Of course, I had seen descriptions of him being strong in the original work, but he didn’t particularly seem that strong in everyday life.

Ah, that’s not to say he was weak.

It’s just that I didn’t think he would be stronger than the hero who defeated the dragon.

“Did such a person really become your bodyguard?”

“Yes, I gave him something, and he seemed touched, so when I was looking for a guard knight, he applied…”

No matter how I think about it, wasting such manpower is burdensome.

“I think it would be very good if he protected Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

Serena said, trying to pass off her white elephant.

It’s not a white elephant because it’s useless.

It’s just like having a billion-won refrigerator in a household that can barely afford meals, that kind of feeling.

Or, it’s like going to a cheap Chinese restaurant and finding they sell a million-won ultra-luxury dish there.

“I think he’s a talent more suited to Her Highness the Crown Princess, who will work for the future, rather than someone like me.”

Serena said.

“Although he’s missing one arm, if I make and fit him with a prosthetic, there won’t be any problem with his movement.”

Her eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together.

“So please, let him protect Your Highnesses so that he can do greater things…”

“No.”

The Crown Princess, who was also the saintess, Rosia, shook her head.

With eyes moistened with tears.

‘…Huh?’

Serena became a little uneasy.

Come to think of it, she remembered that these weren’t the kind of people who would be pleased by someone lowering themselves and flattering them.

“That guard knight would want to protect you, Serena, not me. We can’t take away his opportunity.”

Rosia said with a wistful look in her eyes.

“You’ve really changed.”

She looked like she might burst into tears and embrace Serena at any moment.

That’s why Serena wanted to run away from this place right now.

“You’ve really changed…”

Finally, tears fell drop by drop down Rosia’s cheeks.

“I was worried that the apology you made then might not have been sincere.”

Ouch.

Serena’s shoulders trembled.

True to her title as the saintess, she had guessed exactly right.

‘I hope she doesn’t find out.’

Serena tried hard to regulate her breathing, desperately trying to hide her pounding heart.

“So he’ll be happy protecting you, Serena.”

“But… he’s too valuable to be with me…”

“Then how about we ask him? If he says he wants to work for me and His Highness… I’ll do that. But if not, please let him continue to guard you. Understood?”

The protagonist of <Lucky Saintess>, Rosia, said confidently.

“Ah, yes…”

Serena nodded reflexively, but her expression was dark.

At Rosia’s call, Drukan, who had been waiting outside, quickly returned.

Somehow, the result seemed crystal clear.

“Hello, I am the saintess and this country’s Crown Princess. The thing is, the Duchess of Kelahinum was trying to introduce you to me, saying you’re an excellent guard knight. What do you think?”

Because…

“I refuse.”

“As I thought, right?”

As befitting the female protagonist of <Lucky Saintess>, Rosia had max luck and had never lost a bet even once.

“……”

“……”

Serena quietly avoided Drukan’s silent gaze full of protest.

‘I’m the bad guy again.’

It was somewhat unfair for Serena.

She closed her mouth with a slightly disgruntled expression.

She didn’t like Rosia’s triumphant face that seemed to be saying, ‘See!!’

Serena rarely felt tired.

“So I want you to help His Majesty.”

The Crown Prince said.

I don’t want to.

When did uttering a single sentence become this difficult?

‘I’m already a villainess anyway, so is there any need to not become more of one?’

Just refusing once and becoming comfortable…

The mind might become comfortable, but the life wouldn’t.

“I don’t have medical knowledge, so…”

It was a lie.

“I think it would be better if another physician recognized by the imperial family took the lead rather than me…”

Serena once again spoke in roundabout ways to refuse.

Hop!

This time too, the rabbit jumped up.

“……?”

Drukan’s eyes narrowed.

Nyx suddenly appeared from somewhere and hopped into the air.

At that moment, with a swoosh—! sound cutting through the air, Drukan’s sword sliced through the empty space.

No, to be precise, it flew towards Nyx.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

The Crown Prince shouted in surprise.

Serena also looked at Drukan in shock.

“…I apologize, it felt like there was something unidentifiable.”

Nyx is trembling, turning pale white. It seems to have barely avoided the attack, but its wide-open eyes showed it was no small shock.

“So-something was there?”

“Yes, now… it’s gone.”

Drukan narrowed his eyes and looked around.

His gaze fell on the rabbit in Serena’s arms.

“Did you bring a rabbit?”

Serena’s shoulders flinched at that sharp question. She quietly rolled her eyes and then nodded.

“I brought it hidden in my arms.”

Serena casually lied.

Since Nyx sometimes popped out unpredictably, Serena actually had no excuse she could make.

“…I see.”

Drukan said with a slightly uncomfortable feeling.

When Serena nodded firmly, he turned his gaze away and bowed his head.

“It might have been my mistake, I apologize for my rudeness.”

The Crown Prince frowned but nodded at Drukan’s polite apology.

‘Someone of that skill level wouldn’t have made a mistake…’

The Crown Prince thought.

Was there something in the room?

He thought he should order the room to be inspected once Serena left.

[Source of evil!]

Nyx, trembling in her arms, wrote something and held it out.

‘Source of evil…?’

What?

Just as she was thinking that…

“Anyway, Duchess of Kelahinum. I’ll ask you like this.”

The Crown Prince said, slightly bowing his head while using the heavy title.

It was quite something for a member of the imperial family.

Of course, it was even more troublesome for Serena.

I looked at Nyx trembling in my arms.

And slowly blinking, I raise my head again.

“……”

Serena felt a little like dying.

‘Source of evil…?’

The Crown Prince?!

What on earth does ‘source of evil’ mean! Where is this evil supposed to be stemming from!

Suppressing the urge to demand answers, she updated her to-do list.

She drew a line through the item that said:

[Seventh, Save the Marchioness.]

And added a new one below it:

[Seventh, Save the Marchioness and His Majesty the Emperor.]

It was Serena’s desperate attempt to avoid increasing her to-do list to ten items.

“…Though I’m lacking, I’ll try my best then.”

“Thank you!”

It should have been a stairway to heaven leading to an easy life, but it was a day when she couldn’t understand why everything before her eyes seemed so dark and gloomy.

* * *

“…Is this what you call a prosthetic arm?”

Drukan, who had come to her office at his employer’s sudden summons, asked with a bewildered look.

“That’s right, unlike that wooden prosthetic, this one can move its fingers too.”

“…It looks heavy.”

Drukan said, looking at the dark gray prosthetic.

For a swordsman, having a heavy body can be a fatal weakness. Drukan had a slightly troubled expression.

‘How should I refuse?’

He had wondered what she was thinking when she was measuring his arm length and size, but he never imagined she was making something like this.

To be clear, he did not want to wear that heavy thing.

‘How is it supposed to move the fingers in the first place?’

Looking closely, the finger joints seemed to be well-articulated.

If he moved it with his good arm, he might be able to hold a cup…

‘But why go through such trouble?’

After all, the fingers wouldn’t move according to his thoughts anyway.

Drukan had lived with one arm for so long that he didn’t even find it inconvenient anymore to have only one arm.

‘…It’s always difficult to refuse kindness.’

He seriously pondered how to refuse.

If Serena knew, she would grab the back of her neck and faint.