I Reject the villain’s ending.

Episode 76.

When I woke up, the curtains were purple as if they’d never been black, and my face was as pretty as it had been when I started crying.

I feel like I’ve been possessed by something.

The curtain opened and Iros entered, carrying a pair of shoes.

‘Saint, these are the only shoes you have, but they seem small……. Why are you sitting there?’

Iros walked over to me, looking embarrassed, and helped me to my feet.

I stared at him in disbelief and pursed my lips.

I know why the gods didn’t give me my memory back all these years.

As soon as I saw that flowing light pink hair and those gentle eyes that looked only at me, I must have felt so sorry for him that I ran away or hid myself.

I feel guilty for not being able to recognize those straight eyes that only loved me, and for Iros who ended up killing me because he loved me to the end.

It was heavy enough to take my breath away.

‘Pink.’

‘Yes, Saint.’

‘I’m so grateful that you told me you loved me.’

‘Out of the blue?’

‘Just thank you.’

Thank you for loving me so much, such an ugly little thing. Thank you for giving me faith that you will love me forever.

‘I’m not shirking anymore. You were right after all.’

‘Saint, when you fell, didn’t you hit your head hard somewhere?

You bastard, hahaha.

The impression was shattered.

‘But what are those shoes?’

‘Oh. Someone brought them to me.’

‘Oh, well, you don’t need them, which is good, because when I asked them, they said they didn’t have any shoes in your size.’

Iros said nonchalantly and put the shoes away, but I could tell. There were no shoes in my size.

‘This is a gift from God or a prank.

Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I held my head high and extended my hand to Iros.

‘Here.’

‘……?’

‘Take it. Let’s go downstairs and finish the dance. It’s only proper behavior for a gift of such beautiful shoes to be put to good use.’

‘I don’t know what this is all about, but I know you’re in a good mood, so I’ll carry you.’

‘Hahaha, let’s go. God help me, I’m going to make a real mooch out of this place today.’

People favorable to me, circumstances favorable to me. If this is a gift from the gods, if the gods are helping me, I should take advantage of it.

This is a stroke of genius that will never happen again.

‘I hope he’s not gone yet. I hope he’s still here. He should be.’

‘What?’

‘No. Let’s go!’

I clenched my fists and ran down to the ground floor, my eyes burning with motivation. Spotting me, Karina came running up to me, her eyes wide.

‘Oh my, Sierra-sama. Is your ankle feeling better now?’

‘Of course,’ I said, ’I’m a saint after all, so it didn’t take me long to heal it. I appreciate your concern.’

‘Ho-ho. What about those shoes……?’

‘Someone else gave them to me.’

‘They go so well with the dress you’re wearing, whoever it was must have a really good eye.’

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Karina, I took Iros’s hand and led him out onto the floor.

‘Shouldn’t we go and talk to them? There’s a whole group of nobles over there who have the kind of power you’re looking for.’

‘It’s okay, you’re more important than them.’

‘……!’

‘I don’t want to get my priorities mixed up.’

‘That means…….’

Iros blinked his slender eyes, his cheeks flushed red.

I grinned so wide that my eyes crinkled.

‘Come on, Pink, let’s dance. Before the music dies down.’

‘Now, wait. Tell me what you mean and dance, Saint, Sierra!’

Iros, drawn by my hand, followed, brushing against me.

I laughed out loud, pleased, and danced with him. When I didn’t get an answer, he sulked.

‘That’s disgusting.’

‘Yeah. I’m a bit like that.’

‘It’s too much.’

‘I know. You’ve always been like that.’

‘Hmm.’

Standing in the center of the hall with Iros pouting his lips, I released the holder and took a step back from him.

Iros was taken aback when I let go of him and stepped back from the dance floor.

‘Saint, did I do anything wrong…….’

‘God, if you’re listening, please ruffle some petals and give me a pretty bouquet. If I could go back in time to the moment of my death, I would do what I always wanted to do.’

‘Saint?’

I must have sensed something was very wrong with me talking to myself, because Iros reached out to me, his eyes wavering with anxiety, and then fumbled for it.

After a while, pretty flower petals fell gently from somewhere, as if there was a hole in the ceiling.

A gentle breeze blew through the room, bringing a hint of spring, even though it wasn’t spring.

‘Huh?’

Iros and the others in the banqueting hall looked up and saw the petals falling from the sky.

I held out the bouquet of pure white roses and pink peonies to him.

Iros’s eyes widened at the bouquet I held out to him.

‘What the hell is this?’

‘Saint Sierra Elgraton-’

‘Saint?’

‘I formally request the companionship of my guardian, Lord Iros Elijah.’

‘……!’

Iros’s eyes widened in disbelief.

My voice was soft but clear, and it was loud enough to be heard in this room, where the music had stopped and the sound of people’s conversations had died down.

In other words, everyone in the ballroom had heard my confession: everyone, even the crown prince.

Across from me, the crown prince’s face went rigid. His eyes, trembling like a bird caught in the rain, focused on me and shone with disbelief.

‘What are you thinking, Sierra, you’ve never been one to confess to someone, you’ve never been one to let someone into your heart in the first place.

The crown prince’s eyes seemed to say so.

‘I’m sorry, but I’m going to do what I want to do now.

I took a deep breath, steadied my trembling voice, and parted my lips. My eyes shone brighter than ever.

‘Will you make it official with me, Pink? This isn’t a momentary impulse, this isn’t something calculated, this is my heart, and I want you to take it, this bouquet.’

‘You mean it?’

Iros’s voice shook with disbelief.

‘Yes. I’m nervous because this is the first time in my entire life I’ve ever confessed.’

Indeed, my hand holding out the bouquet was trembling as much as my voice.

I remember it now. I made a wish to God even as I was dying.

‘I never thought anyone could like me,’ I said, ’but you dared to say you loved me.’

Crying, I remember Iros confessing to me that he loved me, so sobbingly, that I wanted to die.

I had no remorse for all my evil deeds, but I wanted to live again because of Iros.

‘If I am to live again, it would not be a bad idea to live for you.’

…I thought to myself as the embers of life were completely extinguished.

I remembered my heart clearly now, which I would not have known if God had not restored my memory.

I wanted to die so badly that I begged a god I didn’t believe in to bring me back to life.

‘I am where I am because of you. You brought me back, and you made me live.’

So now.

‘Now I’ll tell you. I love you, Iros. I’ve had a crush on you since I woke up in that coffin.’

Transparent tears fell from Iros’s wide eyes.

Everyone was watching us with bated breath.

I pressed my heart into my mouth and spoke, one by one.

‘Will you be my lover?’

‘Sierra!’

Iros rushed over and wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. His voice was as shaky as mine.

‘I like you, I like you, I love you so much, I think my heart is going to burst right now……. I don’t know what to say, I don’t.’

Blurring his words, Iros burst into tears as if he were a crybaby.

‘Yeah, yeah. Yes, I will, yes. Okay. I love you. Be my lover. I love you, Sierra.’

‘Fuhahaha, that’s how many times you say I love you.’

‘Ebony, don’t tease me. I’m still in awe.’

The bouquet was crushed by the smack of Iros’s torso as he lunged for me, but I didn’t care, instead turning to face Iros, who was sobbing into my shoulder.

The crown prince, who had been watching this from the other side of the room, bit his lip and lowered his head, then raised it again and smiled at me.

I felt a little sorry for him, but I couldn’t be happier now.

* * *

The crown prince, watching Sierra and Iros’ happy smiles with eyes dripping with regret, opened his mouth as if he couldn’t help it.

‘Really. I can’t resist, Lord Iros, and you too.’

‘You look like you’re dying of regret.’

‘When did you come?’

‘I’ve been here since the beginning. I’m here to return what the child lost.’

‘It was a memory, I suppose.’

‘Yes. I gave them back, all of them, and this is the happy ending.’

Danya laughed, crunching on a grape on the table.

‘Why can’t I?’

‘Because you’re too good, and the one who loves more usually loses. Isn’t that right?’

‘Haha. I guess so because when I see Sierra smiling like that, all I can think about is that I’m glad she’s happy instead of wanting to steal her away.’

Clutching his throbbing chest, the crown prince clapped, swallowing back the tears that threatened to burst.

His applause echoed among the other nobles.

Soon the hall was filled with applause and cheers.

‘I probably won’t be able to make you look like that in my lifetime, so I’m just giving in. Lord Airos will steal it from me any time he rings the Sierra.’

‘I’m sure he will, and on such a fine day, why don’t you make a big play for me?’

‘Sure. There’s plenty of good liquor in the palace.’

The crown prince stood for a moment amidst a crowd of applauding people, then turned back to the palace.

The people celebrated the birth of their lover, and the rain of flowers did not stop for a long time in the banqueting hall.

‘Congratulations, holy woman! That was wonderful!’

‘You’re a new woman! When did you organize such an event?’

‘You two look great together, but you’re crying so hard, isn’t that exhausting?’

Hmm. I think so. I thought about shedding a few tears, but Iros was crying so hard that I lost my chance.

‘Hm, hm, hm, hm, saint.’

‘Yeah. Yes, yes.’

‘You know, I’ve been in so much trouble, and you act like you’d never do this, and then you come out of the blue like this, Suck, and you freak me out, but I love it.’

‘Okay, crybaby, stop crying, everyone’s staring.’

‘Suck, black, hiccup.’

‘Ouch.’

I was crying so hard that I looked like a broken man, with a huge smile on my face.

‘Karina, we have to go.’

‘Oh my God, ho ho ho ho. Thanks for the tour, and I hope you’ll accept my invitation next time, I’ll send you an invitation to the Guardian, too, now that we’re lovers.’

Everyone giggled and teased the two of us, who blushed.

Black. Maybe I shouldn’t have made a public confession.