I Reject the villain’s ending.

Episode 6.

Just as we expected, Mei is reinstated to the temple just as the apology is about to end.

‘Sister-! I’m back!’

‘Mei?’

I stretched out my arms in horror as she raced down the corridor, her orange hair fluttering in a bun.

As soon as I reached out my arms, Mei ran towards me with a big grin on her face, tripping over her own feet and levitating.

‘What?’

‘Mei!’

‘Boom!’

Iros caught Mei as she landed headfirst on the ground in a parabolic motion.

I was lucky that Iros was behind me to support my back, or else we would have both fallen backward.

Mei, still in my arms, giggled, her round eyes widening even more in surprise.

I let out a long sigh, the corners of my eyes twitching upwards as I scolded her.

‘You shouldn’t have run like that in the hallway, you almost tripped!’

‘Sorry, I’m so happy to see you, I won’t run next time!’

I was at a loss for words as I looked at Mei, who was giggling like an overly cheerful puppy.

The other workers who had been watching us bit into their bubbles and fainted.

Mei must have thought I was going to kill her because she ran to me and hugged me, then dropped like a fallen leaf.

I didn’t say anything as I dragged her downstairs to the basement and left her in a mess.

I looked at the stunned people in the hallway and realized with a sinking feeling that it was in their best interest to get out of there.

I carried Mei into the room and flopped down on the couch.

‘Phew, you’re smart to be out there.’

I let out a sigh, and Mei’s eyes lit up and her fists balled into fists.

‘Who’s been paying attention to my saint? I’ll beat them all, just say the word!’

‘Oh, no. Not that.’

How can I tell you that I’m sorry for freaking everyone out and making eye contact with you like it’s some kind of magic?

I’m trying to be good and right, and things I never used to care about are showing through.

She rolls her eyes and pats the side of the couch.

‘Mei, come here and tell me a story. How is your mother?’

‘Oh, by the way, I was so happy to see you that I forgot to thank you first.’

Mei came over and plopped down beside me, her brown eyes twinkling. She was so tomboyishly cute in her exuberance.

‘I went to the doctor, and he said she is cured! It’s all thanks to you, saint. You gave me money and healed my mum after I made a mistake and got kicked out.’

Tears filled Mei’s eyes as she spoke.

Even if she didn’t say it, I could tell that she was under a lot of stress, having been fired from her job and having to support her younger siblings and mother.

Raising her arm and wiping her eyes tightly with her sleeve, Mei snorted, took a deep breath, and spoke.

‘So, I came back to the temple and told the priest that I wanted to be his maid!’

‘What?’

‘So, as of today, I’m your dedicated maid. I’ll work you to the bone!’

‘No, ugh. I don’t want you to grind my bones. You’ll have to do it in moderation. Okay?’

I was worried that this kid would work himself to the bone.

But I was wrong, Mei’s eyes sparkled as if she was impressed, and she grasped my hand tightly.

‘Yes! Then you won’t work yourself to the bone, but in moderation…….’

‘Okay. Please, moderately.’

‘I’ll work moderately hard, you’re a sweetheart after all!’

Not at all.

Only this morning, when I went to the dining hall to eat, the cooks and servants who encountered me fainted one after another, so I ate my meals in my room.

I was still a terror to them, a wicked woman.

I’ve apologized profusely for my past, and I’ve been behaving myself lately, but perceptions are hard to change.

The good news is that Iros doesn’t seem to dislike me as much anymore.

I turn my head to glance at Iros, and when our eyes meet, he looks down at me and flutters his light pink lashes softly.

‘Is there something you want me to do?’

‘No. I just wanted to see you.’

‘…I see.’

He replied a beat late and turned his gaze back to the window.

I caught one last glimpse of Iros’s pretty, straight jawline and went back to sipping my tea.

‘By the way, we don’t have anywhere to go to apologize after today, do we?’

‘No. I’ve been going to apologize for two weeks and it’s finally over.’

‘Ugh.’

Mei, who had been listening to my casual conversation with Iros, cocked her head and asked.

‘Why did you go around apologizing to people anyway?’

At that innocent question, Iros and I automatically exchanged glances.

I’ve recognized her from the start because she’s nice, but Mei still doesn’t understand the world.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering how to explain this, then shrugged my shoulders and meekly said.

‘I went through a bit of a rough puberty, and I’ve got a bit of a temper.’

To dismiss it as a bad temper would be an understatement; He’d already slit the throats of every member of House Elgraton, and He couldn’t even begin to list the atrocities He’d committed in my life.

If it weren’t for the memory of his previous life, he would have continued on a path of red blood, becoming the final black curtain that would engulf the country, and his head would have been cut off at the hands of Iros.

He shuddered and clutched at his throat, and Iros reflexively reached out and touched his shoulder.

‘Are you all right, it’s not cold yet, shall we close the windows?’

‘No. I just had a creepy thought.’

‘…….’

At my words, Iros suddenly took a hesitant step backward, clasping his hands politely together and squeezing my front, giving me a bug-eyed stare.

Why, what? What.

‘I’m not what you think I am, Red, so why don’t you stop looking at me like I’m rubbish?’

‘I know what you think I’m thinking.’

‘Obviously, what I’ve been asking you to do every day.’

‘You unscrupulous……!’

‘No!’

I insisted, ready to cough up blood.

So please don’t look at me like you look at Chihan!

Sure, I’ve made Iros do a lot of big, weird things, but not now.

At least I’m not a mindless bully like the original Sierra.

I’m a normal person with some intelligence and reason!

‘Haha. Anyway, I have a bit of a reputation, as you can see from Pink’s reaction.’

‘I thought that was just a rumor.’

‘I don’t know. Not when there’s smoke coming out of the chimney. There are some rumors, but most of them are probably true.’

He sneered, his eyes cold and distant.

Now that I remember the days I lived as someone else and have read all the endings of my life, I can look at things a little more objectively, but before that…….

‘I wanted the world to end.’

‘What?’

Mei frowned, not understanding.

I smirked at my embarrassment and said shakily.

‘This shitty world, the fucking caste system, the fucking empire. I wanted to take it all down with my own hands, so I got very pissed off.’

‘…….’

Iros, listening behind him, realized his breathing had stopped. But I smiled brightly, pretending not to notice.

‘Well, yes, I know, but it doesn’t matter now, as long as I see to the well-being of my one and only.’

‘Exactly! As long as she’s comfortable, you’re done!’

‘Exactly. That’s exactly what I’m saying.’

Now I let go of the grumbling and craving for something because I didn’t want to go down the thorny path.

I didn’t want to be tied to my misery and forget my happiness.

‘Enough small talk, Mei, you’re the only maid I have, so it might be a little hard on you, but do you mind?’

‘Yes, I’m strong enough to take care of myself. Mei, of course, I won’t make the same mistakes again!’

‘Okay, okay. I’ll look forward to it.’

‘Yes! I’ll go get some more tea and snacks.’

‘Please.’

I flopped down on the couch and waved to smiling Mei, then dropped my hand as the door closed behind me.

‘Pink.’

‘Yeah.’

‘You know, I’m trying not to, but I’m in a very bad mood.’

‘…….’

‘I’ve been trying to be nice, but now that I’m thinking about it, I feel like I’m going to snap again.’

I don’t want to be tied to my misfortune, but that doesn’t make me feel any better.

The illegitimate daughter of a venerable and virtuous earl.

I can’t tell you how much that name has haunted me, following me around like a tag.

Before I came to the temple when I was a count. Even the slightest recollection of that time makes my heart throb.

It was a force majeure that I could not control.

I frowned at the sullen, sour mood, raised my arms to shade my eyes, and lay back down.

‘Pink.’

‘Yes.’

‘I don’t hurt you?’

‘…….’

At the abruptness of the words rather, than the command in the guise of words-Iros pursed his lips as he stared down at me buried in the couch.

Every inch of his gaze felt familiar. I’d known him for nine years.

There was no way I could be blindfolded and not recognize him.

‘Answer.’

‘…Yes.’

‘Good boy, my pinkie.’

Nothing else was said.

Iros and I didn’t talk much in the first place, and it had been this way since the beginning.

We knew each other’s intentions without words.

Maybe that’s why I wanted to bind him and nail him down as mine.

Like he’d understand anything.

‘I’m not good at being alone.’

‘I know, that’s why I’m always around.’

I smirked at Iros’s nonchalant tone and muttered, ‘Because you need me.

‘You’re not here because you need me too, are you?’

‘…….’

‘No matter how much I bully you, no matter how much I coerce you, no matter how much you hate me, you’re still here, even though this isn’t where the Guardians live.’

I woke up in the middle of the night to find Iros reclining in bed.

He was always there, needle and thread, when I woke up and when I fell asleep.

I never ordered him to do that.

‘The other Guardians, Shield, and Wisdom, have never even come to visit me in my quarters. You’re the only one who stays by my side.’

‘I will always be by your side.

It was a sweet sound. Was Iros capable of such flattery?

He smiled weakly and drifted off to sleep, the warm breeze tickling his cheeks.