I Reject the villain’s ending.

Episode 70.
I said, ‘Hmm,’ and stroked my chin, feigning contemplation.

‘I was looking for ugly, but you’re beautiful with puffy eyes. What am I going to do, I must be a real beanpole.’

‘You’re beautiful, too. No matter how much you cry, you’re beautiful.’

As they stared at each other with honey-dripping eyes in their world for a long time, they heard a cough from the other side.

‘Enough. But enough of that, I’m here, right?’

‘I know.’

‘I know, and that’s why I’m holding myself back. I want to take off my shirt right now and get in bed with you, just like when we’re alone, and beg you to seduce me and make me feel pretty.’

‘What…….’

Both Mei and I were startled by Iros’s bluntness.

‘Even if the saint was always like that, how did the guardian turn into such a person? Is this also the power of love?’

‘Mei, if you try love, you’ll see the world differently.’

‘I think it’s just that you’ve changed. Anyway, how have you been making money?’

Mei, who has been turning into a snob in the almost five months she’s been with us, glances at the pockets on my waistband.

Mei puffed up her cheeks adorably, with the unspoken pressure that if the pocket was empty, she’d go ballistic.

‘You’ve been earning money, haven’t you?’

‘Of course. What do you think I am?’

I handed Mei the pouch of money I’d picked up from the top of the elotta. Mei quickly unzipped the pouch and her mouth dropped open.

‘Drool.’

‘Kaaah! Money, money. Shiny gold coins!’

‘I’ll leave the money to you, Mei, so you can use it to pay for food and run the mansion.’

‘Yes, saint, I love you, I’ll be loyal!’

‘And in a little, while the laborers will be coming from the top of Elotta, and you can help them pack up.’

‘Is that okay?’

‘Carrot. Viscount Ellis gave me the golden plaque to do this, didn’t he, ohhhhhh.’

I could hear Iros muttering behind me, ‘He’s a villain…….,’ but I shrugged it off and turned on my heel.

‘Oops. Almost forgot about this.’

‘Is there something you want me to do?’

‘No. Not really, but Diane will be here soon.’

‘What? Dean?’

‘You mean Diane is coming?’

Mei and Iros looked at me, their eyes narrowed. Neither of them had any idea.

Dian, who had stayed in Elotta for months, searching for Eldrakis’s body, was coming to the capital with a carriage.

‘So suddenly, without warning?’

‘The day I bought the property and paid the balance, I blew the whistle while you were sleeping. I told you to come straight to the capital, not the temple, it’s closer.’

By now, the temple must have realized that I had disappeared with Mei and Iros, and there was an uproar.

A ticking time bomb of a saint, with both sword and wisdom among the Guardians, was missing.

High Priest Diego would have realized this, and it would be dangerous for Diane to go to the temple where the demi-humans have taken root.

“It’s better to keep all of them tied up here for safety.”

‘Well. A guardian’s job is to stay by the side of a saint anyway, so it’s enough to use external reasons as an excuse.‘’

There was something more important than Dian’s arrival.

‘Mei, there’s something I need to tell you, too.’

‘What else besides Dian’s coming?’

‘Yes. I hope you’ll listen to me, because it’s proof that I trust you completely as my person, and you’re wise now.’

My words made Mei sob as if moved.

‘Saint……. All this time you’ve been putting up a thin wall, not trusting me completely, keeping your distance, and now you’re letting me into your hedge!’

‘Did you know that?’

‘Of course! A maid’s job is to quickly ascertain her master’s feelings and mind and adjust accordingly! I’m not a maid anymore, but I’m always on my toes when it comes to you, Saint.’

‘You like me.’

Mei’s fanatical loyalty was both similar and different from Iros’.

If Iros is love, Mei is madness, and sometimes frightening.

‘Yes, you are, and I’ve decided to accept you fully as one of mine now, because I don’t trust people very much, and you seem to be okay.’

‘Black, Saint……!’

Mei exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes. Loyalty poured out of her eyes, as it was a sensitive time.

Nodding her head and clenching her fists, Mei spoke up.

‘Of course, I’m your guardian now, too, so what’s there to be afraid of when you have such faith in me? What do you have to say, I’ll listen, even if it takes all night!’

‘That’s a very good attitude, Mei.’

I smiled and patted Mei on the head.

Then I stepped inside the house, shut the door firmly behind me, and opened my mouth.

‘Don’t freak out. This might be hard to believe.’

‘I’d believe you if you told me you were a snitch.’

‘I’m not a snitch, May.’

‘I know. You’re breaking beds and tearing mattresses.’

‘…….’

Mei tossed it out nonchalantly, and Iros’s face flushed with anger.

Unable to find the main hall, he cowered in the corner, fuming.

‘I’ve told you this before, Iros-’

‘Shh.’

Iros clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes narrowing.

‘Why?’

‘There’s someone at the door.’

‘……!’

At that, everyone tensed and looked at the door.

Before Iros could finish his sentence, there was a frighteningly loud knock on the door, followed by a deep, gravelly voice.

‘It’s Diane, my lady.’

‘Behold. A welcome visitor. Mei, open the door.’

‘Yes!’

Mei scurried to the door and opened it, letting in Dian, whose skin had tanned badly in recent months.

Dian greeted her in a gruff, raspy voice.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, how have you been?’

‘I’m always getting into trouble wherever I am. I’ve been on my own, Diane.’

‘…Thank you.’

Diane bowed her head sombrely. He’s gotten a lot more depressed since I last saw him.

Iros is suffering from separation anxiety, Diane is depressed, and Mei is full of madness. I wonder if we’re a good combination.

‘Come and sit down, Diane, there’s something I want you to hear.’

‘A story?’

‘Yes. A serious, serious talk. How much do you trust me?’

It was a sudden question, but Diane didn’t hesitate to answer.

‘I trust you enough to follow whatever you tell me to do. When we were searching for Ella’s body, I was told that the temple sent orders to return again and again, and you stopped them all.’

‘Viscount Ellis told you that?’

‘I found out somehow.’

‘I see.’

‘I will always cherish in my heart the consideration with which you allowed me to find him, who was like family to me, for you are the only one who has ever done so.’

I nodded, wiping away my anxiety and hesitation.

‘Now I’m going to tell you my secret.’

‘It sounds important, so I’m going to put up a shield to keep it from leaking out.’

As Diane cast a shield with her divine power, I began to tell her that I was living a third life.

Mei and Dian listened in silence as I told them the story, which they would have laughed off as fiction or absurd.

When I started to get emotional, I could barely finish my story because Iros held my hand.

‘So that’s the secret I’ve been hiding.’

‘So that’s why you two turned into beady-eyed?’

‘I was a little surprised, but yeah, I guess so. You’re a little too skillful with a bow for some reason.’

I blinked and tilted my head.

‘You’re both less aesthetically pleased than I thought you’d be, huh?’

I hadn’t expected him to be so nonchalant.

I was expecting a look of shock, disbelief, or a suggestion that I should go to the hospital, if not crying and hyperventilating like Iros.

When I didn’t get the reaction I expected, I looked at them in bewilderment, and Mei and Diane shrugged, unmoved.

‘Honestly, I don’t think the Saint would scam us with something like this unless it involved money.’

‘Is that… true?’

When have I ever cheated anyone out of money, I thought, but I nodded at Mei’s words.

Diane spoke gravely.

‘The saint must have thought a lot about this before she brought it up, and I only took her words seriously.’

‘Uh……. Thank you?’

I was surprised at this response, given that some of my stories were about the crown prince, some were about Iros, and some were about soap operas.

I was rather embarrassed. Is this a reaction?

‘The past doesn’t matter because the Saint and the Protector like each other anyway, and I’m all for pretty love!’

‘Heh heh heh.’

Iros smirked and whispered as I stood there, dumbfounded and unable to adjust.

‘Look, now that you’ve spilled your guts, do you feel you can trust people more?’

‘Yeah. I guess I was being too hard on myself.’

There are not only people in this world like the Earl of Elgraton who hurt me.

I learned that there are others who believe in me, who support me, who know me, who trust me.

I wondered if this was what it felt like when the chick broke free of the egg, only to see the light seeping through the cracks in the shell that surrounded me.

The world looked new. My world was bigger.

The world outside the shell was warm and welcoming as a spring day.

I’m not alone.

‘Really, I’m so glad I told you, I’m so glad you’re here with me.’

I haven’t laughed so genuinely since I was a very young child.

I burst out laughing, white as a sheet, with no pretense.

I felt relieved as if everything had finally fallen into place.

******