, and it was only a matter of time till Maynard is declared as the crown prince so it was fine, but is it really?

It seemed way too impertinent to me but, even his majesty seemed to be nonchalant about it, while the queen was all smiles, saying that we are sure getting along well—is this royal family alright?

Just to be careful, I was planning to lock the door, but before I even managed to do so, Maynard the lock’s keyhole with something—I will really hit you, you know?

It made me so mad that I threatened him never to open the door without my permission, lest I will never talk to him again. I mean, even if I just tell him that I’d clobber his head for it, I can totally see him doing it nonetheless with the resolve to get hit.

But when Caroline visited for the first time and heard of it, she laugh very loud and said that we should just get married already—what reckless demands!

I won’t do such a thing!

‘So, what got on your nerves?’

As Selma poured at tea for us two, I opened the box of chocolates Maynard gave for Caroline and asked her.

That prince keeps on hurling heaps of confectionaries my way and I can’t eat them all. Although, I heard due by her majesty, the queen’s suggestion that sweets are the best remedies for sullen maidens. She is not wrong, but her foolish son is sending way too much.

By the way, I’ve also been frequenting the castle’s kitchen for my confectionary baking adventures. Although only Maynard knows that I’ve been doing that. If his majesty were to know, he’d be angry for sure.

‘Oh my, this chocolate of yours. What a delight.’

‘Well, it should be. They bought it from the most expensive shop in the capital.’

Caroline’s mood seems to have been soothed by the chocolate’s sweetness.

She ate two to three pieces, and after flushing them with tea, she spoke again and said I’m talking about that woman!

‘By that ‘woman’, you mean?’

‘Lina, isn’t that obvious!?’

I wonder what on earth were Lina’s offense to anger Caroline again.

Caroline demanded Selma for another cup like an inebriate drowning himself with alcohol, but instead it was tea.

‘This incident went way up in that woman’s head and began blabbering about being the true saintess again! There’s a limit to how impudent a person can be!’

Well, that is quite something… But I’m oddly accepting of it because it’s something I can picture Lina doing.

‘She insists that something must have went wrong with the selection ceremony, or that if they were to redo it, she’ll be unmistakably chosen instead. Doing whatever she pleases, that sly fox!’

Caroline, watch your words.

I’m probably a little irked by it too, but with Caroline looking so menacing, I could only respond with a bitter smile.

‘Can’t somebody shut that wench up, or something?’

‘But then, it was true that she saved Prince Savalier.’

‘But that is that, and this is this, Aileen!’

Because Caroline has been eating one chocolate after another as she vented, half of it was already gone. Looks like it will be completely gone when she’s done. I don’t particularly mind, but I should take at least one bite, or Maynard will be peevish about it.

I took a piece for myself and recommended another for Selma, while attending to Caroline.

She started saying all sorts of slander against Lina, and seemingly regaining her composure, surrendered her body to the back of the sofa chair out of tire.

‘At any rate, I wonder just how the poison got to Prince Savalier’s wine.’

‘That’s true.’

Prince Savalier did take champagne from one of the waiting staff, but all the food and beverages of the party were strictly regulated. The staff who served the 2nd prince seems to be not aware of the poison either; he just turned as white as a sheet, and trembled on the spot.

After that, they checked all the other beverages served at the venue, but they found no poison in any of them.

Royalties’ life are often aimed at, but the royal family of this kingdom all get along well, with no power struggles. Prince Savalier’s doesn’t seem to be the kind of man to make enemies either. Besides, it would be much more understandable to aim for Maynard’s life, who is the closest to the throne, but targeting the 2nd prince instead is just strange.

‘Maynard investigated it too, but not he nor Prince Savalier found anything.’

‘Brother Berland’s intelligence unit is looking on it, so we’ll likely hear more about it soon. But don’t worry, they increased Prince Savalier’s securities just to be careful too.’

‘You’re right. It should be fine.’

Prince Savalier is carrying all sorts of antidotes just in case he gets poisoned. Caroline jovially added that all members of royal families cultivated poison resistance since childhood, so they won’t die from poison so easily, but I know she’s probably only saying that for my peace.

‘Anyway, we’re talking about Lina!’

Huh, now the topic went back to Lina once more.

After emptying the box of chocolates, this time Caroline set her sights on the cookies at the table.

‘I’ll beat some silence in that wench!’

…Caroline, it always turns serious whenever you say something like that so please keep it in moderation.