I Reject the villain’s ending.

Episode 64.

It was not until I returned to the temple that I was able to escape the rain. The water dripped and formed small puddles at my feet.

Luckily, there was no one in the corridor at this late hour, for if there had been, the whole affair might have reached the ears of High Priest Diego.

‘Well, I’d better be going, then. Oh, and His Royal Highness said he thought you were staying at the palace-’

‘Please tell him I decline.’

Leo scratched the back of his head coolly, shaking his head as he spoke with a pouty grin.

‘I’ll try not to, but the temple is just as dangerous, so you’ll have to think of something else.’

‘Okay, thanks, but that…….’

I trailed off, raising a finger to point at his face.

‘How did you end up like that?’

‘I got beaten up by your highness.’

‘……?!’

Was he the kind of man who just got his hands slapped by his own man?

Leo, reading my expression, excused himself.

‘No, it’s not like he has a personality problem…….’

‘Is that because of me?’

‘Pinkie……?’

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Iros asked with a stern face.

‘Did you get hit for bringing me to the imperial palace?’

‘Lord Leo brought you to the palace?’

I asked. Given the distance between the palace and the temple, Iros arrived so soon after I announced that I wanted to sleep, the only way to get here was by teleportation.

And Lord Leo did that for him?

‘Did he bring him here without the crown prince’s knowledge, and that’s why he made your face like that?’

‘Mmm. Well-’

‘So now you see, he’s a total scumbag!’

‘No, look, it’s not that-’

‘Or what?’

Under Iros’ and my beaky glares, Leo said shyly, unbecoming of his size.

‘I beat him up, too. I mean, I beat him up first, but somehow I let him hit me a few times.’

‘…….’

‘…….’

I asked, my mouth moving to the side.

‘Pink, is it okay for a knight to feed his lord?’

‘Isn’t he going to disappear from the world sooner or later? After all, he’s a crown prince, and he attacked the imperial family, so his arm will be chopped off.’

‘Is it normal to talk about such things with a shy smile?’

‘Well. I guess there’s such a thing as personal preference, isn’t there?’

‘…I can hear you.’

‘Excuse me.’

As I gazed sympathetically at the brave Lord Leo, who would soon be a star in the world anyway, he said something unexpected.

‘He’ll be released after a couple of days’ probation anyway, as he’s a boyhood friend of yours, and besides, the wine was spiked with poison, so he deserved it.’

‘Poison?’

My and Iros’s expressions grew cold.

Leo’s expression soon changed, and he let out a small sigh and leaned back ninety degrees.

Come on, what’s the matter with you suddenly?’

‘Firstly, I apologize on your behalf. “His Highness put poison in the wine.” that temporarily clouded my mind.’

‘Poison? I didn’t mishear that after all…….’

‘It is a mild poison that has the effect of making it difficult for you to discern, but has no side effects or after-effects.’

My face grew cold. There was a natural edge to his voice.

‘The wine would have been shared by the crown prince, too. Are you saying he poisoned something he could have eaten?’

‘The Emperor has had so many poisoning attempts since he was a child that he has developed a degree of immunity to almost all poisons; he can drink several bottles of mild poison and still be fine.’

‘So you’re saying that the crown prince wasn’t even drunk on poison, but he was with me when I killed him?’

‘What?’

‘Crazy bastard.’

I knew he would hate me and never forgive me.

But I made you fall in love with me, only to leave you miserable? So you kissed me like crazy and tried to hold me?

‘I was Sierra, the Crazy Saint, and I had no common sense.

I wondered how much she must hate me to do that, but I also thought that if she hated me, she would have been disgusted and wouldn’t have thought of such an idea.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, I realized.

‘You still love me.’

That’s why he said all that nonsense and tried to kiss me, and that’s why he meant it, all that touching.

I got goosebumps. What the hell was love, that he still loved me after killing himself and everyone else he cared about?

I lifted my head and stared at Iros.

‘Sierra?’

It’s hard. What kind of love is this? Not Iros, not the crown prince.

If I learn to love, if I know love, if I fall in love, will I act so irrationally and ineffectually, crying and laughing?

I stare at him, and he smiles, his cheeks coloring slightly.

‘Sierra, did you get something on my face?’

She looks happy. I shake my head, looking at Iros, who looks as harmless as cotton candy.

‘Nothing. Sir Leo, please go and tell the crown prince.’

‘Yes. What do you want me to tell him?’

I paused to catch my breath, then rolled my eyes and said.

* * *

‘Don’t love me.’

‘…….’

‘…He told me to tell you. She was so adamant.’

‘She’s still a cruel woman.’

The crown prince ran a hand through his hair and smiled bloodily, shading his eyes.

Lyssen patted him on the shoulder, noticing the wry smile of resignation.

‘You deserve to be called that. That’s why I told you I’m against poisoning wine.’

‘Listen, shut up. Who said it was okay to put your hands down?’

‘Yes.’

Lyssen, who had covertly lowered his arms while the Prince shielded his eyes, raised them again, and poked Leo in the cheek next to him.

‘So that’s all you have to report?’

‘Oh. It seems that the Saint is going to be a lover with Lord Airos, and I’ve been watching from as far away as I can because I don’t think it’s polite to pry.’

‘Then Fritzie is heartbroken. Look at that. They were never meant to be, right?’

‘But I don’t think they’re dating.’

‘……?’

‘He hasn’t confessed. They’re slowly getting to know each other. The maids call it a thumb.’

Leo’s words made the crown prince sit up.

‘You mean they’re not dating yet?’

‘Your Highness? Fritzie? Come on, don’t get carried away. You’ve already got your eye on a saint, don’t even think about it.’

‘We’re not dating yet…….’

‘Leo, why do you say such stupid things and make her roll her eyes again!’

‘It’s hopeless anyway, so I’m just making it easier on myself.’

Leo shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. But Lyssen’s face grew redder and redder.

‘The question is,’ he said, ’do you think Fritzie would give up after hearing that, you fool when he’s made head of the Templars and replaced his brain with muscle?’

The crown prince threw his head forward and began to chuckle, his head bowed in a snarl.

Lyssen turned his head away, unable to look, and Leo flinched, sensing something was wrong.

‘Fufufufu, right, we just need to win Sierra’s heart first, right?’

‘Freehi, you’re already taken.’

‘I’ll just have to apologize and beg and plead until she accepts. I’m good at that, you know.’

‘Glad. She’s already not listening to me.’

Lyssen threw his hands up in the air in abandon, and Leo went white with the realization of what he’d done.

‘What have I done?’

‘What have you done? Something that will tear a future couple apart. Come on, Fritzie, you know you’re doing it right.’

‘You should apologize to Lord Iros and the Saint beforehand…….’

‘Won’t you get beaten to death if you go? I thought Lord Iros was stronger than you?’

‘Then we have no choice. Let’s knock him out. Just hit him in the head enough to make him lose his memory…….’

‘Two blows? Then you’ll be a real death sentence.’

Leo, who had stepped into a trap he couldn’t escape, grabbed Lyssen’s arm and said one last time.

‘Don’t look for me, I’m on holiday for the time being.’

‘What? Dude, did you crash and burn?!’

Leo immediately teleported away, leaving Risen alone with the crown prince, who laughed darkly, tugging at his long hair.

‘Alright, lyssen, I want an inventory of my personal property right now.’

‘What, what are you going to do, you’re not going to give it to that saint, are you? You’re the crown prince of the empire, you know you’re not in a position to just spend money, right?’

Uneasily, the crown prince looked more animated and Filled with enthusiasm than ever.

‘I know,’ he said, ’but I’ve been doing all the right things, so it’s time for a change, and now that I think about it, living like Sierra isn’t so bad.’

‘What, are you going to run around smashing everything?’

‘No. To do everything I want to do and live life to the fullest. You only live once, after all.’

Sure, you only live once, and it’s good to live as you please, but if the crown prince lives like that, the country will be ruined.

With shaky eyes, Lyssen fumbled with the resignation letter in his arms and threw it at the crown prince.

There is no hope for this place anymore.

The crown prince chased after lyssen with a glint of madness in his eyes.

‘Hahaha, right. Now I can live as I please!’

Seeing the crown prince laughing like a madman as he chased after her, Lyssen muttered morbidly.

‘The saint’s madness must be contagious, and I must seek asylum in another country-’

‘Lyssen, my dear friend, where are you going?’

‘Black. Damn it.’

Caught by the crown prince in pursuit, Lyssen was dragged away, sobbing.

‘I’m leaving-!’

‘Dismissed.’

‘I don’t want to work with a crazy boss-!’

Only lyssen’s pitiful cries echoed through the corridors of the imperial palace at dawn.

* * *

Burrrr. I shivered with sudden goosebumps.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘No, I just have goosebumps for some reason. Is it because it’s raining?’

‘Silly saint, why did you come out into the garden in your thin clothes?’

‘How can I stand still while you’re standing in the rain? I have to take care of my dog.’

‘I love you, saint.’

‘……!’

Ouch. I blushed again.

I can’t get used to Iros smiling so wide, baring his teeth, telling me he loves me.

Who can handle that kind of beauty in the first place?

I’m sorry.

‘Kerr, kerrhm. I don’t mean that at all.’

‘I don’t mean to be flippant, but you’re the kind of saint who makes me work harder.’

I glanced away at his casual remark.

If up until now I’d felt like Iros was my subordinate, a puppy I’d picked up, something like this, now I felt like-‘

‘Yeah. Like a puppy playing with his master.’

Whereas before I always felt like Iros was like, ‘Holy Mother, you can’t do this, you can’t do this, you can’t do this,’ I now feel like I’m being teased.

When I shook my head in disbelief, Iros laughed warmly like spring snow.

‘You must be catching a cold, let’s change.’

‘Okay.’

‘Love you.’

‘……!’

I stopped dead in my tracks and jumped in place, face popping.

This is bad for the heart in so many ways. I…….