While enjoying Mishael’s eleven-year-old beauty with a pleased expression, I spoke to Sir Jerome, my history teacher.

“Sir, if you don’t mind, would it be alright to have Mishael sit next to me?”

“What? Miss, what’s the matter…”

Sir Jerome adjusted his monocle with a bewildered expression. Although Mishael had never encountered any proper incidents before, he was still a child who would endure anything.

Not only was there a difference between not simply punishing him and having him sit by my side, it would almost seem like he was teaching Mishael himself.

Understanding his hesitant thoughts, I chuckled.

“You’re not going to punish me anyway, are you?”

“…I suppose that’s right.”

“I’ll have him hold my book instead. I’m worried that unnecessary muscles will develop in my arms if I maintain the correct posture and hold the book at eye level.”

“Ah, holding a book… Brilliant solution.”

From that day on, Mishael attended all of my classes.

In the original story, Mishael’s rise to the position of a cardinal despite being a former slave, was not solely due to his immense holy powers. A significant part was also attributed to the knowledge he naturally accumulated by attending classes as a whipping boy under Lionella’s tutelage. Thanks to his stolen studies, he had even become aware that Lionella deliberately pretended not to know things that she already knew, which resulted in Mishael being punished.

And now, Mishael was openly studying beside me.

‘You must remember that my efforts played a big part in this. Because of Miss Lily, you were able to accumulate knowledge. Understand?’

After years of tireless efforts, our childhood years were coming to an end when Mishael turned eighteen.

He manifested a tremendous holy power, just as it was portrayed in the original work.

Not everyone becomes a priest just because they displayed holy powers. But Mishael’s talent was so exceptional that it caught the attention of religious officials who sensed it. They eagerly sought to recruit him.

In the original work, the Marquis of Parma was unaware of such matters and disMissed the religious officials, but Mishael, who found out about it later, eventuallyran away and reached the Holy Kingdom…

‘Mishael must become a priest without fail.’

As the sub-male lead in ‘Wildflowers,’ he had to become a strong cardinal to put the protagonist to the throne.

So when people of the church people came looking for the person who manifested holy powers, I willingly welcomed them and promptly arranged for Mishael to go on his pilgrimage.

And finally, on the day Mishael left for the Holy Kingdom.

“Mishael, be careful on your journey.”

After seeking perMission to let the carriage leaving for the Holy Kingdom stay for a while, I, as Parma’s representative, bid Mishael a final farewell.

Nine years with Mishael passed like a fleeting moment. To be precise, it was a time when I grew as Parma’s successor, who wouldn’t let anyone retaliate against Mishael, monitored my father, and took care to ensure that the servants did not bother him.

I instinctively cupped Mishael’s cheeks, which now started to show signs of maturity. When he first came to Parma, he couldn’t eat properly, so even though he was about two years older than me, we were similar in stature. But now, I had to tilt my head up to meet his gaze.

“Mishael, remember this. You are truly kind and pure.”

“That’s right, Miss.”

“You will become a faithful priest more than anyone else.”

“…Yes, Miss.”

“And…”

“Yes, Miss. I will not forget everything you gave me.”

I smiled with satisfaction as Mishael recited all the words I’ve told him in an attempt to brainwash him over the past nine years, ensuring that he would never betray me. Mishael still couldn’t quite adjust to my villainous smile and his face remained stiff.

“Alright then. Take care.”

Waving my hand towards the Mishael’s departing carriage, I couldn’t help but feel a bit lonely.

“… And six years have passed again. I turned twenty-two, and Mishael turned twenty-four.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“Just something… “

I quietly glanced at Mishael and buried my lips in the teacup, avoiding his gaze.

This place was a small garden in the Holy Kingdom, where the gentle sunlight of early spring warmly illuminated the sprouts. It had a gazebo installed within it, used for visitors of the monastery where the novitiates resided. During the fifteen years that Mishael and I knew each other…

Fifteen years… So, nine years in Parma, and six more years since he entered the Holy Kingdom.

During his stay in the Holy Kingdom as a novitiate, he will finally become an ordained a priest later this year. I’ve also been visiting Mishael once a month. It was to check on his well-being, to see if he still had no resentment towards Parma, and also… to ensure that the original work started properly. That the protagonist of the story will properly meet the future cardinal who would become her faithful companion.

Unlike my father, I have a keen interest in politics and need to get in line at the right time.

‘Recently, I heard someone from the royal palace went to the Holy Kingdom…’

To find the right timing to ask about it, I briefly observed Mishael, who was burying his lips in the teacup that I poured for him.

Mishael truly grew up as the embodiment of a beautiful apostle of God. His silver hair, which grew long enough to cover the nape of his neck, shone gracefully as if it had been forged from pure silver. His eyes, which glittered with a reddish color brighter than a top-grade ruby under the sunlight, naturally captivated me even when I simply gazed into them. There was no need to mention his height, which had already grown considerably since he left the marquis’s residence, and now he exuded the appearance of a fully matured adult man.

I was admiring his beautiful appearance once again today.

“As I thought, the tea you make is the most delicious.”

“That’s because you’ve adapted to this taste since you were young.”

I practiced tirelessly to avoid being caught by Mrs Entera. As a child, Mishael became a sacrificial lamb, drinking two cups of tea every day.

When he remembered that, a mischievous smile appeared on Mishael’s lips.

It must be difficult for him to remember the years he spent as a slave… I buried my lips in the tea once again, waiting for him to cover up the bad memories.

“Is the Marquis doing well?”

“Yeah, well…”

“As usual?”

“That’s right, what else…”

As usual… It was too much and a problem. Father pretended not to in front of me, but he was still secretly associating with problematic nobles. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to be recklessly spending time in illegal gambling dens, illegal entertainment establishments, or illegal auction houses, like in the original…

“Well, now that he’s taken a step back from the front lines, he can enjoy some leisure.”

I smiled brightly and brushed aside my worries about my father.

That’s right. Two years ago, when I turned eighteen, I officially became the heir to the Marquisate of Parma and had been taking care of the Marquis’s household in Father’s place long before then.

Just as I wished, to take one more step away from the bad ending.

Ahem. Isn’t it about time to bring up the reason why I came here today?

“You know, Mishael.”

“Yes.”

“The royal family of Lycius visited the Holy Kingdom not long ago, I heard?”

“Yes, they did.”

“By any chance, did… the Third Princess come with?”

I subtly asked, making sure not to reveal any unusual tone in my voice. The Third Princess, or rather, Princess Daniella, the illegitimate daughter of the King of Lycius and the protagonist of ‘Wildflowers.’

“Well, after completing her studies abroad, she’s back in the country for good, so she together with them.”

“How was it?”

“What?”

“I mean, her. Did anything happen to her?”

“Happen, what do you mean… exactly?”

Mishael tilted his head in confusion. He couldn’t understand why I was asking such a thing, so he looked puzzled.

‘I can’t ask so directly. It’s frustrating.’

Whether it was the intense impression she made at first sight, your inability to take your eyes off her, or the sense of duty you felt that made you want to dedicate your whole life to her… I wondered if the original Mishael had felt those emotions he mentioned in his monologue. But I quickly made a vague excuse and said,

“Well, it’s just… I heard many favorable rumors about her even while she was away for her studies, so I wondered how she’d be in person. His Majesty hasn’t chosen a successor yet, after all.”

“Ah… She does indeed seem to be the most intelligent among His Majesty’s children.”

“Really? Did you have a chance to have a conversation… or anything like that?”

“Us novitiates only exchanged greetings with her. We’re not official priests or anything.”

Hmm, in that case, perhaps Mishael and Princess Daniella’s true first meeting happened a little later…

I couldn’t get a meaningful answer, but one thing was certain.

Seeing that the king accompanied Princess Daniella on an external schedule, it seemed that the development that happened in ‘Wildflowers’ was about to begin. In other words, it meant that Princess Daniella, who couldn’t even be named as a candidate for the successor due to being born a bastard, was gradually starting to show her presence.

‘Mishael will soon become an official priest, and Princess Daniella will start making some political moves…’

My past journey to avoid a disastrous ending was really coming to an end. I swallowed my overwhelming excitement and buried my lips in a teacup, without Mishael knowing.

Now, it seemed like the time had come for me to pursue my own independent life without much worry.

I quietly put down the teacup and spoke in a refreshing tone.

“By the way, it seems it will be difficult for me to come visit next month.”

“Are you going on a trip somewhere?”

“Well, not exactly. I want to engage in social activities more seriously this year. To do that, it seems like I’ll have to stay in the royal capital for a while.”

“Ah, you want to establish your position as the Marquis of Parma…?”

“That’s one of the reasons. I think it’s about time for me to get married.”

“You’re… getting married?”

“Yeah, to inherit the title, the family would need a son-in-law. I should start looking for a prospective husband.”

I smiled widely as I said that. There was a sense of relief ingrained in that smile, I’m sure, knowing that I had almost completely avoided the disastrous ending caused by Mishael.

It seemed that Mishael’s face still couldn’t adapt to my villainous smile, as his expression stiffened slightly.