I Reject the villain’s ending.

Episode 66.

We arrived at Jozef’s mansion after dragging Leo through the streets.

‘What is this new combination? I don’t want to set foot in my house anymore,’ said Jozef, looking at the combination of Leo, who was blue, drooling, and passed out like a zombie, me, who was bright red, and Iros and May, who were grinning from ear to ear.

‘What is this new combination? I somehow don’t want them to set foot in my house.’

‘It’s been a long time, Jozef.’

‘It’s been a long time for you too, Saint, but how are you, are you hot? Would you like a glass of ice water, you look very flushed?’

‘No, thank you.’

‘What did Iros do to you to make your face look like this?’

‘Uh……! Did Josef notice?’

I cover my face with my hand as Jozef asks with a mischievous grin, and Mei chuckles beside me.

‘Well, the Guardian kissed you on the cheek and-’

‘Mei!’

‘Hmph. Anyway, that’s what happened, I didn’t see anything-’

‘Ho-ho. So, Iros, did you finally end your unrequited love, with a happy ending?’

‘Profit.’

I stared at Iros, my eyes slightly watery with embarrassment.

‘What the hell did I do to deserve this, that everyone knows Iros likes me!

Am I the only one who didn’t know? Am I the only one so clueless that I didn’t know? Am I clueless?

The thoughts continued in a tailspin.

‘So what brings you to my mansion? I’ve been very busy with my research and haven’t heard from the outside world in quite some time.’

‘I suppose so.’

Jozef’s once handsome face was now haggard and hollow, with dark circles under his eyes.

He glanced around and noticed that all the researchers looked equally exhausted as he was, only their eyes were more animated.

‘If we mix these ingredients like this, we’ll finally be able to produce ……!’

‘Ugh! It failed again! Why does it keep failing?!’

‘How many failures is this?’

‘The 1987th failure. Heh, heh, heh.’

Seeing the researchers and Jozef peering into the beaker with maddened eyes, I felt a surge of confidence.

As expected, they were all happy to be dying.

‘Do you happen to need a very good divine power user?’

‘What?’

‘To research, you need to have stamina and be in good physical shape, so your brain can work better and you can work longer.’

‘Hmph. Does that mean you’re going to use your divine power? Certainly, your divine power is not comparable to that of ordinary priests. Your body is very fresh, light, and-’

‘Unlike potions that only give you a little stamina, it also improves your nutrition. The researchers are all in desperate need of divine power…….’

‘Hahaha, that’s right, because they’re all out of stamina and health.’

I smirked and threw down the deal.

‘How about two hundred gold each, I’ll guarantee it’s more effective than last time.’

‘Hmmm. That’s a bit pricey. How about 150 gold?’

At the mention of money, Jozef’s cloudy eyes sharpened.

‘It’s very rare for a saint to use divine power herself, and besides, you felt it last time, my divine power is unique.’

‘What about the 180 gold?’

‘You’re going to pay that much for something much more tangible than last time?’

‘Yeah……. Let’s make it 200 gold.’

Jozef finally gave in. But my deal wasn’t done yet.

I arrogantly called for a higher price.

‘250 gold.’

‘What? Why the 50 gold jump all of a sudden?’

‘Because those researchers over there, they’re about to die.’

‘……?’

Jozef turned his head at my jerk of the chin, and out of the corner of his eye, the researchers were walking backward, biting into a crab bubble.

Jozef panicked and let out a shrill exclamation.

‘What?!’

‘Three hundred gold. How can I help you?’

‘Call, call. Three hundred gold per person! Hurry up and save them, my precious researchers are going to die like this!’

‘Deal done. Saint, we’re on our way-’

I smiled brightly and rushed over, unleashing holy power on the researchers trying to get to the Lord’s side.

The faces of the dying researchers, like shriveled squids, turned into a glossy sheen, and their pan cheeks gradually filled up to a rounded shape.

‘This is the holy power of the saint…….’

Jozef trailed off and watched as the man came to life.

Iros and Mei’s eyes widened as they watched, as they hadn’t seen anything like this since I became a Saint.

‘Are you beginning to realize my greatness, boys?

I’m a saint, you see, I am.

As she revived the researchers and returned Jozef to the crowd, everyone stood up and clapped as if a promise had been made.

‘Wow, Saint, you are amazing!’

‘Saint, you’re amazing, you’re amazing!’

‘Sierra, I thought the pattern was the only thing that made you a saint, but I’m surprised.’

‘What?!’

I exclaimed as I took it off his hand and looked at him, impressed.

‘Saint, you’re a real saint,’ he said, ’to bring people back from the brink of death like this, even if you keep pouring 100-gold top-grade potions on them. I’ll take that kind of money any day.’

‘Thirty people, including Jozef-’

‘That’s nine thousand gold. Would you like to pay in cash or have it sent to your bank account?’

‘Woohoohoo, of course, I prefer cash.’

‘I like it hot!’

‘You too.’

There’s a pocket of subspace, I’ll take it all home with me.

With a big smile, I take the money from Jozef.

‘Thank you, sir, and please come back again-’

‘Next time I need it, I’ll call you.’

Grinning broadly and holding the clinking pouch, I woke Leo up, healed him, and returned to the manor.

Upon returning, Leo stretched out on the porch and shivered, his stamina restored but his mana not.

‘I can’t teleport anymore today. I’m so low on mana that I’m going to throw up.

He covered his mouth in frustration as he watched Leo crawl back to his room.

‘It’s a shame, I didn’t have to walk or ride in a carriage. Have I pampered you too much?’

‘I think it’s best to let you get some rest today before you go out to catch people. I feel like my insides are shaking when my mana is depleted.’

‘Have you ever been mana depleted?’

‘Once before.’

Iros smirked and walked over to me, resting his cheek on my shoulder and looking up at me.

Why does she have to be so pretty and flirtatious?

‘Now, why don’t we leave May and Sir Leo to rest and the two of us go to the top of Elotta?’

‘Well, shall we?’

I nodded and took the gold plaque, and Iros blew into his cheeks and gave me a pouty look.

‘This is a date request, Sierra.’

‘……!’

‘This is my first time in the capital and going somewhere that isn’t the Imperial Palace, so I want you to date me. You said you’d love me the best you could.’

‘He…….’

Yes, that’s what I said. I didn’t exactly say the word that started with the four, but it wouldn’t work on Iros.

‘Mm-hmm. Date…….’

A first date. I can’t believe we’ve been together for nine years and never been on a date.

You put a leash around Iros’s neck and pace through the rooms and corridors in your half-undressed state.

‘Haha. That’s not a date.’

So this is a real first date.

‘How does a date work? I thought it was supposed to be a film, then dinner, then a cafe, but here we’re going to the opera, then the ball, then a restaurant?

I had barely stepped out of the temple and had no idea how or where people go on dates.

I turned to Iros, my confidence plummeting, but my face calm and brazen.

‘You know what?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Have you ever been on a date?’

‘Well, this is the first time I’ve ever had someone to date.’

‘You were so popular with the maids and worshippers at the temple, you never tried?’

‘That’s too bad, saint. Do you expect me to have dated anyone else?’

I shook my head in exasperation as Iros looked hurt, tears threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes.

‘No, no, no, it’s not like that, I’m just asking because I’ve never been on a date before and don’t know how to do it.’

‘Aha.’

‘So what do you usually do on a date?’

‘…….’

‘Pink?’

At my question, Iros averted his gaze with a look that said, why are you asking me that?

Then he muttered in a low voice so I couldn’t hear him.

‘You didn’t know love when you were a child, and when you came to the Cyanine Empire after being sold to a slaver, you were picked up by a saint as soon as you escaped. You’ve been imprinted ever since, and you’ve only ever had unrequited love, so who has time to date?’

‘The bottom line is you don’t know, and that’s a long-winded excuse.’

‘You don’t even know you’re a saint.’

‘That’s true.’

Mei, Leo, and Yongyong, who had been listening to our conversation from the side, turned their heads in disgust.

‘It’s fun to watch other people’s love lives, but it’s making me sick.

‘Do you feel the same way? I think I do, too. For some reason, I feel even more sick to my stomach than before.’

‘Eek. Fu-ling, Fu!’

‘Feel free to call me Mei. I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to go inside to rest.’

‘Me too.’

‘Keh.’

Mei and Leo entered the mansion, and the dragon dragon lay beside the fountain.

At the two’s reaction, Mei and Iros glanced at each other and smiled.

‘Hmm. How about we take a stroll around the streets for now……?’

‘Do you think so?’

Mei, watching us, sighed heavily and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a travel brochure.

‘It’s for couples. It’s got all the famous places in the capital, as well as some off-the-beaten-path eateries and things to see, so have a good first date.’

‘You have such a thing?’

‘Thank you, Xu, Mei.’

‘Well, I knew you two would be like this, so go ahead and have fun!’

I felt an unspoken pressure from the smiling Mei to get lost and not mess with my insides anymore.

And with that, we were whisked out the door on Mei’s back.

‘Oh, and by the way, if you’re going to the top of Elotta, don’t forget to bring some laborers to help you pack up your things! I can’t do it all by myself, so bye-bye-’

With a bang.

Mei slammed the gate shut and locked it. She wasn’t going to open it again, so Iros and I stared at the mansion for a moment, dumbfounded, then smirked.

‘Shall we go, then, my lady?’

‘Pooh-pooh. Take care on my first date, knight.’

Let’s go, first date!